ECOCERT | cheriecity.co.uk

Competition: WIN Melvita Naturalift Products

March 14, 2011 by cheriecity

Melvita, France’s leading natural skincare brand, has been a Chérie City favourite for quite some time and now it’s time to share the beauty love…

One lucky reader will WIN two luxurious products from the new Melvita Naturalift range, worth £52.

Melvita Naturalift takes a natural approach to anti-aging while using potent active ingredients to provide results. The range is based on Phyto-Embryogenesis and uses plant stem cells to encourage cell renewal.

Naturalift Youthful Skin Cream (50ml) is an organic ‘wondercream’ that lifts, firms and re-energises skin, using a powerful blend of Hibiscus Seeds, Argan Nuts, Virgin Camelia Oil and anti-oxidant Mamaku Gum.

Naturalift Youthful Skin Complex For Eyes And Lips (15ml) targets fine lines and wrinkles with gentle plant oils including Borage and Rosehip Seed and active extracts of Daisy and Immortelle. It smoothes and tones the surface of the skin while boosting the integrity of collagen and elastin structures.

Click here to read more about Melvita’s Spring/Summer 2011 beauty collections.

HOW TO ENTER:

Follow Chérie City on Google Friend Connect or Facebook and leave a quick beauty tip in the comments box below…

Winner will be selected at random and the competition will close at midnight on 14 April.

Terms & Conditions:
– Entrants must become (or already be) a follower of Chérie City on Google Friend Connect or Facebook, otherwise entry will be void.
– Prize consists of one Melvita Naturalift Youth Skin Cream (50ml) and one Melvita Naturalift Youthful Skin Complex For Eyes And Lips (15ml).
– No cash alternative will be offered.
– Closing date: 14th April 2011 at midnight.
– The winner must claim the prize within 48 hours of contact, or a new winner will be selected.

THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED

Beauty

Chérie Loves: MÁDARA ecocosmetics

December 20, 2010 by cheriecity

A natural skincare and body range made from flowers and herbs sourced from the Baltic meadows sounded so tempting that I just had to try it out.

MÁDARA uses the most powerful and effective natural ingredients to nourish the skin and with the short summer in Latvia, the flowers have to work much harder to preserve their potency.

In truth, I was drawn to MÁDARA’s zingy, cool packaging and the products I tried were equally uplifting…

The Mint Shower Soap (£8.50/200ml) has a light, clear liquid consistency and has a fresh peppermint, herbal scent. It lathers well and feels invigorating without being overly methol-based.

I felt super clean after using the shower soap and the pump dispenser and slim bottle make it a perfectly functional bathside product.

The Nourishing Cream for dry to very dry skin (£15/150ml) instantly soothes skin and has a subtle sweet scent. The texture is in between a light body lotion and a more oily body butter – restorative and oil-based but not too heavy.

I found that the cream sinks into the skin within a few minutes, so you can use it during the day without feeling any residue on your body.

MÁDARA eco products are perfect for those with sensitive skin and with such lovely packaging, they make a great gift. Most of the products are under £20, making it a luxury natural brand that you can invest in.

* Chérie City was sent these products for review.

Beauty, London, Shopping

Melvita New Maman et Bébé collection

May 14, 2010 by cheriecity

Yesterday I was invited to the launch of French natural skincare brand Melvita’s new mother and baby range at Aubaine on Heddon Street.

It was like going to the ultimate baby shower with all of the products there to try out while indulging with the most delicious scones, cupcakes and macarons, and of course, some real life babies getting pampered and cooed over (just to clarify, they weren’t mini PR Assistants, their mums were there too).

Melvita’s first mother and baby collection is particularly innovative, as it offers cleansing solutions that you would find in the main collection but formulated for babies’ delicate skin. An alternative to heavily perfumed baby wipes, babies can benefit from the same cleansing routine as their mums with Melvita pour bébé Cleansing Milk (£15) and Cleansing Water (£12).

There is also the Cold Cream Soap (£5), which removes impurities without drying or causing irritations, with a soothing blend of cotton oil, shea butter and avocado oil. This is probably a more affordable way to try out the brand for first-time parents with a long list of expenses.

Bath time can also be trauma-free with Melvita’s ‘hero product’, Shower Shampoo (£12) with an innovative tear-free formula – a natural, non-chemical alternative to Johnson’s Baby Shampoo. Melvita’s lovely PR, Simon, joked that he’d tried rubbing it in eyes earlier and judging by his long dedication to natural skincare, I kind of believe him!

