A study released by Mintel last week showed that the number of beauty products labeled ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ are at an all-time high, up 23% from 2007.  This is great news for anyone who’s been frustrated in the past by the lack of ethical, healthy, natural options.  While there are several reliable brands that have been around for years – like Burt’s Bees and Kiss My Face – there are those occasions when you find that you just don’t like the scent, texture or color of a product and wish you had more to choose from.

Unfortunately, I’ve definitely noticed a huge increase in the number of products labeled or marketed as ‘natural’, that have long lists of ingredients including things like irritants, synthetic fragrance, animal-based substances and even carcinogens.  That’s bound to be a downside to the boom in natural cosmetics and personal care products, so we’ve got to be on the lookout for companies who don’t give a second thought to greenwashing their products so they can make a buck off the natural/organic market.

At least some companies are being honest and backing up their claims, though. From Brandweek:

“What we saw a lot of in 2007 was products that said ‘natural’ or ‘organic’ but when you turned it over, you couldn’t pronounce any of the ingredients . . . Now there is a level of natural, organic and ethical philosophies behind these products,” said Mintel senior beauty analyst Taya Tomasello. She added that manufacturers try to convey these philosophies through either environment-friendly packaging or organic certifications on product labels.

Consumers are wising up to greenwashing, luckily, and in the future getting away with false claims won’t be nearly as easy as it has been in the past. Some companies, like The Body Shop, are making big commitments that other brands will have to compete against, like making 80% of its products preservative-free by 2010 and using 100% recycled PET bottles by the end of this year.

All in all it’s a good time for anyone who cares about what’s in the products we put in and on our bodies, where they came from and who made them. Companies are slowly realizing that they won’t be able to get away with poisoning us and the environment much longer.

Resources:
Check what’s in your fave products at super-searchable Cosmetics Safety Database
Find truly natural products at these awesome natural beauty supply stores: Beautorium, FutureNatural, and Kaia House.

First off, As a green doula, I have to applaud Angelina for gracing the cover of the new W magazine while breastfeeding. Awesome that the photographer just so happened to be her husband, Brad Pitt. Angelina is inspirational because she has confidently taken a stand and is sending a message loud and clear. Women who are mothers are naturally beautiful and breastfeeding is a normal natural phenomenon that should be accepted as a social norm.

Though the cover picture is just a simple black and white photo, and there were no fancy film crews in their home, there still remains evident a beautiful halo of motherhood.

Breastfeeding is healthy and super beneficial for mother and child. It is unfortunate that over the years, breastfeeding has been given a taboo cloak, though that does seem to be slowly changing. Because of these tainted views, many women aren’t given the freedom, encouragement and support that they need to give nutrients to their child, build their immune systems, reduce a their own risk of certain types of cancer, and more.

With this cover, a dialogue can begin again.

Secondly, Brad Pitt has collaborated with beauty brand Kiehl’s to create the first ever Cradle-to-Cradle certified beauty product (environmentally safe, healthy , designed for material reutilization,etc.)  The Aloe Vera Liquid Body Cleanser that Brad helped design and developed the scent, debuts this month.

He also wrote a little message on the label to inform everyone where proceeds from their purchase will go:

Despite the negative tabloidization of their lives, I think Brangelina are amazing and inspirational.

Emerald The OC by Ecoist

With a marketing and venture capital background, the Marcoschamer brothers had always wanted to develop a brand to which they could also apply meaning, soul and longevity. The goal was “more than just profit, it was about leaving a mark”, says Ecoist Cofounder Jonathan Marcoschamer.

Jonathan spoke to me about a 2004 family trip during which he visited his country of origin- Mexico. There, he saw crafts made by artisans from a non profit organization called The Group to Promote Education and Sustainable Development (GRUPEDSAC). This organization helps underprivileged citizens in rural Mexico gain skills to become self sufficient. They’re taught sustainable farming and agricultural methods, techniques for harvesting rainwater, and crafts. Among the crafts, the Marcoschamers discovered interesting bags made of recycled candy wrappers which they bought back with them to Miami, where they currently reside.

Gold Ombre Botero bag by Ecoist

“It was a rough design version, but we saw a great story, concept and opportunity for improving the quality, fashion and styling of these products and taking them to the next level,” explained Jonathan. A partnership was created, which continues today. After improving their styles and colors, the Marcoschamers began selling the bags in Miami, and following an initial positive response, took them to trade shows.

