An Interview With Burt’s Bees’ Emma Atkinson
Have you ever wondered how ‘natural’ your skincare products are? Your skin is your largest organ, and what you put on it gets absorbed into your body. Moisturisers, body wash, perfumes, lip balms, make up – these are products we use on a daily basis, meaning the ingredients are in constant contact with our skin and being absorbed into our blood flow; and often the ingredients list is as long as your arm, with names that may as well be written in a foreign language. Natural skin-care line, Burt’s Bees, conducted a research to find out what Australian consumers understand about so-called ‘natural’ products. I decided to find out a little bit more about Burt’s Bees, so I spoke to General Manager Emma Atkinson, who told me about the natural beauty brand with an environmentally-friendly attitude…
So, how did Burt’s Bees come about?
Burt’s Bees was born 25 years ago in Maine, founded by a photojournalist and a waitress both looking for the simple life. A keen interest in beekeeping, and the discovery of a 19th century book of homemade personal care recipes, led Burt Shavitz and Roxanne Qimby to produce a range of natural soaps, perfumes and personal care products.
Why do you think it is so important to use natural products on your skin and body?
You know why HRT and nicotine patches work – it’s because the substances in them are absorbed into the body through the skin. Our mantra, if you like, is ‘what goes on your skin, goes in’, so it really matters that whatever we use on our skin and our hair is absolutely safe and benefits our wellbeing.
Burt’s Bees products take advantage of what nature has to offer – beeswax and honey are natural humectants, which help our skin to retain moisture naturally. Royal Jelly is one of the richest sources of nutrients in nature, bursting with essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals and is packed with trace elements, has antibacterial and antibiotic properties and even contains traces of Vitamin C. Natural ingredients like these have an amazingly positive effect on your skin and body, and when you can see and feel the efficacy of the natural options, why would you choose anything else?
Recently you ran the ‘Australians talk about natural survey’ – have you found any comments you have received from this to be surprising? Do you think people are tending to choose natural products over synthetic more often these days?
Conducting the ‘Australian’s talking about natural’ survey was a hugely rewarding experience for Burt’s Bees – we had a great response from Australian consumers, and the fact that people felt strongly enough to take the time to give us their feedback is an indication that they are interested in their wellbeing and want to be confident of doing the right thing.
Unfortunately, that’s hard. We are only just starting to analyse the results right now but already we know that 91% of the respondents said they have concerns that products described as ‘natural’ might not be as natural as they seem.
Despite that, we found 83% of respondents are already using products described as ‘natural’ or ‘organic’ and that they’re trying really hard to make informed decisions because almost half of the people surveyed said they research products or individual ingredients via the internet as part of their decision-making. And quite a few said they wished they had access to clearer information from manufacturers and more stringent regulations around claims made about these products.
I love being part of something that allows me to help spread the ripples of change that will mean better stewardship of the planet.
I also love that my role with Burt’s Bees includes ensuring we deliver locally on our international Greater Good business model – which means contributing to the community and the planet’s future. We are very proud to support the work of Habitat for Humanity Australia, helping low income families break out of the debt cycle to build and own their own homes, and to be involved with the work of the Barbara Hardy Centre for Sustainable Urban Environments. All our staff are actively involved in these – they have all gotten themselves covered in mud on a Habitat building site and they’ve all also been on hand to help locals gather and identify wildlife for a project for the Barbara Hardy Centre.
Tell me about the products you make?
Burt’s Bees produce a huge range of natural personal care products for the whole family, from items designed specifically for Mum’s and new babies, right through to hair care and lip products. We have a dedicated men’s range, award-winning shampoos and conditioners, cult-worthy lip balms, body washes and moisturizers, face care products including our Naturally Ageless and Radiance ranges, not to mention treats for hands and feet too! Burt’s Bees creates natural, effective personal care products that respect and enhance your health and well-being, as well as that of our environment.
Do you have a product you specialise in?
One of our best selling products is our original ‘Beeswax Lip Balm’ (named in the top 50 natural products for 2008) and here in Australia we’ve also recently been awarded for other items from our range.
Beauty Ed’s note: This lip balm is so yummy, it smells like passionfruit and really leaves your lips feeling protected from the sun!
What are the top 5 beauty products you can’t live without?
I’m never without a great moisturising lip balm which is why I’m thrilled the Burt’s Bees ‘Sun Protecting Lip Balm’ with SPF8 has just landed in Australia. It’s got a scrumptious dose of passionfruit so it smells and tastes just like summer but gives you 100% natural protection. I also have an addiction to our ‘Lemon Butter Cuticle Crème’. It smells good enough to eat and I’ve never found anything else like it for restoring condition to rough and snaggy cuticles.
I’m not a girl who uses a lot of makeup, so a fresh, natural glow is my aim. You can’t go past a great serum to plump up your skin and add a great dewy glow – Burt’s Bees ‘Naturally Ageless Repairing Serum’ is 100% natural and a great treat for my face, I apply before my regular moisturiser a couple of times a week, daily if I’m feeling a little tired!
I never leave home without hand crème and I try really hard to make sure I use it several times a day. Hands work so hard – they need frequent treats.
And being crazily busy most of the time means I don’t generally have hours to spare in front of the mirror, but I love to swipe on some Burt’s Bees ‘Lip Shimmer’ as I dash out the door – it makes me feel a bit ‘done up’, gives me a refreshing zing of peppermint and I know it will keep on moisturising as the day goes by.
If you had run out of moisturiser/exfoliant/cleanser/any essential beauty item, what natural items would you recommend grabbing from the pantry or the fridge, and how would you recommend using them?
Olive oil is a great moisturiser – use in place of your body moisturiser for parched skin. And as a treat for your hands, try warming for 20 seconds in the microwave first, and then place your fingertips in the warm oil for a minute or two. (You don’t need extra virgin to make this work, by the way!)
As for cleansers or exfoliants, well, oatmeal ground up finely and mixed with yoghurt or buttermilk and honey makes a great one. (We use finely ground stone fruit kernels, such as peach, in our cleansers so there’s no negative for the environment from plastic exfoliant beads entering the water system and winding up in the oceans where they never break down.)
What is your top beauty secret?
It may sound like a cliché, but beauty from within simply cannot be beaten! In an ideal world, we would all drink enough water, get enough sleep and eat fresh. But you really can’t beat being happy – it’s the best beauty tip I know!
Look out for the sequel to this interview in this week’s “What Ingredients To Avoid In Beauty Products“
For more information on Burt’s Bees’ products, visit: http://www.burtsbees.com.au/
