The mini-series offered interesting facts and insights as it investigated the state of the British public’s skin. Channel 4 presenter Anna Richardson (of Supersize Vs Superskinny and My Big Fat Diet Show fame) did a great job along with her skin experts in showing the best – and the worst – skin routines a girl can have.

All five programmes are available on YouTube here.

To re-cap on the recommended DIY recipes.

For an avocado moisturiser click here

For a skin cleansing treatment with green tea click here

For berry beauty click here

For a chocalicious treatment click here

Remember, you are what you put on your skin, so the more quality the ingredients, the more luxuriant the body pack shall be. Here at Greenmystyle.com we recommend organic where possible.

These recipes were especially made by America’s best-selling bodycare range Jergens® Naturals® Skincare, loved by customers across the globe for over a century. Try its range of highly effective natural moisturisers, formulated from the finest plant-derived extracts, delivering effective body moisturisers for women of all ages, and for a variety of skin types. They’re 95% natural, highly effective and paraben free for beautiful skin.

Click here to find out more about Jergens® Naturals® or join them on Facebook

While there is much attention on sourcing ingredients ethically from overseas, many herbs are still being cultivated for British natural and organic beauty brands, offering convenient solutions for today’s time-pressed green beauty kings and queens.

This article first appeared on BigGreenSmile.com, who deliver a wide range of natural beauty products direct to your home. To view the full article on native British beauty, please click here.

Photo credit: Joss Smithson

In the fifth and sadly, final episode, Channel 4’s Anna Richardson (of Supersize Vs Superskinny and My Big Fat Diet Show fame) demonstrates just how much skin we actually have on our body with buckets of candy!

This week there”s nothing quite sweeter as Anna Richardson once again looks into the British skincare routine, with one non-girly outdoors addict versus a beauty affcionado. With a little help from the experts, you can see what happens when they swap their regimes for three weeks.

We’ve got our final DIY skincare at home with Jergens® Naturals® rich and moisturising avocado body mask.

Ingredients

1 chopped avocado

1 mashed banana

Drizzle of honey

It’s another easy and fun recipe to follow.

1. Mix together the ingredients

2. Apply and leave on your body for twenty minutes and shower off…mmmn how appetizing!

Remember, you are what you put on your skin, so the more quality the ingredients , the more luxuriant the body pack shall we. Here at Greenmystyle.com we recommend organic where possible.

This recipe has been especially made by America’s best-selling bodycare range Jergens® Naturals® Skincare, loved by customers across the globe for over a century. Try its range of highly effective natural moisturisers, formulated from the finest plant-derived extracts, delivering effective body moisturisers for women of all ages, and for a variety of skin types. They’re 95% natural, highly effective and paraben free for beautiful skin.

Click here to find out more about Jergens® Naturals® or join them on Facebook

Channel 4’s Anna Richardson (of Supersize Vs Superskinny and My Big Fat Diet Show fame) introduces Episode 4 with an insight into bodycare from across the world, so do watch the video to check out what’s popular Down Under, in India and China.

Anna Richardson once again looks into the British skincare routine, from a newshound who’s discovering cellulite in her early 30s to a self-confessed skincare junkie. With a little help from the experts, you can see what happens when they swap their regimes for three weeks.

In the meantime, if you’d like to try some DIY skincare at home, then Jergens® Naturals® has whipped up just the thing with this scrummy green tea cleansing body mask.

Ingredients

2 handfuls of ground almonds

Handful of ground oats

Bowl of green tea

Lots of whipped cream

The method is, as ever, very simple indeed:

1. Add the ground almonds and oats to the bowl of green tea and mix

2.Add the whipped cream

3. Apply and leave on your body for ten minutes and shower off…how refreshing!

Remember, you are what you put on your skin, so the more quality the ingredients , the more luxuriant the body pack shall we. Here at Greenmystyle.com we recommend organic where possible.

This recipe has been especially made by America’s best-selling bodycare range Jergens® Naturals® Skincare, loved by customers across the globe for over a century. Try its range of highly effective natural moisturisers, formulated from the finest plant-derived extracts, delivering effective body moisturisers for women of all ages, and for a variety of skin types. They’re 95% natural, highly effective and paraben free for beautiful skin.

