Everything old is new again body treatments

SUKABUMI, West Java (JP): Life seems more hectic than ever. More and more people are balancing careers, family and friends in a seemingly constant juggling act.

One of the consequences of stressful modern life, often played out in a heavily polluted environment, is damaged skin. While many people place an emphasis on physical health and beauty, it seems that their skin is still not being properly cared for.

Maybe the key is to look to the past and the ancient traditions developed for healthier and younger looking skin.

Cleopatra nourished her skin by taking milk and honey baths and, according to mythology, ancient Romans and Greeks used olive oil for suppler skin. Meanwhile, the Chinese believed in the beneficial properties of soya beans.

These ancient traditions inspired researcher John Milligan, who works with organic cosmetics manufacturer The Body Shop, to come up with a body treatment series with organic honey, olive and soya as the basic ingredients.

"Organic ingredients are the best nutrition for our body and skin because they are in their natural forms, without pesticides, herbicides or genetically modified material," said Milligan.

That is why organic materials can be the answer for healthy and environmentally conscious living, he added.

The Body Shop's new body treatment series was launched in March 2001 in the UK and more recently in the U.S. and Asian countries. The products have reportedly been very well received in these countries.

One of Milligan's challenges was creating products that could be used by people with different skin types. "Asian skin is different to European and African skin, but these product ranges can accommodate them all," said Milligan, who is also a member of the UK Committee for the Society of Cosmetic Scientists.

The organic materials used by the company are purchased from farmers in developing countries, where traditional techniques for planting and harvesting crops are still practiced.

"We know the field and ensure that the ingredients are harvested without chemicals," Milligan said.

Tests are conducted on harvested materials to look for any genetically modified content, especially for soya which is the most genetically modified ingredient in the world.

The company established a cooperation scheme, called the community trade program, with traditional farmers in 26 countries. It procures its organic olive oil from farmers in Campania, soya oil from Brazil, honey from Zambia, sugar from Paraguay, bergamot from Calabria, shea nuts from northern Ghana and cocoa beans from Ghana.

"We plan to widen our community trade program to Asian countries but we're still trying to find the right groups that can ensure quality and sustainability," Milligan explained.

Suzy D. Hutomo, the director of PT Monica Hijau Lestari, which operates The Body Shop in Indonesia, expressed hope that, combined with an increasing number of people living lifestyles more in harmony with nature, the public would become more involved in efforts to preserve the environment.

"Nature has given so much and we have to be consistent in preserving it," she said. (lup)