HEAL T H & BE A U TY
Naturally Beautiful Catherine Varney looks to some chemical-free alternatives for achieving the face and body beautiful this summer
Chemical-free cosmetics:
When it comes to looking after your skin, what you put on your body is just as important as what you put in it. After all, we all know that we’ll look and feel far better if we fuel our bodies with fresh fruit and vegetables rather than fast food: so why then would we use chemical-laden cosmetics that are absorbed into our bloodstream through our skin? It’s a view shared by Meesha Kanadia who has recently opened Apothecary shop Amelia Nour in Stoneygate which offers a selection of vegan and vegetarian products from the most popular well-being and beauty brands from around the world including Elemental Herbology, Oskia Skincare, Odacite and Neom Organics. As a huge fan of all things natural, I was delighted to try some of the products from Odacite, founded by breast cancer survivor Valerie Grandury who wanted to create a skincare brand which delivered on performance and purity (removing toxins from her daily routine was an important step in her recovery). The Wild Carrot Serum Concentrate gets five-star rated reviews online, smelt absolutely divine and absorbed into my skin on contact without leaving a greasy residue. After just a couple of days usage my skin felt more supple, smoother and appeared more radiant – certainly the long-term anti-ageing benefits would be significant. I also loved the vitamin-rich Oskia cleansing gel and day cream, which combined to gently cleanse my skin and leave an excellent, fresh base for make-up (meaning I could even forgo my primer on the days I used them). Many of the products can only otherwise be found in selected and exclusive stores worldwide so this little treasure trove of goodies is a must-visit for beauty addicts everywhere. • Amelia Nour, 59 Francis Street, Leicester, Tel: 0116 431 5395, www.amelianour.co.uk
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‘Kind to your hair’ haircare: Great hair doesn’t stop the moment you leave the salon and to ensure you have envy-inducing locks everyday, you need professional haircare products to use at home. In fact some of the high street brands could do more harm than good as many are full of silicone oils and other artificial additives, which give the hair a temporary shine-effect, but add a ‘plasticky’ coating, leaving it unable to absorb natural, nourishing ingredients that it would really benefit from.
Thomas Potts is an expert in haircare and in addition to owning three local salons also boasts his own range of products which can be bought in-store or online. Even better, each product is targeted to very specific customer needs so there’s no more guesswork over which to choose: Shampoo One is for fine hair and is a must have for anyone who finds it difficult to get movement or body when blow drying at home. Hair feeling dull, heavy and laden-down with products? Go for Shampoo Four which contains tea tree extract and eucalyptus oil, ideal for any sensitive or easily irritated scalps. It’s also great for removing heavy product build-up from waxes and hair spray to invigorate the scalp, ensuring hair feels fresh and light again. • Thomas Hairdressing, The Maltings, 15 Mill Street, Oakham, Tel: 01572 756561, www.thomashairdressing.co.uk
RUTLAND & MARKET HARBOROUGH LIVING JULY 2016
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22/06/2016 14:09