We receive a lot of queries and complex looks regarding this special piece of rock.  Understandably, if you are used to using a conventional deodorant or anti-persperant it would appear perplexing.  Yet this marvelous piece of natural mineral salt is one of the best alternatives to synthetic and often health compromising underarm products.

The Tade Pays du Levant Alum Stone is 100% natural and formed of Potassium Alum, a naturally occurring, mined mineral salt. It is a stone that has a milky transluscent appearance with natural mineral veins running through it. The veins are important, as it identifies the crystal as being of natural origin (be aware that if the stone doesn't have this and is clear and fully transparent, then it has been manufactured and most likely a fake).  
 
Historically the stone was used for medicinal purposes. Antimicrobial, it naturally disinfects and has astringent properties, killing germs and inhibiting the growth of bacteria. When rubbed onto the face after shaving it can help fight razor burn and close the pores, it can also improve skin tone and help prevent ache.  It has many uses, but most effectively the 100% natural Alum Stone is used as a deodorant. Safe, gentle and soothing, the crystal stone is non-pore blocking and is not absorbed by the skin.  To use it, run the stone under water from the tap and then gently and rapidly rub the crystal under the arm for approx. 15-20 strokes.  The natural minerals leave trace deposits on the skin, and these trace deposits naturally disinfect and deodorise persperation, as well as inhibiting excess sweat. It can be used on the most sensitive of skin, including eczema and it's effect will amazingly last all day.  The stone can be used for approx. one year, or until it eventually dissolves. Try it, give yourself at least a week to detox your old under-arm product and you will never look back.

Gone are the days when fixing your foundation with powder adds more pore clogging ingredients to your complexion.  This ultra fine, light reflective powder is the ultimate finish to perfect looking skin.  It is virtually invisible, yet it matifies the skin and minimises the appearance of pores, creating a perfectly smoothe canvas over the top of foundation or just on its own.  Works synergistically with the RMS Beauty "un" Cover-Up in all shades to create the ultimate silky second skin.  Suits every skin tone and adds no white residue. Comes in four shades, original white, 1-2, 2-3 and 3-4.

DID YOU KNOW?
RMS Beauty has been created by and takes the initials of Rose-Marie Swift, an international reknowned make-up artist with over 35 years experience.  Her work has been featured in a plethora of international magazines including Vogue (French, Italian, American, Nippon, China, Russian) W, Harper's Bazaar, I.D., Marie Claire, Glamour, Interview, and Elle. Her portfolio includes the famous faces of Gisele Bunchen, Zoe Saldana, Miranda Kerr, Tilda Swinton, Demi Moore, Sophia Coppola, Celine Dion, Paloma Picasso, Gretchen Moll, Isabel Rossalini, Milla Jovovich, Cindy Sherman and many more.

Several years ago, Rose-Marie began to experience some health issues that were causing many problems physically, mentally and emotionally. After an extensive series of tests, she learned that her blood contained toxic levels of heavy metals including aluminum, barium, cadmium, lead and mercury as well as high levels of pesticides and other chemicals.  Rose-Marie was surprised when the technician asked if she worked in the cosmetics industry. Until then she had no idea that cosmetics could contribute to serious health issues. After years of rebuilding her own health, Rose-Marie realised that she wanted to help other women claim their right to healthy beauty. To achieve this goal she created RMS Beauty, her acclaimed line of organic colour cosmetics*.

*Taken from the RMS Beauty official website

BRAVO to HAWAII, who has taken the progressive move to ban the use of certain chemical sun filters from sunscreens.   Their move is based on researched* which found that the chemical ingredients OXYBENZONE and OCTINOXATE evident in most commercial sunscreens are causing damage to the delicate eco-system around the Hawaiian islands, bleaching the coral and causing hormonal and genetic change in the coral and marine life. Worryingly, the research also found that these ingredients accutely affect the reproductive organs of sea urchins, parrot fish and other mammals and the neurological behaviour in fish and sea turtles.

