We love, love love getting your feedback - good and bad. Over the past 12 months since we launched SOPHYTO Organics skin care we have gathered all your comments on packaging, formulas and anything else you want to share with us.

First, we redesigned the packaging for our beloved Polyphenol Skin Drops to make application easier and now we’re doing the same to Skin Energising High Potency Concentrate and Purifying Active Mask.
Both new containers allow ease of application and we’ve also re-named the formulas
from your suggestions so the product clearly reflects what it does.

So, the Skin Energising High Potency Concentrate will hence forth be known as Multivitamin Skin Drops. Why? Well, because it is packed with organic vitamins and prebiotics which deliver potent anti-ageing benefits with high precision and accuracy, right where you need them most.

The lightweight formula helps stimulate and maintain cellular activity to “energise” the skin and target dull, ageing skin conditions revealing a glowing, plumped and smoother complexion and eye area.

Key ingredients used in the Multivitamin Skin Drops include high-grade Japanese yeast-fermented CoQ10, bio-fermented hyaluronic acid and Vitamins B1, B6 and C-Ester to help protect the skin and delicate eye area from pollution and changes in the environment; and organic dandelion and burdock, which acts as an anti-inflammatory.

SOPHYTO’s Multivitamin Skin Drops work in perfect unison with the Polyphenol Skin Drops to provide antioxidant and vitamin-enriched skin protection against the ravages of modern life.

The Purifying Active Mask will now be known as Marine Peptide Brightening Treatment… because, yep you guessed it, it’s packed with lovely things found below sea level. This luxurious pearl-coloured whitening serum is formulated with organic Japanese micro algae which instantly lightens the complexion.

The Marine Peptide Brightening Treatment contains specially developed chelating minerals to brighten, oxygenate and re-mineralise aged and UV-damaged skin, to reveal a fresher, more radiant-looking complexion; the marine elements provide high concentrations of peptides, lipids, amino acids, vitamins A, C, B1, B12, E, PP, K, D and trace elements.

So, in a nutshell. Your opinions really do count! Keep ‘em coming, now…

In our penultimate installment on menopause, SOPHYTO’s bioesthetician Ishtar Magally tells us how to care for our skin’s changing needs during the menopausal years.

Caring for menopausal skin

The toll taken by hormonal changes on your skin might seem alarming and even terrifying, but going through menopause does not mean you can’t preserve your skin’s youthful looks and healthy functions.

There are some key elements to a skin care routine that will help to achieve your goals skin-wise as you face this hormonally challenging stage of your life:

• Use mildly acidic formulations to restore pH balance and support the skin’s natural functions.
• Avoid any products which could strip the skin’s natural oils.
• Stimulate collagen production with formulas rich in Vitamin C. Isolated Vitamin C in high concentrations could prove too harsh/pH disturbing for Menopausal skin. It is far better to rely on the properties of Vitamin C in its whole food format like the one found in acerola cherries, blackcurrants, strawberries, pomegranates etc.
• Apply lots of water: tone with highly hydrating actives like Hyaluronic Acid to avoid Transepidermal Water Loss.
• Lock in moisture: EFAs (essential fatty acids) rich moisturisers are the perfect way of sealing the moisture while keeping your skin supple.
• Incorporate potent topical antioxidants into your beauty regime to scavenge free radicals, such as products rich in Vitamin P (Bioflavonoids).
• Exfoliate the skin regularly (2-3 times per week) to remove surface debris and encouraging skin renewal.
• Utilize products containing active ingredients with phytoestrogenic properties, it has been shown that topical application of phytoestrogens can reverse wrinkling and are also helpful for acne and acne scars.
• Use products which prebiotic activity: Prebiotics not only do they brighten the complexion and break down dead skin cells but they also support the skin’s microflora thus ward off harmful bacteria and reduce inflamed conditions.
• Maximize the use of clinically proven anti-aging ingredients like Coenzyme Q10 and Betaglucan.
• Protect your skin daily from UV radiation damage by using a natural/organic, harsh chemicals-free sunscreen (More on this to follow soon).

