Green Options

It is that time of year again when we all want to banish bumps, spots, imperfections and even (gasp!) cellulite.  You just get your facial care system down for the warmer weather months and it seems that the skin on our bodies goes into shock.  Or at least the first time we have to put on a bathing suit, that is.  Let’s face it, it has been all covered up for months now, getting ignored and neglected.  It is time for a little pampering.

Well, it finally feels like summer has really begun.  With bathing suits, bare feet and less clothing a typical part of our daily lives, even the mind set changes.  We crave cool fruity drinks, a quiet moment in the sun (or shade, whichever you prefer) and a sultry, musky scent.  Ok, as for that last one, it may not be exactly what comes to mind when you conjure up a summer’s day.  But Lavanila Pure Vanilla Healthy Fragrance ($56) is the perfect match for warm skin and relaxed living.

A blend of Madagascar vanilla, freesia petal, patchouli and heliotrope, the frangrance is made of pure essential oils.  This delicious, slightly-spicy scent mellows when it soaks into the skin.  Leaves you with a lovely, warm, natural fragrance that lasts all day.

At Janika they believe that nature provides us with the best in life, so of course, their line of pure skin care products is nothing but natural.  Janika, a new skin care company out of Australia, uses active botanicals, vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and amino acids in their products to nourish and revitalize the skin.

When I hear claims of eye cream being nothing more than a glorified face cream, packaged in a tiny tube and slapped with a hefty price tag I tend to disagree.  If I tried using my facial moisturizer around my eyes (and I have) it would surely cause that slippery eye feeling and end up migrating into my eyes and causing irritation.  Not at all the experience we are looking for.

Eye creams truly are designed specifically for the delicate area surrounding the eye, where signs of aging usually show up first.  You want something moisturizing – but not too greasy, cooling – but not irritating, and smoothing while leaving skin soft and supple. 

There are many terrific organic and all natural eye creams on the market today that do a bang up job on all of the above.  And I do have my favorites, but…am always willing to try another.

Everyone loves a great lip balm, and for good reason.  They not only protect and nourish our puckers, but are tote-able and fun to use.  And just when you didn’t think there was anything new that could be done with lip balm, along comes eos.  eos (as in, evolution of smooth) has created two new ways to keep your lips soft, smooth and tasting yummy with lip balm smooth spheres and lip balm smooth sticks.

Packed with vitamin E, shea butter and jojoba oil to keep delicate lips in top form.  Innovative soft-to-the-touch packaging makes them a pleasure to use and the cool sphere design is so utterly modern that you will leave them sitting around just for the pleasure of looking at them.

Vegetable emulsifying wax is widely used in a variety of skin care, hair care and cosmetic products as an emulsifier (keeps oil and water from separating) because it is easy to work with and relatively inexpensive.  Sounds harmless enough, right?  You may be surprised to find out that it is actually a chemical cocktail and not the natural ingredient the name implies.  Stephanie Greenwood of Bubble & Bee Organic did some research on this innocuous sounding ingredient and found that it is actually made up of Cetearyl Alcohol (a blend of cetyl and steareth alcohol), Polysorbate 60, PEG-150 Stearate and Steareth-20.  Not sounding quite so natural now.

Not long ago, I wrote a post on argan oil and its many beauty benefits.  From anti-aging and antioxidant properties to hair and nail treatments, this oil is a wonder ingredient.  Safe and natural, light and hydrating, argan oil has many uses in the beauty world.  But the argan tree and its fruits have a long history with Moroccan women that goes beyond beauty.

I have always loved the idea of aromatherapy and at times (headache, extreme stress…) have tried it.  But the idea of having to 1) research which essential oils are appropriate for which need, and 2) buy and combine said oils without coming up with something obnoxious, sounded like more than I wanted to take on.  And even though essential oils can be very beneficial they are also very potent and care needs to be taken when using them.

Not long ago Stancie Wilson reported on Nuworld Botanicals Aromatherapy Personals on her blog Fig+Sage, and I just had to try them.  They are little rollerball vials that combine aromatherapy and acupressure, along with health benefits of antioxidants, vitamins and 100% certified organic essential oils.  Nuworld Botanicals uses a base of 100% certified organic Jojoba oil to dilute the essential oils for safe use.

Ready for a skin smoothing, luxuriously scented treat for warm weather skin?  Then it must be Suzanne aux bains Nourishing Body Millk ($30).  Lightly scented with Chamomile, Lavender and Incense essential oils, this creamy-dreamy body lotion is a sweet little indulgence for the skin.

The first time I used Suzanne aux bains Nourishing Body Milk I really didn’t put much thought into it, until later that is.  I  received a sample sachet and quickly applied some of the lotion to my arms and shoulders on the way out the door.  Later, as I was getting ready for bed, I couldn’t help but notice how soft and smooth my arms were, and had to think back to even remember what I had put on them.  Well, needless to say, I purchased a tube the very next day.

In drier winter months a body cream or butter provides us with a thicker, richer form of hydration for the skin.  In warmer seasons we need to switch to something lighter and more regenerative.  Suzanne aux bains uses Jojoba oil for deeply penetrating hydration and Lavender honey to gently exfoliate the skin.

Facial treatments, unless part of our daily beauty routine, are often overlooked.  Most of us barely have time to floss let alone apply a mask and put our feet up for the suggested 10-15 minutes.  Even if we do have the time, the thought of a putting on a facial mask is not what comes to mind.

Last night, as I was digging through my basket of samples and forgotten purchases I stumbled across a clay mask I was sent a few months ago, and figured “why not?”.  After rinsing the mask off and peering at my fresh, glowing skin in the mirror, I remembered why I used to make time for these things.