ALOE vera and bee pollen will be the latest natural products to revitalise Gwent residents if Natalie Taylor has her way.

The naturalist from Sebastopol who studied zoology at Cardiff has become an independent distributor for a range of drinks, tablets, creams and hair care products based on these ingredients.

She said: "I'm a conservationist and it's important to me to be offering something healthy and natural.

"I was introduced to an aloe vera drink which transformed my energy levels and since taking the bee pollen tablets I haven't suffered from a day's hay fever."

Ms Taylor is marketing her products through word-of-mouth, face-to-face meetings and visits to mother and toddler groups.

"Because all the creams and lotions are 100 per cent natural they're very good for children's skin which is very delicate."

Ms Taylor has just completed two-and-a-half years on Flat Holm as the island's warden and is now shore-based in Barry as Flat Holm's project officer.

She work in conservation has included a spell at Newquay Zoo in Cornwall and warden jobs with the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers and the Wildlife Trust.

"Most of the work consisted of getting the public involved in the environment and getting them trained to look after local woodland, wetlands and so on," said Ms Taylor.

She's building up her own business from her Cwmbran home because she wants to be fully self-employed "within the next two years." She hopes this will give her the freedom to be able to take a few months off each year to indulge her abiding passion: for parrots!

In the past Ms Taylor has worked on a parrot breeding station in Sevenoaks, Kent. "It was a run by a businessman and often supplied birds for breeding programmes in zoos.

"I had mixed feelings about this but it was a good job for gaining experience."

But it's wild parrots that Ms Taylor is particularly passionate about and she wants to spend time in South America and Africa assisting with specialised programmes in these regions for the birds.

In the meantime, if you think your life could be enhanced with some aloe vera or bee products check out Ms Taylor's website at www.foreverlivingnaturally.co.uk or e-mail her at info@foreverlivingnaturally.co.uk