SOPHYTO products which promote better health in menopausal skin

Based on the aforementioned premises we can proudly boast that every single SOPHYTO product benefits menopausal skin. However, here are just a few products, which really stand out above the rest.

• Deep Pore Foaming Cleanser: contains apple extract (natural source of phytoestrogens); raw sugar cane extract (source of natural glycolic acid which disolves the glue that holds dead skin cells together).

• Tone & Balance Super Bioactive: contains Aloe Vera (hydrating, regenerating); Artichoke leaf extract (powerful antioxidant); Nettle herb extract (phytoestrogenic, rich in Vitamin C, a detoxifier); Elder berry fruit (antioxidant, has astringent, firming properties, removes freckles); Noni fruit extract (antioxidant, healing, beautifying, regenerating); Raspberry leaf extract (phytoestrogenic, astringent, improves tissue firmness); Rosemary leaf extract (highly efficient antioxidant; strenghtens skin elasticity and protects skin from ageing); Shitake fruit extract (beautifying, brightening effect); Chlorella vulgaris broken cell wall (powerful antioxidant, stimulates microcirculation, has healing, regenerating, purifying, brightening, detoxifying and energizing properties); Shisandra fruit extract (beautifier, protects against environmental factors).

• Polyphenol Skin Drops: contains apple fruit extract (phytoestrogenic, natural AHAs - AlphaHydroxy Acids); Green Tea leaf extract (phytoestrogenic, antioxidant, anti-ageing); White Tea leaf extract (antioxidant, anti-aging); Biofermented Red Grape extract (phytoestrogenic, potent antioxidant, anti-ageing); Olive leaf extract (powerful antioxidant).

• Skin Energising High Potency Concentrate: contains Betaglucan (reduces fine lines and wrinkles, increases levels of hydration, firmness, elasticity, promotes healing and rejuvenation itself, a powerful reducing agent or free-radical scavenger); Hyaluronic acid (capable of holding up to 1,000 times its own weight in water, extremely lubricious and moisturizing, promotes synthesis of collagen, prevents formation of fine lines and wrinkles, increases skin volume and density); Dandelion root (phytoestrogenic, skin detoxifier and rich in minerals); Yeast fermented Co-Enzyme Q10 (potent antioxidant, energizing, boosts regeneration, protects against UVA - induced depletion of cell membrane, produces a dramatic anti-wrinkle effect); Ascorbyl Palmitate (fat-soluble derivative of Vitamin C, powerful antioxidant, non-irritating); Vitamin B1 (enhances circulation, gets rid of toxins); Vitamin B6 (helps the immune system to function and increases progesterone production).

• Mega Omegas Day Face Moisturiser: contains Aloe Vera (moisturizing, regenerative); Sunflower seed oil (rich blend of glycerides and fatty acids that moisturize, and protect the skin); Jojoba oil (light emollient, protects the skin, controls and complements the skin’s natural moisture); Shea butter (antioxidant, healing, effective emollient, smoother, protects the skin against external aggressions and sunrays); Carrot root (phytoestrogenic, revitalizes, effective in wound healing, scar reduction, ageing and sun damage); Evening Primrose Oil (rich in essential fatty acids and gamma linolenic acid (GLA), reduces improves skin hydration, smoothness and increases the lipid content of the skin); Pomegranate oil (phytoestrogenic, potent antioxidant, boosts skin repair, evens skin tone, helps collagen production); Raspberry oil (phytoestrogenic, offers the skin broad spectrum protection from damaging UVA and UVB rays, powerful antioxidant); White Peony root (phytoestrogenic, beautifier, premium anti-aging herb); Rose flower extract (phytoestrogenic, tones capillaries, soothes skin); Vitamin E (natural tocopherol, potent antioxidant and skin protectant, reduces scar-forming tissue, anti-pruritic [itching], helps prevent premature skin ageing and also inhibits UV light-induced erythema [skin redness]; Vegetable Glycerin (locks in moisture, keeps skin soft and smooth).