Currently working with companies like Coca-Cola, Aveda and Clif Bar, Ecoist incorporates a variety of recycled materials including misprints and discontinued lines from food packages and soda labels. Ecoist has now distinguished 3 different collections within the line. Luxe, Flavors, and the original Classics. Practically waterproof, the Ecoist collection of bags offers a huge range of colors and styles.

Chocolate Baguette by Ecoist
Ombre Botero Ecoist Bag

Now that we’re deep into October and cool weather has dominated for over a month here in the mountains of Western North Carolina where I live, I’ve had a chance to try out some fantastic products that evoke the spirit of the season in scent, color and texture. Some are new finds while others are tried-and-true favorites.  Here are my top 5 fave products of fall, from cosmetics to natural perfume oils.

Dr. Hauschka Lipstick in 04 – This warm, deep red has a hint of shimmery copper.  The creamy formula keeps my lips moisturized with shea butter, carrot extract and jojoba wax, but isn’t so slick that it disappears quickly.  A very flattering companion for earth-tone fall fashion.

John Masters Honey & Hibiscus Hair Reconstructor – Starting in the fall, my hair needs a bit more moisture than in late spring and summer.  I use this delicious-smelling reconstructor twice weekly to keep my hair soft, shiny and strong.  While many deep conditioners and reconstructors tend to cause hair color to fade, this one allows me to keep my deep red much longer.

Pacifica ‘Spanish Amber’ Soap – Pacifica is known for irresistable scents, and Spanish Amber is no exception.  It’s got just the right combination of notes for fall – woody, resinous and slightly sweet with just a hint of citrus. Pacifica soaps are vegan, biodegradable, cruelty-free and made of vegetable glycerin and natural oils and essences.

Trilogy Cream Cleanser – While my skin tends toward the oily side, in the fall it turns decidedly combination with dry patches galore.  This creamy cleanser, packed with organic rosehip oil, carrot oil and orange blossom, is light enough to keep my skin soft without causing breakouts.

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab ‘Sin’ Perfume Oil - I can’t say enough good things about these vegan, cruelty-free scents made of plant-derived oils. They’re perfect for adding to massage oils or making your own scented products, sans toxic synthetic fragrances.  A great way to try them out is to order yourself a set of sample vials, referred to on BPAL as ‘imp’s ears’.  My fall favorite scent, called ‘Sin’, is a blend of amber, sandalwood, black patchouli and cinnamon.

Green Girls Global shows off the gorgeous jewelry made from antique and reclaimed glass by artist Laura Bergman.

Eco Chick dishes about four of the season’s sexiest sustainable shoes!

Victoria Everman reviews the effective, affordable, and artistic oral care line from Radius.

Safia Minney shares her eco style tips with Greenmystyle.com.

Fashion, Evolved. blogs about poverty and fashion for Blog Action Day.

GreenGirls.tv presents their weekly video wrap up.

Green Cotton reports on her recent trip to Belize!

Get a glimpse of the highlights from the European fashion weeks on DC Goodwill Fashions!

Green Gretchen got engaged and tells us all about conflict free diamonds!

Fig+Sage gives us the scoop about Saffron Rouge, the new organic line by

The good news is that I really don’t need much in the way of new shoes this Autumn. But I have been feeling decidedly dowdy of late and I realized I don’t really wear very sexy shoes (cool shoes, interesting shoes, comfortable shoes, arty shoes, fabulous shoes, yes, I have all of those, but sexy shoes? Not a ONE!). I thought I would share the results of my quest with you.

The Peacock, shown above, is available at Embodies.

These yellow pumps from Form and Fauna are very Mad Men, and like the buxom readhead on the show, totally droolworthy. All F&F shoes are vegan and have major eco-cred: “Upper is a biodegradable synthetic, heel is made from scrap alder wood, insole liner is open cell rubber”. NICE!

Sexy and classy all tied up together. These are available at Ped.

Everyone who knows me knows I’m a little obsessed with Cydwoq shoes. Their women’s boots and sandals are absolute knockouts (I’ve had a pair of sandals for about three years from this company, and they are wearing beautifully and they are my MOST comfortable sandals ever). All styles are made from vegetable-tanned and naturally dyed leather, handmade in Burbank California, and these above are so hot! The men’s shoes and boots are really fantastic too, and worth checking out.

These Linneah bootie-slingbacks are sexy in that “I can kick your ass if I want to” way. They’re available at Nimli.

Cri de Coeur (which is Francais for “Cry from the Heart”) is a brand-new line of vegan shoes from Greenpoint, Brooklyn-based designer Gina Ferraraccio. Cri offsets it’s carbon with carbonfund.org AND plants a tree for every shoe purchased.