Cynics would say and excuse the pun, that the ban is just a 'drop in the  ocean' when it comes to polluting the seas, but what most do not realise, is that the Oxybenzone and Octinoxate ingredients in particular 'change' the marine life and its ability to reproduce.  So as the marine life is being depleted by pollution, plastic and other horrors that their delicate eco-system is having to face, they are not even ABLE to reproduce correctly and sustain their numbers to survive this harmful impact.

We all know we should re-apply our sunscreen after swimming in the sea.  The reason for this is that up to 59% of sunscreen will be washed off in seawater, despite claims of being waterproof.  This also means that up to 14,000 tonnes of sunscreen lotion ends up in the sea and on coral reefs each year**.  A staggering amount.  Using a REEF/MARINE SAFE sunscreen will mean that the sunscreen lotion that washes off into the sea has ingredients that are BIO-DEGRADABLE and work with nature rather than against it, ingredients that are not only friendly towards wildlife and the environment, but also so much better for the health of your own skin.  Providing just the same amount of protection if not more, from naturally active filters such as zinc, titanium dioxide and even cinnamon. 

Hawaii has made the first move.  Florida, the Virgin Islands and Mexico have started to consider a move to protect their marine parks from banning these ingredients.  Barbados??

Our selection of natural sunscreens protect the skin from both UVA and UVB rays and contain natural bio-degradable ingredients as well as reef and marine safe sun filters.  We recommend the Green People SPF's on this site as extremely effective 'organic' sun protection products that are safe and non-toxic to marine life and to you.

If you are interested in trying one of the Green People's SPF's please drop into the Pure Source store in Limegrove for your free sachet sample, or order the sunscreen sample pack on this site for just the cost of postage.

*A study in 2015, published by the journal Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology

**The Guardian Newspaper

Gillian Griffith is a busy, hard-working Barbadian, and is the deputy General Manager of one of the most popular hotels on the West Coast of Barbados, The Club Barbados Resort and Spa.  Having spent her childhood and some of her adult life overseas in Toronto, she decided to move to Barbados because she loved the sense of its community and healthier, out-of-doors environment, she says “I had never actually lived on Barbados, yet with Barbadian heritage I felt I was naturally drawn to it”.  Gillian has great skin that reflects her personality which is sunny, as well as unruffled and highly professional - essential traits needed for the hospitality industry.  Having to be constantly presentable she understands the importance of keeping her skin healthy, which has led her to pursue the benefits of green beauty, an area she has come to love. 

Her top five favourites from the Pure Source store are:

REN Evercalm Cleansing Gel – After years of trying to control my oily skin I realised I was treating my skin too aggressively. This cleanser is gentle and leaves skin refreshed without any drying effects.

Tade Pays Du Levant Rose Beauty Water – This is a lovely toner after cleansing. I use it prior to moisturizing my face. The soft rose fragrance is a nice mid-day pick me up, great for refreshing your make up and your spirit. I keep a small spray bottle with rose water in my desk at work.

Jao Seed Face Oil – This is my day and evening moisturizer. I was always weary of moisturizers because my skin was oily but the addition of face oil to my daily routine has made a remarkable difference. The Jao Seed Face Oil is light in texture and gives my face a nice glow especially under makeup.

Erbaviva Relax Body Oil – This is my every day body moisturizer. It sinks into my skin and gives my skin a nice sheen without feeling too oily, even on hot Caribbean days. Your skin is your largest organ and what you put on your skin is absorbed into your body. Erbaviva is 100% natural and majority organic. 

Kai Rose Perfume Oil Roll-On – I have been a fan of the original Kai fragrance for at least ten years. However Kai Rose Perfume Oil has now become my everyday fragrance. It is a subtle floral that is feminine and pretty. The roll-on is perfect for touch-ups on the go.

Lip pencils seem to go in and out of fashion.  A few years back it was 'de rigueur' to add a line of pencil before applying lipstick for the purpose of keeping the lipstick in place and to avoid bleeding, but as more gloss came on the scene, the lip pencil seemed to fall out of favour.  Personally, I wasnt that keen on putting a pencil onto my lips.  I always found them to be too drying and some would scratch and drag the delicate skin around the lips too much. In fact, I haven't used a lip pencil since, that is until Kjaer Weis launched their new lip and eye pencils.  OMG!, these pencils are just too good.

