Naturally Beautiful

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Natural beauty expert Alison Lawson, of The Jamila, explains the store’s ethos and shares some great tips.

How long has The Jamila been running?
I’ve been running The Jamila [beautiful in Arabic] for about five years. I started online and occasionally participated in pop-up markets. It was wonderful to meet customers and dispel the myths that organic and natural products don’t work. I was always asked where my store was and I knew there was no one in Bahrain, or the Middle East, that was a dedicated stockist of quality, natural and organic brands. Eventually I decided it was time to open a shop to showcase our products. This enabled me to grow the business to include more brands and branch into other wellbeing products.

What gave you the idea for this type of venture and why did you believe it was important?
I travelled over 20 years ago and became very sick. Even when my condition improved, I never felt truly well with the energy and vitality I had had before. No doctor that I consulted could offer me any information at all, let alone help. Frustrated at the lack of answers, I went to a medical herbalist in London. I ended up with a list of things I should and shouldn’t eat and drink, tinctures to support me through the detox and various natural supplements. I saw results in no time. My energy returned, my skin glowed and all my symptoms started to disappear. With her help I had healed myself! That was a huge moment of clarity for me. I completely understood that my body was just trying to tell me it wasn’t well and that it needed me to heal.

The Jamila is the GCC’s only serious source for all natural, organic beauty and wellbeing products. Many of my brands tell me there are very few stores like mine in the whole world. We still are the largest store of high-quality, certified, international, award-winning brands within the Middle East. Many companies have set up since and stock the same range of brands as we do, but I believe that those who know me as a Pilates teacher and health enthusiast trust my knowledge and know that I go the extra mile with my research. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!

At The Jamila, we are not just about selling products. This is a space for people to come and ask questions, seek guidance, try samples, read labels and experience the luxury and efficacy of the products we sell. Our philosophy is ‘Your health is Our Passion’. We are here to help.

What are some of the misconceptions you’ve come across regarding cruelty-free, planet-friendly products and how have you addressed these?
Quality is our number one priority. Not all ‘healthy’ products are created equally. Even with organic products – you need to investigate…
I find that there is so much inaccurate information in the public domain that people confuse the definitions of organic, natural, vegan, cruelty-free, halal, eco-friendly and non-toxic. They are all slightly different and are misunderstood. In reality, any company can make unsubstantiated claims. Things to bear in mind when selecting products:

• A vegan or halal product doesn’t mean chemical-free or natural, it can still be filled with chemicals. It simply means it was produced without animal byproducts or animal ingredients – if a product claims this, it should be certified.
• Cruelty-free can still be filled with chemicals and bad for you – it just means that the product was made without testing on animals. Make sure it is 100-per-cent cruelty-free, meaning that every ingredient has not been tested on animals – if a product claims this, it should be certified.
• Is one per cent of the product or 100 per cent of the product natural or organic?
• If the product claims to be organic, has it been internationally certified?
• Have the products been made in a sterile, laboratory environment? Or at someone’s kitchen sink with no authentication?
• Essences and extracts are not the same – you may think two products contain the same ingredient. An essence is an inferior, weaker and cheaper ingredient than an extract. For example, you can buy Chinese Hyaluronic Acid for USD12 per kg, it’s often used by supermarket and drug store brands. The brands we stock will pay around USD2,800 per kg.
With a good quality organic product, you do not need to use so much. They are so potent that a little goes a very long way. Some products may seem expensive but may last six, nine or even 12 months, so are actually cost effective in the long run.
Not all brands make equal products. Many of the products I sell have been copied since I introduced them to the region, with inferior ingredients. Unfortunately unethical people do not make ethical products.

What are the main ‘villains’ of the beauty industry, that your products avoid?
There are many ingredients that we rule out.
• Sulphates that are artificial foaming agents and very drying.
• PEGs are generally used for thickening agents that are not natural and can irritate the skin at best and be a carcinogen at worst.
• Parabens are used in approximately 80 per cent of commercial brands as a preservative and have been linked to hormone disruption, skin ageing, DNA damage and breast cancer.
• Petroleum is often contaminated and can cause irritation and allergies.
• Silicones, found in many beauty products, can impair fertility and disrupt hormones. There are also many natural alternatives, such as Broccoli Seed Oil, that have the same effect and are nutritious.
• Aluminium can be found in many beauty products and is believed to have negative effects on your organs and hormones as well as neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s.
• Artificial fragrance has been linked to many health problems like asthma, allergies and cancer.
• DEA and similar compounds can cause mild to moderate skin and eye irritation and, in laboratory experiments, high doses have been shown to cause liver cancers and precancerous changes in skin and thyroid tissue.

Your products seem to be very high quality, is there anything for someone wanting to adopt this lifestyle with a lower budget?
Cut down on the number of products you buy and use. Quality over quantity. We sell many different ranges with differing prices but it is worth remembering that the better quality product is very potent and a little goes a long way. Eating clean, exercising, meditation and a positive mental outlook all serve your overall health too.

On the makeup side, does the lack of harmful chemicals lead to a loss in staying power?
Generally, I would say no. I use the products I sell every day and rarely need to touch up my makeup at all.

Do you ever have visiting experts in-store and demonstrations of the products?
This is something we plan on within our [coming] new, larger store. We have more space for workshops and interactive talks and will be bringing internationally renowned experts in.

It will be about four times the size of the old store, we are expanding our offering to include more brands and wellbeing products, clothes and accessories, an organic salon and workshop space. I wanted to create a safe, positive space where everyone is welcome.

ALISON RECOMMENDS


GREASY SKIN
Amly Botanicals City Screen Protective Face Serum contains star ingredients, award-winning echinacea concentrate, marine algae, ginseng and white willow – BD35 – from an organic farm with highly silver-rich water.

AGEING SKIN
Agent Nateur holi (oil) Youth Serum – intensely hydrating oil that evens out skin tone, minimises wrinkles, dark spots and hyperpigmentation with wildcrafted Bulgarian roses, organic rosehip oil and calcium – BD48 – from Los Angeles.

NORMAL SKIN
Jane Scrivner Skin Elixir Facial Moisturiser which contains organic jojoba oil and essential oils of frankincense, lavender, myrrh, Ylang Ylang and sandalwood – BD16 – an award-winning British brand.

DRY SKIN
Leahlani Bless Beauty Balm – free from water, wax and emulsifiers – it is packed with 100-per-cent skin nourishing ingredients, including shea butter, cacao seed butter, argan oil, camellia seed oil and marula seed oil – BD25 – Leahlani comes from Hawaii.

MAKEUP BAG ESSENTIALS
Josh Rosebrook’s Tinted Nutrient Day Cream SPF 30 is a MUST HAVE (BD24), along with a dramatic mascara from Lilylolo (BD6.5) and Gressa’s multi-tasking lip tint in Bare (BD14) that I use on my lips and cheeks to give a healthy, natural glow.