• Dual Action Exfoliating Treatment: contains pineapple fruit extract (natural source of Bromelain, an enzyme which digests only the dead cells on the surface of the skin leaving living cells beneath intact); Acerola Cherry fruit extract (acerola berries are the richest known source of Vitamin C which stimulates collagen and elastin production, it breaks down surface debris, aids in the remineralization of tired and stressed skin, has hydrating properties, promotes capillary conditioning and fights cellular ageing); Amethyst gem stone powder (triggers microcirculation through a physical phenomenon, improves the complexion by fighting against the effects of stress).

In our next, and final installment, Ishtar will be sharing some simple tips for maintaining overall health during the menopause years.

Now that I’m too scared to eat anything unless I’ve checked its label and verified that it doesn’t contain non-organic or artificial ingredients (thanks to Food, inc.) eating out seems much more of a chore than a treat.

So, I’m on the hunt for organic and natural food outlets to try and put together a state-by-state guide. So, if you know of any great, safe organic restaurants, cafes and retailers do drop us a line and spill the beans… give us the details and your thoughts, so we can share the wealth.

Thanks now…

ps. I hear the lovely Jake Gyllenhaal is opening an organic restaurant sometime soon in LA… is there no end to this boy’s credentials??!

Another day, another reason to go organic. This time it’s new research that links pesticide exposure to the increased risk of Parkinson’s Disease.

A study carried out by the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas has generated the strongest evidence yet linking Parkinson’s Disease and pesticide exposure.

While previous studies have revealed high levels of these pesticides in the brains of Parkinson’s sufferers, this is the first to highlight the higher incidence of one specific pesticide beta-HCH (hexachlorocyclohexane), in the blood. Beta-HCH was found in 76% of Parkinson’s samples compared with 40% of healthy ones.And the researchers are now working on a blood test that would indicate the presence of beta-HCH, thereby enabling them to get treatment as early as possible.

Having watched my grandfather lose his long and increasingly desperate struggle against the disease earlier this year - and knowing that my grandmother has the same decline in store - I have to say it must be among the cruelest ways to die.

So, if eating organic food allows us even a 10% greater chance of resisting Parkinson’s disease, it has to be worth it, right?

For more info about Parkinson’s Disease, check out the following:

www.ninds.nih.gov

www.parkinson.org

www.parkinsonscharity.org

www.michaeljfox.org

Continuing our discussion of the dreaded menopause, this time SOPHYTO’s bioesthetician Ishtar Magally explains the hormonal causes behind the hairy symptoms.

Hormones - while some go down others go up

A hormone (from the Greek ὁρμή - ‘impetus’) is a chemical messenger, usually a peptide or steroid, produced by one tissue that is transported through the bloodstream and produces a stimulatory effect on the activity of another tissue. A hormone can also be a synthetic substance that acts like a hormone released by living cells.

Hormones that go down during menopause:  

• (O)estrogens: a group of steroid compounds produced by developing follicles in the ovaries, the corpus luteum and the placenta. They are present at significantly higher levels in women of reproductive age than in men. Estrogens promote the development of female secondary sex characteristics, induce thickening of the endometrium (uterine wall) and regulate the menstrual cycle. Normal estrogen levels also accelerate metabolism (burn fat), decrease fat accumulation, diminish muscle mass, help to retain water and sodium, increase pheomelanin (a type of melanin which imparts a pink to red hue) levels and decrease eumelanin (a type of melanin which imparts a brown and black hue) levels, reduce sebum secretion, increase cortisol levels, maintain healthy vessels, enhance skin elasticity and promote skin renewal.

