Alison Claire Natural Beauty range created by Alison Claire Astill-Smith
The Alison Claire Natural Beauty products are as natural and irritant-free as body products can possibly be. The range offers the most beneficial and healthy products that a woman can apply to her skin.
Following the results of four years of development and refinement, Alison Claire Natural Beauty Anti-Aging Face Cream, hand creams and body butters contain some amazing natural ingredients. While many other skin care products contain substances that consumers believe run counter to their ‘natural’ label, Alison Claire Natural Beauty products are totally free of:
- Benzyl alcohol
- Benzyl benzoate
- Synthetic salicylic acid
- Titanium dioxide
- Aluminium hydroxide
- Phenoxyethanol
- Ethylhexylglycerine
- Cocamidpropyl betaine
- Propylene glycol
Highlights of the Alison Claire Natural Beauty range
Anti Aging Cream
Due to the pressures of consumer requests for Alison to formulate an anti aging cream, Alison had to make a decision as to whether to use oils that just claim anti wrinkle and anti aging properties without scientific evidence, or include actives such as peptides. Although these are created in laboratory conditions to ensure purity, they are combinations of natural amino acids bound to fats. These are formulated in vegetable glycerine and have been clinically proven to decelerate the aging process, protect the skin from the damaging effects of the sun and importantly are irritant free. The value in these peptides is that they mimic the skins natural cell activation process to stimulate collagen production. These peptides are amino acids which are strung together in a certain way that stimulate the components of the skin which produce collagen. Alison felt that the inclusion of these preservative-free actives produced a truly effective anti aging product. Even though the actives are produced in a lab (they cannot be sourced naturally), they are non-irritant and are kind on the skin making them suitable for inclusion. The effect that they have is for the skin to naturally produce collagen to plump up and regain the youthfulness of young skin.
These two actives that are included and considered irritant free, but effective are DermicanTM and ChroNOLineTM. Dermican is a tetrapeptide (acetyl tetrapeptide 9) made from the amino acids Glutamine, Aspartic Acid, Valine and Histadine. This molecule works on stimulating the synthesis of Lumican. Lumican is located in the dermis, where it is involved with the formation of collagen fibres. ChroNOLineTM is also a configuration of 4 amino acids, bound to a fatty acid. Caprooyl (the fatty acid) tetrapeptide-3 (the 4 amino acids) has been shown to stimulate the production of laminin and fibronectin by human fibroblasts. Both laminin and fibronectin are important structural scaffolds between the epidermis (or outer) and dermis (or inner) layers of skin. In corticoid induced skin aging tests these tetrapeptides were shown to stimulate laminin 5 (this is the important one for support between the dermis and epidermis) and collagen VII, thus reducing fine lines and wrinkles. In fact Japanese researchers have found that stimulating laminin 5, enhances the formation of the basement membrane in the skin. According to the manufacturer of ChroNOLineTM, laminin 5 increases by 49% and fibronectin by 60% and wrinkles were reduced by 16% in 28 days.
As we age collagen degrades, laminin and fibronectin decrease, leading to a flattening of the dermal/epidermal junction and a weakening of the scaffolding that supports the skin. This leaves us with characteristic wrinkles and sagging skin. The reality is that with age there is a decrease in the growth factors in the skin that make collagen, and providing a cream with active peptides that help the skin boost its collagen production without injecting enzymes and fillers into the skin, may be considered one of the most natural ways of decreasing wrinkles.
These two “actives” or rejuvenators are complemented by a host of natural moisturisers to help the skin feel softer. These include Argan Oil, often called “liquid gold” which is derived from nuts from the fruit of Argan trees grown in Morocco. These are high in vitamin E, essential fatty acids and antioxidants that experts believe have anti aging properties. Natural Shea butter from the nuts of the Mangifolia nut trees in Central Africa is included to promote cell regeneration and interestingly is known as “womans gold”. Jojoba oil, as a wax ester is close in composition to the natural oils in the human skin. It has an incredible moisturising effect and can reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles. Hyaluronic acid absorbs and stores water, is a transport medium for nutrients and makes up 55% of the substance of the skin so this is also added to the ingredients making it a premium anti aging facial cream.
Green tea has immense free-radical scavenging properties to help the skin retain its zest and Tocopherols (vitamin E) and coenzyme Q10 add to this antioxidant function. Together, they boost the skin’s internal defences and protect against the aging effects of sunlight.
Alison Claire Natural Beauty Anti-Aging Day Cream also has a feast of fragrance. Essential oils from apricot, lime, orange, vanilla, grapefruit, rosewood and coconut bring an enchanting aroma. And with their enriching properties they have their own conditioning and moisturising role. Soothing aloe vera and comfrey, refreshing white willow and Siberian ginseng helps skin feel calm and relaxed.