The demure/whorish Cinnamon pumps are available on the Charmone site.

These Charmone beauties are flirty-flirty; perfect for holiday parties with pretty frocks or would be an unexpected, interesting contrast with grey skinny jeans for a workday. Velvet AND satin in the same shapely package, they are vegan, sweatshop-free and ecofriendly, as are all Charmone shoes.

The lovely blog, Ma Vie en Vert was inspired by this post and added some more great green shoes to my list. Check their list out too!

Coco Eco Magazine is the brainchild of Anna Griffin, who’s known in the LA scene for keeping tabs on ecotrends, hooking celebs up with green, and has hosted videos for Ecorazzi. She put together a superstar team for her mag:

I have the best and brightest people in the eco-scene working with me. They really are mavericks! My Beauty Director is Emma Pezzack, CEO of Futurenatural.com, our Photo Director is Courtney Dailey who is one of the hottest new photographers in LA, and our Senior Stylist is Robin Garvick who is THE eco-celeb fashion stylist in town. We also have Contributors like the legendary Barbara Kramer of Designers & Agents, Stefanie La Rue, breast cancer survivor and Founder of SLAM.

Read more about the mag (which launches officially this weekend!) on The Greenloop blog.

Peppermint is Australia’s first ecofashion magazine, and it’s first issue is chock full of fabulous green resources from Down Under. In an interview with Remy C on The Greenloop blog, the editor of Peppermint, Kelley Sheenan, runs down the list of Aussie and Kiwi ecodesigners and natural beauty products (excerpt below-the whole interview is worth checking out!):

It’s an exciting time as eco fashion is still in it’s infancy in this part of the world, so there are some fabulous new designers emerging now as the ‘green’ consciousness spreads – leading the way would definitely be Gorman, Akira, Bird Textile, Skin & Threads, Bassike, Darling Clementine, Elsom; all of which are world-class designers.

However there are lots of small labels that are appearing too – like Heidi and Seek, Fourth Daughter, Mother Maria, Kara Smith, Moneypenny, Thea & Sami, Rebecca Ward Jewellery… I could go on and on! There are some great green designers in New Zealand too - Untouched World, Starfish, and Kowtow all deserve a mention.

Natural skincare and cosmetics is definitely an area that is well-represented in this part of the world, with beautiful chemical-free products coming from companies like Miessence (the world’s first skin care range certified organic to food standards), Sanctum, Jurlique, Living Nature, and Perfect Potion. Model, photographer and activist Hannah Fraser is someone we hope to work with (known for her trip to Japan with Hayden Panettiere) and of course Isabel Lucas, who you may have seen in Alter Eco on Planet Green.

Read the original entry for links to all the brands listed above!

I haven’t read Sweden’s EcoQueen Magazine- I’ve only heard about it, but from the cover the editors are obviously taking a very light-hearted look into green fashion. Here’s what one Swedish blogger had to say about the first issue’s contents:

EcoQueen, who’s attitude towards ecological aspects could at best be described as more playful. Even Vecko-Revyn is publishing a piece on ecological dresses from several Swedish fashion companies. However, they focus more on H&M than thoroughly ecological clothing company DEMCollective (also based in Göteborg) who act as true societal entrepreneurs using their company to impact the clothing industry.

Spread from EcoQueen Magazine. Courtesy of Remy C.

I’ve heard bamboo flooring is more eco-friendly than traditional pine or oak. Is this true?
—Cara Truhlar, Montpelier, VT

At first glance, bamboo is as green as it gets. It grows like a weed (technically, it’s a grass) and can reach harvestable height in three to five years. This crop—also native to the Americas—sequesters carbon more efficiently than slow-growing oak forests, which can take 10 times as long to reach maturity.

Bamboo is grown most extensively in China for commercial products, but—here’s the hitch—it can become invasive if not properly managed. Widely acclaimed for its prolific growth, bamboo doesn’t usually require fertilizers and pesticides for optimal yields. However, once it’s cut, most bamboo is treated with chemical preservatives, as is the case with some other mainstream flooring materials, says Brad Salmon, president of the American Bamboo Society. These issues should factor into a product’s measure of sustainability.

The Forest Stewardship Council, the main green-wood accreditor, has just started evaluating U.S. bamboo producers, and so far it has okayed only one company, Smith & Fong Co. If you’re shopping for bamboo flooring, it’s best to start with taking a hard look at its source. Bamboo grows in some of the most threatened ecosystems in Southeast Asia and Central America.

