Neal's Yard Remedies Organic Skincare Launches in Ireland

If you're already familiar with Neal's Yard Remedies and their organic skincare products, then chances are you're going to be very happy to find out the brand has now entered the direct selling market in Ireland. Immediately identifiable by their blue glass bottles and jars, the company has been around since 1981 and is deeply committed to producing effective products in a sustainable, environmentally-friendly manner.

NYR Organic products and the blue glass jars and bottles they come in are all manufactured in the UK and many of the botanical ingredients are also grown there on their own organic farm. The "eco-factory" where they manufacture is as environmentally-friendly as can be and imported ingredients are fairly-traded. If ethical and eco-friendly issues are high on your list of concerns when it comes to beauty products, then this is a line you'll be interested in.

Naturally, the products are also formulated to be safe for the user and the environment, which means you won't find ingredients such as mineral oils, parabens, silicones and synthetic fragrances (among others). Without being preachy, the company's policy is that if there's any doubt as to the safety of a particular ingredient, then they'll look for a proven safe alternative.

But what about the products themselves? Well, covering face, body, hair and makeup and with lines for men and for babies as well as aromatherapy and herbal remedies, this is a pretty extensive range of products. And if you're wondering whether all the worthy ethical and organic stuff impacts the look and feel of them, then fear not - the textures are luxurious and the natural fragrances are gorgeous and not at all over-powering.

I've got my hands on a few products to try and will be giving you a more in-depth look at them over the next while. I'm most excited about the multi-tasking Wild Rose Beauty Balm (€48.40, use it as an exfoliating cleanser, treatment mask or moisturising balm) and the Beauty Sleep Concentrate (€41.20) and Beauty Sleep Body Butter (€29.50, these smell amazing) will surely be put through their paces, given my sad lack of sleep at present.

I mentioned the lovely line of makeup, which includes mineral foundations, blushers and bronzers; eye shadows and pencils and lipsticks and glosses. I've been loving the quick routine of a sweep of Mineral Blusher in Peony (€21.60) and a swipe of Lip Gloss in Damask Rose (€12.50) to get me looking awake and alive in a very natural, understated way in the morning. And I'm still fantasising about the ultra-soft and tactile Kabuki brush from the small, but perfectly formed line of animal-free synthetic hair makeup brushes that I got to play with.

NYR Organic launched their Irish website yesterday and through it you'll be able to locate a local consultant to buy products, or buy online through one of them. I imagine it's a brand that will prove very popular here, but what do you think? Are you already a fan or is your interest piqued? Let us know in a comment below!