Feed Your Face!

Advanced Formulations launches an all-natural and edible skin care line.

Lindsay Elkins
Associate Editor

As the old saying goes, you are what you eat. Concerns with long-term health have many consumers opting for a more balanced diet and organic and natural foods are becoming more popular. Yet even with an increased emphasis on all things healthy, consumers are still relying on many of the same skin care ingredients on a daily basis. Even though these creams and potions are used topically, 60% of everything used on skin is absorbed by the body, according to Sean Campbell, president of UK-based Advanced Formulations, which launched NOe Cosmetics, the first skin care line derived from 100% natural, organic ingredients this summer.

And not only is everything 100% organic and natural, they’re also edible. NOe feeds skin the vitamins and nutrients it needs through carefully chosen food-grade ingredients derived from high-antioxidant fruits, vegetables and botanicals. Every ingredient in NOe’s products is completely safe and beneficial to skin’s health, ensuring skin maintains a healthy, radiant glow.

Snack vs. Skin Cream

While consumers may wonder how effective a cleanser can be that can do double duty as an afternoon snack, all of NOe’s products contain the same benefits as their chemical counterparts minus preservatives, phthalates, dyes and fragrances. Seven products are part of the NOe lineup, and all utilize natural ingredients such as mango, lemon and coconut.

Natural Coconut Milk Ultra Gentle cleanser thoroughly removes makeup, dirt and impurities without stripping skin of its natural moisture. Natural Lemon Peel Exfoliating cleanser is ideal for normal to oily skin and removes all traces of makeup and pollutants. Mango Nutritive Daily Revival cream repairs the appearance of sensitive, damaged skin while creating a protective moisture barrier. Deep Moisturizing Night cream is packed with ingredients such as organic mango butter, grape seed and shea butter to preserve softness and hydrate. Natural Rice Hydrating mask renew’s skin’s surface and cleanses the pores to promote a smooth, clear texture while Naturally Pure White Tea toner balances skin after cleansing without harsh astringents. Raspberry Soy Milk body lotion rounds out the group to hydrate skin from head to toe, softening even skin’s driest spots such as knees and elbows.

NOe Cosmetics cites the need to reduce the chemicals our bodies come in contact with as the driving force behind creation of the line. “Food is the obvious start and skin care is another direct point of contact between us and the world of invasive chemicals that we should be paying closer attention to,” explained Mr. Campbell. Now, consumers who make it a point to only put healthy things in their bodies can do the same for what they put on their bodies as well.

NOe isn’t just stopping at skin care. The company recently added two new products to its line: Naturally Sweet baby shampoo and NOe naturally sweet baby wash so now even the youngest consumers can get a jump start on a healthy lifestyle.

All Natural?

With the health craze heating up and personal care companies trying to jump on the organic bandwagon, Mr. Campbell says there is tremendous misuse of the terms organic.

“Many companies make the claim of natural or organic, but only use one or a few natural or organic ingredients.” Mr. Campbell predicts that as more companies tout products as all natural, consumers will become more aware of the differentiation between the use of some natural or organic ingredients and products that really are all natural, such as NOe.

Mr. Campbell also speculates that a movement toward harvesting ingredients from renewable resources and not rainforests, for example will soon gain momentum. Improvements in the manufacturing process will also likely emerge as natural ingredients become more widely used by personal care companies.

In the end, if you are what you eat, you in turn are what you apply to your skin and anyone concerned with the effects of chemicals on overall health will find solace in the new NOe Cosmetics organic skin care line. And if a late night craving hits, you now only have to go as far as your bathroom cabinet.