| Ethical, fairly traded ingredients: the
story behind Green People products |
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If you are minded for fairly traded products, you may well choose your brand of
tea, coffee or chocolate on that basis. You might even be one of the 10% who choose
to buy flowers from ethical sources. But have you considered where the ingredients
for your beauty products come from? More... |
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Most women can’t live without their lipstick; it is a vital part of a lady’s make-up
bag and her choice of shade serves to accentuate her look. There is a colour for
every occasion and every complexion, and whether your favourite is poppy red, neutral
peach or rich plum, it is likely to be on your lips every day when you leave the
house. More... |
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The Green Beauty Bible is a fabulous guide to natural skin care products and Green
People is delighted to appear quite a few times in it. In fact, below are the 9
award winning products featured in this essential guide to natural cosmetics, along
with comments taken from the book. More... |
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If you are just starting out on the path to natural skin care products, you might
feel just a little bit overwhelmed. You will find synthetic chemicals in pretty
much every type of cosmetic and toiletry that you can think of – that means everything
from soap to sun lotions and deodorant to day cream. More... |
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Are you one of the thousands of people looking to have an ethical, organic Christmas
this year? Things have changed a lot since eco issues came to the fore, with an
increasing number of us wishing to enjoy the festive spirit but without harming
the environment. More... |
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Your skin changes daily depending on season, weather conditions, indoor climate,
your health and your physical and emotional wellbeing. It can even change within
the day! It may therefore be necessary to use different cleansing products for your
skin’s 'changing mood'. More... |
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Many people never think about natural skin care until they have children. However,
once they have a baby, their attention is drawn to what they are applying to their
little one’s delicate skin and they start considering whether they should be making
more natural choices in skin care products. More... |
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Everyone knows that the sun damages your skin but have you ever thought how the
heat and UV rays might affect your hair?
The sun’s rays are very powerful – we can all recognise that through how fast sunburn
can develop on unprotected skin – so it is only logical that they will have an effect
on your hair. UV rays cause the most environmental damage to hair, more than blow
drying and chlorine, so it is an important factor to consider if you want to look
after your hair. More... |
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Eczema is a condition that affects many people of all ages, but is especially prevalent
amongst infants and young children. Whilst the visible symptoms of eczema show on
the skin, it is generally accepted that it is closely linked to the internal health
of the body. Consequently, although creams and salves will offer some relief, they
are not the complete answer to managing this condition. More... |
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Most people will suffer from dry skin at some point during their lives. Some will
naturally have dry skin most of the time, whilst others will find that they experience
it during hormonal changes or in response to environmental factors. Dry skin can
cause flaking, itching or tightness and in some cases may be linked with certain
skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. More... |
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Liquid soaps have become more and more popular in the past 15 years, both in the
home and in public places such as hospitals and toilet facilities. They are now
firmly resident in kitchens and bathrooms up and down the country. And for good
reason; they are less prone to bacterial growth than bar soap and are less messy
too. More... |
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Scalp problems such as itching and flaking affect millions of people across the
world. They are sometimes viewed as a bit embarrassing but most of us will experience
them to some degree every now and again. It is only when the problem continues or
becomes unbearable that we are driven to seek help. More... |
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Hot summer weather and beach holidays are adored by many but for around 10% of the
population they can mean days of itchy misery thanks to a common condition called
prickly heat. This tends to affect people year after year but could something as
simple as switching to a non-waterproof, chemical-free sunscreen reduce the irritating
effects of prickly heat? More... |
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Are you one of the many people in the UK with a perfume allergy?
If so, you will understand how this can define so much of what you can use on your
body and in your home. Whilst the extent of the inconvenience depends on which perfume
chemicals you are allergic to, fragrance-free products are the best option for living
without constant skin reactions. More... |
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So the daffodils are out and trees have started budding; Spring has definitely started
to make its mark on the natural world.
This is the perfect time to let a little Spring into your home by saying goodbye
to last year’s chemical-filled toiletries and replacing them with some natural and
organic skin care products! More... |
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Mouth ulcers, bleeding gums and gum disease: these three oral health conditions
affect millions of people in the UK, causing discomfort to many. But could
something as simple as switching to an SLS-free toothpaste be the answer to solving
these common conditions? More... |
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Just the very mention of a trip to the dentists can send even the bravest of us
into a cold sweat, but looking after your mouth and teeth is a really important
part of keeping yourself feeling at your best. It has been suggested that
there are links between health in the mouth and health in the body, as well as the
reverse – ill health. For example, one researcher found that gum disease raised
the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients by around 2%. It is thus in
everyone’s best interests to look after their teeth.
