From humble beginnings in a colourful corner of Covent Garden, Neal's Yard Remedies has expanded its presence to 21 countries. Its roots are illustrated in the logo -- a tree, which symbolises a balance of inner health and outer beauty based on the British brand's holistic approach.
Neal's Yard Remedies claims that its apothecary, which opened its doors on Dec 4, 1981, was the first high street retailer in the UK to sell essential oils for promoting aromatherapy as complementary medicine.
The original store also shelved jars of herbs for making freshly-prepared skin treatments. Today, Neal's Yard Remedies has continued the practice of using botanical extracts and essential oils in making skincare products at its eco-factory in the countryside of North Dorset.
This year, the company celebrates 40 years of natural and organic health and beauty products. Two items have been added to the iconic Frankincense Intense range that addresses early signs of ageing.
The use of frankincense as a skincare ingredient is inspired by Ancient Egypt's mummification process, which may have involved anointing the body with frankincense and myrrh as fragrant gum-resins along with various oils and fats in the embalming process.
In 1983, Neal's Yard Remedies launched Frankincense & Myrrh Skin Cream, the predecessor of the best-selling Rejuvenating Frankincense and Frankincense Intense collections.
The relaxing aroma of frankincense essential oil enhances wellbeing when applying the new Frankincense Intense Cleansing Melt and Hydrating Essence.
The store's modern apothecary concept.
The triple-textured cleanser is a micro-emulsion of organic sunflower, sweet almond and refined coconut oils along with natural sugars while the hydrating essence contains hyaluronic acid, pomegranate extract and organic argan oil.
The deep cleansing and hydration prime the skin for subsequent application of the lifting serum and cream.
Sustainably sourced from Oman, organic frankincense from Boswellia sacra is used in developing the Frankincense Active Phyto Complex, containing three boswellic acids and polyphenols, featured in the Frankincense Intense Lift.
Today, over 90% of agricultural ingredients used by Neal's Yard Remedies are organic, and its products are certified by the Soil Association or COSMOS Organic.
The Kindersleys, who bought Neal's Yard Remedies in 2006, further reinforced the organic heritage and sustainable goals, such as being a certified carbon neutral company since 2008, cutting carbon emission intensity to tackle climate change, and progressing towards a circular economy by using entirely recycled plastic bottles by 2025.
Frankincense Intense Hydrating Essence, Lift Serum and Lift Cream.
Frankincense Intense Cleansing Melt. (Photos © Neal Yard's Remedies)
