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Neroli Rose

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But I have been keeping an eye out for great eco-friendly products that are reasonably priced (like $25 and under) that would make great gifts and stocking stuffers.

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One natural lubricant that I have tried and adore is Sylk.

Sylk and Sensation by Sylk are personal lubricants made from New Zealand kiwi fruit vine extract.

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The cold and flu season is upon us, and when it hits home, it’s hard to imagine anything that makes a girl feel less attractive than puffy eyes and…ok, I’ll just say it…snot dripping down her face. So when I was attacked by a particularly kleenex-intensive virus, I was desperate for a little luxury, something to soothe the sinuses and provide a bit of pampering. In the midst of my misery, I reached for my Kaeline Hammam Savon Noir exfoliating paste while in the shower. It contains only a few ingredients, of which Eucalyptus Globulus is a big one. I figured if Eucalyptus was good enough for the vapour rub my mom rubbed on my chest when I was a kid, this 100% natural body soap may do more than exfoliate, soothe, and refresh my skin.   

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I had the chance to sample some of the amazing products from Donah’s Passions, and while all the products are wonderful, my favorite by far is the Elemental Seaweed Body Scrub.

If you love a good body scrub this one is for you because not only will it make your skin look and feel glorious it will make you feel better inside as well.

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Always the intrepid investigative journalist, I braved crosstown traffic to respond to a tip about a salon using all natural hair color. Shades Natural Hair Color Studio was founded by Susan Henry in 2006. She was a very successful colorist, with hundreds of Hollywood A-list clients. But around 2001, she became so ill from ammonia poisoning, she could no longer work in a salon. Inspired by her daughter’s botany studies, she developed an ammonia-free, all-natural product in order to continue doing the work she loves.

Susan carefully selects each product she carries and uses in the salon, interrogating the manufacturers even as they avoid divulging their secret formulae. Her products are also sold online, and she just released a boxed version of the home coloring kit which may soon be available in stores. The colors I saw on other clients were lovely, and I immediately recommended it to a friend who is prematurely grey and has been coloring her hair for ages.

In the photo, Susan touches up the gorgeous red on a regular client.

Tina explained to me that many of their clients are cancer survivors who understand as few others do the traumatic effects of the chemicals in our lives. While the health of clients is important, I could not help but think about the health of the stylists who spend the majority of their waking hours inhaling all manner of toxic chemicals. Unlike other salons, I walked in and smelled nothing, even with color clients present. And of course they didn’t have the ubiquitous Prop 65 warning on the door. I recalled a nail salon I’d visited in Spain with such poor ventilation I could barely stand it, so this was a real treat. The nail polish Shades uses is free of toluene and formaldehyde, and the mani included a wonderful oil & sugar scrub.

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In the past we’ve highlighted some green events from the Clary Sage Organics boutique, and now we’re here to share their line of healing wellness solutions. Each CSO wellness formula comes in the form of nutraceuticals, liquid tinctures and medicinal teas. Clary Sage emphasizes the proper use of nutraceuticals and they offer solutions to six of the most common conditions so you can self heal in the areas of:

• wellness/weight loss
• energy, mood and stress
• hormones
• digestive cleansing
• immunity

Here is a quick overview of how they can help in each of these areas:

Energy Enhance - “With its increasingly hectic pace, modern life can leave you feeling frazzled, fuzzy, and fatigued.” The Energy Enhance wellness line is designed to bring balance to your adrenal glands and will infuse energy back into your life.

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This year’s edition of US Hair, published by US Weekly Magazine, included a one-page feature on natural hair care, based on an interview with one cosmetic chemist. My initial optimism was quickly snuffed out when I read that apparently my hair was dirty, because I needed synthetic cleansers - specifically, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate - to effectively cleanse the mop. Say what now?

To be sure, these misconceptions aren’t limited to one magazine, making it that much more important to dispell these urban legends whenever possible. So after running my fingers through my hair to make sure I hadn’t been sporting dirty tresses for the last year (my head felt quite clean, I’m pleased to report), I called Wil Baker, co-founder of the award-winning Max Green Alchemy line of natural hair care, to see if perhaps he could help set the record straight.

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What did they find? Well, the FDA scientists found lead in every brand of lipstick that they tested, but they don’t consider the toxic metal a safety concern.

OMG! Seriously. Back in 2007 the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics first blew the whistle on lead filled lipsticks finding that 61% of the 33 brands they tested contained some levels of lead. Shortly after the results were released to the public the US FDA said they’d look into it. Gee, it only took 3 years.

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Let’s say you’re new to the whole eco-friendlier beauty thing. You finished reading Not Just A Pretty Face, and are motivated to chuck your leaded lipstick, plasticized foundation and petroleum-packed moisture cream with plans to replace them all with gorgeously green glamour.

And then you start shopping, and quickly get overwhelmed. Where to start? What to buy? How to prioritize? How to make it happen while still having enough money to eat?

As with pretty much everything I do, my approach to greening my beauty kit was fairly melodramatic; in short, I spent outrageous amounts of money replacing everything all at once. I do not necessarily endorse this strategy, and neither does my credit card statement, so if you are saner than I am and want to pace yourself as you green your makeup bag, here are a few tips to help you prioritize your purchases:

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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.

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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.

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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.

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In the early 1990’s, film and television product Jane Iredale was increasingly disturbed by the damage chemical-based makeup was doing to her actresses, most of whom had little choice but to wear massive amounts of it on a daily basis. Despite having no background in cosmetics, Iredale set out to create a professional-quality base to replace the pore-suffocating foundations that were de rigueur in Hollywood. Her solution? A little known concept called mineral foundation.

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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…

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

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

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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.

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