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October 6, 2015

REVIEW: Lemongrass & Tea Tree Shave Oil

Our weekend got off to a great start on Friday, when Del Brown of UK-based website Del Brown Approved published his review of our Lemongrass & Tea Tree shave oil.

Shave oil bottle with dropper and COSMOS organic logo

Del is a self-proclaimed ‘ingredient scrutiniser’ with a passion for natural and organic skincare, so he certainly knows his stuff. He is a respected skincare blogger and his reviews are always very thoroughly researched, so we were very keen to hear his feedback.

As expected, his first port of call was the ingredients list. He quickly noted that there was ‘not a synthetic additive in sight. No artificial perfume, colourings or preservatives. 97% of the total ingredients are certified organic.’

Satisfied that the ingredients met his high standards he gave the shave oil a try, even going so far as to shave his head with it! The great thing about this oil is that it is very versatile, as Del discovered when he ‘went a bit rogue’:

‘With an ingredient list this good, it would have been a sin just to use it as a shave oil.  So, I tried it as a beard and face oil and it is amazing!  As a beard oil, the combination of ingredients meant I only required a couple of drops, brushed into my beard, to give it a healthy, glossy, soft look and feel.  I also used a couple of drops at night as a face oil and my face was left feeling smooth, hydrated and calm.’

What man wouldn’t appreciate a multi-tasking product like this?!

Del concludes:

‘I really like the philosophy of Siam Botanicals. They do not use ANY synthetic ingredients, are cruelty free, committed to responsible sources and where possible, use local providers. So if you’re already a fan of using shave oils, you should certainly add this one to your try list. A highly practical, multi-tasking oil, packed full of skin benefiting ingredients. Fully Del Brown Approved!

Read the full review here; click here to buy or find out more about our shave oil.

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July 13, 2015

COSMOS-standard Certification for Siam Botanicals!

With the organic and natural skincare market becoming ever more competitive, consumers are quite rightly becoming more and more discerning about the products they use and the ingredients they put onto their skin. One way to stand out in a crowded market is to go through the lengthy process of receiving certification from an official body.

In a world of greenwashing, where terms such as ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ are bandied about all too freely with little or no substance behind them, a recognised ‘stamp of approval’ such as the COSMOS-standard certification gives customers confidence that a company really is sticking to the ethos it claims to espouse, and that the ingredients it uses really can be trusted.

This is the road that Siam Botanicals started down last year – and finally, in April of this year, our products were approved! [**Pops cork**]

champagne celebration

 

We were, in fact, one of the first companies to be awarded the COSMOS certification under the new, more stringent guidelines introduced in February. Our products were assessed and approved by BDIH, the German non-profit association, but the COSMOS-standard label is a Europe-wide standard that was developed by not only BDIH but also Cosmebio (France), Ecocert (France), ICEA (Italy) and Soil Association (UK). The certification can be approved by any of these organisations.

 What does the COSMOS-standard certification mean?

COSMOS Natural certificationCOSMOS organic certification
Maybe you’re imagining that we simply send our ingredients lists off for analysis, wait for a bit and then receive our certification in the post. Well, you’d be very much mistaken! Reassuringly for consumers, it’s a LOT more comprehensive than this – and we chose COSMOS precisely because it is (in our view) the strictest and most rigorous of all the certifications out there.

When you see a product that has been COSMOS-certified, it means that every aspect of that company’s production process has been put under scrutiny during an audit that can last several days. It means that:

•the manufacturing facility has been inspected

•there has been a full audit of ingredients, including their origin and how they were processed

•the company has demonstrated that its production methods are ecologically sound – this includes providing an environmental management plan that addresses the whole manufacturing process

•its product formulas, labels and packaging have been approved

•any non-organic ingredients have been used because no organic equivalents were available

•all ingredients are GM-free (non-organic ingredients can only be used if the supplier has submitted a declaration that they are non-GM)

There are two certifications available – COSMOS Organic and COSMOS Natural. To achieve either option, the full audit must be carried out successfully on each product.