• Progesterone: known as ‘the pregnancy hormone’, it is a steroid hormone secreted by the ovaries (specifically after ovulation in the corpus luteum), the placenta and the adrenal glands. Progesterone levels are low during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle (starts with menstruation, when the egg - or follicle - is developing) but they rise significantly during the luteal phase (after ovulation when the uterine lining thickens, preparing for pregnancy). Some PMS symptoms, such as bloatedness, depression, insomnia, breast tenderness, etc, are believed to be related to high progesterone levels. However, low levels of progesterone, in relation to estrogen levels, can also promote certain symptoms associated with PMS - which has led to the increasing popularity of natural progesterone supplements. The levels of progesterone in adult males are similar to those in women during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle.} Progesterone helps to prepare a woman’s body for conception, supports gestation, embryogenesis of humans and other species and regulates the montly cycle. Progesterone also inhibits lactation during pregnancy, raises the epidermal growth factor (a factor which induces cell growth, proliferation and differentiation), acts as an anti-inflammatory agent, reduces sebum excretion, regulates the immune system and also plays a role in sexual desire.

Hormones that go up during menopause:

• Androgens: also called androgenic hormones or testoids, are natural or synthetic steroid hormones secreted by the testes in men or the adrenal glands in women that stimulate and regulate the activity of male sex organs as well as the development of male secondary sex characteristics such as the deepening of the voice; increased muscle mass, stature and strength; growth of facial and body hair; heavier bone structure; a prominent Adam’s apple; increased oil and sweat secretion, etc. The most potent androgen hormone is dihydrotestosterone. Androgens are also the precursor of all estrogens - the female sex hormones.

The decreased levels of estrogen and progesterone experienced, coupled with increased levels of androgens, from the perimenopause to postmenopause stage can significantly impact the health of a woman’s skin. There are things we can do to promote the continued good health of our skin (without reaching for the HRT) with organic and natural skin care products.

In Ishtar’s next menopause post, she will be sharing with us some tips to keeping our skin healthy as we age, so check back with us soon.

I realise I’m probably preaching to the converted here but if you haven’t seen Food, inc. yet you really should. I only arrived in the US last week and have suddenly found myself switching from being in awe of the abundance of food available here - from natural, organic and health foods to distinctly unhealthy but tasty-looking cookies and cakes - to being scared to eat anything at all.

Having written about the UK food industry for a couple of years, I thought I had a reasonably good grasp of the horrors that can be kept from the consumer - in terms of pesticide use and the treatment of casual workers etc. But, like the majority of Americans, I presume, I didn’t know the half of it. I think the situation is considerably more appalling in this country than back home in the UK - because having only a few big companies in control of the nation’s food supply is a far more terrifying concept when you’re talking about a country the size of the US. That’s an awful lot of centralised power.

The film is truly shocking. Not just because of the visible cruelty towards animals and the people slaughtering them, but by the impossibility of taking these multinational corporations to task when their board members just happen to represent the country in the US government as well. And, by the fact that even someone like Oprah can be sued by the national beef association for saying she’s worried by the concept of BSE. What the hell happened to liberty, justice and freedom (of speech!) for all???

Perhaps most terrifying was the point about the new strains of E. coli and other food-borne pathogens that have arisen because of BIG MEATPACKERS INC’s insistence on feeding animals cheap corn - a foodstuff they are not biologically designed to consume. And the impossibility of containing these diseases when the carcasses of thousands of different animals are ground down together to make the processed meat that ends up in every food outlet in the country. How do you locate the source of a diseased piece of meat if that meat has come from thousands of different cows? - an awful fact that Barbara Kowalcyk and her family found out too late when their toddler Kevin died from E. coli poisoning after eating a hamburger.

I could go on and on, but I’ll let you watch the movie and make up your own mind.

And, if you do watch it, and like me, feel appalled and terrified of ever setting foot in a restaurant or non-organic supermarket again, there are a few things you can do to make a difference. As I said earlier this week, if you demand safer food by choosing to buy sustainable, authentic (and, ideally, local) food, the big food providers will have no choice but to change their practices in order to provide it. We can’t wait around for them to suddenly grow a conscience, but we can force them to listen if we stop filling their pockets.

I’m not saying that all of the organic and/or natural companies out there are perfect by any means but we have to do the best with what we’ve got and that means breaking down the massive power exacted by a few giant companies first and foremost so that never again is it cheaper to buy a (possibly unsanitary) hamburger than a piece of unadulterated fruit or vegetable.

