Africology Spa

We've just discovered that Africology is now available to Virgin's luxury spa users. The down-side? You'll have to go the Ulusaba Private Game Reserve in South Africa to experience it!

A little closer to home, Africology treatments are available at the Sanctuary Spa in Covent Garden. But even better, why not pamper yourself in the comfort of your own home? Discover the exclusive Africology Spa range at How on Earth. Light a candle, run a bath and indulge... You'll feel the wrinkles and your worries floating away!

One of our favourites is the Africology Body Butter - so rich, this isn't one to put on if you're hurrying off to work as you'll need a few moments to let your skin absorb it (but we think it's all the better for that as we should all be taking more time to relax and pamper ourselves - it's good for the mind and body). Besides which, the wait's all worth it - it works like magic against dry skin and you won't need to apply it every day!

And for your face, we can't speak highly enough about the Africology Moisturiser. Not only does it have an SPF of 15 (which is a must for looking after your skin in the coming summer months), but you can virtually feel your skin absorbing the goodness as soon as you put it on.

So go on, treat yourself...

The Path to Perfect Skin

How on Earth is featured in this month's edition of Yoga Magazine! It's a great article (and that's not being biased!) by Katy Morton on getting the best skin and the benefits of organic skincare products.

Shona, the founder of How on Earth, is featured with her top tips on cleansing, keeping the skin bacteria-free and being wary of products like lipstick that we ingest.

There's also advice on some of the best products for different types of skin including our very own Weleda Wild Rose Cleansing Lotion, Pukka Organic Rosewater Toner and suki balancing day lotion.

Visit Yoga Magazine for more information and to find out how to get your copy!

Winter Skin Care Favourites - Weleda Skin Food

If you suffer from dry or chapped skin anywhere on your face or body, you'll be pleased to know How on Earth is now stocking Weleda Skin Food.

Featured at London Fashion Week in September, Skin Food was in the exclusive goody bags for the models, designers and attendees. Its huge celebrity following includes Rihanna, Janey-Lee-Grace and Sophie Ward.

Shona asked me to test it out and I have been mightily impressed, as have my mum and ten year old daughter! I especially loved using on my hands and elbows.

Skin Food is developed to be a deep penetrating skin repair cream, either smoothed onto your body until absorbed, or gently patted onto your face. This amazing cream forms a fine protective barrier against the ravages of winter. As soon as you open the tube, the wafts of chamomile, calendula and wild pansy start to soothe. Key ingredients included lanolin, which is cleverly chemically similar to our natural skin oil, sebum and rosemary, which revitalizes dull complexions.

Amazingly Weleda Skin Food was first introduced in 1926 (!!). It's having a huge comeback, with endorsements from models, singers and actresses. Thank goodness the secret is out now and my hands may survive the winter.

£5.95 for 75ml at How on Earth, it is suitable for vegetarians and comes in a 75ml recyclable aluminium tube - green in more ways than one!

Posted by Kate L.

Winter Skin Care Favourites - Barefoot Botanicals SOS Range

Barefoot Botanicals SOS organic skin care products are rich in natural ingredients that moisturise, soothe and calm dry, irritated, and cracked skin.

Originally designed for people suffering from eczema and psoriasis (so are perfect for those with sensitive skin), these are 100% natural, gentle products that work wonders on anyone with damaged or dry skin.

Review: Barefoot Botanicals SOS Rescue Me Face & Body Cream

A How on Earth bestseller, this face and body cream is a one-stop wonder for rescuing sore or chapped winter skin. It comes in two sizes, the 50ml is perfect for fitting in your handbag so you never need be without it.

marieclaire.co.uk says: "A fantastically rich, hydrating cream that is the perfect soothing antidote for very dry skin. Delivers a huge dose of essential fatty acids to hydrate stressed out skin and also contains calming herbs including evening primrose oil, burdock and chamomile to relieve irritation. Fab for dried out winter skin but also a summer essential for easing insect bites and sun scorched skin." £9.95 for 50ml.


Review: Barefoot Botanicals SOS Lifesaver Moisturising Bath Oil

Forget about bubbles for your bath, pour in some of this super-hydrating bath oil for a truly indulgent soak. Containing a mix of botanical oils including jojoba, sunflower, starflower and evening primrose, this moisturising bath oil will soften and protect the skin.

And take time to experience the full aromatherapeutic effects of the neroli, chamomile, lavender and Himalayan cedarwood which are known to relax body and mind.

Gentle enough for babies, children as well as adults with sensitive skin. £19.95 for 200ml.

Winter Skin Care Favourites - Weleda Wild Rose Intensive Facial Oil

The winter season can be really stressful on your skin - from the harsh cold temperatures and wind outside to drying central heating warmth indoors, there's no wonder it needs special attention. So we're putting together some of our top picks for the winter months.

First, one of my absolute favourites. I wasn't too inclined to try it at first as I usually find oils too greasy to use on my skin but after a couple of uses, I was hooked! Unlike many oils, the Weleda Wild Rose Intensive Facial Oil is rapidly absorbed into the skin, leaving a soft finish, and a gorgeous, relaxing scent. My skin feels really nourished and hydrated afterwards.

