Gorgeous and Green: 10 Tips for Natural Beauty

If you read an ingredients list with sumptuous items like pear blossom, white tea, and chocolate, you may think you’re looking at a dessert menu. But these natural ingredients can actually be found in a variety of cosmetics that not only make you look fresh and fabulous, but are even good for you, too.

In honor of Earth Day this month, here are 10 tips from Beauty Collection to enhance your beauty naturally:

1. Read the label. Look for natural ingredients that you recognize, such as the coconut milk and nut oils used in Pure Fiji’s bath and body products. Treat yourself to healthy, glowing skin with Pure Fiji’s Coconut Sugar Rub, which is available in exotic flavors like mango, passionflower, and starfruit.

2.Get your vitamins and minerals. Mineral-based makeup from Iredale Mineral Cosmetics offers a concentrated pigment without fillers such as talc. The result? You get great protection and flawless color without the risk of skin irritation. Try Amazing Base Mineral Foundation—SPF 20, which is gentle enough for sensitive skin and conditions such as eczema and rosacea.

3. Choose more natural scents. Nothing leaves you feeling fresher than a natural fragrance, so look for scents made with essential oils from real fruits and vegetables. With notes of pear blossom, tangerine, and fresh-cut grass, Leila Lou by Rosie Jane is simply irresistible.

4. Care for your hair. Look for sulfate-free formulas to keep your locks looking naturally beautiful. When you’re on the go, reach for Klorane’s Oatmilk Gentle Dry Shampoo, which allows you to cleanse your hair in minutes without water—leaving you looking and feeling refreshed.

5. Protect your skin. Detergents can dehydrate skin, so look for ingredients that keep your skin healthy and hydrated. Moisturize your skin throughout the day with Caudelie’s Grape Water Harvest mist, made entirely from water extracted from freshly harvested grapes.

6. Vege-out. Many natural beauty products are labeled “vegan” or “cruelty-free,” meaning no animal testing is performed during product development. With notes of apple, plum blossom, lemon, jasmine, and sandalwood, the 100% vegan Jonathan Product Hydrating Shampoo naturally moisturizes dry and damaged hair, leaving it looking shiny and fabulous.

[Hot tip! Choose makeup tools marked “vegan” or “cruelty-free,” such as the Kabuki Brush from Stript, which is made from quality synthetic fibers rather than animal hair.]

7. Clear your creams. Look for more natural anti-aging choices. Made with antioxidants that combat the signs of aging, Epicuren’s After Bath Moisturizer hydrates skin throughout the day and is available in mouthwatering scents such as vanilla bean, orange blossom, and papaya pineapple.

8. Think pretty. Going green doesn’t mean you can’t have the season’s hottest colors, too. For a natural shimmer, try the Bling Eye Shadow Kit from Iredale Mineral Cosmetics. Made with real 24-Karat gold, this five-compact collection features shades in pure gold, azure, hot pink, blue violet, and sea green.

9. Pamper yourself. Don’t let your bath products dry out your skin. Look for natural moisturizers, such as the coconut oil and safflower oil used in LaLicious Whipped Body Soap to keep skin supple and soft. Have time for a relaxing bath? Indulge yourself with Pure Fiji Coconut Milk Bath Soak.

10. Whet your appetite. Natural ingredients not only nourish your skin, they can tempt your senses, too. Made with cocoa powder, jojoba-seed oil, and grape-seed oil, The Lip Scrub from Sara Happ does just that with rich flavors of cinnamon sugar, brown sugar, and peppermint.

Natural Beauty – Meet the Makers

Going green has never been sexier-or easier-thanks to the growing number of cosmetics manufacturers dedicated to producing quality products made with non-toxic ingredients. As an added bonus, many of these products have never been tested on animals (aka, “cruelty-free”), which proves that you can be socially responsible and drop-dead gorgeous at the same time.

Not sure which brand is your perfect fit? Here are five of our favorites:

1. Stript. Gina Austin founded the Stript line of cosmetics to give discerning customers the “eco-sexy” option they crave. Stript products for the eyes, face, and lips skip the parabens, artificial oils, and fragrances in favor of all-natural, vegan ingredients, such as marine botanicals, green tea, and micro-fiber cotton with specially milled mica that diffuses light and diminishes the look of fine lines and wrinkles. For beautiful lips, try the Stript Lipstick Liner pencil in sheer peach (Holly) or pink (Clover).

2. bareMinerals. Bare Escentuals CEO Leslie Blodgett pioneered the bareMinerals line of natural cosmetics in 1995 with the idea that “less is more” when it comes to ingredients. The complete line of products-including the popular Original SPF 15 Foundation-gives you all of the protection and coverage you need without the preservatives and chemicals you don’t.

3. neuLash. Eyelashes are subject to all sorts of stressors-not to mention the aging process-that can damage their structure over time. Enter neuLash, an eyelash enhancer made from essential proteins and vitamins that work together to bring you healthier and fuller-looking eyelashes in just 30 days. The best news? The serum is paraben-free, fragrance-free, and cruelty-free.