To receive the COSMOS Organic label, at least 95% of the agro-ingredients must be organic.

Products that pass the audit but do not contain at least 95% agro-organic ingredients are eligible for the COSMOS Natural certification. COSMOS Natural products may of course contain some organic ingredients (as ours do), but at a lower percentage than those with the Organic certification. For these products, the percentage of natural origin ingredients must be indicated on the label – except where the products are 100% natural origin.

We are proud to say that ALL Siam Botanicals products are 100% natural origin. We do not use any synthetic chemicals, nor do we use ‘nature identical’ ingredients. We strive to find the best, most ethical providers and have chosen organic ingredients wherever possible.

The full list of Siam Botanicals products that are COSMOS-standard approved is listed below. You can buy these products safe in the knowledge that we take our responsibilities and promises incredibly seriously – and we have the stamp to prove it!

COSMOS Organic: 

Argan & Moringa Face Polish

Rosehip and Tea Tree Face Cleanser

Apricot Face Cleanser for Dry Skin

Apricot Face Cleanser for Oily Skin

Rudis Oleum Botanical Face Care – Day Formula

Rudis Oleum Botanical Face Care – Night Formula

Rudis Oleum Botanical Face Care – Repair Formula

Rudis Oleum Botanical Face Care – Replenish Formula

Gentlemen of Siam Lemongrass & Tea Tree Shave Oil

Gentlemen of Siam After Shave Toner

100% Pure Bulgarian Rose Water

Rosewater & Glycerin Facial Tonic

Rosewater & Tea Tree Facial Tonic

Witch Hazel Facial Toner

Witch Hazel & Tea Tree Facial Tonic

Revive Skin Conditioner

Siam Roots Skin Conditioner

Argan & Lemon balm Revitalizing Hair Treatment

Coconut & Curry Leaf Revitalizing Hair Treatment

COSMOS Natural: 

Energize Face Serum

Natural Balance Face Serum

Tamanu & Cucumber Face Balm

Soothing Thai Balm

Gentlemen of Siam After Shave Balm

Coconut Lip Balm

Orange Lip Balm

Peppermint Lip Balm

After Sun Artisan Body Oil

Detox Massage & Body Oil

Meditation Massage & Body Oil

Rejuvenate Massage & Body Oil

Relax Massage & Body Oil

Skin Therapy Massage & Body Oil

Oriental Artisan Body Oil

Siam Roots Artisan Body Oil

Oriental Skin Conditioner

Lavender & Rosemary Skin Conditioner

Tea Tree & Neroli Skin Conditioner

Rose Geranium & Ylang Ylang Skin Conditioner

Detoxifying Bath Salts (Juniper & Grapefruit)

Refreshing Bath Salts (Lemongrass & Orange)

Reviving Bath Salts (Rosemary & Peppermint)

Relaxing Bath Salts (Lavender & Tea Tree)

Bio Guard with Lemon Eucalyptus

 

 

June 1, 2015

Gentlemen of Siam – our new men’s range

Did you know we now have a men’s range of products called Gentlemen of Siam? They would make a great gift for that hard-to-buy-for man in your life. And in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and many other countries, Father’s Day is fast approaching – it’s on 21st June, so you still have time to place an order! If your dad has a beard then get him one of these Ultimate Grooming Kits. If you are looking for something a little different to gift your dad or husband check out this website WoodPursuits.com.

First up, the pre-shave face wash:

Clary Sage pre-serum_facewash_95g

 

Let’s face it, not many men find the time to give their face a really good cleanse, so this gentle face wash is ideal. A squirt or two massaged into the face while they’re in the shower will remove dirt and excess oil, preparing the skin for shaving (or simply for the application of a moisturiser or face serum).

