A lovely organic facial and 5 mins with Purely Green Beauty…
I couldn’t remember the last time I had had a facial so when Claire Louise Mazik AKA Purely Green Beauty invited me for one, I jumped at the chance. Claire and I were make-up assistants together back in the day with the legendary Ashley Ward. Claire is going down the green beauty path too, her personal make-up kit is all green and her professional kit is on the turn as well. Her keen interest in natural health has led her to train in making natural skincare products, skin and anti-ageing nutrition and ayurvedic beauty therapy. She is also qualified in Reiki healing, sound healing and bathing and is a meditation tutor. As you can imagine Claire is a lovely, calm, grounded person to be around! Claire has been developing her studies and is now offering bespoke superfood ayurvedic facials and anti-ageing massage. She literally mixes everything up on the spot, tailor made to suit your specific skin needs and offering optimal nutrition.
I went up to Claire’s clinic in Highgate and experienced one for myself. It was lovely. She has a relaxing soft touch, I could have laid there for a lot longer! She used a rose water to cleanse and an aloe vera exfoliator. The face mask Claire mixed up for me was to calm, cool and energise. It consisted of raw cacao, baobab, aloe vera, maca, wheatgrass, nettle, kelp, triphala, lemon juice, raw honey, propolis, royal jelly and bee pollen. It smelt amazing. While it worked its magic, Claire used palo santo and spritzed florida water over my body to balance and clear energies and aura. (Palo santo is a wild tree native to Mexico, it is used for cleansing and healing as is the florida water which is said to have strong magical properties. I had to google them both :)) Claire used a rosewater and raw apple cider vinegar toner and then a Bareskin Beauty illuminating serum to finish.
My skin felt great after, it felt warm and tingly but in a good way, I had a nice rosy glow. When it cooled down, my skintone was nice and even and I was happy with no make-up on. I also had the best nights sleep I’d had in a long time. Claire’s facials are definitely relaxing, calming and healing.
Claire knows a LOT about natural beauty and skin health and very kindly answered a few questions that I hope you’ll enjoy reading the answers to..
Organic to me means ‘as it should be’ ‘as nature intended’, in harmony, simple, raw, kinder, gentler, more nourishing, more ethical.
Why is organic beauty important?
For me organic beauty is important because the skin is an organ, it absorbs whatever you subject it to, the good and the bad. What we put on our skin regularly can either help or hinder us even on a low level.
Nature gave us everything we need. The main reason to add chemicals and so many processes to products is to prolong shelf life and increase profit usually at the expense of the customer and the environment.
From an anti ageing perspective I think an organic beauty approach is the best way to slow the ageing process and to nourish and heal our bodies with out causing other issues or adding further toxins.
What beauty product couldn’t you live without?
I couldn’t live without epsom salts, they are literally my go to product for all situations, illness, injury, stress, numerous beauty uses(I even uses them to give my hair more volume) relaxation, detoxing… world peace!
What is inside your make-up bag?
I like to keep a small multi functional make up/skincare bag as I’m on the move quite a lot (with a huge kit) and so I mix and match with the following depending on the occasion –
And my own blends of castor and olive oil to remove make up and an apple cider vinegar and rosewater toner.
What is the best piece of beauty advice that you were given and by whom?
‘Prevention is better than cure’
It’s general advice but I think it’s a perfect saying for skin, beauty and ageing. So many people resort to harsh and invasive methods when just adopting a healthiermore holistic approach to your lifestyle actually works wonders.
What should we all be eating daily to make our skin radiant?
Turmeric for its anti ageing, anti oxidant, anti inflammatory properties.
Raw apple cider vinegar which balances blood sugar, detoxes and is great for liver and digestive health and immunity, all of which are instrumental in cultivating beautiful skin.
Raw coconut oil for anti viral, anti fungal and anti bacterial benefits.
What is your favourite superfood and why?
It’s hard to pick my favourite superfood, there are so many wonderful ones and most (natural organic) foods are super! I think I will have to go with spirulina which is a complete source of nutrition. It’s high in protein and iron so super for vegetarians and vegans and is great for general health, energy, immunity and well being. It is also amazing for anti ageing, skin health and dark circles as is full of vitamins A, E and B12. It contains so many anti oxidants and is also an anti inflammatory. I like to incorporate it in to a lot of my face mask recipes too, especially for inflamed, angry or irritated skin.
What key three ingredients should we all have in our kitchens to eat but also to incorporate into our skincare?
Avocados
They are great for nourishing the skin, hydrating, moisturising, they also boost serotonin which makes you happy!
They’re the perfect base for a great moisturising and anti-ageing face mask.
Raw Cacao
Its bursting with anti oxidants and a real beauty food, plus… ITS CHOCOLATE!!!!
This makes a delicious smelling, warming and boosting ingredients for a mask.
Lemons
A glass of warm water with a squeeze of lemon juice first thing in the morning is one of the best gifts you could give your skin.
When incorporated in to skincare it can reduce pigmentation and dark marks, exfoliate and reduce puffiness.
Can you give us a quick easy recipe to boost our skin?
Raw honey, lemon juice, cinnamon and aloe vera, mix, apply to clean skin avoiding eye area and leave for 10-20 mins.
Aside from smelling amazing it will exfoliate, rejuvenate, cleanse, boost circulation and help clear any breakouts..FAST!
Why are regular facials important?
Regular facials help to delay the ageing process, keep the skin clear, glowing, bright and even. They are wonderful for people who have any kind of skin condition or skin issues. I love seeing the difference in client’s self confidence as their skin improves over the sessions, and the sense of empowerment they feel as they learn new more holistic ways and lifestyle tweaks to take charge of their skin problems, instead of being at their mercy.
Facials are great not only for your skin but for general well being, stress and relaxation; it can also be a form of meditation. I sometimes incorporate a guided or breathing meditation into my facials for clients.
Taking time out regularly to just stop, be quiet and focus on self care is a gift not just to yourself but also to others.
Thank you SO much Claire for your AMAZING answers. You’ve definitely inspired me to shake up my skincare. Is anyone else going to incorporate some of these great ideas into their regimes?
(Please excuse the formatting – wordpress is not playing ball!!!)
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