Katie's Letter -

A Challenging Start to 2010

The new decade started for me with 20 inches of snow and temperatures almost minus 20 degrees and as I live remotely and 500 feet above sea level, it was a challenge. This was combined with an extremely busy and exciting time for Yin Yang with many plans for the year ahead.

Yin Yang Returns to Holland & Barrett

First on the agenda was the return to the top 150 Holland & Barrett shops, the culmination of  many months of work, which has come to fruition in the Month of February. Although Yin Yang has been back on these High Street shelves for only a few weeks, the products are already proving popular. We are pleased to have four good well qualified in store trainers supporting the products. These are Monica, Leila, Rebecca and Gina and they are all reporting not only sales but lots of interest in the science of plants, which is at the core of the Yin Yang balances. This is good news and underlines the importance of communication and education to improve skin health and condition throughout life. I am particularly pleased that Monica Savage is back on the team because she and I worked so closely and successfully together throughout the eighties. Monica has been concentrating on the London area for the past few weeks, which has included visits to Knightsbridge, Oxford Street (Marble Arch end), Covent Garden and Holborn and she reports that customers and staff are pleased to see Yin Yang back on Holland & Barrett shelves. 

The New Look

For this launch and as a result of listening to our customer’s comments, Yin Yang has a new sleek look. The entire range is now in bottles with pumps and sprays with the richer creams in airless pumps, To look after the products’ stability throughout their lifespan. They are slim and elegant and deliver just enough product for each application without waste. Once again our talented young designer, Ian Atkins, has created a stylish contemporary design and logo.

Plant of the Month – Comfrey (Symphytum Officinale)

Now that the snow has thawed and the temperatures are rising (at least during the day) my garden is showing signs of the optimism of spring – snowdrops in full bloom, daffodils and tulips well on their way and few if any fatalities during a most difficult winter. I have fingers crossed that the delicate tarragon has survived. Last year when I dug up the dreary looking but hefty plant to throw it away in April, I discovered healthy, sprouting roots. This year I am resisting taking a look. However, my plant for the month is COMFREY (SYMPHYTUM OFFICINALE) which grows in abundance in the wild and shady areas of my locality. Recently we have been concentrating on some new products to relieve acne and are advised that allantoin is a useful constituent. Further investigation into comfrey’s traditional uses for healing led to the finding of modern research, which shows that it contains the useful constituent allantoin. It is always most heartening to discover that our plant kingdom can provide our ingredients, which when carefully researched and balanced with the oils and fluids can look after our skin gently but effectively.