Green Options

If you know anything at all about physics, you’ll know that every living thing is suffused with energy and each individual plant & animal resonates with its own unique vibrational pattern. These energy frequencies are said to contain healing elements that when harnessed in the right way and instilled in a carrier of some kind, can infuse their restorative effects into your skin. Much like the way Homeopathy works, this new skincare line from SKINAGAIN uses state-of-the-art computerized technology called Dermavibe, to capture over 300+ energy frequencies ranging from bach flowers to aloe vera to crystals, which are then transferred into a metallic conductor at the bottom of a healing serum.

Hardly as obssessive as the Japanese or Michael Jackson when it comes to lightening skin, I am definitely a sucker for anything that promises to ‘brighten’ and even the tone of my not bright, and definitely not even, skin tone.  It may sound like a genius marketing ploy but here’s where that old adage that ‘if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is’, actually doesn’t apply. Nature holds a vast treasure trove of spectacularly potent ingredients from plants & fruits that are being discovered and isolated every day. One of the newest to hit the market is the Amla Fruit in the form of a new Skin Brightening Lotion by Anokha.

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.

Well known for gracing the trays of antipasto everywhere and a regular feature in a vodka martini, the olive has far more illustrious uses than that of sophisticated snack or simple garnish. Olive oil has been used for thousands of years for eating & cooking. And lest no part of this miracle plant go unnoticed, olive leaf extracts are one of nature’s most potent antioxidants - up to 100 times more powerful than echinacea for boosting immunity. You can freeze it, burn it or cut it down, and the Olive Tree always reappears. The leaves stay on olive trees for seven years and develop a waxy coating for protection against harsh climate conditions that when scraped back, after all that time, reveal a bright-green, young leaf underneath! Conceived and created by Laurent Baussan, son of L’Occitane (no introduction needed) founder Olivier Baussan, the Oliv laboratories have found the secret to skin longevity in the olive leaf, then combined it with the moisturizing properties of green tea, edelweiss & aloe vera to produce this new organic skincare collection called Oliv.

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 [...]

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.

I have had the wonderful privilege to test many natural and organic skincare products over the last couple of years. If I had any illusions about how sensitive my skin really is, they are now shattered. I’ve had adverse reactions to some of the most ‘clean’ sounding products out there. So, as I’ve said before in previous posts on skincare reviews, I am like the canary in the coal mine - if there is anything even slightly off about a product, my skin will react - with blooming color usually!

I still can’t keep all the ‘good for me’ from ‘you DON’T want this on your skin’ ingredients straight. I start breaking out in a rash trying to pronounce the name of some of these ingredients - both natural and synthetic. So, if you are wanting a breakdown of the ingredients and what to use and what not to use, please don’t expect that kind of detail here. I’ll give you a couple of good links at the end of the post for better resources.

I do look for simple, organic ingredients that are put together with some consciousness, which perhaps is why I do well with stuff made from biodynamically grown herbs. It is easy for me - it is either clean or I break out, but I would encourage others who may have heartier skin to do additional homework on safe ingredients.

Meg’s Organic Skincare Favs for 2008

With 800 new beauty products launched last year and a market with increasing value in the billions, I’ve been consistently floored at the glaring gap in products targeted toward young girls & teens. The choices for women have become saturated along with products for babies, not a bad thing when you consider how much impact natural & organic beauty brands are having in the market. However, the category aimed at anyone [...]

I’m usually dragged into the colder months with resignation and resolve… a kind of grin and bear it mantra firmly planted in my psyche to get me through. I’ve decided that this year I need to change my paradigm to one that embraces the change of seasons and welcomes all the good things about chilly weather! So while it might seem like early days, with holiday season upon us it seems appropriate to start reviewing some gorgeous gift ideas that will keep your spirit warm & cosy over the next few months.

If you’re in NYC this week (or all the time), head over to Henri Bendel today through Sunday for absolutely free mini-makeovers by Suki makeup artist Melanie Isett.  As one of my favorite skincare and cosmetic lines, each bottle and jar comes chocked full of bioactive organic ingredients created for even the most sensitive of skin types.  I completely agree with Sophie Uliano, author of Gorgeously Green when she wrote ”Suki has developed one of my favorite skin care lines.  The products are every bit as wonderful as high-end products, but they are free of synthetics, GMO ingredients, petrochemicals, fragrances and dyes and animal ingredients“.  To register for your free makeover:

Kathy Phillips has an impressive pedigree as ex Vogue Beauty Director, and now International Beauty Director for all Conde Nast Asia Fashion Magazines. It should be no surprise then that her own beauty line, This Works, has attracted a string of accolades and awards (Times Best 100 Beauty Products, Instyle Best Body Oil, Marie Claire Prix D’Excellence… you get the picture) not to mention a cult following. Compelled to find out what all the fuss is about I recently tried the Deep Dry Leg Oil and I have to tell you I’m as hooked as everyone else.