On Labelling

Many moons ago, I was fortunate enough to be selected to trial Melissa Day Cream, I have been a huge fan ever since.  If love can build a bridge, so too can Dr.Hauschka. This cream spans the sometimes bewildering void between oily and dry; the product equivalent of Goldilocks’s porridge.  I mean that it is just right, no comparisons to texture implied!   I can’t speak for her porridge, but the cream is silky smooth with the most uplifting aroma imaginable.  I am not the only Melissa “Day Cream Believer” out there; it has just been included in the line-up of 2013 Hero Products.  Additionally, when NATRUE compiled a selection of products to illustrate the high standards of brands which carry their certification mark, they selected this cream from the Dr.Hauschka range:

"DR. HAUSCHKA Skin Care has been 100% natural for over 40 years. Committed to using only the finest raw materials and medicinal herbs, all ingredients used in Dr. Hauschka products are cultivated under fair trade conditions, from biodynamic sources whenever possible.

The award-winning Melissa Day Cream (rrp £24.95 30ml) has been specially developed to meet the needs of sensitive combination skin conditions. Rich in lemon balm and extracts of medicinal herbs, it is formulated to soothe irritable, reddened skin, keep oily zones clear and matte and retain moisture in dry areas. Natural activity is stimulated to help the skin regain its healthy balance and leave the complexion soft and even. Incorporate Melissa Day Cream into a daily skin care routine using a small amount after cleansing and toning each morning. www.drhauschka.co.uk  01386 791022"

 

 

Reading up on Natrue certification made me reflect on the importance of labels.  I have often considered this in terms of food choices.  January, a time of resolutions and new beginnings, has evolved in marketing times as “Diet Month”.  We are bombarded with “healthy” eating option labels: “fat free” “sugar free” “low calorie” “added vitamins & Omega 900+” (ok so Omega 900+ doesn’t exist but if it did it would be quoted to infinity and beyond).  I prefer to opt for “no label” foods i.e. fresh fruit and vegetables.  When it comes to healthy options you can’t outsmart Mother Nature.  However, saying this, in an increasing genetically modified food world, I also want assurance on farming methods and the provenance of products.  At least if an apple is labelled as organic you can assume it is 100% organic, not the case in the beauty industry.  In October 2012 a Boots ad for “Little Me Organics” shampoo was banned after a watchdog found that fewer than 5% of the ingredients in the product were natural.  When it comes to cosmetics there is no legal definition over what product can be called organic. This is where the Natrue label is so useful to consumers. It was set up as international kitemark to help “identify products that are genuinely organic and natural.  Just one logo - the mark of true quality and authenticity. So consumers can see at a glance whether a product is truly natural, and know that the ingredients will be top quality and free from artificial colours, fragrances and preservatives such as parabens”

For more information about NATRUE standards and brands, go to www.natrue.org.

Bearing the Natrue kitemark is the icing on the Melissa Day Cream cake, I do urge you to try it - not in the form of cake, or even caked on, just as a perfectly natural, beautifully balancing, delight of a daily moisturiser!!!!