Green Options

Going through the day without being enveloped in a beautiful fragrance is as unthinkable as having no music, no coffee and god forbid… no food – that’s how seriously I take my obsession with scent. Smell is one of the most powerful of the senses and has the ability to directly impact your mood & emotional wellbeing, stimulating our emotions and awakening our senses. Once in a blue moon, a new brand comes along that blows me away with sophistication, effectiveness, a great price point, fantastic brand philosophy and overall sheer beauty. Acorelle Organic Eau de Parfum is one such line. Made by a French fragrance house who know what a fine fragrance is, there isn’t a single note lavender, patchouli or rose among this gorgeous collection. Instead what you’ll find are scents that have depth, flair, unique personality, and that meld into your skin for an olfactory experience that’s simply blissful and beautiful – not to mention good for you & good for the planet.

After 4yrs of exploring, critiquing and lauding the modern world of green, Treehugger decided it was high time to put their heads together to nominate, debate and select what they believe to be the best-of-the-best when it comes to today’s environmentalism - dubbed the ‘First Annual Best Of Green Awards. Once the many hours of discussion amongst the massive brainpower of a group of roughly 50 writers from 5 continents concluded, it was declared that in the Fashion & Beauty Category, Futurenatural is the ‘Best Online Beauty Shop’!! Treehugger has always been at the forefront of helping to bring sustainability to the masses and promoting green as mainstream. For Futurenatural to be recognized as the Best Online Beauty Shop by TH & their global team is a HUGE honor.

You may not immediately see the effects of overexposure to the sun. According to scientific studies, the skin actually keeps burning long after your sun exposure has ceased, and in case you forget to cover up and apply sunscreen, the resulting sunburn can be painful as well as dangerous. It may actually take up to 24 hours before the full damage is visible but first-degree sunburns cause redness and will heal, [...]

Real is better is generally considered the maxim when it comes to most things, however there is one time in life where faking it is positively au courant – when deciding to get your tan from a bottle, not the sun.

There will always be those among us who haven’t been able to resist the urge to lie around drenched in Tropical Sun or Coconut Oil, relishing the deepening of our skin color as our skin fries (me among them over the years!), and blithely ignoring the vast accumulation of sun damage facts well documented. However, as the greatest cause of aging on the planet and the dangers of melanoma an increasing reality, you have to ask yourself; is all that pain really worth it, or is it better to just slather from a bottle & skip the collateral damage?

Well known for gracing the trays of antipasto everywhere and a regular feature in a vodka martini, the olive has far more illustrious uses than that of sophisticated snack or simple garnish. Olive oil has been used for thousands of years for eating & cooking. And lest no part of this miracle plant go unnoticed, olive leaf extracts are one of nature’s most potent antioxidants - up to 100 times more powerful than echinacea for boosting immunity. You can freeze it, burn it or cut it down, and the Olive Tree always reappears. The leaves stay on olive trees for seven years and develop a waxy coating for protection against harsh climate conditions that when scraped back, after all that time, reveal a bright-green, young leaf underneath! Conceived and created by Laurent Baussan, son of L’Occitane (no introduction needed) founder Olivier Baussan, the Oliv laboratories have found the secret to skin longevity in the olive leaf, then combined it with the moisturizing properties of green tea, edelweiss & aloe vera to produce this new organic skincare collection called Oliv.

I’m a die hard scented candle afficianado, but besides the obvious olfactory pleasures I gain from burning a delicious organic version, the new ‘Light The Way’ limited edition soy wax candle from Aveda gives me extra reason to feel good.

Inspired by a French stress-relieving aroma comprised exclusively of certified organic ingredients including clary sage, lavender and lavandin, 100% of proceeds from this sale of this candle will help Aveda donate a total of $1,000,000 to clean water projects around the globe. Over 1 billion people do not have access to clean drinking water and children are dying every day from preventable diseases as a result.

Oh the excitement of prom season! Selecting the dress, practicing makeup techniques, reserving a corsage, hiring a limo with your GF’s, mani/pedi… who doesn’t want to be princess for a day! With so many choices to make, thinking about the environment & being healthy amongst all the distraction might not automatically be a high priority, but Teens Turning Green & Whole Foods are joining forces to prove just how easy (and stylish), it is to make thoughtful, earth friendly decisions around prom season. The program, called Project Green Prom, is launching with a fun, online video contest for high school juniors & seniors. All you have to do is post your most creative & fabulous three-minute video that answers the question, “How would you green your prom?” Submit between now & March 30th via

The girls spoke and Victoria’s Secret listened! Who among us hasn’t lusted after some of the sexy underpinnings I regularly drool over at Victoria’s Secret? Well now there’s another collection for you to covet, and holy moly, wait for it… it’s both organic & vegan!! PINK BODY is a unique and bold new move for this conventional retailer and they get a big gold star for paying attention to [...]

Hot off NY Fashion Week came the Oscars and in this recession, I’m happy to report, not for a moment did they disappoint. As an Organic Glamazon, who loves to watch the stunning parade of gorgeous, glamorous and uber chic gowns, hair and makeup, it was a night of decadent, unapologetic, head-turning, fashion glory that saw couture from Galliano, Yves Saint Laurent, Balmain, Versace, Dior and on it went - in [...]

Rodarte started making an eco-splash about 4 years ago, having partnered with Aveda in various ways for their shows. Known for their groundbreaking, artisan & artistic approach to their work, the girls have become more and more environmentally savvy over the years. “They are unique,” said Kirsten Dunst of Kate and Laura Mulleavy, front-row at their show today. “They didn’t just study fashion. You can see that. [...]