Products
What are parabens? Why Organic? Aromatic sents of Christmas Love is in the air
Dangerous chemicals in products
Uniquely Organic Gifts
Treatments of the month
Pinks Boutique Anti-ageing Facial with Hot Stones
Organic processing of vegetable oils ensures that antioxidants, vitamins and minerals are not destroyed as they can often be in chemical processing. Using super-charged rosehip, scientifically proven to aid with signs of ageing, wrinkles and sun damage, this facial extends to the 'telltale giveaway' areas - the back of the neck and decollete also. Learn how to prevent ageing from inside and out as our expert therapists guide you through the holistics of ageing.
£55 Saving £25
Nirvana Organic Wraptual
The Buddha described Nirvana as the perfect peace of the state of mind that is free from afflicting states. To help achieve this, our Nirvana wraptual offers you a glimpse of paradise from head to toe. Beginning with our signature foot ritual, you are then offered a choice of aromatherapy blends to enhance your journey. Continuing with our divine lemongrass body scrub, organic mud wrap, full body massage and mini-facial, leaves nothing to be desired beyond maintaining this sense of inner peace.
£100 saving £45
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Testimonial of the month
Jenny
(Chakroscant Solar Plexus)
Thank you Emma, for a divine treatment. It was a truly wonderful combination of aromatherapy massage with hot stones with an amazing kneading technique that felt like all my bad energies were being released
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What are parabens?
Parabens are commonly-used preservatives present in up to 90 percent of cosmetics. These include skincare, make-up, shampoos and deodorants. They are not only used as preservatives in cosmetics but also as food additives, usually to add colour or flavour.
The most commonly used parabens are Methylparaben (E number, E218), Propylparaben (E216), Ethylparaben (E214) and Butylparaben. Have a look at the products around your house and see how many contain parabens...you may be surprised at just how common they are.
Why is there so much bad press about parabens?
Initially parabens were thought to be a safe and stable way of preserving many popular products and because of this they have been used for years. However, recent studies have revealed potential complications in the over-use of products containing parabens, especially those in contact with the skin.
Sixty percent of what is put on the skin is absorbed into the bloodstream and it has been estimated that an average woman comes into contact with 175 chemicals in one day (that is 4lbs worth in weight of chemicals in one day!) Because of this there has been a connection made with sufferers of breast cancer. Many studies have indicated that parabens can affect the breast tissue (as they mildly mimic the natural female hormone, oestrogen) and traces of parabens have been found in patients with breast cancer. Many of these studies have not been done on a large enough scale so the results remain inconclusive.
Other potential adverse effects from the use of parabens are:
- * Allergic reactions or increased skin sensitivity
- * Premature ageing (when exposed to UV rays)
- * Decrease in testosterone levels and sperm count due to increase in oestrogen levels
Alternatives to parabens
Luckily as the popularity of organic and natural goods increase, so does the research into alternative methods of preservation and flavouring. Many organic and natural skincare manufacturers are now using extracts of grapeseed or grapefruit and even vitamins such as A, C and E as antioxidising agents.
Most certified organic skincare products will not contain harmful chemicals such as parabens. The skincare ranges I use on myself and within treatments contain 100 percent beneficial ingredients and therefore do not contain any chemical emulsifiers or chemical preservatives. Every ingredient is chosen carefully and must be beneficial to the skin.
For more information and to purchase our products please visit our online shop.
Sources
A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients by Ruth Winter, M.Swww.thinkbeforeyoupink.org
www.live-naturally.co.uk
Why organic?
Top Five Reasons for Going Organic
1. Good for the soil
Organic systems rely on a modern and scientific understanding of ecology and soil science, while also depending on traditional methods of crop rotation to ensure fertility, and weed and pest control.
2. Good for the environment
Organic systems aim to reduce dependence on non-renewable resources. Organic production aims at all times towards sustainability whilst having best management of the environment and wildlife as a priority.
3. Good for people
Organic-based ingredients have been shown in a number of studies to contain more vitamins, nutrients and cancer-fighting antioxidants than non-organic ingredients.
4. No synthetic chemicals
Organic systems prohibit the use of artificial chemicals, pesticides and fertilisers.
5. No GMOs
Certified Organic products are produced without genetically-modified organisms, which are prohibited in the standards for organic food and farming.
Aromatic scents of Christmas
Clients of Uniquely Organic may already be aware of the delights and benefits of aromatherapy. As Christmas approaches, there are many ways in which this gentle art can be used to enhance the seasonal spirit whether in recipes, home-made presents or festive ambience and decorations. This month we bring you some ideas of how essential oils can be used in the kitchen and as the basis for individual Christmas gifts.
