For seven years I have made my living in a rather unconventional way – it isn’t the easiest thing to talk about at parties, though I am fiercely proud of it; I work as a ‘professional muse’, travelling all over the world for assignments in fine-art photography in which I am renowned and hired for my natural style and ‘pure’ appearance. It’s a life I never expected to have, and a huge honour.
Over the years, I have been complimented repeatedly by make up artists and other industry professionals on the condition of my skin and hair and, on both a psychological and physical level, I know I feel at my best when using the purest products I can find; the clever, natural, there-all-along ingredients available to us through digging around a bit in mother nature.
As part of a wider interest in health, nutrition, nature and the earth (my job has often involved getting up close and personal with oceans, rocks and trees!), I have had a lot of fun privately creating my own signature recipes and scents, studying and researching the benefits and health-promoting aspects of herbs and plants.
This has been a very personal and even self-interested endeavour; all the products I sell on this website are ones which I have made lovingly for my own benefit and whim
(with special requests here and there from those around me). Alongside myself, my friends and family remain my most important guinea pigs, and the products have been fine-tuned along the way until I could not imagine going back to mainstream products laden with mysterious chemicals.
Natural botanicals are potent and powerful (they are the source of both ancient and modern medicine, after all).
After giving away my blends and infusions as gifts, I decided to study further and get some of my products tested and licensed for sale. I have been so excited about this happy obsession, and so proud of the beautiful things I have created that I now want others to enjoy these natural products too. I am essentially ‘opening up my boudoir’ and invite you to take a look around and join in the natural beauty movement with me.
A BIT ABOUT BEAUTY...
My job has taught me a lot about body confidence, but I truly believe everyone is beautiful; my work has brought me ever closer to this truth. It is our job to recognise beauty all around us, and let it bloom without covering it up with unpronouncable ingredients and questionable chemicals (concocted purely for profit and over-packaged without thought or awareness). I started selling my own products after realising that others, too, value this positive, alternative approach and love treating their skin to simple but beautiful creations that can heal, soothe and nurture their skin and body as though it were food (we absorb into our bloodstream much of what we put on our skin; so the food analogy is a good one!). Showing our bodies that we care about them, and seeing beauty in others as well as ourselves; this is what beauty is. Plus a bit of natural-goodness and creative know-how…
ETHICS...
The LEAFOLOGY range…
… is created in small, fresh batches in an Oxfordshire village, and products are certified according to EU regulations.
… uses only pure, plant-derived ingredients. No synthetic fragrances or colours, and no parabens, petroleum/petro-chemicals, PEGs (Polyethylene Glycol), palm oil, sulphates… Basically, only the good stuff. Plants really are enough.
… does not support animal testing (see Harvey, above, who only wants to drink his tea in peace).
… sources raw ingredients as responsibly as possible, buying significantly from a trusted wholesale company that in turn sources from local cooperatives and community projects which care about people and the environment. Keeping on top of the best ways to play a part in environmental ethics and sustainability is an ever-evolving practice; my approach is to try to do as well as possible and respond quickly to any changing information.
PACKAGING...
LEAFOLOGY chooses environmentally-friendly packaging and refill options (see ‘one pump for life’ below!), avoiding plastic where possible and instead opting for…
…GLASS: A product encapsulated by glass holds its own apothecarial charm on your boudoir table as well as ensuring the natural oils are well protected. The glass is partially recycled and fully recyclable/re-usable after use.
…ALUMINIUM: That funky screw-top, light-blocking, metallic style is both a modern classic and a most-friendly friend of the environment. Aluminium is endlessly recyclable and the process requires only low heat, which helps the carbon footprint. The aluminium packaging used by LEAFOLOGY is often made from 100% recycled material. EPA lining ensures that the product keeps its integrity; no mineral leaching!
The bottles and jars can be re-used by customers at home. Get creative!
*** ‘ONE PUMP FOR LIFE! ***
Re-use your pump lids & save money as well as the oceans!
The majority of the Leafology range is intentionally & proudly plastic-free, apart from the few glass bottles which are topped with recyclable PET plastic pump-dispenser lids until viable alternatives are successfully sourced. However, if you want to avoid plastic, these can be bought optionally with elegant metal screw-cap lids instead (and as they are simpler and therefore cheaper to supply, the saving is passed on to you!).
Choose your lid option when you add your item to your basket. This means you can:
– buy your first product with the pump lid (recommended for easy use when dispensing), but
– choose to buy all your future re-fills of the same size bottle with a plastic-free metal screw-cap instead, and simply transfer your old pump lid over to your new bottle. Every little helps!
