Hot Finds+Deals: HUGE Labor Day Sales On Eco-Fashion & Organic Beauty!!!
Stancie Wilson aims to inspire others to make informed decisions and healthy choices and doesn't believe style, effectiveness or quality must be sacrificed for "green". After living & working in sunny Southern California for the past decade, she recently relocated to the land of seasons, not far from downtown Chicago. She's Co-Founder of Fig+Sage (www.figandsage.com) where amazingly pure products & eco-friendly finds are discovered weekly, the "green blogger" for Pricegrabber's ShopGreen site (http://blog.pricegrabber.com/shopgreen), and was recently named the "#1 Eco-Friendly Expert Maven" by ThisNext where her recommendations are followed by millions of shoppers.
Have I mentioned I’m a lip balm addict??? Yes, I do confess. I have more lip balms than I can count on two hands, but you won’t find me recommending every lip product on the planet. Because frankly, I do have my standards. They must not be greasy, disappear in a few minutes or be filled to the brim (or at all) with any petrochem nasties, artificial color or flavor.
But this is not a balm or gloss, it’s a lip conditioner perfect when in need of a little (or a lot) on-the-go pampering! When you’re in a suit or a cocktail dress, do you really want to be seen pulling out your ninety-nine cents tube of (hopefully not petroletum filled) lip balm? I didn’t think so. Why?
What started out two decades ago as an experiment, became the inspiration and vision behind what MATT & NAT’S fashion-forward, design-centric and animal-free handbag line is today. The experiment was to embrace a vegan diet for just 30 days, but little did Creative Director, Inder Bedi know that it would set off a series of events that would lead to the birth of a super chic handbag line influenced by modern design and architecture.
Serious, structured, edgy & incredibly modish describes the brand new Fall ‘08 handbag collection from this widely popular Montreal-based company. Taking its cues from menswear this season, its heavy on hardware and boasts a deep color palette. The Japanese Paper series has the look of leather, but is made of treated cardboard while the Feutre series looks and feels like felt, but is crafted out of recycled plastic bottles.
Kate D’ Arcy is both designer and model behind the Toggery Collection that is full of contemporary, yet comfortable knits made of eco-friendly fabrics, most of which features ultra-soft organic cotton. “I’ve created a lifestyle brand that enables women to make socially and environmentally conscious decisions about clothing, while still being fashion forward and trend oriented. Everyone needs to do their part but it doesn’t need to be a sacrifice” says Kate.
Her new Fall Collection is right on target with the hot trends of the season featuring royal jewel tones and renaissance-esque sleeves. With versatility in mind, these looks vary from your not-so-typical casual wear to dresses you’d like to be seen in (and remembered) at a cocktail party.
Ahhh….the feel of cashmere! Is there anything like it? This incredibly soft and high quality cashmere is sourced and produced in a remote region of northwestern Mongolia which allows traditional Mongolian herdsman and knitters to sustain their centuries-old craft. This helps them avoid pressures from cheap cashmere markets that lead to over-grazing and desertification.
It’s no secret that I have a love affair with my internet connection but opening up the mailbox and finding a handwritten note that made its way across the miles just for muah makes me giddy each time. Because I have a ‘thing’ for paper and especially unique cards & stationery, I absolutely love it when I come across the recycled sort. But don’t get me wrong, I don’t gravitate towards the dried petals and chunky paper pulp variety.
Making it’s debut at the All Things Organic Expo comes Revolution Organics, a brand new USDA Certified Organic skin/body line fresh out of Canada. “We really wanted to make our products look chic while still maintaining the highest level of organic integrity” says Co-Founder, Melissa Shabinsky. All plastic containers are recyclable and the packaging is made from post consumer recycled content. Their first products including a 22+ uses All Over Body Balm, Skin Creme and Lip Balm are scheduled to launch on Beauty.com October 1st. And that’s not all! Plans to roll out a color collection as well as a bath and body line are in the works and expected to be available later this year through early ‘09.
In April, Macy’s launched their Turning Over A New Leaf campaign and this Fall they plan to expand their natural/organic beauty departments starting on the East Coast. One line they are adding is Pangea Organics, known for their pure formulations, sustainability efforts and cool (biodegradable/compostable) packaging. It’s such great news that the demand for organic beauty products is becoming so great that large retailers cannot ignore it, in turn making it more accessible to everyday consumers. Macy’s is currently accepting applications for Organic Cosmetics Beauty Advisors & Organic Cosmetics Shop Managers positions in the following areas: Herald Square (NY), Philadelphia Center City (PA), Downtown Boston (MA), Roosevelt Field (NY) and Paramus Garden State Plaza (NJ).
I love flipping through Vogue, Lucky or Elle just as much as the next girl, but have longed for a green version. I’m so excited to learn about the new non-glossy Boho, one of the first fashion mags dedicated to eco-fashion, green decor, beauty, travel and lifestyle. It’s aimed at creative, free-spirited, independent women who love fashion and beauty, but also want to make the world a prettier place by giving back and going green. And it’s printed on 100% post consumer recycled, non-glossy paper with soy-based ink! So how do you you know if you’re a Boho girl?
Just launched in February ‘08, Saaf Pure Skincare is a British beauty brand that’s scientifically-researched, carefully formulated and one of the most certified skincare ranges in the world. Accreditations include organic certification from the Soil Association (one of the most stringest certification agencies in the world), certified 100% Vegetarian by the Vegetarian Society, Vegan Society registered, Halal certified (no GMOs, alcohol or irradition) and cruelty-free certified by Naturewatch. From rave reviews of beauty editors and bloggers, to a ”Best Organic Facial Skincare Product“ nomination, to it’s founder honored for her work at Buckingham Palace; this line boasts pure cold-pressed ingredients from a company whose ethos is founded on integrity.