It really is the stand out product of the range and has a gorgeous, clean scent that doesn’t scream ‘baby’. It feels very gentle and lathers well, but it’s not really strong enough to tackle adult issues like product residue, pollution or excess oil. Not a problem that babies need to worry about from the safe haven of their prams, but I found that it’s not a product that you could share with your little one. Good news though, Melvita are launching haircare soon, so there’ll be some hardworking, natural shampoos on the way.

More lovely baby products include a hydrating Moisturising Milk (£16), a rich Nappy Change Milk (£16) and a Massage Oil (£17), which relaxes babies and helps them to sleep.

If mums have a few moments free from cleansing and massaging the baby, Melvita have also launched a range pour maman, which helps restore the body from the effects of pregnancy and breast feeding. The Body Milk (£24) helps tone the skin and maintain firmness during and after pregnancy, while the Stretch Mark Prevention (£28) deeply moisturises and restructures skin, helping prevent the development and reducing the appearance of stretch marks.

The Nipple Balm (£19) will surely be a godsend for weary mums, as it repairs and protects the skin and helps prevent nipple irritation. It has a light, silky texture and it will last for ages, so even after you stop breast feeding, it could be used as a multi-purpose beauty balm.

Melvita products are certified organic by EcoCert and use plant extracts instead of essential oils, which can irritate sensitive skin. The whole range is allergen and alcohol free and are dermatologically tested, making them suitable particularly beneficial to those prone to skin irritation or eczema.

The Melvita Mother and Baby range is available now online and at Harrods and may soon be stocked at Whole Foods and selected John Lewis stores.

Beauty, Shopping

Melvita French Skincare Arrives in the UK

February 4, 2010 by cheriecity

Yesterday I headed down to Aubaine for the UK launch of France’s number one organic skincare, Melvita, which looks set to make a big impact on the natural beauty world.

The natural skincare market has expanded significantly over the past few years and as cases of adult acne, eczema and allergies increase, many of us are looking into the product ingredients of well-trusted brands and questioning just how beneficial these synthetic chemicals really are.

Founded in 1983 by biologist Bernard Chevilliat, Melvita was one of the first brands to combine technology with the healing and nourishing properties of natural ingredients.

Melvita have an impressive range of over 300 products to suit all skin types, including cleansing jelly, micellar water, moisturising serum, facial oil and a night cream. Most of the skin care products have a light texture with a soothing feel and a very subtle aromatic scent.

Out of the skin care system that I tested, the stand-out products were the Hydrastim intensive moisturising gel, which is perfect for oily or combination skin, and the Eye Contour Gel, which contains cornflour, aloe vera and caffeine to provide an instant cooling and tightening effect.

Like many French skincare brands that use the natural resources in their country, such as the thermal springs at Evian and La Roche-Posay, Melvita began on a eco-farm in the Ardèche Gorges. Having discovered the healing properties of honey, Chevilliat became a professional beekeeper with over 500 hives. He based the first collection on the products from the hives, hence the name Melvita – a reference to honey and life.

Melvita are all about promoting an organic lifestyle, with a product solution to every beauty concern. There are a number of body creams, bath and shower gels, deodorants, toothpaste, beauty supplements and even a collection for men. All products are ECOCERT certified organic and the ingredients are farmed sustainably.

They are also launching the Nectar de Rose collection for Valentine’s Day, which is perfect for sensitive skin and has the most gorgeous, pure scent. Unlike many brands who only use one essential oil, Melvita use a ‘totem’ of rose ingredients, which all have their own unique benefits.

The Nectar de Rose day cream contains Moroccan rose petals, Iranian rose water, Damask rose essential oil and French rose seed milk, which helps hydrate the skin while fighting fine lines and wrinkles with anti-inflamatory properties.

Already hugely popular in France and across Europe, the London flagship store is set to open this summer and a further 10 high street stores in the UK are planned for over the next few years. The collection will also be available in selected natural remedy and organic food stores, as well as online.

The range is priced from £12-£32 and the products seem to go a long way, and come in generous sizes. I’m a pretty firm devotee of Dr Hauschka’s homeopathic, but I’m looking forward to trying out Melvita’s Naturalift and Facial Scrub to see if I can be converted.

Melvita is available to buy online and offers free postage and packaging and two samples with your first order.