Top 5 Natural Ingredients for Great Skin and Hair This Winter

Natural Beauty Essentials for your suitcase, Hair, Body and Planet.

Some may welcome the colder months, but our hair and skin certainly don’t! With winter come the colder temperatures, harsh winds and low air humidity that can leave our hair and skin feeling dry, rough and damaged. While there’s nothing that can be changed to alter these seasonal shifts, nature has some miracle ingredients with nourishing and rejuvenating properties that work to combat the harsh effects of the winter months, and work to restore our youthful glow! Here’s a list of the Top 5 Natural Ingredients that do exactly that, and some of the brands we represent that use or help with these:

1.              Vitamin C, and the Amber ‘Karryable’ Bottle

Vitamin C is by far the most Googled skincare ingredient of 2021, and by now everyone knows it is a must-have product in their routine. The Karry was designed to make travelling with Hero Natural ingredients like this stylish and practical. Designed to filter out UV-rays, the Amber ‘Karryable’ bottle was made to protect active ingredients and essential oils, making it the ideal travel essential to decant your Vitamin C into.

The Karry Pouch (£49.99)

Website: www.thekarry.london

2.              Rosemary Oil

Rosemary Oil has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that help keep hair follicles healthy as well as hydrating the scalp to control natural oil production. Object Beauty’s Rebalancing Shampoo Bar is formulated with Rosemary Leaf Oil to help rejuvenate your hair and rebalance oil levels.

Object Rebalancing Shampoo Bar (£14)

Website: https://objectbeauty.com/

3.              Argan Oil

Rich in fatty acids and vitamin E, Argan Oil soothes, condition and hydrates hair that feels dry and dull from the colder weather. Protect your hair from these harsh winter effects with Object’s Nourishing Conditioner Bar, formulated with a rich oil blend of Argan, Macadamia and Moringa that work together to  detangle and moisturise.

Object Nourishing Conditioner Bar (£14)

Website: https://objectbeauty.com/

4.              Retinol

The skincare buzzword, Retinols are derived from Vitamin A and serve as a skilled skincare multi-tasker. From smoothing skin, to combating dullness, Retinols are sure to help with any of the effects your skin may be feeling after the Winter kicks in. Made to protect your skincare products, the Blue Bottle in The Karry Pouch works by filtering visible light but allowing gentle blue light through. This is perfect for nighttime ingredients, such as Retinol.

The Karry Pouch (£49.99)

Website: www.thekarry.london

5.              Marula Oil

Sourced from Africa, Marula is a real luxury for the skin, as well as being an easily absorbed, natural oil rich in Omegas 6 and 9, that works to hydrate and restore skin without leaving a greasy residue. Grüner's flagship product, the Evening Ritual Oil is a lightweight formula that uses Marula as a base to rehydrate and replenish the skin's natural oil barrier, which is often beaten down by harsh winter weather.

Grüner Evening Ritual Oil (15ml - $40)

Website: https://gruner.shop/

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We believe in shining a light on achievements. There’s one right here! Written by our lovely PR & Social Media Intern Libby Howard.

World Water Day 2021

Waterless Beauty: one of the latest trends to storm the beauty industry, is helping us make small changes to save the planet.

So what is Waterless Beauty? You might have seen Garnier's latest Hair Care product on your TV screens, advertising a new range of Shampoo Bars? Admirably, other companies such as Lush have also gone ‘naked’ and plastic-less with some of their products, creating solid Shampoo that looks like a bar of soap, which requires no packaging whatsoever.

The idea of Waterless Beauty is ultimately to reduce the amount of water being used in the formulation or our Beauty products, as overwhelming excess-use of water is becoming an industry-wide problem. According to Vogue Online, many products are composed of 70 - 80% water, however this is both unnecessary and unsustainable. 

This is why Indie Beauty brands like Object are born, and have created innovative Hair and Body formulas that are natural, ethical and zero-waste. They prove that you don’t need water to create a luxury Beauty product - and you’re not sacrificing quality by opting for waterless, either! As well as addressing the water issue, the use of waterless Beauty products may also solve the issue of plastic waste, with brands like Object using a recycled cotton and bamboo blend to package their Shampoo Bars, showing another way we can shop more sustainably. 