Christmas food and drink
An essential oil can sometimes turn a good recipe into a great one. Add a drop of lemon or orange oil to your mincemeat and watch your household flock to the kitchen at the first waft of your mince-pies. A spicy essential oil like ginger or cinnamon can add a kick to both the aroma and flavour of Christmas pud, while these and other oils distilled from spices, such as nutmeg, clove or mace are wonderful in Christmas cake.
Did you know you can also make mulled wine using essential oils instead of spices and fruit? Try blending a drop or two of cinnamon, clove, and your choice of citrus essential oil in two tablespoons of honey and stir this into a 750 ml of wine which has been slowly heating in a non-metallic saucepan. Whip it off the hob as soon as it starts to bubble, allow to cool a little, then serve in wine glasses whose rims have been wetted and pre-dipped in sugar... well, it is Christmas and it warms the cockles of your heart!
And you can ease a hangover the morning after by making a cold compress. Do this by soaking a folded piece of clean cotton in a bowl of cold water to which two drops of juniper and two of fennel oil have been added, then placing it over your forehead and temples. If you then massage a blend of three drops of rose oil in 25 ml carrier oil such as almond into the liver area (lower right side of your ribs and just below) it will help to help detoxify your system. Bottoms up!
Aromatherapy gifts
Uniquely Organic vouchers are ideal for making your friends and relatives feel really special and they can be spent either on aromatherapy massage and facials, other treatments or on our certified organic products.
Frankincense and myrrh in resin form were the gifts of Kings, and you can experiment by adding a single drop of either of these essential oils to your blend to give a spiritual dimension. Alternatively, you could add a couple of drops of ‘woody' oil such as cedarwood, bay or pine.
Aromatherapy can also help you individualise gifts for your friends. To make bath crystals will take you next to no time. Just crush washing soda crystals, add a little food colouring and your chosen essential oils (20 drops to each 250g of crystals) then package in a glass jar festooned with a pretty ribbon and attractively labelled. Hey presto.
You can also fragrance a bought or made gift by leaving it overnight in a sealed plastic bag containing a cotton wall ball infused with a couple of drops of pure essential oil chosen to absorb the scent.
Buy half a dozen sheets of pink notepaper and envelopes, scent overnight with geranium oil and tie with a length of pink ribbon. Keep a few of these in reserve for when an unexpected gift is presented! Or make a fragranced bookmark made with a strip of card and decorated with pictures or drawings and with a bead strung with ribbon attached to the top so that it hangs below the pages of the book …perfect as a child’s gift to a friend or teacher!
Treat yourself
For yourself, add the book which inspired several of the ideas for this article to your Christmas list - The Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy by Valerie Ann Worwood, New World library, 1991.
Treat yourself
And book a relaxing Aromatherapy Massage or facial at Uniquely Organic to help control pre-Christmas stress and ask for your individual home blend (£5) to help you keep calm throughout the holiday.
Ambience and decorations
Make your home smell warm and welcoming by blending essential oils for an oil burner or a room spray. There are several spicy (clove, cinnamon) and citrus oils (orange, tangerine, bergamot, mandarin, lemon) that work well together. Try adding four drops of essential oil of orange and two of cinnamon to the water-filled bowl of your burner or dilute these quantities in two cups of water in a plant spray . Frankincense (see October oil of the month) and myrrh in resin form were the gifts of Kings, and you can experiment by adding a single drop of either of these essential oils to your blend to give a spiritual dimension. Alternatively, you could add a couple of drops of ‘woody' oil such as cedarwood, bay or pine.
Indeed, the natural scent of pine we all associate with Yuletide can be recaptured either by spraying your Christmas tree with a mixture of six drops of essential oil of pine to one cup of water or by wrapping a piece of absorbent fabric infused with a few drops of pine oil around the tree trunk. This can help evoke the Christmas spirit whether you opt for a traditional Christmas tree (nowadays often coated with preservatives which prevent needle-drop but mask the natural scent) or an artificial one. You can do the same with Christmas wreaths and pine cone table decorations.
Making decorations of oranges studded with cloves are a tradition in many households and their aromatic effect can be boosted and lengthened by rolling these in a little clove and/or orange oil.
Or make your own mobile out of Christmas cards or cut-out and coloured seasonal shapes like holly, snowflake, star, and robin or Santa, present, reindeer and sleigh fragranced with bay oil to evoke an American Yuletide.