Next, our Lemongrass and Tea Tree shave oil:

COSMOS organic certificationLemongrass & Tea Tree shave oil

This 100% natural blend provides superior glide for a close, smooth and satisfying shave, while seven organic seed oils hydrate, protect and nourish the skin. The naturally antiseptic and antibacterial properties of tea tree and lemongrass take care of nicks and cuts – but being able to see where you’re shaving (instead of having a faceful of foam) also minimises such accidents.

It also carries the new COSMOS Organic certification:

And has appeared in British GQ magazine:

Siam Botanicals shave oil in GQ magazine

 

Aftershave balm

If you haven’t tried a shave oil before, give it a go. We’ve already received some rave reviews! You only need a few drops each time, so this 24g bottle will last for around 100 shaves. It’s also a great moisturiser or aftershave oil, so it’s an excellent all-rounder for men who don’t like to fuss and faff with lots of bottles, pots and tubes!

If he does prefer a separate aftershave product, our balm fits the bill:

Rubbing a little of this lightly scented balm into the face post-shave will soothe the skin and leave it feeling hydrated and nourished.

Have you tried a product from our Gentlemen of Siam range? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

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April 29, 2015

Natural & Organic Products Show 2015

April saw Siam Botanicals exhibiting at another show, this time in London. The event, which is called Natural & Organic Products (it also takes place in Hong Kong in August and in Sweden in November), not only showcases a host of big brands and start-up beauty companies but also Fairtrade/sustainable/organic food and drink products, and natural healthcare and household products. There were about 600 exhibitors and thousands of trade-only visitors.

Tamar, the owner of Siam Botanicals, flew over from Thailand and I joined her to man (or should I say woman?) the stand. I think you’ll agree that it looked rather lovely. People were definitely drawn to the lush Thai backdrop – a moment of escapism!

Natural & Organic Products: the Siam Botanicals stand

Natural & Organic Products: the Siam Botanicals stand

Natural & Organic Products: the Siam Botanicals stand

Lots of lovely stock, now available in the UK!

It was interesting to see what appealed to European buyers – they were particularly attracted to the more unusual or typically Asian ingredients such as rice bran oil, guava oil and moringa oil, and those scents that are commonly associated with Thailand – lemongrass, ginger and plai (all of which feature in our signature Siam Roots range of products). Visitors liked to be able to smell the pure oils – especially our guava oil, which was new to everyone we spoke to and was universally liked for its wonderful fruity smell.

Natural & Organic Products show - guava oil

It smells soooo good!

Natural & Organic Products show - rice bran oil

It wasn’t just this lady who loved the scent of our cooling rice bran oil with a hint of peppermint

Of course, people were very interested in the fact that our products have now received the COSMOS-standard stamp of approval from BDIH and are now proudly wearing their COSMOS Natural and COSMOS Organic badges! More on this in a separate post…

Natural & Organic Products: the Siam Botanicals stand

We enjoyed introducing our products to the UK market and made some interesting contacts, which we will be growing and nurturing over the coming months! The event also allowed us to meet in person several people we’ve been following on Facebook and Twitter for some time, including natural beauty and eczema/allergy blogger Sugarpuffish, Alex from Skins Matter (a great resource for resource for natural beauty and ‘free from’ skincare), and Lynda, otherwise known as Wonderlusting, who writes a great blog about ‘products and places that inspire wonder and lust’ – well worth a read!

We were also pleased to catch a seminar about the latest trends in innovative beauty ingredients by Rebecca Goodyear, another Twitter friend. And we were very encouraged to see that a talk on ‘How Asian skincare trends are taking off in Europe’ gathered a good crowd. As far as we could see, we were the only Asian skincare company at the show (correct me if I’m wrong), so we feel confident that there’s still a gap in the UK market for our 100% natural Thai brand.

Were you at the show? Did you visit our stand? Let us know your thoughts!

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March 31, 2015

Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna 2015

Cosmoprof 2015

Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna, the leading international exhibition for cosmetics and beauty, was held on 20-23 March at BolognaFiere, a huge exhibition centre in the north of the beautiful Italian city of Bologna.

