It’s that time again: Organic Beauty & Wellbeing Week is back and this year is extra special as Soil Association celebrates 50 years of organic certification. Taking place from 11^th to 17^th September (and part of the wider Organic September movement supporting organic farming), this is your chance to kick start a new healthy beauty habit by swapping to organic. You might find you already have certified organic products in your bathroom cabinet without even actively shopping for organic, as these type of beauty products becomes increasingly accessible. And you won’t be compromising on product efficacy, with organic formulas substantially improving over the years to deliver results that can be as good as non-organic versions. According to Soil Association’s research, consumers are increasingly looking for on pack logos to validate the product’s claims. This is especially relevant for beauty, where the term ‘organic’ is not regulated, and any brand can claim that, even if the formula only contains the tiniest amount of organic ingredients. We’re not only concerned about what we’re putting on our skin, but how that product is made and where it’s come from: this is also becoming more and more important when deciding which brand to give our money to. The good news is that the money we spend on beauty and wellbeing is increasingly going into organic brands, with the organic market sustaining its growth for the 11^th consecutive year. So which brand already has a place in your bathroom, and which one will you be swapping to this Organic Beauty Week? 

Upcircle Fennel + Cardamom Chai Cleansing Bar

Cruelty-free, plastic-free and certified B-Corp Upcircle is a young start up ethical beauty brand whose mission is simple: make something useful out of what’s perceived as waste. It all started with collecting used coffee grounds from local coffee shops and making beauty scrubs out of them. Since then they’ve kept adding more upcycled ingredients to their portfolio, from repurposed blueberries, a by-product of the blueberry juicing industry, to leftover date seeds, a by-product of date farming. This 100% natural and certified organic soap is made with residual chai spices used to create chai syrups. It’s exfoliating but gentle enough to use on the face as well as the body. Beware, the cardamom scent is not for everyone, but the fennel gives it a very fresh and invigorating aroma. 100g RRP £5.49

Green People Aloe Vera & Prebiotics Deodorant

It feels like Green People have been around for much longer than 25 years! For me they’re part of the OG in terms of certified organic beauty: offering no nonsense, fuss-free, does-what-it-says-on-the-tin kind of products, they just do it the ethical way without blowing their own trumpet and without a whiff of greenwashing. This roll-on deodorant is not only certified organic but also housed in 100% recycled bottle. You won’t find any pore-clogging Aluminium in this formula, just Alum, Prebiotics and Zinc Ricinolate to help control the bacteria that cause odour, and some Aloe Vera & Shea Butter to soothe and calm. 75ml RRP £12.50

Tabitha James Kraan Scented Organic Hair Oil Amber Rose

Although organic and natural skincare has come a long way, I really struggle to find organic certified haircare that delivers on efficacy. Until I tried Tabitha James Kraan’s organic certified Clean Shampoo and couldn’t stop touching my soft, moisturised and tamed hair. I love using Argan oil as for extra soft hair, but this 100% natural, vegan and certified organic hair oil adds a little more sophistication to my pre-shampoo treatment: with safflower, rosehip, argan, sea buckthorn, rose and sweet orange oils, it not only does it revive my dehydrated hair for a smoother finish, it also smells beautiful thanks to the brand’s signature Amber Rose scent. I’ve also tried using it on dry ends, but I probably need to be a little less heavy handed to avoid the greasy look. 30ml RRP £46.00

Neal’s Yard Remedies Wild Rose Glow Day Cream

Another OG brand, Neal’s Yard Remedies has been championing natural and ethical beauty for over 40 years. They’ve had a number of firsts that illustrate their commitment to ethical practices: from the first health & beauty brand to receive 100/100 for ethics by The Ethical Company Organisation, to the first UK high street retailer to be carbon neutral and the first to have a Soil Association certified organic beauty & wellbeing product, they’ve been trailblazers since the beginning. Featuring FairWild certified Serbian rosehip oil (meaning all those involved are paid a fair wage), the Wild Rose skincare routine was inspired by the bestselling one pot wonder Wild Rose Beauty Balm. With grapeseed oil and plant-derived fatty acids to nourish tired-looking skin without weighing it down, the Wild Rose Glow Day Cream leaves skin looking healthy and glowing. 50ml RRP £31.00

Nourish Skin Protecting Daily Moisturiser SPF25

This British organic and cruelty-free skincare brand displays its Soil Association certification with pride, and it’s no wonder. For small companies, investing in a 3^rd party organisation to verify product claims is an expensive commitment, it shows dedication to ethical practices, and in the case of the organic certification, protection of biodiversity. The Soil Association logo on a product is the result of a lengthy process of verification, from checking all ingredients (looking at how they’re grown, harvested, processed and traded) to passing the annual audit. This Daily Moisturiser is testament to Nourish’s dedication to developing organic formulas: certified organic sunscreen is no mean feat. This reef safe SPF25 delivers broad spectrum protection against UVA/UVB rays, and although it is thicker than your typically moisturiser, the addition of Hexapeptides and Hyaluronic Acid keeps skin hydrated. 50ml RRP £28.00

Features gifted products.