Ok, so you’re helping the environment when buying Waterless Beauty, but your skin may thank you, too! According to Fashionista Magazine, Waterless Skincare is more concentrated, and in most cases, more powerful. Leaving water out of the INCI list also means a product doesn’t have to use harsh chemical preservatives, so you’re not exposing your skin to as many chemicals additives. Water is, of course, often associated with hydration, but it can actually do the opposite when applied to your skin; as it can promote the growth of bacteria which can cause the skin to become more dry. 

So the next time you're going out to buy your go-to beauty product, ask yourself could I opt for something more sustainable, without water? 

We believe in shining a light on achievements. There’s one right here! Written by The Brand Whisperer’s Social Media intern: Kate Thomas 🎉

Beauty Industry Thoughts During the [first] UK COVID-19 Lockdown

What are the best ways for hair and beauty professionals to keep in touch with their customers during this period of [the first UK] lockdown? And what sort of things should they be saying to their customers?

Time on screens, according to NordVPN Teams, has risen by 3 hours [on average] per day since the UK entered 'lockdown' 3 weeks ago - meaning your customer is spending more time on the internet than ever before. Social Media has always been a welcome escape from work time, so any communications through those channels should be just that - escapism! Provide your customer with beautiful imagery over Instagram and Pinterest, alongside any important facts about your business, but it's important to offer them something else in return; a break.

Blogs and emails are the place to inform your customer, as they search for information about your staff, re-opening (as and when that becomes more clear), home-visits you may be making, and general messages of reassurance.

What about marketing? What should the main messages be? Should salons, brands and practitioners be trying to sell or thinking more about building relationships and supporting customers?

At this time a true break has been put on consumer spending - your customers have time to consider all their outgoings, and will reconsider their values around spending, in every sense. According to research conducted by WGSN concerns about financial wellbeing will change the 'value equation' for many consumers' discretionary spending - they'll certainly be concerned about price, but will also be seeking products that reflect their personal values, and create a sense of stability and routine.

With all this in mind; during lockdown the main things salons should communicate to their customers are: a) that all is calm and well, and that they are there for them if they need support (this is likely not something they'll have to step up to, but customers need a connection with their salon now more than ever. b) that the salon will be reopening - and the date of that opening, as soon as it becomes clear, and c) that their standards for safety, wellbeing and stability are as high as ever - maintaining that sense of pure trust that the customer has in their local salon, or salon of choice. 

Trying to 'sell sell sell' in this situation may be met with messages of unrest or discomfort from your customer, as most employees, needless to say, have been placed on furlough, or simply laid off. This is certainly a time to build trust - not to force messaging about deals or exploit the crisis with light-hearted connections to your brand. As the saying goes: 'It takes years to build up trust in any relationship, and only seconds to destroy it, but forever to repair it.' Dhar Mann

What promotions could hair and beauty professionals put together during this time of lockdown ready for when they reopen?

· As we’ve seen on Thursday evenings at 8pm [since 26th March 2020] the nation's appreciation for the NHS has grown to stellar heights - and rightly so! One promotion that would resonate with most customers at this time could be to offer an NHS discount for doctors, nurses or anyone involved in the 'front line battle' against COVID-19. 

· With a nod to the WGSN research about stability, safety and wellbeing concerns, it might be wise to construct some sort of wellbeing package - something like a structured regimen of weekly facials, massages, hair, nails etc. to show your customer that you're caring for re-establishing their routines, and their mental wellbeing by creating a parcel to allow them to feel great, and take the pressure off totally.

· Alternatively, as purse strings inevitably tighten, perhaps gifting will grow as the focus for Q3 + 4 of 2020. It might be profitable, and thoughtful (always keep this is mind!) to create a gifting system, gift cards or vouchers etc., for customers to buy for their friends, family or colleagues, to show that they have each other's wellbeing at the heart of their thoughts too.

Any other advice for salons/ spas/ barbershops and freelancers around marketing/ PR during this time?

