Last Wednesday, I was invited down to the Neal's Yard Remedies store in Leeds for some drinks and to learn more about the brand. I had heard about Neal's Yard Remedies but had never tried anything from their range, so I was eager to go along and try some of their highly-rated skincare products. So, after work I popped on my glad rags (see here) and rushed into town. It was absolutely pouring it down with rain and howling with wind, so after getting all flustered running across town and carrying a broken umbrella, the store's gently twinkling lights and famous blue bottles were a grateful sight! Set in the beautiful Country Arcade, it was as every bit as beautiful inside as it was out.

I was warmly greeted by the lovely Neal's Yard staff, who made sure that our glasses were never empty and that we all got a taste of the nibbles. After a bit of a mingle and catching up with some of my favourite bloggers, we were given a brief history of the company and a bit of information about their products. The first store to open was an apothecary, based in Neal's Yard in Covent Garden over 30 years ago. At the time, products containing synthetic chemicals were forefront and natural, organic ingredients had all been forgotten. By opening their store, they wanted to introduce people to these natural products again and show just how beneficial they could be for your health, skin and general well-being. The famous blue bottles were used in apothecaries across the world for many years, but admittedly I had no idea why Neal's Yard still continue to use them. It turns out that the blue is not just for show or distinction; the blue glass protects the ingredients inside from direct sunlight!



I was curious to learn about their organic products, and why we should be considering choosing organic products to use in our health and skin care routines. A good percentage of their products are 100% certified organic, however there were also quite a few that stated lower numbers such as 80% or 60% and I wanted to find out why. The answer turns out to be quite simple; not all of the ingredients they use can be classed as organic, because they are not from certified agriculture. Examples of products that are include essential oils, herbs and beeswax. However, ingredients such as water and salt cannot be certified as organic because they do not grow and are not agricultural. If one of the main ingredients cannot be certified as organic, such as salt in a body scrub (Which is a mineral), then the final product cannot be certified as 100% organic. It was explained much clearer to me than I have there but it was really interesting to finally learn why this was the case.



Two things surprised me on the evening; the first was that they had an organic make up range. Made with a blend of minerals and organic ingredients, it was the first ever make up range to receive a Soil Association certification. I was particularly taken with the eyeshadows; they were wonderfully pigmented and offered in a beautiful range of shades. I was also intrigued by their lengthening mascara, which has been clinically proven to lengthen lashes by up to 85%. This is achieved by the ingredients tetrapeptide, to thicken the lashes, with argan oil and white tea to nourish and condition. The brush was plastic bristled, which looked right up my street and was reasonably priced at £16 - no more than you would pay for any other higher-end mascara on the high street. The make up range also included some brushes, created with synthetic, not animal hair and with environmentally friendly bamboo handles.



The second thing to surprise me was the fact that this store, along with many others has therapy rooms - offering treatments ranging from reflexology to pregnancy massage. We were all kindly offered a mini-treatment lasting for around 10 minutes or so each, and I decided to go for a neck, shoulder and back massage. At some point in the evening I was taken downstairs by Patricia to one of their treatment rooms, which while small felt wonderfully calming and an overall pleasant room to be in. Some relaxing music was played at a low volume in the background, and Patricia asked me a few questions before giving me my massage. What surprised me the most was how I was lying on my back - with a massage such as this, I assumed that I would be lying on my front. Patricia explained that it allowed her to reach the required muscles much easier from this position and would give an overall better result, which I certainly can't deny! When I left the room, I felt like I was walking on air. I didn't realise just how tense the muscles in my shoulders were and it felt amazing to be rid of all the tensions from working all day. They gave me more details about their massages and prices, and I have to say that I will be back to try a full massage in the future - especially as they offer 15% off in store on the day of your treatment!



All too soon, the evening was drawing to a close and it was time to head back home. We were each given some products to try from their body and bathing collections, which was extremely kind and I can't wait to put them to the test and review them for you guys in the future. I want to say thank you to the team at the Neal's Yard Remedies store for putting on such a lovely event; they were very friendly and open and happy to discuss anything and everything about their products. They were all very passionate about the brand and that really came across to me - they weren't just there to make a quick sale and nothing was pushed on me. As a result I will be going back to try some of their range, particularly the Palmarosa Purifying Facial Mask, aimed for oily skin and the Wild Rose Beauty Balm; a multitasking wonder that combines a cleanser, exfoliant and nourishing balm in one product. I had a wonderful time and I am looking forward to seeing more of Neal's Yard Remedies in the future!