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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1. Raw, organic coconut oil: The virtues of this miracle oil are just about endless. Containing 50% lauric acid, a rare medium chain fatty acid found in mother’s milk, coconut oil is now being studied for its’ anti-fungal, anti-viral, and anti-bacterial properties. Not to mention it’s 92% saturated fat - need we explain the emollient qualities? Savvy island ladies have been using it for centuries but we use it for: cuticle and nail conditioning, body oil, hair treatment, wound healing, skin moisturizing, eating, cooking, drinking. Every household should have a tub!

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An online oasis for natural face and body products, B-cause (or beautywithacause.com) provides healthy and affordable cosmetics for a woman’s beauty regimen while doing its part for beauty in society as well, with 10% of all proceeds going towards breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and scleroderma research. You’ll find mineral makeup, facial cleansers, toners, and moisturizers, as well as hair care, fluoride-free toothpaste, and a few products for men, too. Every product offered on the site meets the self-imposed standards of Beauty With a Cause for safe, natural ingredients, affordability, operating ethics, and animal kindness.

In her own search for truly natural beauty products, owner Julie Ann Price found a way to not just effect change in the world of cosmetics, but to do it with style. “Beauty is a measure of how much women love themselves,” says Price. “B-cause wants to be a trusted resource for women where they can shop for effective skin care and vibrant cosmetics knowing that the owner is as concerned as they are that the products are both beautiful and safe. I use what I sell and I believe in my products.”

Currently the FDA lacks stringent guidelines for natural beauty products. If only 1% of the ingredients used in a product are organic, the product can have an “organic” label. B-cause has an “Ingredients to Avoid” list and it’s a little frightening to see how many of these ingredients appear in products that are probably on most bathroom shelves.

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Keep it stashed in your bag during Summer heat to spritz all over as a refreshing, light, easily applied moisture solution that will leave you smelling gorgeous. Pop the top, spray and voila! A great addition to any ‘must have’ list for Summer.