The greatest thing to remember here is to keep your customer at the heart of your communications. Any and all posts, blogs, emails, press releases etc. should be centred around your service, what your customer is feeling and what they'll be looking for from you as a Salon, and as a brand. 
Some manufacturers and beauty brands are switching production capabilities to produce hand sanitiser, to contribute and 'do their bit' to fight this pandemic - and that's brilliant. Some brands may not have that capacity, or provide services that aren't relevant to the 'front line' (as it were). These are the brands that should simply focus on making their customers feel safe, providing support where they can, and being there when the 'lockdown' is lifted. Simple, uncomplicated communications are what will get brands through this difficult time, and work to reinforce the trust shared by their customers, so that they will return in good time.

PR & Beauty Equality and Representation

Talking to brands and their investors this week has brought the divide in understanding and perception of the wider ‘Beauty’ industry to our attention. As a point of interest we started researching our own audience, to know more directly what elements of ‘Beauty’ or ‘Grooming’ men and women are interested in, and keen to learn more about.

We discovered some interesting statistics..

We found that the audience of The Brand Whisperer Instagram, Facebook and Website is a 60/40 split between women and men. The women currently following and liking our activity are a range of ages, but 41% are aged 25-34, and 24% are 35-44 years old. The men are more closely grouped, with the largest group of interested followers being 35% aged 18-24, and then 34% being 25-34 years old.

The cliché of PR (and beauty, for that matter…) being a female lead profession made us look further, wondering what the inside of the average PR and Social Media agency, or beauty salon or spa looks like… and we were surprised by statistics provided by CareerSmart (below).

It seems that men are more plugged in to Public Relations than we think – still taking an active part in driving the industry from many angles and levels. And that The Brand Whisperer’s following is very representative of the industry, and interested parties. After all – to represent a client or brand you must understand its journey to the consumer, and represent both sexes in doing so.

However, when it comes to Beauty, more male representation on a ‘ground level’ may be publicly called for in the coming years. This will be interesting to see…

Key Skincare Ingredients For All (and what they mean)

Cholesterol 

There are two different types of Cholesterol: LDL (low-density lipoproteins: bad) and HDL (high-density lipoproteins: good). Every cell in the human body contains cholesterol, and it plays an important role in our digestive system, hormone production and Vitamin D production. Because of its fatty and waxy composition it’s great for protecting the skin from outside influences.

Adding Cholesterol to your beauty / skincare regimen will help strengthen the skin, as well as posting protective properties. As you reach your 30’s (and onwards) your natural Cholesterol production starts to decrease. Therefore adding more through Cholesterol-rich product is key for keeping that youthful glow!

Squalane Oil 

There are two different types of Oils: Saturated and Unsaturated.

Squalane Oil is created when Squalene Oil (with an ‘e’) underges the hydrogenation process; turning the Squalene from an Unsaturated Oil into a Saturated one. Squalane is also naturally occurring in our bodies, and is brilliant for the skin, because of its stable nature and long shelf life.

It will:

·      Moisturise

·      Prevent irritation

·      Control Oil production

·      Act as an eye and lip treatment

·      Prevent pore clogging

·      Sooth

·      Fight bacteria

·      Protect skin from free radicals

Retinyl Plamitate

This anti-ager is made when Palmitic Acid combines with Retinol. It’s also naturally occurring, so just another one on the list of things your body actually needs, but may not be making enough of for its self. It has strong anti-ageing and antioxidant protection properties.

In the short term this ingredient can combat dry, flaky skin, and neutralise free radicals. 

NOTE: As this is rich in Vitamin A, using it will make your skin more sensitive to the sun’s rays, so be careful and wear your SPF each day when your skin comes into contact with this.

Hyaluronic Acid

The ultimate skincare hero: HA. It works to keep every aspect of the skin stable, and is a humectant, and draws moisture from its surroundings, to feed to the skin cells. In fact, one gram of Hyaluronic Acid can hold up to six litres of water. Madness!

HA ultimately can enhance moisture in skin cells, revitalise skin’s outer layers, make skin look and feel softer and smoother, and improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

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All of these are naturally occurring in skin (they are glycosaminoglycan) to support its matrix, but their production can be depleted or reduced due to stress, over exposure to sun, environmental stressors or ageing. Therefore it can only be beneficial to keep and check on all these levels, and feed your skin when it’s in need of each one.