4. Sara Happ. Self-described “beauty junkie” Sara Happ took to her kitchen in 2005 to concoct the perfect solution for soft and supple lips using natural ingredients like cocoa powder, jojoba-seed oil, and grape-seed oil. Thus, the lip scrub was born, and it is now available in a variety of luscious flavors such as cocoa, peppermint, and vanilla bean. For the finishing touch, try the lip slip, a paraben-free hydrating gloss that gives your pout the perfect finish and shine.

5. Iredale Mineral Cosmetics. With her background in film and television, Jane Iredale, founder of Iredale Mineral Cosmetics, was inspired to develop a cosmetics line that not only provides perfect coverage but is also healthy for the skin. The complete collection is cruelty-free, anti-inflammatory, and paraben- and talc-free-making it a safe option for those with sensitive skin or conditions like acne or rosacea. For a flawless, sunkissed glow this spring, try Dream Tint SPF 15 tinted moisturizer.

Have a Green[er] Morning

We bet we can guess what your morning routine looks like: You gently click off your solar-powered alarm clock, crawl out of your hemp sheets, and shuffle across your bamboo floors to the bathroom, where you bathe in rainwater and botanicals harvested from your own garden.

Not quite? Our mornings look a little different too. But if you want to green up your routine, a few changes can help lighten your impact—and maybe even ease some of that guilt hanging over your bedhead.

Cut Your Water Usage
• Shower instead of take a bath. A 5 minute shower uses 1/3 the amount of water. For added purity try Jonathan Product’s Water Purification System.
• Fix leaks around the faucet or showerhead
• Buy aerators (mesh faucet ends that can cut water usage) for all your faucets.
• Make sure you have an efficient water heater.

No Vinyl. That’s Final.
• One way to improve your bathing experience immediately is to get rid of your vinyl shower curtain. PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, is the fancy name for vinyl, a type of plastic. PVC creates
dioxins and is a known carcinogen that can disrupt hormonal systems and may cause reproductive
and immune system damage. Rip down that shower curtain and seek out a cotton or polyester replacement.

Stop Using Disposable Plastic Razors
• Here in the U.S., two billion disposable razors are purchased annually. That’s a lot of space
in the landfill.
• A permanent razor that uses refillable blades is a reasonable option for both men and women. You can use it repeatedly and thereby reduce both your guilt and your garbage.
• Better yet switch to an electric razor.

Makeup: Look Good, Feel Good
• Aside from the unnecessary packaging, many personal-care products contain ingredients
whose health effects are untested or, worse, known to pose health risks, according to the
Environmental Working Group and other nonprofits.
• Choose brands that use high-quality, non toxic ingredients like Stript Cosmetics and Jane Iredale. Avoid buying your makeup from mass merchants like Target and WalMart – many of the brands they carry are cheap for a reason.

Cup of Kindness
• When it comes to coffee, “shade-grown,” “Fair Trade” and “organic” aren’t just buzzwords. They’re certifications that resulted from a desire to ensure that our caffeine addictions support sustainable agriculture and fair labor standards. You can determine legitimacy by doing a little easy sleuthing: Check for labels or ask your barista.
• Reduce disposable cup use by relying on longer-lived mugs. Stainless steel will hold its sleek look over time and is a fairly decent, durable material.

Green Beauty Products Are Picking Up Steam

Exploring What’s New in the Industry and Making Sensible Decisions for You

Earth Day is on April 22nd. In spite of the bad economy, “green” products have been picking up steam. Here at Beauty Collection, we’ve been seeing an increase in the number of “green” brands and “greener” products being launched on the market and are constantly looking for ones we think you’ll like.

Industry Trend
According to the Organic Consumer’s Association, there was a 39% increase in the natural and organic section of the cosmetic industry over the last year.

Why go green?
Health and environmental impact are the two big reasons for considering green(er) beauty. We assume most of you won’t make the leap to using only vegan products without first knowing you won’t be sacrificing results. But did you know 60% of what you put on your skin gets absorbed in your body? That’s reason enough to at least give the products you’re using a second glance.

Survey says 2/3 are interested…
Two thirds of the 2,096 women polled in August by market researcher NPD Group say they’re “very/somewhat  interested” in trying eco-friendly, organic products or socially conscious skincare or cosmetics products. Fewer than 40% of them have actually used such items. The gap is especially large with green or eco-friendly beauty items — 71% said they were “very/somewhat interested” in trying them, but only 26% said they had.

…so why aren’t they buying?
Women surveyed gave basically two reasons: they don’t understand the products well enough to know what’s different or better than what they’re currently using. And, they think that green or organic beauty products are going to be a lot more expensive (not true!)

Are you one of them?
Get educated and try a few of the green brands we carry. Eco-friendly, organic, and green beauty is only going bigger over time. It’s true that many of the chemicals included in makeup, skin care, and hair care are probably perfectly fine – and they work – so don’t get paranoid or feel you need to go overboard.

The right choice for you
In the end, it’s all about being informed and making the right choices for you. Come in or email us to ask our expert beauty consultants for more information. Then, give a recommended natural beauty product a spin and let us know what you think!

Recommended natural brands

caudalie hero Green Beauty Products Are Picking Up Steam

Caudalie - naturally made from grapes

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California Baby - safe for babes and grown-ups too!

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