Green Options

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Finally, A One-Stop Shop That “Gets It”

You eat organically and locally and sustainably. You clean your home with vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda. So why are you still using makeup, moisturizer, and shampoo that contains known carcinogenic chemicals?

Your skin is your body’s largest organ, and its critical jobs include keeping moisture in, excreting waste, regulating body temperature, compensating for the harsh UV sun rays, and creating vitamin D. And think of its powerful connection with the mind and body — you blush when shy, perspire when nervous, and inexplicably, those little hairs on the back of your neck stand straight up when you realize you’re not alone in a dark room.

Especially during these harsh summer months, you owe it to your skin to read every label and understand every ingredient of every product you use on it. And now, going organic and natural has never been easier — or more luxurious.

Futurenatural.com is the place for “responsible hedonism.” A new Sephora for the savvy organic and natural consumer, Futurenatural offers the best organic skin and hair care, makeup, fragrances, and body-loving basics. Owner/”natural beauty junkie”/writer (and former Australian farmer girl) Emma Pezzack has searched the world for organic/natural cosmetics and goodies that are as effective as they are lush. They are also fair-trade and environmentally conscious.

“You can get something that works as well as Estee Lauder, for example, but is 100% organic,” states Pezzack. “All the products we sell are sustainably harvested, consider the environment, and contribute not only to the health of the consumer but the health of the planet.” What’s not to love?!

Futurenatural.com has chosen the brands they sell very carefully, and will soon include some exciting new brand additions such as L’Occitane, ThisWorks, Alaska Glacial Mud Co., Bamford, Stella McCartney, Patyka, Shobha, Jurlique and more. They list full ingredients for each of the products they sell. Don’t recognize what a certain ingredient is?

It’s a well-known fact that I’m an organic & natural beauty junkie, not to mention lip balm addict, scented candle guru, and total body polish freak. So how do you get glowing and gorgeous in one easy step? Body Polish, body scrubs, body exofliants! In my opinion body polish is underrated and under-appreciated as one of the great beauty products of all time.

Body polish or scrubs are usually comprised of sugar [...]

Earlier this week we talked about some DIY tips for a healthy glow in the summer sunshine and we will continue to share skin saving tips throughout summer. Please remember when trying these natural remedies for the skin always use a good full spectrum sun protection (preferably organic). When we’re out in that sexy bikini or sundress always try to have good sun coverage for your special skin type. Stay tuned for our brilliant expert tips on great summer skin here on Feelgood Style.

Today I’d love to share more natural home remedies for glowing skin. Fruits like strawberries and papaya contain enzymes that cleanse the skin of impurities. Avocado is a rich natural moisturizer. Anti-inflammatory skin soothers like cucumber and chamomile prevent redness and calm skin after a gorgeous day in the sunshine.

Chamomile is not only a relaxing tea, but it also calms the skin. This beautiful skin article talks about how to make a simple hot chamomile towel mask to feel refreshed. Some swear by placing cool chamomile tea bags under the eyes to reduce puffy, red or tired eyes.

I also have a great summer tip for this flower. Put a little cool steeped chamomile H20 into a sprtizer bottle, and bring it with you when you are out in the sunshine! If you are a blond or brunette it will lift sunlight highlights in your lovely locks!

Cucumber cools the delicate eye area. Try placing a slice over each eye for a mini facial. For an easy cucumber face toner here is a little recipe. Keep it in the fridge for an added cooling effect after freshening up from a yoga class, brisk walk, or bike ride.

BECOME SUN SAVVY:

1. Sunscreen. Every time you step outside your skin is exposed to UVA & UVB radiation whether it’s a cloudy day or sunny. It’s advisable to apply sunscreen prior to sun exposure and again 20-30 mins after being outdoors if you are in full sun. Apply after swimming regardless of water resistant formulations. The best kinds are those that contain no chemicals and instead use microfine titanium dioxide or zinc oxide that reflect and block the harmful rays from penetrating skin.

2. Find yourself a good natural or organic SPF lip balm that contains good amounts of skin emollients like plant and nut butters to keep your lips protected and smooth.

3. Invest in a decent pair of sunglasses - preferably the wrap around variety to protect the sides of your eyes/face. Good quality lenses are critical to shield the eyes and filter out UVA & UVB rays.

4. Besides a killer pair of gorgeous shades, a hat is the next most important piece of clothing for Summer. There are a huge number of styles out there to satisfy even the most discerning eco-fashionista among you!

5. Throw on cover-up. Lightweight but densely woven clothing is the best thing to act as a barrier. Remember, skin will burn even through your clothing so if you’re spending extended time outdoors, make sure you still have sunscreen on underneath your clothes and move to the shade as much as possible.