Click here to find out more about Jergens® Naturals® or join them on Facebook

Hosted by Channel 4’s Anna Richardson (of Supersize Vs Superskinny and My Big Fat Diet Show fame), Episode 3 is a particularly controversial episode – with the beauty expert’s skin appraisal causing all sorts of angst for the two members of the general public. Watch to see the results of what happens after they swap their regimes for three weeks.

As Anna Richardson says, don’t get swept along with all the lotions and potions. Here’s a refreshing berry body mask is just perfect for . It’s a wonderfully summery recipe!

Ingredients
1 avocado (chopped)
Handful of acai berries
Good glug of honey

The method is even simpler than last week’s recipe, with just three steps!
1. Blend all ingredients together
2. Paste all over your body
3. Leave on your body for fifteen minutes and shower off…mmm berry nice!!!

Remember, you are what you put on your skin, so the more quality the ingredients , the more luxuriant the body pack shall we. Here at Greenmystyle.com we recommend organic where possible.

This recipe has been especially made by America’s best-selling bodycare range Jergens® Naturals® Skincare, loved by customers across the globe for over a century. Try its range of highly effective natural moisturisers, formulated from the finest plant-derived extracts, delivering effective body moisturisers for women of all ages, and for a variety of skin types. They’re 95% natural, highly effective and paraben free for beautiful skin.

Click here to find out more about Jergens® Naturals® or join them on Facebook

How he started

Graeme Hume’s passion for natural living originally developed- quite suprisingly- through his work in organic food distribution. Graeme became involved with Pravera when he began ordering the Lavera cosmetics for his company. Now Graeme doesn’t work in organic food distribution, but his love of organic living in all aspects of  life is clearly important to his work ethic.

As Graeme explains: “As a recipient of organic food through child and adulthood late in the late Nineties I started to think seriously about skincare and the ingredients and effects of proprietary brands. I discovered, then,  the lack of control for cosmetics. When visiting the BioFach International Organic Fair in 1999 the discovery that the Germans had set standards and had a thriving, genuinely natural skincare industry led me to Lavera who were just looking at expanding sales across Europe and the world.

“The people who own and run the company are genuine and passionate about what they do – none of your marketing wizzkids looking for a quick buck and then moving on. I was hooked.”

Where they are now

Pravera now runs four natural brands: Primavera (natural skincare oils), Alma Win (organic household products), Lavera (organic and natural skincare) and Madara (organic and natural skincare sourced from the Baltic.)

Above all, Graeme Hume says the company stands out because of its ethics and integrity. From factories to distribution, the environment and fair trading practises of the company are always put first.

Graeme says: “We enjoy and believe in what we do. We are proud that consumers can purchase products without parabens, phenoxethanol, SLS, synthetic aromas, colours, or preservatives.”

The hero products

-Lavera Aloe Vera Cleansing Milk with softening and soothing aloe vera, this gentle cleansing milk sweeps away dirt and make-up while moisturising the skin.

-Lavera Sun Sensitive Baby & Child Suncream, spf20 A Natural Health Magazine award-winning sun lotion which will keep your child protected from the sun. It also uses jojoba, apricot and almond oils to keep their skin in good condition.

-Madara Regenerating Night Cream Rosewater, avacado and chamomile come together in this deeply nourishing night cream which is suitable for all skin types.

Did you know?

Graeme Hume isn’t just a briefcase-type company director, he also knows his stuff about skincare for guys and gals. I asked for his top skincare tips and he told me:

“Men – don’t shave every day, moisturise, and use products with low and organic alcohol to reduce drying out the skin. Women –  Avoid all silicone, except and petroleum based ingredients that will inevitably dry and seal and block the skins pores. Check Glycerin is plant based and percentage is low because it is moisture absorber and use organic alcohol products as they are much kinder on the skin.

“And persevere, the benefits of using natural and organic will not necessarily be noted overnight the skin has to clear out the old before benefitting from the new!”

Hosted by Channel 4’s Anna Richardson (of Supersize Vs Superskinny and My Big Fat Diet Show fame), Episode 2 again follows two members of the public reveal their existing skincare routines. They are then asked to swap their regimes over three weeks, with the final results assessed by a beauty expert.