If you are unaware of Kjaer Weis you really should start to investigate this brand.  It is a high quality natural and organic make-up line that uses super attractive packaging that is also refillable.  It has been created from the highest quality ingredients where each ingredient has been carefully considered for its ability to work with the skin, not against it. When it comes to the lip pencils, the principle ingredients are organic Coconut Oil and Carnauba Wax which provide lasting hydration and a soft texture that allows the colour to glide onto the lips.  The result is an ultra creamy, buttery smooth application that will help to keep lipstick in place and previent lip colour from 'feathering'.  It sounds too good to be true, but I can tell you these pencils despite being soft are long-lasting and can even be used on their own as a lip colour.  Furthermore, the colours are highly pigmented and have been especially chosen to work with our favourite lipstick and gloss colours.  Kjaer Weis have selected their own KW Red Lipstick in particular.

So all the boxes are ticked.  This is a high quality product, that is non-drying, easy to apply, safe to use and made with non-toxic ingredients that actually benefit the skin.  To add to this, the lip pencils are also refillable. Packaged with a sturdy cap, you just keep the cap and replace on the next refill you buy.  Brilliant!

One of the most frequent requests at the Pure Source store is for something to fade facial scars usually post acne and to even-out discolouration from persistant blemishes and breakouts. Unsurprisingly then, one of our most popular products is a serum which does just that.

Skin discolouration and hyperpigmentation can be caused by a number of factors: blemishes and breakouts that have not healed correctly, persistant acne, harsh chemical treatments and synthetic skincare, too much sun exposure, hormone inbalances and ageing.  Without having to resort to harsh chemical peels and so called quick fix solutions which frankly can cause more long term damage to the skin the best solution to this is to use a product that naturally brightens and evens out the skin tone, that uses natural skin brighteners and allows the skin to adjust itself and heal in a timely manner. The REN Radiance Range of products is just the line needed to perform this task and the REN Radiance Perfection Serum is one of the most effective products within this group.

This lightweight serum uses a potent blend of Glabridin (sourced from Licorice), Tyrosinase Inhibitors (from Wild Canadian Rumex ) and Vitamin C which all help to regulate skin pigmention, as well as reducing visible signs of ageing such as age spots and blemishes while correcting skin tone.  Furthermore, it also contains Hyaluronic acid which delivers intense hydration and plumps the skin while Glycogen from Fruit Sugar and Magnesium from Olivine (a natural mineral) together with Vitamin C boost skin energy and creates more radiance.  The serum is lightweight and best used during the day under moisturiser and during the night under heavier moisturisers or oil.  Some people prefer to use it on its own, depending on the skin type.  A little goes a long way.  Whichever way you prefer, you'll find the results speak for themselves.

Check out the other products in the REN Radiance Range on our site:  REN Glycolactic Mask, REN Micro Polish Cleanser and the REN Wake Wonderful Night-time Facial. 

Now is the time for colds and flu. The usual winter discontents seem more persistant this year and we need all the help we can get to boost our immunity.  For babies and children (and adults too) an organic natural alternative to ease through this germ-ridden season is the Erbaviva Sniffles Organic Chest Balm.  Pure, natural and petroleum-free, this is an expertly formulated, soothing and comforting balm that is made with a base of ultra nourishing Beeswax, Cocoa Butter and Jojoba oils and a potent blend of hero essential oils.   This combination includes Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, and Myrrh, which are known to be immune boosting and have powerful anti-viral, anti-bacterial properties and Calendula, Lavender and Chamomile to naturally add comfort.  While Cypress and Helichrysum essential oils effectively deliver further healing and anti-viral elements.

When using on a baby, apply to baby’s chest, back, neck and behind the ears to relax and soothe. The same applies to adults (although the neck and chest area will suffice).  Great smelling, it is soothing and calming and the perfect aid to wind-down the evening, whatever the season.