I heart nature

With a new must-have beauty product coming out as soon as you think you’ve found your perfect match, it’s really getting harder and harder to decide with a clear head which exactly worked for you in the first place. Add to this the natural product overload that your skin and hair might be experiencing from your nonstop experimentation, and what do you get? Dull hair and skin, and a dull bank account, too.

   More than ever, simplifying is what we all need. Going back to simple treatments that are all-natural and organic makes sense, not just for you, but for the planet as well. And no, organic doesn’t have to mean expensive anymore because we now have a 100 percent Filipino-made and sourced organic beauty, skin and haircare line that helps people, the environment, and you!

To hair is divine

Human Heart Nature is the brainchild of Anna M. Wilk and Camille Meloto, daughters of Gawad Kalinga founder Tony Meloto. It all started when Anna had her first child and found out that disposable diapers take 500 years to biodegrade. She then decided to use cloth diapers and started being more aware of how the things they used in their everyday life as a family affected the planet. Human Heart Nature items are all organic, meaning no synthetic ingredients are used to produce them. All ingredients are sourced from local farmers, too. They hope to later on help residents of Gawad Kalinga produce some of the ingredients as a livelihood project. The stigma that organic products are always super expensive has been overcome by this line, too: Their 50ml Aloe Vera Nourishing Shampoo is only P29! The 200ml is P92.75, the 50-gram Cocoa Butter & Goat’s Milk Body Butter is P69.75. “Human Heart Nature is about loving the Philippines, loving the environment and loving our families as we provide only the safest and purest world-class ingredients for them. These are effective and affordable organic personal care products that feel as good on your skin as they do in your heart,” shares Anna. All well and good but are they effective? Organic shampoos and soaps are notorious for not producing enough suds, but after trying their Pearl Powder and Aloe Vera Strengthening Shampoo, I was hooked! It was sudsy and made my hair feel light and clean. My children also use their Aloe Vera and Chamomile Organic Shampoo and Body Wash (P99.75, 200ml) and their hair has never been this shiny! I’m also loving their Calendula and Seaweed Gel Facial Wash (P59.75, 50ml) which smells great and feels really good on the skin. You just need a very small amount to clean your face. I’m looking forward to trying out their Citronella bug spray for the kids and their 100-percent alcohol-free Tomato Facial Toner, too. So how do they manage to keep the prices down? “We have made a decision to greatly reduce the usual profit margins. Our ingredients are the same as those in much higher priced brands. We also sell direct and do not have costly retail stores, our overheads are low and we pass the savings on to you,” adds Anna.

Going all the way

I plan to free my entire household of any chemical and synthetic products this year. No more toxic insect sprays, no more synthetic lotions, and no more fake food. It’s good for my family, the country, the planet, and for the first time, my wallet.

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For more information, go to www.humanheartnature.com. For comments and suggestions, e-mail me at donna.cunapita@gmail.com.