How to use it: Best used in the evening after thorough cleansing and toning - break open one of the capsules and dab the contents over your face and neck, massaging it in softly. Apply gently around the eyes. If there's any excess oil after a few minutes, remove with a cosmetic tissue. There's no need to use any additional products such as a night cream.

What Weleda says about it: "Wild Rose Intensive Facial Oil supports the natural renewal processes of the skin; it increases the skin’s natural resilience and elasticity, reduces the feeling of dryness or tired appearance and the signs of premature ageing are reduced. The skin feels smooth and supple."

I would really recommend using it daily for a couple of weeks if your skin feels out-of-condition and then maybe a couple of times a week throughout the winter. Ideal for use after a face masque when it will provide amazing nourishment for deeply cleansed skin.

Extra tip: Wrapping the face in a warm, damp cloth for a few minutes can increase the effectiveness of the treatment.

£12.95 for 30 capsules.

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.

In the press - The GIN Lady

The GIN Lady - don't you just love the name? In case you were wondering if we'd somewhat strayed from our obsession with all things eco and gone down the path of early afternoon drinking, don't worry, we haven't quite got there (yet)...

The title comes from the blogger, Nicola, being "under the influence of Green, Independent and Natural brands, people and news." So, away from the alcohol and back to the marginally less fun topic of our Pukka Organic Rosewater which she reviewed this week. And she even went a step further than us with our testing and tried it on her rice pudding. Yes, it's that pure you can actually eat it, so no need to worry about putting it on your skin.

Her review: "I love Pukka teas for their taste, ethos and approach to business. So when I found their toner on the lovely new beauty site, How On Earth, I decided to give their toner a whirl. A fabulous move!

I am forever spritzing my face with this beautifully simple concoction. It freshens me up immediately. It also relaxes me.

Pukka’s organic rosewater is purity in a bottle. Get this: It's distilled from roses grown at a high altitude to optimise essential oil content; The roses are hand picked at dawn to protect their valuable aromatic oils from evaporating in the sunlight; They are gently steam-distilled to optimise its wonderful fragrance. Yep, it smells delicious.

So delicious I highly recommend eating it. For something different, pour a splash into a drink of water.... so refreshing. Or add some to rice pudding... divine. We couldn't drink from a bottle produced by the mainstream giants, now could we? "

What more can we add to that? For more eco-news and product tips, have a look at Nicola's fabulous blog: The GIN Lady.

5 Top Skin Care Tips

1. Moisturise. And not just your face - the neck, elbows, heels and hands shouldn't be neglected. They may not be the first to be noticed, but if they're not looked after, it'll show. Don't be persuaded into buying a specific product for each area though - a good balm will work wonders on elbows, hands and heels and you can use the same moisturiser for your decolletage as you do on your face.

2. Always protect yourself from the sun. We all still love the healthy glow we get from a suntan, but we also know about its long term damaging effect. Use a good sunscreen and stay out of the midday sun.

3. Don't forget to cleanse your face properly in the morning - many of us (and yes, I'm as bad as anyone at this!) hurry through the morning routine and whilst we know that it's the ultimate skincare sin not to remove make up at night, we don't really worry so much about cleansing in the morning. But during the night the skin has time to breathe and it's natural detoxifation processes take place so the surface of the skin needs to be thoroughly cleansed before putting on any moisturiser or make up.

4. Try and keep your hands and products clean. This avoids contamination and delays products going off and if you are using natural products with minimal preservatives this is especially important.

5. Look after yourself - no smoking, not too much alcohol and good nutrition and exercise can do as much for your skin as any products.

Get gorgeous hands in ten minutes!

This only takes ten minutes and can be done while you're watching tv so there's no excuse! And, except for in deepest, darkest winter, our hands are one of the few parts of the body that are always on show, so it's worth taking care of them.

Firstly, remove any old nail polish with cotton pads or buds.

Next you'll need to thoroughly moisturise your hands and nails. You might like to try one of our eco hand creams such as Barefoot Botanicals' Rosa Fina Hand Cream or Weleda's Sea Buckthorn Hand Cream. You may also want to use a separate product for your cuticles such as Burts Bees' Cuticle Cream. Once softened, using a cuticle stick, gently push back the cuticles.

Assuming your nails aren't so long as to need cutting, shape them to your preferred shape using a double-sided emery board. Use the more abrasive side of the board to start with until the nails are roughly the right shape, then switch to the softer side to smooth off the edge. Then spend a few minutes shining the nails with a buffer. You'll be surprised how shiny they can look without any polish.

Many of us would love to have long nails, but our lifestyles (jobs, children, housework etc.) make it impractical. Focus on taking care of your hands and nails regularly rather than worrying about them being the ideal length.

If you have the time, you can then apply nail varnish. But consider when you're next likely to be able to spend the time to redo the polish - well-shaped, healthy, shiny nails are far preferable to 4-day old polish which is starting to look chipped and cracked. Plus, nail varnish normally contains masses of the chemicals many people are trying to avoid. If you are going to use polish, try a brand called Suncoat which is one of the least toxic on the market.

Try and do this once or twice a week to keep your hands and nails looking gorgeous - we promise you'll notice the difference. And if you're forgetful, try associating a particular program with getting your nail kit out - you'll be done before the ad break!