What's missing from certified organic skin care

Labelling skin care as ‘certified organic’ makes no sense to David Lyons, respected herbalist and naturopath for more than 35 years.

As the creator of Simplicité Skin Care products, David uses his life-long love and research of plants to treat all kinds of skin concerns, from early ageing to acne. He believes passionately that consistent use of highly nutritive skin products gives glowing skin at all stages of life.

David can explain exactly how his unique approach to skin care achieves this claim. 'It's simple, he says. Each Simplicité product (there are 46) contains a different, specific combination of between 8 and 18 of his own handcrafted plant extracts, all made from the highest activity herbs he can source.

High quality, concentrated plant extracts give the best results for skin

David has always refused to use the factory-manufactured plant extracts that dominate the industry, saying, " These bulk powders and liquids simply don't have the freshness and activity that's needed to improve skin."

"We make our own plant extracts because only then can we get the activity and concentration we need - and that's really strong and really concentrated."  

"And then we use large amounts of each extract - what's the point otherwise? It's like cooking your favourite dish - you know you'll get the best results when you use the best quality produce but you also need to add the right amounts of fresh herbs and seasonings to ensure the dish is as delicious as possible."

"Every one of our products will help skin to be its very best because each contains specific synergistic mixes of our own very high quality, concentrated extracts - in volumes that will achieve something for skin." 

Why not be labelled certified organic?

David says, "We won’t dumb down our products to just to have a certificate which puts us in the same league as skin care ranges which we are way above in terms of quality, concentration and activity”.

David Lyons believes the organic certification of skin care is ineffectual and is merely used for marketing purposes as it can be achieved with a mere 70% total content being classed as 'certified' organic ingredients. Certified organic skin care companies have been prosecuted for leaving out non-organic ingredients.

His other objection to the certified organic skin care label is: "The plant extracts used in most products are invariably weak - meaning low activity but also highly diluted. This absolutely includes the certified organic ones, because the term 'certified organic' doesn't mean they're effective, just that no chemicals were in the soil."

"And the amounts used of these weak extracts can be so very tiny – to say 'a drop in a bucket' would be being generous. Making skin care products in this manner can't give positive, lasting results for skin."

Herbs used in Simplicité products are 'medicinal grade', which means they are of the very high standard, grade and efficacy used to make medicines and Herbalist-prescribed internal remedies.

David has been sent samples of organically grown herbs extracts which he would never use because they are so weak. He knows this because he always has his herbs analysed. The weak ones he won't use are invariably claimed as 'organic'. They're free of pesticides, herbicides and heavy metal contamination but are usually very low in what are called 'active principles' - the constituents that make the herb 'work'.

Why are many organic herbs so weak?

It's because as well as being overwatered (described above), they've been grown:

•  in the wrong soil type for the particular herb
• in the wrong climate.

These factors have a huge impact on the activity and quality of herbs. It's comparable to how grapes for the finest wine are grown - only the very best activity and quality is used. Lesser quality grapes are used to make cheaper wines.

Simplicité certified organic herbs are strong, vital

David Lyons says, 'We will absolutely only ever source certified organically grown herbs to use in Simplicité products."

"However, we also have another standard that we will always meet - that's the strength and vitality of these herbs."

These high standards are why Simplicité will only use medicinal quality, high activity herbs sourced from trusted Australian suppliers, or from overseas when necessary.

One example: David sources Lavender for Simplicité products only from the French and Italian Alps where it grows at altitudes of above 1000 metres. He won't use any lavender grown in Australia because it doesn't grow at a high enough altitude to be medicinal grade. In fact Australian lavender is most often camphorous – this is usually what people are reactive to, when they say they're allergic to lavender.

Discover the unmatched results for skin that Simplicité products give - start with the Basic Six Trial Pack. You'll see skin improvement after a few days, more after a month; six months later your skin will be well on the way to achieving the sought after 'Simplicité lifetime glow'.

Simplicité naturopath and herbalist David Lyons with wife and co-founder Robin