Six Scottish beauty companies making natural, luxurious products

WITH a wealth of flowing fresh water and natural ingredients, Scotland is a great source for organic beauty products. From seaweed enriched scrubs to beeswax balms, the country's natural resources are at the heart of these innovative firms

Beatitude

Beatitude is the brainchild of mother-of-two Rebecca O’Connor from Gullan, East Lothian. The luxury award-winning brand sells natural aromatherapy bath, body and facial oils made from home. O’Connor, a trained beauty therapist and aromatherapist, combined her passion and 20 years of practical experience with the knowledge of leading British cosmetic chemists to create natural and effective aromatherapy products. The company has received the seal of approval from industry experts after winning the FreeFrom Skin Care Award for its Peace Bath Oil and the Green Parent Natural Beauty Awards for its Joy Bath Oil.

Beatitude Skin Salvation Facial Oil (£38) is one of several natural products on offer, and a welcome addition to any beauty routine. Facial oil is perfect for skin during cold weather as it speeds up the skin’s healing process. As well as keeping skin hydrated, Skin Salvation tackles ageing and fine lines through its rose oil, oat and vitamin E formula.

Wild Scottish Rose soap. Picture: highlandsoaps.com

Pure Lochside

Created by Scottish aromatherapist Fiona Tuttle, Pure Lochside offers organic-rich therapeutic products you can use at home. Tuttle took her inspiration from the desire to create a range of therapeutic, result driven products while utilising the “essence of Scotland”.

While working as an aromatherapist, she was often asked to make blended oils for clients to use at home which led to her creating her own line of products in 2007. Since then, Pure Lochside has been stocked in various spas and in Harvey Nicols, Edinburgh and Harrods, London.

One of the most popular products is Calm and Soothe Body Oil (£30) which was one of the first items produced by Pure Lochside. The oil uses a mix of arnica, marjoram and lavender oils with vitamin E to soothe aches and pains while leaving skin soft and nourished.

Ermana Cleanse Balm. Picture: ermana.co.uk

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Ishga

Ishga, meaning water in Gaelic, harvests the Hebrides Islands for the seaweed to produce their 100 per cent organic skin care range. The products are made to work on every skin type.

The seaweed used grows in pure, unpolluted coastal waters of the Hebridean Islands and has been used for centuries as a natural healer. Its ingredients are said to help tighten and tone skin, stimulate blood circulation and increase the skin’s moistoure levels and elasticity.

Ishga was created by Malcom Macrae, a marine biologist and his wife Joanna, a beauty therapist who worked with Clarins.

One of the best Ishga products, the Antioxidant Marine Face Cream (£70), contains a number of organic ingredients including shea butter, apricot kernel oil and macadamia nut oil enriched with seaweed extract. The Hebridean seaweed and natural spring water, they say, repairs and moisturises skin while protecting it from environmental damage.

Added cucumber extracts give the cream a cooling feeling, making the experience even more relaxing. Added lemon peel also improves blood circulation.

Arran Aromatics

Arran Aromatics have been developing some of Scotland’s best beauty products since 1989, when husband and wife Janet and Iain Russell began making products in the kitchen of their cottage on the Isle of Arran.

The company has since expanded beyond the island with shops in Glasgow and Dundee. They’ve also expanded their product with perfumes, aftershaves and scented candles.

One product from their body range, Seaweed and Mineral Salt Scrub (£12.75), is ideal for exfoliating dry or tired skin in the winter months. Like other Scottish products, it capitalises on natural seaweed extract and is full of minerals and moisturising oils.

Highland Fine Soaps

Family-run Scottish soap company Highland Fine Soaps hand craft products with wild natural Scottish ingredients to create organic and therapeutic products. Their shop in Spean Bridge has been been selling natural skin care and beauty products for many years and has amassed a dedicated following.

The soap is made through through traditional psoap production methods; each batch of soap takes about four weeks to produce.

The company offers a variety of unique soaps which capitalise on Scotland’s natural produce. Their Wild Scottish Rose Soap (£4.95) moisturises, cleanses and soothes skin with a blend of rose, patchouli, rose geranium and ylang ylang oils to leave you feeling and smelling great.

Ermana

Ermana was launched by former fashion buyer Claire Twigge-Molecey after developing her own skincare products and blending oils for her family and friends. The company uses the best natural resources to create a range of products including face oils for boht women and men, body oils and balms and also cater for expectant mums through their Soothe Mama Oil and Balm.

Ermana balms and oils are made from a blend of natural and botanical ingredients and are free from preservatives.

Finding a good cleanser can bring new life to your skincare routine by making skin look younger, clearer and brighter. Ermana Cleanse Balm (£24) does just that while soothing and hydrating the skin through the inclusion of cocoa, shea and coconut butters. The product is also blended with almond oil, beeswax and grapefruit to help restore and tone skin.