By Emma Pezzack •
July 30, 2008
Named this works because that’s what testers constantly said of the products, this line is described as ‘a survival kit for those suffering modern malaises’. Conceived and created by Kathy Phillips, formerly Health & Beauty Director for Vogue and now International Beauty Director for Conde Nast Asia (think W Magazine, Vogue, Allure etc..), this award winning line has some of the coolest packaging I’ve seen in the beauty industry for a while, not to mention cutting-edge formulation. What really gets me excited though are the all natural formulations developed around aromatherapy principles, their environmentally responsible business practices, knowing that the products are mostly organic using certified and fair trade essential oils, and that the products contain no suspect ingredients.
I’m constantly on a quest to find the most spectacular organic and natural beauty brands at the cutting-edge and forefront of this industry, and I think I just discovered my latest obsession. This rocks!! Yep, This Works.
Photo credit: This Works website - www.thisworks.com
Among the decidedly ungreen luxuries I allow myself is a small collection of magazine subscriptions, one of which is Gourmet - the Conde Nast foodie rag that is, to be honest, hit or miss. But this month’s issue was a favorite of mine, mostly because of a moving account by two young chefs of a trip they took to Madani Halal butcher in New York in search of a goat to serve at their summer barbecue. The chefs - Ian Knauer and Alan Sytsma - picked out a grass-fed, free-range goat and watched as the butcher thanked the animal for its life and then killed it in what is considered the most painless way possible. The chefs reported back that watching their animal die added a level of responsibility to their cooking. Not only did they want to create a delicious meal for its own sake, they felt a need to honor the sacrifice of the animal’s life.
This type of thinking is an integral part of the current movement towards more ethical meat consumption that we often discuss on this blog. Consider below the similarities between Zibah - the Halal slaughter method - and members of the slow food movement. This similarity is not lost on Riaz, the owner of Madani, who told Gourmet that he believes Halal butchery can help many Americans to accept Islam through shared eating values.
According to the Halal Food Authority the following conditions must be met in order for meat to be considered passable:
Named this works because that’s what testers constantly said of the products, this line is described as ‘a survival kit for those suffering modern malaises’. Conceived and created by Kathy Phillips, formerly Health & Beauty Director for Vogue and now International Beauty Director for Conde Nast Asia (think W Magazine, Vogue, Allure etc..), this award winning line has some of the coolest packaging I’ve seen in the beauty industry for a while, not to mention cutting-edge formulation. What really gets me excited though are the all natural formulations developed around aromatherapy principles, their environmentally responsible business practices, knowing that the products are mostly organic using certified and fair trade essential oils, and that the products contain no suspect ingredients.
