It wasn’t too long ago in the various timelines of social media when women were bravely posting make-up-less selfies of themselves in order to raise awareness for breast cancer. Why brave? Basically because most of us who aren’t of model perfect looks prefer to leave the house (answer the door, pop to the shops, greet the world) with a little make up on to feel confident. Maybe I speak out of turn but I know that the above applies to myself and without make up I feel raw and unprotected. With this in mind, today’s post celebrates natural beauty products that actually make a difference to bare faced skincare. Masks – creams – serums – lotions pumped with vitamins that bring forth a healthy walked 10 miles kind of glow. Quite simply nature’s tools to help us greet the world ‘as we are’.
The inspiration for this story came after a recent trip to Norway when the team decided to photograph our model upon arrival in our beautiful log cabin. Not a jot of make up – just the healthy glow from the fresh, clean air filling her lungs. It also comes from following many inspirational women, again on social media feeds, who despite their celebrity or professional status, are happy and comfortable enough to be who they are. There’s a wonderful freedom to this, which I can only celebrate and admire. Enclosed are tips and testaments from some of these beautiful women. Thank you to Liz Earle, Lisa Moorish, Anna Friel, Jo Glanville Blackburn, Kate Turner-Jones, Ingeborg van Lotringen, Olivia Thorpe and Annee de Mamiel for sharing.
Taking to nature – there’s nothing quite like a retreat into the wilds of nature to salve the soul but also to enjoy fresh air, chillingly clean water, healthy exercise and restore a balance that sometimes gets a little skewed by the realities of every day life. I prescribe a few days in a log cabin in the Scandinavian wilds. It worked for me.
Vitamin D – yes, winter is coming and as the days draw shorter and the skies duller, that fix of sunshine begins to subside and it’s time to consider supplements to ensure that your body has enough vitamin D to help keep skin, bones, teeth and muscles healthy. From October to March it’s optimum timing to up the ante with supplements and for a vegan like myself who can’t get enough of certain nutrients from diet alone, brands like Solgar and Nature’s Plus really deliver what you need to stay healthy.
Open the window – yes, central heating, air conditioning all dry out your skin so try sleeping with the window open and letting fresh air cascade through your home at the weekend – it will blow out the cobwebs and quite literally, wake you up.
Freelance Beauty Jounrnalist Kate Turner Jones says “Leaving the house makeup-free has never really been my bag (thanks to nightmare years of acne as a teen) but that’s not to say I don’t crave a really delicate, natural, barely-there beauty look. The challenge for me is always getting enough coverage (so long open pores, redness and scarring) whilst letting my natural radiance do the talking. Certainly, the less foundation or powder I need in the morning, the better, and this all starts with good skincare. I know for a fact that if I have a run of late nights, too much booze, not enough sleep, and I’ve been taking the day off with just a swoosh of micellar water, then my skin starts to look grey, congested and unloved! So – my instant fix – the incredible Oskia Micro Exfoliating Balm, £48. This divine exfoliator was recommended to me by my friend and uber-facialist, Anastasia Achilleos, who often uses it in her sent-from-heaven healing facials. Think of it as a melting massage balm rather than any kind of ‘scrub’ you’d imagine. You get these gorgeous aromas of sweet almonds and rosehip as it glides over your skin, and with just the softest massage movements you can feel it eating up all those layers of dullness. Once you rinse it off, your skin feels insanely soft and healthy, in that way you can’t stop stroking your own face after a really good facial. Best of all, when you look in the mirror the next day, you just think ‘Oh thank goodness. I’m back again.’ Dewy cheekbones, happy skin, ready to glow.” 
Beauty and wellbeing brand founder (read guru) Liz Earle gave us this food for thought:
“My motto has always been to keep skincare simple. Skin really only needs to be kept clean and hydrated (with a mineral-only sunblock or a shady brimmed hat on sunny days). I prefer creamy cleansers as they are kinder to the skin than anything that foams, especially on the face. Using a cotton cloth to buff away dead skin cells works well as a natural exfoliator – I have never believed in aggressing the skin with chemical exfoliants or astringent clarifiers. I love plant-oil based moisturisers and facial oils as they are more compatible with the skin’s own natural sebum than those made with occlusive mineral oil that can clog pores. Last but not least, it’s important not to overlook the importance of internal gut health and its impact on the skin. While researching The Good Gut Guide (Orion Spring £25) I discovered so many links between skin inflammation (eczema, psoriasis, rosacea – even skin ageing itelf) and poor gut health. A daily multi-strain probiotic is hugely helpful for the skin and I even use a little kefir or plain live yoghurt massaged into the skin as a weekly face mask to help brighten and keep skin clear.”