But what is the best way of doing so? For thousands of years, people in some
Middle Eastern, Asian and African countries have used the miswak, a stick from a
certain type of tree (Salvadora persica), to clean their teeth and gums effectively.
Recent research from the King Saud University has shown that this contains many
natural substances which help to protect the gums from disease, kill micro-organisms
in the mouth and increase salivation. More... |
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A major new study found that a daily dose of fish oil supplements had a dramatic
effect on the abilities of underachieving children in Durham.
After just three months on the fish oils, they were reading at 18 months above their
age. More than half showed a 10 per cent improvement in memory, while eight pupils
improved by 20 per cent and one by 30 per cent.
Among the parents, about 35 per cent say their children showed significant improvements
in reading, concentration, focus or behaviour. Many also reported that the children
were much ‘calmer’, more ‘confident’ and ‘grown up’.
More... |
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Something is very wrong somewhere, but what? The answer, says Hilary Freeman, may
be uncomfortably close to home. Millions of Britons are waking up to the facts that
our daily personal hygiene routines could be making us ill.
A study at the University of Reading linked chemicals called parabens in underarm
deodorants with a possible breast-cancer risk, after discovering traces of parabens
- preservatives thought to mimic oestrogens - in human breast tumour samples. More... |
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If we accept the principle of trying to avoid synthetic chemicals in our lives,
it makes sense for us to try and use organically produced products wherever possible.
This applies not only to the food and drink that we consume, but also to the products
we use to clean our homes, our clothes and most importantly, ourselves.
More... |
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“What’s all the sweat about?”
One of the most common personal hygiene issues concerns a process that is absolutely
essential for human life and yet which is perceived by many to be undesirable and
dirty. This process is called perspiring or sweating, and it plays a vital role
in maintaining normal health. More... |
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An increasing number of consumers are adding organic produce to their weekly shopping
list. We are all becoming more aware of the health hazards from pesticide-residues
in fruit and vegetables to hormones in meats and the addition of artificial sweeteners
in almost everything else.
But are you aware of what goes in your personal care products?
More... |
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No-one can have failed to notice all the publicity that has been given to the dangers
of exposure to sunlight over the last couple of years. Most of the advice that has
appeared in the press relates to adults and teenagers - people who can generally
be expected to take some responsibility for their own health.
But what about babies and young children - what advice should parents follow to
ensure that they avoid the pitfalls of too much sun exposure?
More... |
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To look and feel at your best... it has to be a wet shave. Although a dry shave
can save a few vital minutes in the morning, nothing beats a wet shave for closeness,
smoothness and freshness. More... |
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The skin reflects the general health of the body, and skin conditions like dermatitis,
eczema and psoriasis are a clear sign that all is not well on the inside.
It is a good indication that you are either not eating or absorbing foods properly,
or are exposing your skin or your entire organism to something it doesn't like.
More... |
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One of the latest trends in human nutrition is the increasing importance being attached
to fatty acids in the foods we eat and the supplements we take.
Is this just a fad or is there some scientific backing for the claims and theories
being put forward? More... |
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Are you one of the six million people in the UK suffering from
pollen allergies that are known as hayfever?
The term hayfever has been around for about 150 years and is a
misleading name. Pollen allergy does not cause fever, and hay is not involved! More... |
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Lack of energy, weight problems, insomnia, mood swings, inability to concentrate,
headaches, pains in muscles and joints, eczema, asthma, allergies, hayfever....
Complaints not exclusive to the elderly or unfit, but now frequently experienced
by almost everybody - even children! More... |
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It is now well recognised that UV exposure is the major cause of skin cancer, including
both melanoma and non-melanoma.
Sun exposure and particularly sunburn before 15 years of age have a significant
correlation with the incidence of skin cancer in later years.
More... |
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Sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) is an anionic surfactant (detergent) which is included
as a foaming agent (to clean and make bubbles) in a huge variety of commonly used
products.
These include shampoos, soaps, face and body washes, toothpaste, washing up &
laundry detergents and also industrial cleansing chemicals such as engine degreasers.
More... |
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