Green Options

Terri Bly, green beauty maven and president of The Nature of Beauty, offers some suggestions for prioritizing purchases when switching from commercial to non-toxic beauty products.

John Masters is quickly becoming one of my favorite organic beauty brands. I love the hair products and now I am really loving the green tea and rose hydrating facial serum. It keeps my skin smooth without feeling weighed down or greasy, which so many moisturizers do, even natural ones.

John Masters green tea and rose hydrating facial serum is very light weight, perfect for summer moisture. The scent reminds me of black licorice which is not an unpleasant aroma for me, sweet and a little heady but pleasant.

UK based Amarya is a spectacular eco spa that also shines as a stunning example of international organic beauty shops today. At Amarya they only sell organic and natural beauty products that are 100% free from chemicals and all have been certified the Soil Association, Ecocert and BDIH.

All Amarya’s organic product offerings are online, yet if you live in the UK, go check out their in store organic lines and book a session if you have the time. They offer an exotic array of treatments at their exclusive eco spa.

It’s not all about the skin and hair, we have to keep those pearly whites in top form as well.  But, as you have probably noticed, it is difficult to find toothpaste in your favorite super market or drugstore aisles that are not full of unwanted ingredients – like added fluoride, whiteners, Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and chemical preservatives.  Not only are these ingredients unnecessary, they are harmful to your health.

Earthbody is an eco spa in San Francisco that believes their path is to provide truly holistic therapy in balance with the Earth for the benefit of the body. “Rooted in contemplative practice and inspired by ancient healing traditions, we offer restorative bodywork, organic skincare, and herbal rituals through ecologically responsible principles.”

Earthbody’s guiding principles are simple:

“The body cycles through a daily process of balance and imbalance. Tuning into where we store tension can be the beginning of awakening to our full potential. We work structurally to release habitual patterns deep in the body…EarthBody Therapists have a background in Eastern and Western philosophies namely Thai, Shiatsu, Deep Tissue, Myofascial release, Trigger Point, and BodyMind Centering principles.”

Earthbody spa cares deeply about the body and the planet, believing that we can nurture both simultaneously.

Terri Bly, president and founder of The Nature of Beauty, interviews mineal makeup pioneer Jane Iredale about her company’s goals, vision, and safety standards, as well as her views on the natural makeup movement, the Skin Deep database, and more. An insightful conversation with the creator of the world’s first mineral-based makeup line.

I have the organic make up starter kit in black, which features black eyeliner and mascara from Lavera. Paraben-free, cruelty free, all natural…and beautifully black with no irritation. My eyes were loving these products.

The Lavera black eyeliner glided on smooth and left a perfect black line that really stood out. So smooth and easy to use. No hard pencil that pulls at the skin, just smooth perfection. And the mascara…

I have found another product from Brittanie’s Thyme that I am in love with. The Organic Citrus Facial Cleanser. It is made with organic aloe gel, organic jojoba oil, 100% natural vegetable glycerin and grapefruit and rosemary organic essential oils.

I never would have thought that oils could cleanse my skin.

Summer heat, crazy humidity, air conditioning, pool water…our hair gets assaulted throughout the summer with fluctuating temperatures, weather conditions, and contact with chemicals. Give your hair a little extra help bouncing back to it’s natural beauty with John Masters Lavender and Avocado Intensive Conditioner.

John Masters Organics are USDA certified organic and they are “committed to using the finest, most therapeutic organic ingredients on the planet”.

When you were young did your parents, or maybe grandparents, have those tins of strange vapor rub like goo they called balms or maybe salves?

My grandma had them for all sorts of things, from muscle rubs and arthritis relief to remedies for colds and flu.

Those are what Badger Balms kinda remind me of, though they smell and feel much better than those old metal tins full of questionable balms and salves. But they remind me of my grandma and give me that nostalgic feeling of comfort.

Greening Hollywood Guild by Guild’s founder, Paige Donner, interviews Rachelle Carson Begley on the importance of using clean cosmetics.