Tell everyone you know to go and see this movie. And then check out the Food, Inc. website for tips on how to choose safe food.

Here are the main points:

Menopause can be a terrifying time for a great many women and western society is often very unsympathetic to the complaints of those suffering. But, happily SOPHYTO’s bioesthetician Ishtar Magally is on hand to give you the low down on the whole process - what is happening, why and how you can look after yourself - and your skin’s specific needs, in particular - with natural and organic methods, to ease the symptoms.

In this first part, we are going to take a look at the different stages of the menopause and explain what happens and when.

What is menopause?

The word menopause comes from the Greek words pausis (cessation) and men (monthly). It literally means the end of monthly cycles.

Menopause marks the permanent cessation of reproductive fertility in human females. It occurs when the ovaries no longer produce - or produce negligible amounts of - (o)estrogen and progesterone, which leads to the permanent end of menstruation or “menses”. We categorise adult women who have a uterus as menopausal - and infertile - when (provided they are not pregnant or lactating) they haven’t had a period for 12 months. In women who don’t have a uterus, (post)menopause is identified by a very high level of FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) level. Menopause can also be instigated surgically - ‘surgical menopause’ - by removing a woman’s ovaries: a procedure known as an oophorectomy.

When does menopause begin?

Menopausal symptoms typically begin between ages 44 and 55. The average age is thought to be 51. However, this onset can also vary according to geographic location. The average age of menopause in developed countries is 51, whereas menopause usually occurs in developing countries at 44 years.

Menopausal stages

Menopause does not appear all of a sudden. The whole menopause transition is divided into 4 stages: premenopause, perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause.

Premenopause is the time of ‘normal’ reproductive function in a woman, from the first to last regular menstrual period.  A ‘normal’ menstrual cycle constitutes the hormonal balance and release of estrogen, progesterone, FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) and LH (luteinizing hormone).

Perimenopause means ‘around menopause’ and is also referred to as the climateric. Perimenopause usually appears in women somewhere between age 30 and 50 and is a transitional stage, lasting two to 10 years between the first irregular menstrual period and the last one. This stage of menopause is characterized by dwindling hormone levels, which causes the characteristic symptoms of hot flashes, vaginal dryness, diminished concentration, mood swings, menstrual irregularity, irritability, depression, night sweats, insomnia, weight gain, changes in breast size, development of facial, chest and/or abdominal hair (hirsutism). This stage can be challenging for some women, especially in the Western world, but for others, including women in Japan and China, it goes unnoticed.

Menopause marks the date of a woman’s last period and the end of her reproductive life, when estrogen and progesterone production decreases permanently to very low levels. The ovaries stop producing eggs and a woman can no longer get pregnant naturally. In popular culture, the term is used to describe three of the menopausal processes - from perimenopause through to postmenopause.

When a woman experiences her final period aged 40 to 45 (or earlier), this is considered ‘Early menopause’.  If the last period occurs between age 55 and 60, this is known as ‘Late menopause’.

Postmenopause is classified as starting when 12 months have elapsed since the final menstrual period and it lasts for the rest of the woman’s life.

Watch this space for more detailed info from Ishtar on the (sometimes woeful) process of menopause…

And as always, if you have any questions for our lovely bioesthetician, don’t forget to drop us a line.

We don’t just love Saffron Rouge because it carries the SOPHYTO range. That would be reason enough, of course, but we also love the whole ethos of the site. It only carries organic cosmetics and there are only a handful of brands - all big names in the organic market - and they have all been tried and tested by founder Kirsten Binder, a phytotherapist.

Every product carried is certified organic so you know you can trust its contents and SR includes a detailed overview of each brand as well as interviews with the brand founders so customers can get a really good feel for each brand.

Kirstin and her partner (and husband) Jeff obviously travel all over to find new brands. I was particularly delighted to see some European products on the site, including the only certified organic personal lubricant YES that I mentioned a while back.

Saffron Rouge has a truckload of great organic products that will enhance your skin’s health and you can rest assured that you will love them more than the chemical-laden products you used to rely on. They ship to anywhere in the world as well so if you have been struggling to find a great organic body cream at your local pharmacy, suffer ye no longer!