You can also scent ribbons for decorations by soaking them in a cup of water to which six drops of a Christmas essential oil (as suggested above) has been added and then putting them up to dry. For hanging the mistletoe, though, a few drops of a sensual oil like sandalwood would be a saucy touch!
Wrapping
Add a finishing flourish to your gifts by giving them an original aromatherapy wrapping, perhaps sandalwood or another woody essence for men, a floral one for women and an orange or lemon one for children. Simply put the wrapping paper and a cotton wool ball infused with two drops of your chosen oil in a sealed plastic bag overnight and the paper will absorb the scent. And you can make sure your Christmas card is memorable by using the same method, perhaps this time with a spicy or fruity essential oil or blend. Do use your oils sparingly though as you don't want the recipient to be literally bowled over!
Finally, indulge yourself with an aromatherapy massage or other treatment at Uniquely Organic to put your body in peak condition for the holiday. Remember to book early!
Love is in the air
And so we welcome February, a wintry month warmed and cheered by the romance of Valentine’s Day on the fourteenth.
This special date brings together several pagan and early Christian celebrations and beliefs, including : –
the eve of the ancient Roman fertility festival of Lupercalia, which involved a ritual drawing of girls’ names from an urn by young men for courting purposes.
the time of year when birds start mating according to European folklore
the day when a priest called St Valentine was executed in 270 AD for secretly marrying young lovers against the orders of Emperor Claudius II who believed that unmarried men were more reliable as soldiers. The saint is supposed to have left a message signed ‘From your Valentine’ for his jailer’s daughter starting a trend which has snowballed over the centuries.
Over the years, Valentine’s traditions have developed from writing secret declarations of love and giving hand-made hearts and love tokens to sending today’s mass-produced cards, as started by the American Esther A. Howland in the 1840’s with her scraps, ribbons and lace.
Say it with fragrance
Nowadays the sending of Valentine cards is only second in popularity to Christmas cards, while offerings of chocolates, champagne and red roses are also commonplace. Indeed, often referred to as the flower of love, rose is a key ingredient in love potions.Uniquely Organic invites you to celebrate the romantic season by booking yourself a facial or massage to enhance your self-esteem and appearance (click here to view our treatment list) and/or treating your partner or object of desire to a gift voucher (click here to buy your gift voucher) which can be used for treatments or for pure, organic products (click here to visit our online product shop).
Alternatively, you can make Valentine’s Day memorable by concocting your own aromatherapy love potion for your essential oil burner or as a room spray – or we will be happy to make one especially for you (price £5).
Here are some Valentine’s Day blend ideas to be added to water in your burner or spray bottle:
Rose blend
Rose otto or absolute (1 drop)
Sandalwood (2 drops)
Bergamot (2 drops)
Jasmine blend
Jasmine (1 drop)
Black pepper (1 drop)
Grapefruit (2 drops)
Neroli blend
Neroli (1 drop)
Ylang ylang (1 drop)
Lavender (2 drops)
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Dangerous chemicals in products
Ingredient |
Dangers |
Where found? |
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| Coal Tar |
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Products for psoriasis and eczema: Exorex, Alphosyl Cream, Psoriasin Gel, X-Seb T Plus Shampoo, Ionil T Plus Shampoo, Neutrogena T/Gel Extra Strength | |||
| Formaldehyde | Carcinogen , Skin reactions, Ear infections, Headaches, Depression, Asthma, Joint pain, Dizziness, Mental confusion, Nausea Disorientation, Phlebitis, Fatigue, Vomiting, Sleep disturbances, Laryngitis |
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| Lead acetate |
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Birth defects/deformities, liver damage, impaired immunity, Kidney damage, Neurotoxin (brain damage), Reproductive toxin (infertility). |
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| Petrolatum | Carcinogen | Vaseline: 7.1% of products on the market, including 15% of all lipstick and 40% of all baby lotions and oils. | |||
| Imidazolidinyl Urea and Diazolidinyl Urea | May release formaldehyde (see above), skin irritation and contact dermatitis. Second most identified preservatives after parabens | Baby shampoos, make-up, creams and fragrances | |||
| Parabens (methyl, propyl, butyl, ethyl) | Carcinogen , specifically breast cancer as chemical acts like female hormone oestrogen. | 75 – 90% of cosmetics contain parabens | |||
| Toluene | Mild anemia, liver damage, skin irritation and respiratory problems | Used in nail polish | |||
|
Carcinogen | Emulsifier (softening base) for most cosmetic products. Creams and lotions. |
Test out the products you use at home at www.cosmeticdatabase.com