“Whilst good ingredients are essential,”says acupuncturist and aromatherapist Annee de Mamiel, “so is how you apply them, I would always recommend giving yourself a short facial massage each evening, it really makes a difference. Microcirculation is stimulated to give skin a radiant glow, fine lines are reduced and by stimulating the lymph puffiness is decreased. My de Mamiel Autumn Face Oil, £70 (launched 22nd September) contains ingredients to guide skin through the transition to cooler weather, such as tarragon, rose otto, green myrtle and geranium, so will look its best for the party season. I recommend using oil at night time, this is when your skin naturally regenerates, so the oil is doing the maximum amount of work and skin is allowed to properly breathe.”
Cosmopolitan Beauty Director Inge van Lotringen uses three pure (but not simple) naturals – because they work: “Pai Rosehip Bioregenerate Oil, £22 – a natural source of retinol for skin cell regeneration, and packed with essential fatty acids that protect and heal your skin barrier, so underneath, your skin can go back to peak functionality. REN Perfect Canvas, £50 – a serum-slash-primer packed with purifying botanicals and skin-balancing probiotics, plus agave extract (instead of silicones) to smooth and mattify skin.Tropic sun drops, £22, gradual tanning facial serum – uses plant allo-melanin and passion fruit extract, and no synthetics whatsoever, to subtly bronze skin. Just whack a few drops in whatever moisturiser or serum you’re currently using.” 
Actress Anna Friel is in and out of make up trailers, at press junkets, on red carpets and on top of that, travelling the world to hero good causes. A true natural beauty with sharp cheekbones, glowing skin, doe eyes and a mass of tumbling shiny locks, Anna professes a love for using purest grade, natural oils and favours Dr Sebagh’s products, especially the Rose de Vie serum, £129 – a silky, non greasy product that contains organic rose hip oil and is a skin saviour whilst on a busy schedule. Anti-ageing, anti oxidant and perfect for dry or very sensitive skin.
As someone who prefers a more natural look Anna’s simple off-set make up kit favours a touch of mascara and a cheek tint and maybe sometimes a light dab of tinted moisturiser. She also loves a face mist and her favourite, currently being used by her make up artist on the set of her latest film is a spritz of Tarte Rainforest of the Sea 4 in 1 setting mist £24 followed by her favourite mascara; Tarte Lights Camera Lashes 4 in 1 mascara £21 
Actress and Singer Lisa Moorish with her exotic looks and rock’n’roll lifestyle, swears by Vitamin E oil – “I use it under my eyes at night and also for its skin healing qualities on spots, blemishes and wrinkles. I look for good brands with a high concentration of vitamin E, often sourced in good health food stores and chemists. I also love pure coconut oil products for the body, which I find when travelling in Asia, Thailand and Vietnam. French brand ‘Hei Poa’ is great for lips, body and hair, and produce the tanning oil I use to moisturise my body in the summer. I also have a spoon of live royal jelly every day, which is good for healthy skin and keeps hormones balanced.”
From left; Vanderhoe No 1 founder Olivia Thorpe’s Nourishing Face serum; acupuncturist and aromatherapist Annee de Mamiel’s Autumn Face Oil; actress and singer Lisa Moorish’s Jason Organic Vitamin E oil and Cosmopolitan Beauty Director Inge van Lotringen’s Ren Perfect Canvas.
The Stylish Stuff Loves – other natural treats to encourage a healthy glow:
The Natural Spa Factory’s Aegean black face wrap,( £29 for 3) is a black cloth impregnated with a powerful antioxidant blend derived from the creosote bush native to the Aegean island of Chios. It contains active charcoal and naturally derived acids that help control bacteria and fight shine – great for oily skin that sometimes need a little clean sweep before facing the world. I found my skin looked super clear afterwards and reacted better to my nightly dose of oils.
New kid on the block Tropic is fast becoming a favourite of natural beauty lovers. Vegan, cruelty free and choc full of the good stuff for a modest cost. The Super Greens nutrient boost serum, £42 literally delivers a shot of goodness (chlorophyll, kale, mac root extract and green coffee) to the deeper layers of your skin. It boosts defences and ups the nutrient levels.
Green People’s Beauty Boost Skin Restore, £19 is a twice weekly fix for skin that literally needs a pick-me-up. Containing Wakame – antioxidant rich seaweed, green marine macro algae and oils of ylang ylang, mandarin and ho wood it stimulates collagen, firms and ensures a thirst quenching drench of hydration to the deeper skin tissues. A handy little facial in a tube that really works.
For a DIY collagen-boosting facial before bed, add a few drops of Carrot Seed Ethically Harvested Essential Oil, £11.65 ( a power house in the anti-ageing world, known for its rejuvenating and renewing properties) into Jojoba Organic Pure Blending Oil, £13.80 (for 100ml) and gently massage into your skin with circular motions. Relaxing and skin kind.
The Stylish Stuff is committed to supporting natural and cruelty free beauty.
By Shelly Vella
Photographs by John Rowley
Beauty Direction for model imagery, make up and hair Lisa Valencia
Model Solveig Lund at Established