Siam Botanicals was there, with a stand in the Thai ‘Country Pavilion’. We always like to stand out in a crowd (and there was certainly a big crowd at Cosmoprof, with nearly 2,500 exhibitors and 248,000 visitors over four days!) so, in contrast with the clean, white, bright, clinical stands all around us, we went for something altogether more colourful!

Cosmoprof 2015 - the Siam Botanicals stand

Cosmoprof 2015 - the Siam Botanicals stand

Cosmoprof 2015 - the Siam Botanicals stand (product close-up)

 

IMG_6291

It certainly made people sit up and notice us! What do you think?

The Siam Botanicals team at Cosmoprof

Here’s our crack team of Siam Botanicals experts, who were on hand at Cosmoprof to talk to anyone and everyone about 100% natural skincare!

IMG_6298

Tamar, the brains behind the brand! (here talking to a potential client)

IMG_6300

From left: Zee, our genius chemist; Pai, our sales guru; and Polly, the EU representative

 

Greenwashing!

We were able to take a little time out to wander around the exhibition. It’s a huge event that attracts all the major names in hair, make-up and beauty and is certainly not specifically targeted to the green market. There was, however, a ‘Green Pavilion’, so we headed straight there to check out what our competitors are up to!

This will come as no surprise to many of you, but we couldn’t help but notice the amount of greenwashing going on. Products that are loudly and proudly advertised as ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ were anything but; when we pointed out a dodgy ingredient listed on a product billing itself as 100% natural, the rep said ‘well, there’s only a tiny bit of that in it’. Riiiiiight. So… 100% natural – apart from the synthetic bits!

When we asked one salesman what the ingredients were in one of his hand creams, he looked baffled and replied ‘I have no idea!!’, as if it was the craziest question he’d ever heard. Funny – I would have thought that one of the key selling points of a genuinely natural hand cream would be its ingredients…

Another product had ‘100% ORGANIC’ emblazoned across it in huge letters, and then underneath, in a tiny, almost unreadable font, ‘lavender essential oil’. When pressed as to whether the WHOLE product was organic or JUST the lavender essential oil (which would of course constitute a TINY percentage of the total ingredients), the representatives were evasive – or perhaps they have themselves been misled and didn’t know the answer).

At Siam Botanicals we don’t have a problem with companies using synthetic ingredients, or consumers choosing to use those products – IF the information about what’s in them is freely available and not masked behind a mass of misleading marketing. As we’ve discussed before, everybody has their own personal limits of acceptability, and we do not believe in scaremongering about artificial chemicals. We just wish that terms such as ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ weren’t bandied around quite as freely (and untruthfully) as they are. Still – at least it shows that the appetite for cleaner, greener products is growing, and that’s a good thing.

Anyway… I’ll get off my soapbox now!

Bologna

When the working day was over, we had a bit of time to explore Bologna. It’s a lovely city, the region’s capital, with a rich history. It is home to the oldest university in Europe, founded in 1088. It also takes its food very seriously; in fact, it is considered by many to be the food capital of Italy. It’s well worth a visit if you’re planning a trip to Italy! We stayed in this lovely apartment within walking distance of the historic centre. If you’d prefer a rural, off-the-beaten-track base that’s still within reach of Bologna and the other main cities of Emilia Romagna, we can also recommend these properties in the Appennini mountains (full disclosure: they are owned by the founder of Siam Botanicals and so – added bonus – all the toiletries provided are our own!).

Siam Botanicals in Europe

The exhibition marked our first foray into the European market, and the interest in our products certainly reflected the fact that natural, clean, green skincare is rapidly becoming much more than just a ‘niche’. We hope to share more news with you soon about the availability of Siam Botanicals in Europe! Watch this space…

Were you at the show as an exhibitor or a visitor? What did you think of it? Let us know in the comments below.

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