Comment

Reporter Amanda Greaves has her eye make-up done by Monika Sidor, natural products representative at the Green Shop in Ilkley.

CONSUMERS in Wharfedale can now wear ethically sound make-up while out shopping locally for their fairly traded food.

Ilkley has already pledged its backing for the principles of the Fairtrade movement, gaining Fairtrade Town status, and shoppers across the valley are increasingly asking retailers to stock products that give producers in developing countries a fair deal.

Now the Green Health Shop in the Moors Shopping Centre, Ilkley, is giving the consumer with a conscience a chance to go a step further by offering a new French make-up range which not only consists of natural, organic ingredients, but also takes care that these ingredients are fairly traded.

The shop is one of the first to stock the new Elysambre range. Despite offering a full professional palette of make-up products, the range also carries natural, organic, fairly traded, cruelty-free and even environmentally friendly credentials.

What might sound like a gimmick aimed at cornering the emerging ethically-minded market actually does make for products beneficial to skin, according to experts.

Make-up artist, Monika Sidor, who was recently brought in from London for a day to give free make-over sessions to visitors to the shop, explained the virtues of using natural products made from carefully selected ingredients.

She said: "They contain no parabens, only good, natural, organic products, like shea butter and almond oil. A lot of make-up products contain parabens, which are so bad for your skin."

She also believes that because the make-up is designed by Europeans, rather than an American company, they should be better suited to the skin of people living in Europe. Among her make-over subjects of the day was an older lady, who was said to have been pleased to be given a fresher, younger appearance with the help of the natural ingredients and a natural look.

A swept back hairstyle for Amanda.

Visitors and customers were able to learn more about the range on the day, the claimed benefits of natural over synthetic ingredients and the all-round ethical credentials of the range.

A representative of natural products distributor, Kinetic, which has brought the range to Ilkley, says Elysambre insists that natural oils, pigments and other ingredients have all been bought at a fair price from the producers.

And to anyone who doubts that the ultimate feel-good make-up products would also feel and look good on, the shop's free demonstration proved that wearability and a polished finished have been equally in the minds of the creators as the fairly traded, organic and natural considerations.

The complete range includes all the products needed to hide the flaws that the vast majority of us have, make-up bases and moisturising products, and those to emphasise everyone's best features, in a colour and a finish that suits them.

They also feel extremely silky and light to wear - none of the caked on' feeling of pore-blocking heavy foundations and powders, with a gentle and natural finish.

Accepting that natural' does not equal hypoallergenic' (some products do, after all, contain nut oils), the products distinctly did not irritate in any way.

It is also worth noting that the finish stayed in good condition for several hours afterwards - even if it did feel slightly more oily than the usual off-the-shelf ultimate 24-hour grease-free stuff - and at no time did it feel uncomfortable or tiring to wear.

Even the light and understated lipgloss failed entirely to have the familiar tacky feel usually associated with lip glosses and lip colour.

The range includes ideal day-to-day make-up which would not, in fact, look out of place in the supermarket or the office. The range also has an impressive range of eye colours in fashionable brighter and darker shades. Mascara, eye pencils and even nail varnishes are already in the range, which continues to expand.

Now being introduced are Elysambre's own selection of make-up brushes. These are made of a mix of synthetic hairs and pony hair from animals which are sheared, not slaughtered, for their hair.

Although not 100 per cent vegan, the company also promotes the fact that it does not test its products on animals and they are suitable for vegetarians.

To give a perfect finish to the range's ethical credentials, customers are encouraged to buy their make-up in a small case - which can hold an assorted combination of Elysambre products - and bring it back to the shop for a refill when they buy fresh.

This cuts the amount of containers headed almost invariably for landfill tips.

The Green Health Shop, which specialises in selling natural health products, said the introduction of the Elysambre range was already attracting much interest from Ilkley consumers.

Products were already selling on the first day the make-up range went on sale.

The shop also aims to be the in next directory of fairly traded goods suppliers, compiled by the Ilkley Fairtrade Group.

8:11am Thursday 17th April 2008

Print

Email this

Comment

Add your comment

Name:
Email: *
Location:
**
	e.g. 123-123
Comment: Please note: All HTML tags will be ignored. Format Text:
By posting a comment, I confirm that I have read and agree to the terms of use. Comments are not moderated but we will react if anything that breaks the rules comes to our attention and we may delete inappropriate postings. Please treat other people with respect. You must not post anything that is abusive, indecent, unlawful or defamatory. Remember, you are personally liable for what you post on this site. If you wish to complain about a comment, contact us here.
* Your email address will not be displayed ** To avoid register now or login