Look for planks made from farmed, not wild, bamboo. Also “keep its whole life cycle in mind,” says Stowe Hartridge-Beam, program manager for indoor-air quality at Scientific Certification Systems, an industry-recognized third-party certifier. “How is the product manufactured and transported? Is it recyclable when it reaches the end of its life?” He says these questions must be asked of a bamboo floor salesperson or the manufacturer; they should be able to provide answers. Remember, bamboo, like any wood, needs additional sealants if you want to use it in a place that gets wet, like a bathroom or kitchen.

Ask for varnishes and glues that have low volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, and that also adhere to California Section 01350, the highest air-quality standard for these products. Always buy the most sustainable products you can afford. You’re worth it.

For more details on the bamboo debate, specifically bamboo that’s used for clothing, check out the excellent coverage on The Greenloop’s blog.

This question and answer originally published in the Green Guru column of Audubon Magazine written by Starre Vartan.

It’s finally October, my favorite month of the year – and that means Halloween is right around the corner. Like many other holidays, Halloween can be pretty wasteful.  There’s a lot of trash left behind once the holiday is over including candy wrappers and flimsy plastic costumes, not to mention the energy used to power electric decorations and the pesticides in conventional pumpkins.  You can still enjoy Halloween and avoid these eco-foibles, though – check out these 6 tips, which are chock full of resources for green Halloween fun.

Use what you’ve already got at home, or shop at the thrift store for costume components.  Never buy those cheap throwaway costumes that fall apart after one night.  You can easily put together something far more impressive just by getting a little creative with your materials, and you don’t have to spend a ton of money.  Get creative with scrap fabric, thrift store clothing and accessories, and even cardboard.  If you’re looking for some non-toxic, vegan Halloween make-up, Etsy shop Pink Quartz Minerals is a great place to start.

Buy organic pumpkins, and use every part of them.  Don’t let those seeds go to waste! They’re delicious roasted, or you can simply allow them to dry and leave them out for birds to eat – they’re a high-protein snack.  Once Halloween is over, break the pumpkin apart into pieces with a hammer and scatter them in your yard where wildlife can enjoy them.  You could also simply add them to your compost bin, if you have one.

Pass out healthy, fair-trade candy to the trick-or-treaters that come knocking on your door.  Endangered Species chocolate has a line of Halloween-themed candies including ‘Organic Dark Chocolate Bug Bites’.  Other ideas include organic fruit leather, dried fruit and fair trade chocolate ‘gold coins’. For more ideas, check out the ‘Eco Friendly Halloween’ post on the Nature Moms blog.

Don’t buy tons of plastic and paper decorations that’ll get tossed on November 1st.  Choose decorations that will last for years to come, so you won’t have to keep buying new ones. Use rechargable batteries to power battery-operated decorations, and check out a great list of solar-powered Halloween lights over at InventorSpot.

Give your costume away when you’re done with it, or trade it for a new one. Post an ad on a classifieds site like Craigslist.com asking to trade your costume with one in a similar size.  It might just help you get past that whole “I don’t know what I want to be this year” conundrum, because you’ll get all kinds of wacky offers.  This is also a great way to get new costumes for your kids – get hand-me-downs from friends and co-workers with kids that are a little older than yours.

Don’t drive the kids from house to house for trick-or-treating.  If you live in a neighborhood where homes are spaced far apart, you’re better off driving to a more densely populated neighborhood.  You’ll use less gas, and the kids will get the full experience.  Sitting in the car in between stops is not nearly as fun as walking down street, clutching their little treat bags and peering up into the trees, letting their imaginations run wild.

Photo by Flickr user Just-Us-3

Waverly, the aquatic Idbid.

The Idbids Kit for kids encourages play, learning and caring the earth. Always on the lookout for toys that will inspire my children to love nature, Idbids offers a cute, eco-friendly option.

The kit contains organic Egyptian cotton toys, a bright storybook that is unique, a canvas bag, and a Field Guide to plant the seeds of ecological stewardship. Reminiscent of claymation movies, the adorable storybook features photographs of the stuffed toys in various settings taking “iddy biddy steps” toward a greener, cleaner planet.

On the company’s website, kids can sign up for their certificate of completion, once they have finished working with the Idbid Kit Field Guide that lists ten ways to be more sustainable in everyday life, such as, “color on both sides of the page to double the masterpieces.”

Encouraging positive action and simple steps, the field guide helps to get kids involved and feel motivated by their own ability to care for their environment. Idbids are a great gift for little ones.