Going natural

BY ELYSE AMEND

elyse.amend@transcontinental.ca

All the way from Hollywood to back at home, there are more and more stories of people going natural – switching to natural health and beauty products, that is.

“Going natural is the way to go,” said Gigi Cohen from Centre Holistique Jessy Naturel in the Pointe Claire Village. “Your body is organic. We don’t have a chemical body. We respond very well to organics. The body welcomes ingredients it can actually recognize.”

Cohen said mineral makeup, for example, is just one way of naturalizing your beauty regime: “It’s completely chemical free and it leaves your skin beautiful,” she said, adding the fact the makeup is made of natural ingredients does not limit the kinds of products, shades, or colours available. “Once you try it, you can never use regular makeup again.

Carole Neath, cosmetic department head at HealthTree in Dollard des Ormeaux also said using natural makeup is the safest way to paint your face.

“It’s all about the ingredients. They don’t add preservatives or chemical ingredients that can be harmful,” she said, adding some lipsticks, for example, can contain small amounts of lead, a product that acts as a binding agent. Neath pointed out natural lotions, creams, and especially deodorants that do not contain aluminium are very popular.

“In the long run, (using natural products) can prevent problems,” Neath said. “It’s long term use of small dosages (of products with chemical ingredients) that can create problems.”

“The natural products for the face, for example, are like food for the face. You’re nourishing your body,” Cohen said, pointing out natural products list ingredients on their packaging and labels, so you know what you are using. If people are worried about allergies to any of the ingredients, Cohen said the best thing to do would be to come in and consult with the experts on what products would be best. “We have no chemicals. It’s all food based.”

After a long winter, many people might be looking for that extra kick to get them going again. HealthTree consultant Frank Reimann said that while many people are looking for detoxes and energy and mood boosters, the best thing to do before taking any supplements is to talk to an expert as well.

“It depends very much on the person. For example, after winter, I see a lot of people who have a hard time getting back into gear. They feel sluggish and have no energy,” Reimann said, adding the Greens+ line of products is usually a good bet. “But it’s beneficial to see where (customers) are coming from. I don’t just throw things at people. I ask them some questions, because it’s often much more beneficial to address the root, the cause, than rather just going by the label.”