This week we’re feeling all sweet with the chocolate body pack. It’s easy to do and irresitibly morish!

Ingredients
1 ripe pomegranate (chopped)
3 fresh strawberries (chopped)
5 tbsp Sweet Almond Oil
Dash of vanilla extract
Massive glug of honey
Dark Chocolate (melted)

The method is simple, with just four steps!
1. Blend all ingredients together
2. Grab a paint brush and if you’re lucky someone else to help
3. Slather over the body
4. Leave for half an hour and shower off…tasty!

Remember, you are what you put on your skin, so the more quality the ingredients , the more luxuriant the body pack shall we. Here at Greenmystyle.com we recommend organic where possible.

This recipe has been expecially made by America’s best-selling bodycare range Jergens® Naturals® Skincare, loved by customers across the globe for over a century. Try its range of  highly effective natural moisturisers, formulated from the finest plant-derived extracts, delivering effective body moisturisers for women of all ages, and for a variety of skin types. They’re 95% natural, highly effective and paraben free for beautiful skin.

Click here to find out more about Jergens® Naturals® or join them on Facebook

How he started

We spoke to Melvita Brand Manager Simon Ford about how his passion for natural living brought him to work with Melvita. He said: “I wanted to work promoting natural cosmetics for two reasons. Firstly I have always been fascinated by beauty products and treatments – I’m a bit of a sybarite and love the idea that beauty products can make you look and feel better all at the same time! And secondly I have always believed in the superiority of nature over man-made synthetics – to me humans are animals and therefore thrive best in the natural world and so it makes sense for us to protect the environment. I try to extend this ‘green’ philosophy into everything that I do and so it makes sense to me to use and promote natural beauty products.“

At the heart of the Melvita brand lies the natural imagery of bee pollination due to founder Bernard Chevilliat’s former life as a beekeeper. Chevilliat says on the Melvita website: “As a biologist and beekeeper I was fascinated by traditional wisdom and knowledge about nature and beauty. I founded Melvita in 1983, with reference to life and honey, that extraordinary product of flowers that sits at the confluence between the plant and the animal worlds.”

Natural honey is a great natural skin conditioner, and Melvita have a strong passion for using other such organic ingredients. The first product Melvita produced was their beehive-inspired hexagonal soap with honey. It was a truly natural product, with great benefits for the skin.

Where they are now

Under the guiding hand of Simon Ford the Melvita brand has come across not only to the UK, but also to Hong Kong, the US and Slovenia. For a company that started off with just four employees and a farm, they’ve done pretty well!

We asked Simon Ford what plans Melvita has for the future. He said: “In the UK I would like the brand to convert those people that have either tried organic products in the past and been disappointed or recruit new people into the organic sector that haven’t used natural or organic products before. I would also like to build the understanding of the general consumer on what organic means for cosmetics – I think we’ve come a long way in highlighting ingredients such as parabens and SLS but what about silicones and PEGs? There’s still a long way to go and I hope that the Melvita brand will continue to create innovative products, pushing the boundaries of what is achievable in organic formulations.”

The hero products

-Melvita Hydrastim: For Dehydrated skin, this moisturiser is a must. It uses 30% organic ingredients and 98.89% naturally certified ingredients.
-Men’s Eau de Toilette: A fresh and yet deep smell coming from bergamot oil and cardamom makes this a distinctive and addictive smell.
-Melvita Lavender Honey: Okay, okay, so this is more for spreading on your toast than on your face, but beauty starts from within right? Sourced from the Melvita beehives, this is a great sweet treat for when you’ve got that face mask on.

Did you know?

The Melvita factory nestled in the south of France uses solar-voltaic panels for energy and it even has its own ‘living roof’ of grass to blend in with the countryside.

As the name suggests, Bulldog is a skincare range tailored to the needs of men. Despite the rough and tough name, however, the actual products are very gentle, with only natural ingredients making up their range of body washes, shaving creams and lotions.

But how did the idea behind Bulldog come together? And why choose nature’s, shall we say, ‘unconventionally beautiful’ dog breed to front a skincare brand? Simon Duffy let us in on the secrets of his success.

