You know I am always on the lookout to interview new companies for Organic Beauty Radio and I have been hunting down Ms. McCartney for a month. Today, I received an email from her U.S. press office letting me know that Stella is on maternity leave so a 30-minute interview was out of the question. They did, however, send out products for review (and one of you will be lucky enough to win one!) and include a Q & A about her new line of organic skin care, CARE. Read it here or over on Sephora. Enjoy!
Q Why did you decide to do an organic skincare range?
A I suppose I turned to what I, myself, needed and what I felt was lacking in the marketplace for me, as a consumer, and for people that I know and respect. I just don’t think that there is a great deal of luxury, organic product out there and I’ve found that quite frustrating. I don’t see why the luxury element in a skincare line needs to be compromised in order for the organic element to be fully present. I don’t understand why, if you buy an organic moisturiser, it has to feel bad, it has to come in awful packaging and it has to lose all the sexiness of the products that aren’t organic.
Just because I want to put something natural on my face doesn’t mean that I should have to make sacrifices. Why shouldn’t it be possible to adopt a more natural, organic lifestyle without forgoing luxury? I believe that it’s possible to have a luxurious skincare product and not compromise either ones personal beliefs or the safety of the environment. I also feel it is important to have people like myself and commit to an organic skincare line to lead the larger beauty producers to go into this area as it seems only small start ups tend to do organic lines and not the large forces within the industry.
Q Why do you think a luxury organic skincare line is relevant today?
A We are at the start of a new century now and not just the living on the leftovers of tree-hugging society. I think that people expect luxury from their organic products and yet those are two words that are never linked together. I know that most of what I put on my skin is also being absorbed by my body. I eat organic food and I live a fairly healthy lifestyle so I demand that of my skincare.
You can go to a great department store and yet will you ever find good-looking organic products? you have to go to a health food shop. So you go to a health food shop and everything looks as though it’s wrapped in cardboard. I want to have products in my bathroom that can stand side-by-side with a beautiful bottle of perfume or a lovely glass soap dish; I want it all to work as one and I think that, in today’s society, organic products should work in a beautiful setting.
Q To what charter did you develop the line?
A The line meets with the requirements of the organic quality label Ecocert, which is an certification organism recognized in more than 80 countries. Obviously all of the ingredients are certified organic. There are no genetically modified ingredients, no endangered plant species are used and formulas are not tested on animals. There are no animal derived ingredients, no silicones, no petrochemicals no chemical preservatives including no parabens. And we like to respect the environment no pesticides or chemical fertilizers are used and all the ingredients come from organic agriculture. The production follows strict rules and all sourcing, labelling, packing, manufacturing are checked.
Q What do you demand from your skincare?
A I expect to be able to trust it. I expect to know what’s in it and what it’s doing to my skin. Everyone is made to feel as though skincare should make you look younger but for me it is preventive; it needs to refrain my skin from ageing rather than trying to turn back the clock. I want to look good when I use my skincare but I also want to feel good. Skin is very important; it creates a first impression which is scary but true, so I want good skin. I want to feel as though my skin is being nurtured and fed and protected from pollution and I want it to look good in my bathroom. I want a million things from my skincare. I want it to help me feel and look more radiant and I also expect it to smell nice, have a nice texture, feel rich and luxurious. I had a baby and looked at the products in my bathroom and realised that I wouldn’t want to put any of them on my baby’s skin because it would penetrate into this innocent creature and affect him in some way. Why is it that when you reach a certain age you discard that kind of emotion? So I know that I can – and do – put the care products on to my baby. I think we deserve the same as our children.
Q How does CARE fit into the marketplace?
A It is an extension of our brand but it is also a responsible product. It’s for a person who wants to take responsibility and enables someone to make a first step in that direction. It’s also a natural product with a sexiness to it in its packaging, smell and texture. It’s also a very modern product in both philosophy and aesthetic.
When you buy organic, you are okay about spending a little bit more money for the organic aspect of your carrot, for example. When you buy your organic carrot, as opposed to chemically grown carrots, you can taste the difference and you know what you are getting for your extra money. And yet, when it comes to skincare, if you want organic, then traditionally you pay more for a product that looks worse, doesn’t feel as nice, and doesn’t have enough benefits. What we are trying to do is to give you a very high quality luxury product for a reasonable price.
I feel that we are a funny generation. We’re slightly trapped in that paradox between the 90’s world of botox and the growing awareness of health and environment issues.. I’m of the opinion that we need to think ahead; to think about what is going to happen to our bodies and to our planet in 20 years time and start taking responsibility. I think that this product, hopefully, is an answer in the skincare world for part of that.
CARE is available through Sephora so check it out and stay tuned to the blog for a chance to win some free product from the line.
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