6. A pretty parasol or vintage umbrella will not only protect you but can make a beautiful and unique fashion statement.

The sun can boost brain levels of serotonin which is the neurotransmitter directly associated with good mood. Sun induced smiles are so wonderful. The best part is this happens simply when you see sunlght. So while taking a stroll outdoors for an hour is ideal, just ten minutes of fresh sunlight and a little glimmer in your eyes will help more than you know.Today, I’d love to share some glorious, all natural, summer skin savers, many of which you may have in your cupboard. These ingredients are all from nature and may help keep you healthy in the sunshine. Treats like apricots and pomegranate with refreshing tea and aloe coolers create healing elixers that will give you that summer glow naturally.

Green Tea contains Camellia Sinesis (its plant of origin) which is rich in polyphenols. Polyphenols are compounds that demonstrate protection from uv sun damage and prevention of oxidative stress. In fact it had been proven that applying green tea to the skin reduced the number of sunburn cells! I suggest making a toner from your extra tea bags because this summer we need all the skin saving shortcuts we can find.

If you’re the kind of person that likes their skincare straight up with no whizz, bangs, whistles or frills, you’ll love this collection of skincare from Farmaesthetics. Combining the best of organic flowers & herbs from local farms and packaged in chic apothecary style, there’s nothing impure in this line - just the freshest of ingredients.

The Farmaesthetics Cool Aloe Mist in particular is a brilliant multi-tasker [...]

If you insist on getting a tan this Summer (and if you’re like me you can’t resist having a little St Tropez glow, although I must confess … mine comes from a bottle) - or you spend a lot of time outdoors, make sure you arm yourself with sunscreen that offers high SPF and is loaded with botanical skin goodness. The idea is to look golden and gorgeous - not tanned [...]

With Organic Ginkgo, Gotu Kola and B3, this amazing Fresh Start Serum from Stem Organics reads more like a new energy drink than an elixir of life for stressed skins! We know that the biggest cause of aging is sun exposure,  followed closely behind by free radical damage caused by factors such as smoking and polluted [...]

I often wonder why our beauty products do not come with warning labels; most of them are filled with toxins harmful to our bodies and our environment. Ingredients such as parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate, germall, coal tar derivatives, urea, phthalates, toluene, formaldehyde, mineral oil, propylene glycol, triclosan, DEA, TEA, MEA, synthetic fragrances, PEG, BHA, and petroleum. Many of these ingredients have been confirmed to cause a wide range of cancers, reproductive concerns, allergies, and a sizeable list of health problems. Furthermore the ingredients which pollute our bodies also pollute the environment.To see the health effects of your current cosmetics check out the Environment Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database. In the search field of the website, type your brand of cosmetics, or simply type one of its ingredients. Information will appear using a 1–10 ratio scale; 10 being the most harmful brand or ingredient.Your skin is your largest organ. It is porous; everything you apply on your body seeps into your pores. Therefore, what you put on your body is as important as what you put in it. Why not use beauty products kind to animals, kind to the planet, and kind to you?

What’s the solution?After much research concerning cosmetics which are safe, yet provide the desired results, I’ve found a great website to share: Holistic Beauty.

When I decided to move to Southern California, well-meaning friends worried about my fair complexion. “I’ll just be known as ‘the girl with the hat,’” I replied breezily, while thinking to myself “…and the long sleeves, and the bandana around my neck.” And while I’ve been very successful at keeping my skin protected from the sun, I never imagined how freaking dry it is out here. Really dry. Desert dry.

I’m happy to report I’ve found a new oil that helps soothe and heal my dry and irritated skin: organic neem oil. Of course, it’s not new to everyone in India, where it’s been used in the Ayurvedic tradition for thousands of years. All parts of the neem tree (seeds, leaves, flowers, and bark) are used for preparing many different medical preparations, including anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, and sedative.

Arcona is a genius natural skin healing line created by a chemist and pioneer in holistic skin care “long before it became trendy, she developed skin care products and treatments that would provide Hollywood celebrities—and women and men everywhere—with an alternative to cosmetic surgery and other harsh treatments to forestall the effects of aging.”

Their products may be found online and at select spas offering facials. None contain petrochemicals, binders or fillers, chemical stabilizers, parabens, sodium lauryl sulphates, perfumes, dyes, or any caustic, toxic ingredients.All Arcona ingredients are enzymatic-based which means they include high concentrations of antioxidants, plant lipids and extracts, sea vegetables, essential oils, vitamins and minerals. Think of live food for your skin in a sense. Since everything we put on our skin is absorbed by our bodies, the richer the nutrients the healthier our skin becomes.

ARCONA has a philosophy of beauty springing from within and truly believe everyone’s skin can and should look beautiful at any age whatever their history.