New Pai Organic Cleanser

If you're already a fan of Pai skincare, you'll love this new cleanser. And if you're not, you should find out what you're missing!

Pai is one of our favourite brands. The creams are gentle on the skin without being greasy and so fresh they're usually made to order. Plus they're organic, UK made, vegetarian and cruelty-free, so there's not much more we could ask for.

The Pai Camellia & Rose Cleanser is a gorgeous addition to the range. Camellia oil has been used in Japan for centuries as a skin cleanser and conditioner. Packed full of omega 3 and vitamins A, B, C & E, it is the ultimate skin tonic. And rose helps skin to retain moisture. Its rejuvenating and restorative properties make it particularly beneficial to lacklustre or damaged skin.

Also new to How on Earth are the Pai Lip Balm Gift Set and the Pai Eye Cream Lip Balm Gift Set - have a look out for these if you're on the hunt for the perfect gift.

Try before you buy

We know one of the things that's frustrating about buying skincare online is that you can't get a good feel of the products - in a store you'd probably open the bottle, dab some on your skin, take a good smell, have a read of the packaging...

So we've done our best to make it easier for you and can now offer many of our ranges in handy-sized sachets for you to try. And many of them are even free when you place an order with us!

Follow the link for more details: Ethical skincare samples.

Ethical Weddings (Part 1)

I'll be honest, it's never been in my life plan to get married. It's not because I'm cynical, I just didn't feel the need and unlike many of my friends, hadn't spent hours imagining the big day well in advance of finding the perfect partner for the somewhat essential "I do" bit. I love weddings, but just didn't think I'd ever be the one in the white dress.

So it came as a huge surprise to myself and my boyfriend of 4 years when I took advantage of the leap year to propose. Apart from being the scariest thing I've ever done (I have a great deal of admiration for anyone who manages to get the words out in any coherent manner), it inevitably set us thinking about the wedding. [He said yes thankfully!]

One thing we're sure about is that it has to reflect our beliefs and our lifestyle. The first hurdle was how to find a ethical ring. After much internet research and learning about the Kimberley process and diamond mining, we narrowed ourselves down to 3 options:

1) A vintage ring (the ultimate in recycling)

2) Conflict free / ethically sourced (we've probably all seen Blood Diamond)

3) Locally made (always a winner!)

In the end, we found two out of three - a Kimberley process guaranteed diamond from a local jeweller in Brighton (Bespoke Diamonds) and we're over the moon. It was a minefield though and I was appalled at some of the other jewellers lack of knowledge or interest in the subject.

There was one area that I feel isn't well covered yet and that is the issues surrounding gold or platinum mining. It's a destructive industry and not yet subject to regulation in the way the Kimberley process is monitoring the diamond industry. One site we did come across that seems to have got it right is US-based Brilliant Earth who strive to use only sustainable sources of gold or platinum. Their "precious metals originate from renewed sources derived from recycled jewelry or industrial products. The precious metals are reclaimed and then re-refined to produce gold and platinum of identical quality to newly mined metals." Hopefully we'll see the same in the UK soon...