How he started

“While I was in New York I became good friends with Rhodri Ferrier” says Duffy “The idea for Bulldog came over a few beers down the pub with Rhodri. We were talking about the terrible brands that men had to choose between for their skincare products – they are all me-too versions of what are traditionally female brands.”

Simon Duffy co-founded Bulldog with Rhodri Ferrier in 2006. The London-based company started off small, with big dreams for the future. As the underdogs of the industry (geddit?), Bulldog started with Sainsbury’s as their sole supplier in 2007.  This triggered other big distributors to notice this was a company that wasn’t just all bark and no bite- they could compete with the big hitters in men’s cosmetics while staying all-natural.

Originally Simon trained as an accountant- but that didn’t appeal to him. He then moved to New Zealand to work at an advertising agency which moved to New York for three years following that. Simon says that starting the business young had both its pros and cons: “Age has been a double edged sword; it has helped me out in some ways – there is a huge amount of help and advice for young entrepreneurs. Having said that, doors were shut in my face – especially when I was trying to get a factory to work with me.”

Where he is now

If Bulldog were to be entered into Crufts, it would certainly win. Simon Duffy has helped bring the brand into the mainstream, offering men an affordable and natural body and skincare range. Part of the brand’s success seems to lie in the fact that the products needn’t be bought in a specialist shop or online (us guys like our products, but we’re all about the ease of purchase.) Bulldog has now brought the brand to Boots, Planet Organic and Superdrug, to name but a few of the many stockists.

We asked Simon why he chose to make the company all natural. He said: “The Bulldog range was born out of frustration that there were no options available for switched-on men who wanted to reduce the number of man-made chemicals in their bathrooms. We are passionate about the ingredients we use in our products and want men to care as much about what they put on their skin as the food they eat.”

The hero products

-Bulldog Eco-system Moisturiser: This Fairtrade product contains Fairtrade certified shea butter, sesame seed oil and Brazil nut oil making it a real treat for dry skin.
-Bulldog Original Shower Gel: This body wash combines peppermint oil, coriander and eucalyptus oil for a fresh and yet masculine smell that’s really invigorating.
-Bulldog Face Scrub: Formulated for men’s more oily skin types, this face exfoliator gets rid of excess oils and dead skin cells without stripping the skin of its protective natural oils.

Did you know?

Wondering why Simon Duffy and his co-founder named the company after a dog?

An aversion to cheesy male cosmetics marketing seems to be where the answer lies. Simon said: “Currently the category’s [men's cosmetics] advertising and marketing to men can feel quite generic; black and white images of male models with rippling six packs are irritating and not aspirational.  The Bulldog is certainly not the prettiest creature.  He’s fat, lazy, wrinkly and more likely to be found asleep on the sofa than out chasing sticks – a lot like us if we’re honest.  However, he’s also protective, loyal, tenacious and honest.  A real British icon.”

If you have a passion for organic beauty products and you’d like to spread the word but you’re unsure how, Purity Organic Skincare is offering you the chance to be the brand’s superstar. The nationwide search has started for two real women who combine beauty and brains and who will be the faces of Purity’s very first advertising campaign in Superdrug’s DARE magazine.

Purity Organic Skincare offers women a morning and an evening range of products to care for the skin with natural and organic ingredients, certified by ECOCERT. The products can be found in 400 Superdrug stores and this is the company’s first ever certified organic skincare range.

So if you want to glow in the pictures of DARE magazine (and win a too good to be true goody bag of Purity treats worth £250), you have to enter the competition.

Buy a Purity Organic Skincare product of your choice at Superdrug to try the range and for proof of purchase. You can choose from the following: Facial Wash, Conditioning Cleansing Lotion, Facial Exfoliator, Facial Moisturiser, Anti-Aging Moisturiser, Regenerating Overnight Moisturiser, Anti-Aging Serum and Mask.
The next step is to scan your receipt and send it via email to purity@riverltd.co.uk along with more information that you can find on the DARE website. The closing date is 12pm, 12 May 2010 and entrants must be aged 18 years or over.

Purity Organic Skincare really cares about the environment, and wants its customers to be like-minded. The range is free from parabens, GM, silicones, sls and synthetic fragrances using only sustainably grown ingredients, few in number. Made in Devon, Britain the products come in fully recyclable packaging and the company encourages its customers to debate via its interactive website.