Jo Wood Organics

Jo Wood is an English model, television personality and entrepreneur. She is the ex-wife of Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood.  Jo Wood was born and brought up in Essex. Her father was an architectural model maker and her mother was an Avon lady and a doll maker. Wood worked as a model until she was 22, and was The Sun‘s “Face of 1972”. She met Ronnie Wood in 1977; they were married on 1 January 1985. She accompanied him regularly on tour, looking after his wardrobe and diet. Wood has traveled the world, and has lived in Los Angeles, New York and is now settled in London. When living in New York, Wood designed clothes for the fashion label No Scruples.

After years spent mixing oils for her own personal use and for family and friends in what Jo now fondly refers to as her ‘home laboratory’, 2005 saw the launch of Jo Wood Organics, a sophisticated and decadent range of organic fragrance, bath and body care products. The years that have followed have seen the Jo Wood Organics brand gain respect within the organics industry, win numerous awards and Jo herself become a well-known advocate for organic living with appearances on television, at award ceremonies and industry events. She has even written a book – Naturally. She has been on GMTV, Market Kitchen, Britain’s Next Top Model to name a few and she was voted one of Grazia magazine’s Women of the Year 2008.

Jo’s inspiration for her Jo Wood Organics range is influenced by her passion for Africa; Jo’s mother is South African, and can trace family ancestors to the Zulu’s. The fragrances have been given Swahili and Xhosa names, Amka, Usiku, Tula and Langa.The brand’s design influences stem from Jo’s eclectic rock n’ roll edge, her love of 1970’s BIBA from her modelling days and the decadent and beautiful Art Nouveau movement. Leah Wood has also modeled for the range too.

Green Seals and Certifications

 Organic Beauty

Look for the Soil Association symbol on organic cosmetics, organic skin care, organic hair products and organic soaps to ensure the product you buy is certified to a standard you trust.

Your skin is the largest organ of your body and what you put on it can be absorbed in tiny amounts. So it’s no surprise that a growing number of beauty products are now being produced with organic ingredients. Unfortunately, unlike organic food, there are no legal standards for organic beauty products. So as a result, some companies choose to label a product as ‘organic’ even if it only contains 1% organic ingredients or if it contains potentially hazardous substances.

This is why we, alongside four other European certification bodies, have developed the Cosmetics Organic Standard, or Cosmos-standard, to harmonise organic standards globally. The first products certified to these new standards hit the shelves in Spring 2011. To get Cosmos organic certification, 95% of a product’s agro-ingredients and 20% of the entire product must be organic. If an ingredient is available organically, it must be used. The remaining ingredients must meet strict criteria to ensure that they are not damaging to our health or the environment. Products must also meet environmental standards for packaging and manufacturing, and use approved ‘green chemistry’ processes when modifying ingredients.

If a product uses between 70-95% organic agro-ingredients then we will certify it, though we will not allow it claim to be organic. In this case it can state that it is made with ‘xx% organic ingredients’. However, we will not certify any product with less than 70% organic ingredients at all.

Find out more about this in our guide to organic beauty product labelling.

If you see either the Soil Association or the Cosmos symbol on a cosmetic product it means that:

• The producer has had its manufacturing facility inspected annually by the Soil Association or another certifying body. This includes an audit of the organic ingredients used and a demonstration of ecologically sound production methods
• All product formulae and labels have been approved
• It will be clearly labelled so that you can make an informed choice about the product you are buying
• Any non-organic ingredients are being used because no organic equivalents were available.
• All ingredients are GM free – non-organic ingredients can only be used if their suppliers has submitted a declaration that it is non-GM
• It has used minimal non-organic additives and only those from a restricted list. These must be non-GM and can only be used if the organic version of that ingredient is not yet available.
• Any processed ingredients, are processed by ecologically sound means.

The comprehensive Cosmos standards mean there can be a large difference between a beauty product that has been certified and one that is merely described as ‘organic’ on the label. To ensure a product is guaranteed organic, look for the Cosmos or the Soil Association symbol on the product before you buy.

Certified Natural Cosmetics

Natural cosmetics serve to beautify and care for the human body by means of ingredients from nature. This is made possible with natural raw materials, friendly to both the skin and the environment.

Natural cosmetics should stimulate and support our natural skin functions, rather than supplanting physiological processes. These products offer gentle, wholesome care and are thus an important aid to the health of the skin at any age. Natural cosmetics revitalize and harmonize body, soul and spirit.

The makers of the products marked with the BDIH “Certified Natural Cosmetics” seal use natural raw material such as plant oils, fats and waxes, herbal extracts and essential oils and aromatic materials from controlled biological cultivation or controlled biological wild collection. In addition to the careful selection of raw materials, the ecological impact of each product plays an important role.

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Joshua Onysko of Pangea Organics

Through his stewardship, Pangea Organics became the first company to introduce (and be awarded for) biodegradable, compostable, plantable packaging; Facebook/Twitter on packaging; and origami fold packaging. His efforts and products have been lauded by Entrepreneur, O (The Oprah Magazine), Time Style & Design, among many other top tier media outlets.

To date, Onysko and Pangea’s efforts have been recognized in 53 notable awards since 2006, including: Entrepreneur of Distinction (Espirit) Award ’08, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2007 & 2008 (Rocky Mountain Regional Finalist in the category of Socially & Environmentally Responsible), Redbook’s 2007 MVP Beauty Awards (for Facial Creams, Facial Scrub and Facial Cleanser), Gala Spa Award (Germany), and the New Business Journal Business Achievement Award ’07 (in the category of Environmental & Sustainability). With his feet rooted on the ground and his head admirably in the clouds, Onysko is also a renowned sustainable eco-living speaker, and has been profiled in numerous leading print, online, radio and broadcast media outlets.

The Pangea Organics facial and body care collections – available in Whole Foods Market, independent spas, natural grocers and pangeaorganics.com, and in the global markets of the United States, Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines and Switzerland – includes lip balms, facial cleansers, facial toners, facial creams, facial mask, facial scrub, eye cream, balancing oil, bar soaps, body washes, foaming hand soaps, body lotions and body oils.

Onysko remains committed to creating products that are always organic, nurturing, handcrafted, fair-trade (whenever possible) and cruelty-free. The products are never made using petrochemicals, parabens, GMOs or other synthetic or harmful ingredients.

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Moving Organic Forward – Joshua Onysko of Pangea Organics

If you are considering giving your face a lift, you may want to try one of these organic and natural facelift options as an alternative to going under the knife.

Bee Venom Masks

The latest magic ingredient being added to skin creams, lip-plumping potions and sticky face masks has been creating buzz. Bee venom, long used in ancient medicine, is being touted as a “natural Botox” that stimulates the body’s production of collagen and elastin to smooth, lift and tighten skin. The venom also contains a compound called melittin, which has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties.

The all-natural products being touted as a safe and organic facelift alternative is bee venom. This product is currently used at certain spas and, is even available over-the-counter. The product is made from real bee venom, although if you want to ensure that their specific product is organic, you should check out the ingredient list.

The bee venom is applied to the face like a regular facial mask. After dubbing it onto the skin, the venom then stimulates the production of elastin and collagen. These substances help to give the face a smoother texture by reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.

The Skin Is “Fooled” Into Releasing Collagen, Ellastin And Cortisone As A Natural Defence Thus Calming, Smoothing And Tightening The Skin All Day by thinking It’s Under Threat

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