– OR, you can bypass the plastic completely and simply opt for the (rather elegant) metal lid from the word go, keeping your Leafology supply extra ocean-loving and gleaming.
…It’s up to you!
CAREFUL SHIPPING
When shipping items, Leafology’s jiffy bags or boxes are not filled with plastic or polystyrene filler (or if they are, this is re-using that which is sent to me by suppliers, never purchased for this purpose), instead preferring tissue & crinkle paper (in funky leafy green) & other more environmentally-friendly alternatives to protect the products inside the package.
Finally, Leafology’s business cards are made of recycled cotton T-shirts. Weird, I know, but kinda cool.
...............................................................................................................
WHY TEA?
You may notice that every single product in the LEAFOLOGY range contains tea, whether it’s in the form of the life-giving leaves we know so well as being the source of the world’s number 1 beverage after water, in extract form (containing 20 times more antioxidant power than Vitamin C) or the cold-pressed oil from the unique seeds themselves. All hail Camellia (the much-fêted tea plant). Tea is the thing.
Healing… Softening… Anti-oxidant rich…
Tea is a nutritional power house packed full of vitamins, fatty acids, omega oils and nourishing micro-nutrients.
In many parts of Asia, tea is a longstanding beauty secret. For the Japanese geisha, the delicate gestures with which they learn to impart each step of the most graceful tea ceremonies parallel the gentle, feminine beauty of the flower itself, while the oil from its seeds shine their hair. Camellia oil has a mild amber-green colour and a delicate, neutral scent. For centuries, these artful women have used tea oil to add lustre to their locks, make their skin glow and remove their iconic make up at night.
The molecular weight of the oil is an almost identical match for skin, allowing it to absorb quickly and thoroughly, without greasiness or blocking pores.
Green & black tea (which is fermented) come from the same plant: Camellia Sinesis. LEAFOLOGY, created by a tea addict, uses (cold pressed) oil from both the Camellia Sinesis seeds (the plant from which we enjoy tea) and the Camellia Oleifera seeds (a Chinese strain of the plant widely used in cooking). And then there are the tea leaves themselves (used in various forms in these products)… I don’t claim to predict the future but, really, there can only be one result here: skin and hair-loving blends that are infused with pure, natural goodness.
Tea’s magical benefits…
Emollient – Tea seed oil moisturises like a dream, partly due to its high oleic acid (omega 9) content.
Antioxidant/anti-ageing – Camellia oil, like the green tea leaves which grow from it, is antioxidant-rich, protecting the skin from free radical damage.
Anti-microbial – Studies have shown that green tea polyphenolic catechins can effectively inhibit the proliferation of microbes.
Immunity boosting – Polyphenols, potent plant antioxidants, are believed to give green tea its immune-boosting effects.
Anti-mutation – The polyphenols in tea are believed to have the possible ability to contribute towards the prevention of certain cancers from developing.
Astringent – Due to its tannins, tea has a mild astringent effect which makes it good for treating injuries and scars as well as tightening pores.
Anti-inflammatory – Thanks to its high flavonoid content, tea helps to reduce inflammation and calm irritation.
‘Everyday ceremony?’
…Well, yes! In my household, tea is an important way in which to punctuate the day. It soothes, comforts, delights and adds slowly-sipped quotidien pleasure to a world which necessitates such moments of time-taking. Tea should be enjoyed, savoured and (if you are my mother) served ideally in a receptacle that matches the colours of one’s outfit.
...............................................................................................................
HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR LEAFOLOGY PRODUCTS...
Each product is freshly made in small batches, ensuring that the period of use before expiry is kept as long as possible. By law they are marked with expiry dates of 12 months from the date of making, but in practice they often last significantly longer. To make sure your product is kept in as pure as possible a state (thereby prolonging its shelf life), it’s best to:
– Store it somewhere cool and dark (or at least not in direct sunlight). Natural plant oils and essential oils are delicate and volatile as well as powerful, and will be happier in cool, dry places (this is why so many of Leafology’s bottles are made of amber glass and opaque metal; they’re light-blocking as well as beautifully eco-friendly!).
– Avoid getting any water inside the container. The presence of water means that bacteria and other undesirables can start to grow (this is less of an issue for products which already contain infused waters, such as the toners, as these will necessarily have already been preserved with gentle, non-irritating preservatives).
– Use clean, dry fingers when dipping directly into jars/pots (e.g. lip balms and body butters), and either use spoons or tap the product into the palm of your hand when using dry/powder products (e.g. clay masks).
– Whisper sweet nothings to them daily. They are plants, after all!
Safety warning:
Please note: it is important to never leave babies or young children unsupervised around your Leafology products. Accidental oral ingestion of natural (but potent) essential oils can be very dangerous.
