Eco-Chick · The modern girl's guide to living green & fabulous.

Drugstore Eco Beauty: Physicians Formula Organic Wear

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by Stephanie Rogers · 03/11/10

Like any girl born with naturally pale, sparse lashes, I rely on mascara to keep me from looking like a creepy Children of the Corn extra. And since I’m not a big fan of putting carcinogens and other toxins adjacent to my eyeballs, I am always on the lookout for great natural, non-toxic mascara – and damn, is there a lot of hype for a little drugstore product called Physicians Formula Organic Wear mascara.

A panel of green beauty experts rated this product ‘Best Natural Mascara’ along with a $22.50 product from Couleur – but the Physicians Formula stuff costs just $10. After taking a gander at the ingredients, learning that the Organic Wear line is the first ECOCERT® makeup line in the U.S., and reading tons of positively glowing reviews online, I figured I’d give it a shot.

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Cosmetiques, Eco Beauty, makeup, Product Reviews

Get a Fresh, Natural Look for Spring with Just 4 Cosmetics

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by Stephanie Rogers · 04/14/09

I like to try out new makeup a lot, so I must admit my cosmetic bag is packed full of stuff. Ideally, though, I’d love to pare down and in reality I only use about 4 different beauty products on a daily basis. The fewer cosmetics you use, the less packaging you’re throwing away (or hopefully, recycling) every few months – and it just makes your whole routine easier.

Spring is the perfect time to go for a minimalist, fresh, dewy look. It’s all about subtle shimmer, barely-there eye enhancement and lots of moisture for a youthful effect that only takes a few minutes to achieve – with just 4 products.

Step 1: After cleansing and exfoliating, apply Kiss My Face Tinted Moisturizer in the shade that most closely matches your own skin tone from your hairline down onto your neck. The sheer coverage lets your skin shine through for a look that’s natural, but polished.

Step 2: Apply just a hint of pink mineral blush to the apples of your cheeks with a brush or your fingers (it’ll blend in well if you do it right after applying the tinted moisturizer). I like Alima Pure Luminous Shimmer Blush in Guava and Everyday Minerals blush in Corner Office.

Step 3: Moisturize your lips with your favorite lip balm (I’ve always got Alba Coconut Cream lip balm in my purse) and pat just a little of the mineral blush on top with your fingers. It’s like custom-creating your own sheer tinted lip balm in a manner of seconds.

Step 4: Use a natural, paraben-free mascara to give your lashes some length and volume. Don’t be afraid to apply more than one coat – you want to make your lashes pop when the rest of your makeup is so subtle. Real Purity mascara is the purest lash enhancer on the market with just a handful of ingredients.

Photo credit: Digital Sophia

Cosmetiques, Eco Beauty, spring

Are Aveda Products as Safe and Natural as They Claim?

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by Stephanie Rogers · 11/04/08

Aveda is one of those brands that has long held a reputation for being pure, natural, safe and environmentally friendly. After all, Aveda brands itself as “providing beauty industry professionals with high performance, botanically based products that would be better for service providers and their guests, as well as for the planet.”

But, many people are incredibly disappointed to trust in this ‘green’ image of Aveda, only to read the ingredients on their products and realize that many contain parabens, sodium laureth sulfate, artificial fragrance, petrochemicals and other ingredients of questionable safety and origin. In fact, the majority of Aveda’s products rate no better in the Cosmetic Safety Database than products from brands like MAC Cosmetics, which makes no claims about being natural or eco-friendly.

On their ingredient guide, for example, Aveda states that “what you put on your body should be as healthy and natural as what you put in it”. It then lists dozens of natural ingredients like avocado, flax, neroli, seaweed and tourmaline with nary a mention of the ingredients contained within their products that don’t fit this standard.

Aveda has rightfully earned their reputation as stewards of the environment, as they’re one of the biggest brands to do so much work raising awareness about causes like recycling, pollution and the responsible sourcing of raw materials. Aveda takes great care to ensure that when they purchase exotic ingredients like Lippia from Brazil, they’re giving back to the community and encouraging sustainability. They’re also the first beauty company to run on 100% wind power, and an industry leader in responsible packaging. Aveda has a lot to be proud of.

Stacy Malkan of the Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database says that for all Aveda’s efforts, they should really be focusing on safer ingredients. “A company like Aveda, with the backing of billion-dollar Estee Lauder, really ought to be at the front of the line innovating the safest products on the market,” says Malkan. “Instead, I think what we’ve seen is a trend that the major multinational beauty companies face a lot of pressure to keep costs low, and use a lot of cheap synthetic petrochemical ingredients.”

Aveda responded by stating that they’re working on changing their formulas, actively working to replace parabens with other preservatives. Aveda Spokeswoman Suzanne Dawson says they currently offer 350 products that don’t contain parabens. They’re also seeking organic certification for more of their ingredients. Until recently, the company contended that parabens were safe (the FDA deems them so, but they also lets high levels of phthalates, BPA and lead slip under the radar, so can they really be trusted?).

We’ve certainly come a long way since women smeared products all over their bodies without a moment’s thought of what was in them. We’re demanding safer, better, more natural, more responsible – and that’s the key. If companies don’t see a good reason to change, they won’t. But if consumers come together to say “we deserve better than this”, the companies will listen.

I recently wrote to Aveda asking that they continue improving their products and practices, to truly live up to their reputation. You should, too – and do the same for any other ‘natural’ company you like that still uses questionable ingredients.

Read all about Aveda’s standards and practices at the Aveda website.

Cosmetiques, Eco Beauty, greenwashing

Beware of Greenwashing: Natural Beauty Products Flooding the Market

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by Stephanie Rogers · 10/22/08

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.

Cosmetiques, Eco Beauty, greenwashing

Top 5 Fave Natural Beauty Products for Fall

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by Stephanie Rogers · 10/20/08

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.

Cosmetiques, Eco Beauty