Green Options

One of the largest challenges for those of us who have been using natural and organic products for a while has been the obstacle of finding these responsible beauty care lines. If the “green movement” has done anything, it has opened doors for eco-friendly companies previously seen as niche to be distributed at mass retail.

While some may have objections to these big box retailers, such as WalMart, Target and even department stores, like Macy’s, recently, they have brought affordable organic and natural beauty options to the mass market. I’ve spent a few years covering luxury products and all natural spa treatments at luxe spas and boutiques, but with the shift in the economy, it’s really nice to be able to cover readily available and in some cases now, more affordable alternatives. Here is a list of where I have spied some of my favorite paraben-free, phalate free, organic, natural, etc. brands and products.

Life is full of guilty pleasures depending on your choice of vices and though I’ve never been a chocolate kinda gal, I do have a penchant for delicious, ridiculously luxurious organic bath + body products. Shamelessly self-indulgent when it comes to self-pampering rituals, I’m a major fan of anything that beautifies my day whether it’s spraying my sheets at night with a sleep inducing, instantly relaxing organic mist, or using an organic shower gel in the morning that kick starts my day with more stimulation than a double espresso! We all know that plants do more than just smell pretty and the new line of premier Body Care from Because Skincare is a fine example of a carefully conceived, beautifully formulated collection of body products - Because good skincare is not just for your face!

There was a time when conversations surrounding elasticity, loss of collagen, sagging and lack of tone, were for me like hearing someone speak in a foreign language. Convinced I’d somehow and miraculously been blessed with ever youthful skin, I never paid much attention - until now that is. Whether you’re there already or you think this is something that doesn’t apply to you, it’s never too early or late to start using skincare that addresses these very issues. Now, let it be said I’m a total skeptic (and more than a little jaded) when it comes to product claims, having worked with and tried just about everything. My latest discovery however, more than lives up to its rep and having used it for the last six wks, I can verify that my skin feels noticeably smoother, firmer and more radiant.

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

Kaia Bamboo Facial Cleansing Cloths are a brilliant, 3-in-1 quick cleansing solution that removes all traces of makeup, daily grime & buildup. Inspired by a sustainable clothing designer, not only is bamboo cashmere soft to touch making it perfect for sensitive skins & eye makeup removal, it is naturally antimicrobial and antifungal, requiring no pesticides to grow. Formulated to bring convenience to our lives with essentially three products in [...]

Looking for the perfect green gift for Valentine’s Day, a birthday, or perhaps an upcoming anniversary? The eco-goddess in your life may love Shea Terra’s Pomegranate and Chocolate Love Kit. This delightful in the pink love kit contains three bath and body products containing organic shea butter, pomegranate oil, and fair trade African herbs and oils and  scented with the sweet fragrance of natural pink guava. To play into every girl’s chocolate cravings the kit also contains a box of fair trade dark chocolate or milk chocolate hearts. Hmmm…yummy. And the whole kit is packaged in a pretty pink handmade sinamay bag that can be reused.

As a sun worshipper many years ago, who giddily slapped on coconut oil and eagerly awaited the burn I’d get after hours of baking, I’m now suffering the effects of too much exposure. The greatest cause of skin damage including premature aging, discoloration, fine lines, pigmentation, is the sun. Period. Free-radicals are formed with over exposure which run rampant, cause havoc and breakdown the very structure of skin, which leads to all of the above. Ah, if only I’d listened to my mother admonishing my bad sun habits! Too late for hindsight, but not too late for some enlightenment. Aveda are about to release a new skincare line called Enbrightenment, an entire line containing a plant-powered, skin brightening blend.

Futurenatural have been featured before on Feelgood Style and I couldn’t agree more with the peeps over at Nylon Magazine. Here’s some scoop in case you haven’t yet heard of Futurenatural and some reasons why Nylon got all starry-eyed, saying “Our new favorite store let’s you be an Earth angel. How much time can you really spend in Sephora sifting through beauty labels? How much stuff should you trash to be “eco friendly? It’s a tough situation, but we’ve found something to make it easier:  Futurenatural, a modern organic beauty boutique.”

For girls who love makeup, the perfect red lipstick is as essential as air, water, fashion. Red has graced some of the sexiest lips around and it’s actually a very forgiving color for anyone to wear if you find the right shade. Gwen Stefani always rocks the perfect pout. Problem is, if you’ve ever mounted a search to find what should be a ubiquitous item - you’ll know as well [...]

Terri Bly reviews The Green Beauty Guide by Julie Gabriel.

With green living, homeopathy and natural alternatives growing in popularity, soap makers are springing up around the world, concocting magical creations of coconut and lime in gleaming, glycerin-infused goodness that cleanse the body, mind and soul. 

Oh, and your hands too!

Growing up in my house, ‘handmade’ soap consisted of my mother gathering up all the remaining bits of bar soap from the shower and bathtubs, tossing them into a container with some water and shaking it up.  “Voila, hand soap!” she would state proudly.  But her objectives were to save money, not create a luxurious lather to soothe and soften the skin.  And, trust me, an acrid amalgum of Dial and Irish Spring was anything but soothing! 

But today’s handmade soaps are a beneficial blend of nourishing nutrients, rich with essential oils and alleviating aromatherapy that care for the skin and calm the senses.  And because they’re chemical-free, they’re an eco-friendly alternative to their caustic counterparts, making them a great way to indulge yourself and the earth.