Stuff for men

Gone are the days when all a man had to do was shave in the morning using a sharp razor and some soap and splash some cold water on his face to finish. Now there are virtually as many men’s grooming products as there are women’s. Do women have grooming products? I’m not sure, but you get the picture. The choice can be baffling, to me at least. So, to make it a little easier, here are some natural products for us men.

Green People have a range for men, funnily enough called Organic Homme, a vegan organic range of stuff. Being Green people you can be sure there are no harmful chemicals and the ingredients are natural and where possible organic. They are not tested on animals and are vegan. They come in nice dark grey colour bottles, so you don’t look like you’ve picked up your girlfriends wash bag by mistake if you use them at the gym. The range has lots of different items, like pre-shave, shave now, shower wash, deodorant, shampoo…etc.

Check them out at Greenpeople.co.uk

Farmaesthetics® beauty products

What is Farmaesthetics®? I hear you ask…Well let me explain…Farmaesthetics® is a natural beauty and wellness approach founded by Brenda Brock. Brenda is the daughter of a seventh generation Texas farming family. Brenda blends the age old tradition of using home grown herbs and flowers to make skin care products with modern cosmetic manufacturing. Brenda’s recipes use a blend of organic herbs and flowers from American farms. Her range is organic and based on sustainable agriculture, so the products are not only good for you, they’re good for the planet too.

Now available through Origins, the range includes a variety of skin softeners and other bits, which I have to admit, as a man, I am not sure what they are. Best if you look at them yourselves!

Travel kit from Juice Beauty

Summer is upon us once again, and with it comes the all-important summer holiday. Whether you’re planning a few days in the country, or perhaps a week or two in the sun, you’re going to need travel size beauty products. As a healthier option, why not try something organic and natural? Juice Beauty are an American company set up in California (where else?) to produce natural and organic beauty products. Their range is made with 95% certified organic ingredients, including an antioxidant rich fruit juice base to nourish your skin.

The Organics To Go kit is the perfect introduction to the Juice Beauty range. The kit costs $29.00 contains everything you need for a healthy, radiant glow on-the-go and includes a creamy milk cleanser, refreshing hydrating mist, exfoliating green apple peel, vitamin rich-antioxidant serum and lightweight oil-free moisturizer. As a bonus gift you also get a soft, organic bamboo face cloth.

You can buy the kit along with other great products from the Juice Beauty website.

Tesco accused of exploiting workers in South Africa

Famous actress Emma Thompson has accused Tesco of subjecting some of their workers in South Africa to appalling pay and conditions. Ms Thompson, who is an ambassador for the charity ActionAid said “I have visited these farms and I was shocked by what I saw” after her tour of farms in the Western Cape area of South Africa. Thompson claimed that 80 women worked from 7am to 6pm for the equivalent of just 38p.

Tesco’s media director, Jonathan Church denied her claims, and said “We have looked at the farm conditions and pay, gone over the allegations made and not found any evidence to suggest there is a problem”. I’m sure the media director sat in his plush offices in the UK really knows more about the situation on South African farms than Emma Thompson who has actually been there and seen the situation for herself.

It is about time corporations took responsibility for their suppliers’ actions and set up a validation process that involves independent assessment of working conditions around the world. Being ethical needs to be more than a marketing strategy, it needs to be a moral code that corporations follow.

[Via The Telegraph]

Co-op is the greenest retailer on the high street

The Co-operative Group has been found by an independent study to be the most climate-friendly chain on the high street. Their banking arm, Smile has been named the ‘best current account provider’ at the Which? Awards, with 82% of Smile customers “very satisfied with their treatment”, in stark contrast to the way most people feel about their bank. The environmental research company, Trucost carried out the study for the BBC’s Money Programme. The study found that for every million £ of turnover, the Co-operative produced £324 worth of carbon and waste, whereas Somerfield came out as the worst performer, producing £1,194 worth of carbon and waste for every million £ of turnover.

Although lesser known than its high street rivals, the Co-op has around 3,000 high street outlets and a workforce of 68,000. The Co-op has its own travel business, and is the UK’s largest independent travel agency. It was the first travel agency chain to offer carbon offsets with its flights. All in all, the Co-op is an innovative market leader in ethical business and retailing.

Score o9ne for the good guys. Being ethical can be made to work in the business world, so maybe there is a working model here for other high street brands to follow.

[Via The Independent]