Closer to the ground

I've come across a new saying that I adore, and that's 'getting closer to the ground'. Don't you love? It doesn't mean napping on the sheepskin at every chance (what's the time now?), just getting back to nature. Doing and buying and living as close to the source as you can. It's about filling your house with natural materials, eating hormone, chemical and pesticide-free food, walking barefoot on the grass and limiting waste.

One category I struggle with when it comes to natural living is beauty. As a beauty writer I come across all sorts of products and I enjoy trying them all, the cheap the colourful and the luxurious. I understand that most of what goes on your skin goes into your system, that certain chemicals are nasty and aging and should be banned (and believe me I do draw a line when it comes to formaldehyde and friends) but there are a trillion ingredients to research and understand and look for... and I suppose my lazy side just says 'meh, pass the caviar creme...'

Then a friend introduced me to Dr Hauschka, a brand that goes back to 1967 and has kept its roots strongly based in nature. So I had a facial and was seriously impressed. In fact, I wouldn't mind at all if they wanted to sponsor me for life. Ok just kidding, (I'm not really) here are the fast facts:

* each product is made from medicinal plants grown by biodynamic methods
* they hand pick from over 150 of these plants... at sunrise. Apparently that's when the plant's life forces are most concentrated
* everything is free from synthetic fragrances, preservatives and colourings
* dr h was one of the first skin care companies to list ingredients
* they look past skin problems to a holistic space where essential oils play a big role and skin is healed from the inside-out, never covered up
* they embrace aging as a part of our evolution, not something to be feared
* each potion smells sublime, feels like heaven and makes skin glow