Speaking about her motivation to create the Alison Claire Natural Beauty range, Alison Claire Astill-Smith said, “For years, both as a young adult and later as a parent, I tried in vain to find products that I could use on myself and my children, without causing a reaction. Looking into the composition of many of the so-called natural skin care products on the market, I was staggered to discover just what they contained. This is when I realised that the demand for hair and skincare products that are truly pure and natural was still unmet. I created the Alison Claire Natural Beauty range to address the increasing demand.”
Leading nutritionist and author, Vicki Edgson, is a consultant for the Alison Claire Natural Beauty range, providing expert advice regarding the safety and efficacy of skin care ingredients. Commenting on the need for purity, Vicki said. “Skin products are not a one-off application. Most women apply them twice a day, every day of their life. Furthermore, 60% of what goes onto the skin can be absorbed and may accumulate in the tissues, unchecked. Put simply, if an ingredient is unsafe to eat, it’s also unsafe to rub onto your skin.”
Body Butters
Mango
Enriching, conditioning and made with mango and cocoa butters, with antioxidant action from green tea, mango. Vitamin E for its antimicrobial protection. In addition, this butter contains the rejuvenating action of white willow and citric acid, with calming aloe vera and comfrey – all selected to smooth and improve skin. This lotion has many beneficial properties and a lovely aroma.
Vanilla and Coconut
Warmly fragranced and packed with nourishing natural moisturisers and skin conditioners, this body butter contains natural vanilla extracts. Vanilla complements the exotic herbal extracts. Astringents, meanwhile, revitalise, while aloe vera and hibiscus, calm the skin. Hibiscus flowers – used to treat wounds in the past - give the red colour and a lovely floral smell. Vanilla essential oil has a scent redolent of chocolate, and the two combine perfectly. This butter is sweet and creamy with antioxidant and hydrating qualities.
Hand Creams
Orange and Patchouli
With an earthy and distinctive fragrance, this moisturising and anti-aging hand cream contains no fewer than six conditioning agents including jojoba oil, cocoa butter and coconut extracts. These work in combination with urea, one of the most effective moisturising agents available, to leave your skin wonderfully nourished and softened. This hand cream contains sweet almond, jojoba, green tea and comfrey to soften the skin, retinol for its improved skin turnover and enhancement, and CoQ10 for its anti-aging properties. Patchouli has a pleasant, slightly musky, woody smell, and benefits from offering antifungal and antiseptic properties. This makes it excellent for the scalp and the treatment of dandruff.
Mango and Coconut
An exotically fragranced moisturising and conditioning hand cream that really cares and pampers. Coconut oil and mango butter soften and act as natural antioxidants and antimicrobials. Green tea, vitamin E and marshmallow protect, and white willow invigorates. All these natural defences work in harmony to produce superb refreshment for your hands.
The cream also contains witch hazel, horsetail and aloe vera and has a mango scent which blends beautifully with the marshmallow. Ideal for skin repair and, with the inclusion of natural silica from the horsetail, this hand cream softens and smoothes the skin.
Alison strongly opposes animal testing and none of the Alison Claire Natural Beauty products or their ingredients are tested on animals.
The range is available to view and buy online at www.alisonclairenaturalbeauty.com.
Ends
For pictures, products to review and further content etc contact:
Maria Bretti or Emma De Maio
redheadPR
Tel: 07854 819213 or 07921 160 134
Email: maria@redheadpr.co.uk or emma@redheadpr.co.uk
Editors Notes:
The Creator of The Alison Claire Natural Beauty Range:
Alison Claire Astill-Smith
The Alison Claire Natural Beauty range was created by Alison Claire Astill-Smith, who not only has personal experience with sensitivity to toxins, but expertise in hair and skincare manufacturing. Alison is also a Registered Osteopath of over 30 years.
As a young child, Alison developed sensitivities to a number of chemicals, including chlorine, pesticides and additives in shampoo for greasy hair. Today, a mother of eight, Alison has witnessed to varying degrees their allergies to sun lotions, bubble baths and hair products, whilst herself becoming intolerant to a particular brand of moisturiser.
With her entrepreneurial spirit and concern about the possibly harmful effects of some mainstream hair and skincare products, Alison decided to research the market with a view to developing her own range. She discovered that not all “natural” or “organic” body products are as pure as they may appear. Many contain the chemical phenoxyethanol which, in research, has been known to suffocate fish within seconds; whilst others products contain titanium dioxide, which the CosmeticsDatabase.com lists as being linked to cancer, allergies and immuno-toxins.
Four years on from its inception, the newly launched Alison Claire Natural Beauty products are made using water purified to 18mΩ, to ensure that it contains no impurities. There are no irritant or toxic ingredients nor any perfumes which are notoriously toxic. The aromas released from all Alison Claire Natural Beauty products are from the natural oils in the ingredients. Formulations involve processes with minimal temperatures to protect the potency and vitality of the active ingredients.
The company sources raw materials of the highest available purity and blends them by hand to create the highest quality product. Alison Claire Astill-Smith continues to head up the research team, overseeing product development and ensuring that ingredient suppliers are ethically responsible.
