Over the last couple of years, I have become more conscious of the fact that conventional beauty products contain loads of chemicals that get absorbed into our bodies, and I try to make a conscious effort to avoid these questionable substances—parabens, sulfates and petroleum-derived oils—as much as possible. I’ve read comments in women’s magazines by marketers and people in the industry reassuring readers that there is nothing to worry about, that the amounts are miniscule, etc. But I’d rather play it on the safe side, especially because there are so many great products on the market now that leave out all of the bad stuff, so you don’t even have to worry.

One brand I really like is Neal’s Yard Remedies, which is from London and makes products using organic and natural ingredients. I had heard of them for a while before I actually got around to trying their stuff. After I moved to London last year, I was excited to find a lovely little Neal’s Yard storefront near my apartment, er, flat. Occasionally I like to mosey in and check out their offerings.

My favorite products, of the ones I’ve tried so far, are the White Tea Eye Gel, the Organic Lip Formula and the Palmarosa Facial Wash. The White Tea Eye Gel contains cooling witch hazel, nourishing rose extract and antioxidant white tea. I like to keep the bottle in the fridge—it’s perfect for waking up puffy, sleepy eyes in the morning. The Organic Lip Formula is made with shea butter and comes in a sanitary push-up tube rather than a pot. The best part is that it’s not gooey or ultra-shiny like a lot of lip balms, because sometimes you just don’t want that.

Neal’s Yard products are a little pricey, but only because they are made with the highest-quality ingredients, and they’re imported from the U.K. Wanna try? You can buy them on the Neal’s Yard U.S. website: www.nyrusa.com.