Check out Kirstin’s blog as well for regular organic skin updates. SOPHYTO’s Deep Pore Foaming Cleanser just happens to be listed as the perfect everyday cleanser for Summer, too… which of course it is

Continuing on the subject of the adverse impact of meat on our wellbeing, I just came across an interesting article in The Huffington Post about the FDA’s position on antibiotics in meat.

Essentially, author Jennifer Grayson is saying that while the FDA is making noises about limiting the unnecessary use of antibiotics in the nation’s food supply, it may be aeons before we see anything like an out and out ban on using antibiotics for perfectly healthy animals.

So, if you would prefer not to eat meat pumped with chemicals just to make it a bit fatter and juicier, then you are going to have to do your own QC work - ie. vote with your wallets, and only choose organic meat that is guaranteed not to have been bred with chemical enhancements. Or, if organic meat is not available, at least look for the ‘No Antibiotics‘ sign shown left on any animal products you buy.

As with most other sea changes, Jennifer says, the biggest change will come from the purchasing decisions we make as consumers. It’s simple market mechanics. Create the demand and availability will follow. After all, just think about the drastic rise in availability of organic products in general. Fifteen years ago, organic products were sprinkled here and there but most people had no idea of the concept - or the difference between organic products and those that they were already using/consuming. However, these days organic products are available in every store in the western world, even 7/11 type retailers. The choice is staggering - especially here in the US - and that’s because the consumer has become more knowledgeable about production methods and their own health so the demand for safe, healthy products has risen.

It may not always feel like it but you are very powerful. Not only do your actions matter, but they can also make a big difference. So, keep choosing the good stuff (ie. natural and organic cosmetics and food) and others will follow.

I have always been an avid consumer of lean white meat (poultry) and varied fish but a visit from my mother’s cousin Peter last week has prompted a real sea change in my view of meat consumption.

Peter was diagnosed with prostate cancer 18 months ago and since then has been exploring dietary methods of enhancing his health, to complement the hormone treatments he’s been prescribed - starting with the meat issue.

I always believed that as omnivores humans thrive on lean animal proteins, but Peter introduced me to a very interesting book - China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-Term Health by Dr T Colin Campbell.

The China Study, based on several decades’ worth of research makes a great case for limiting intake of meat and other animal products - ie. butter, cheese and all other dairy items. I’ve only had a chance to skim read the first few chapters of the book so far, but Dr Campbell’s research demonstrates convincing links between consumption of animal proteins and increased incidence of cancer and other ‘western killers’ in including heart disease.

Having studied the diets and incidence of disease in America and China, Dr Campbell found that, interestingly, it is not the exposure to carcinogens (toxic chemicals and pollutants) that affects the prevalence of cancer, but the volume of animal proteins consumed. These proteins act like a switch, combining with the carcinogens to produce cancer cells (this is obviously a very simplified version but you get the idea: carcinogens + animal proteins = cancer cells. But, if you stop eating the animal protein, you can reverse the effect and stop the proliferation of cancer cells.

Isn’t that amazing? If this information is correct, it shows that we really do have the power to protect ourselves from awful diseases, simply by modifying what we eat.

And, obviously we westerners generally eat a lot more animal protein than they do in the East, which explains the drastic increase in the incidence of cancer on this side of the globe. Food for thought, eh? Dr Campbell generally used milk protein in his tests and certainly found the same results when testing meat. I’m not sure about eggs and fish - will have to keep reading. But, for now, I am definitely going to try and head towards Veganville by upping the intake of secondary proteins, nut and seed pastes, in particular, (I don’t really eat dairy or red meat anyway) and cutting way down on the poultry.

Anyway, The China Study is a fascinating read. I would definitely recommend taking a look - even if you are in perfect health. Dr Campbell sounds like a very interesting guy as well. Check out his website for more info on his foundation and the disease-reversing effect eating a plant-based diet has had on the many people he has encountered.