eco-chic design

skincare made with local beeswax and organic ingredients

One of my highlights at NYIGF last week was the Worker B booth with bee products made from chemical and antibiotic free hives. The packaging of the eco-chic skincare line has super-cute letterpress labels with illustrated bees and the different flowers they pollinate. It was contagious to see the integrity and enthusiasm of the owners to support their local beekeepers. They ensure that the bees are kept without chemicals or antibiotics and are not shipped across the country.

Worker B uses local ingredients from Minneapolis such as honey, beeswax and propolis for their hand-crafted lotions and balms. I found some of their eco-friendly products at the Tea + Honey Store on the Upper East Side in Manhattan and purchased the Worker B lotion and lip balm.  The unscented lotion contains organic almond oil, organic olive oil, beeswax, raw honey, propolis tincture, and vitamin E. Another eco-friendly product is the Worker B cream made of organic olive oil and beeswax. It’s basically edible. The store has a cool display in the shape of a honeycomb to show off their bee products such as honey. I learned that currently there are no organic standards for honey produced in the United States. Makes sense since those busy bees fly several miles outside their hive and might pass crops that are sprayed with chemicals even that their home base is on organic certified grounds. Luckily I found a store in NYC with the Worker B skin care products since they seem to be as hardworking as their bees.

gorgeously green bath and body products handmade in England

During my last stay in Germany I stopped by the recently opened Müller Naturshop in the spa town Bad Kreuznach. The concept is really cool since an entire section within the big department store is dedicated to natural and organic skincare products. It’s the biggest and comprehensive selection I’ve seen so far with a nice mix of German and international brands. I saw some of my eco-chic favorites such as Korres, Primavera, or SantaVerde but also discovered the really, fun and quirky brand Cowshed. What originally caught my attention was the bold design of their soaps. They feature black silhouettes of botanical plants juxtaposed with cheeky names like “Grumpy Cow Uplifting Soap”, “Lazy Cow Soothing soap”, or “Moody Cow Balancing Soap”. Cowshed’s eco-chic soaps are made from organic palm and coconut oils sourced from sustainable plantations. The company’s “no nasties policy” spells out that their products are free of parabens, sulfates, petrochemicals, and artificial colors. Instead only organic, wild crafted and fairly traded botanicals from sustainable sources are used. Cowshed products have been around since 1998 for use in the original Cowshed spa at Babington House in England. But it was not until 2008 that the products were re-formulated to include more organic ingredients and higher ratios of essential oils without any harmful ingredients. Their organic face skincare line is hand made in England and uses 80% of certified organic botanicals on average. The delicate graphics on the labels look gorgeous - or may I say udderly gorgeous.

natural and organic skincare certified by NATRUE

One of my favorite eco-chic stores to visit on my annual trips to Germany is Just Nature in Cologne. It specializes in natural and organic beauty products with a nice mix of established and upcoming brands. One of them is PRIMAVERA with an amazing line of certified natural skincare and aromatherapy products. As mentioned earlier there’s still a lot of confusion regarding the difference between natural and organic products in the beauty industry. That’s why I like that PRIMAVERA is the first company to receive NATRUE certification for their entire range of personal care products. NATRUE is a non-profit organization with three levels of certification to clarify if a product contains organic, natural or near natural ingredients. It’s an international standard for natural and organic products. There’s certified natural with 95% organic plant ingredients, then certified natural with 70% organic plant ingredients, and certified natural personal care. 

PRIMAVERA’s commitment to sustainability considers the entire life cycle of their products from seed to soil to shelf and beyond. Ingredients are sourced from a worldwide community of farms dedicated to environmental sustainability under fair trade conditions. I love the elongated shape of the recyclable glass bottles. Especially since they have an environmentally friendly protective UV coating that eliminates the need for extra packaging. The company’s name, PRIMAVERA, means spring in Italian and features the Goddess of Spring. Over the last few weeks I’ve been using the Organic Orange Blossom Water and can highly recommend it. It has soothing qualities and makes me think about spring in the midst of winter.

eco-chic candles made from 100% natural soy wax

Over the years I bought many eco-chic gifts at the store therapie on the Upper West Side in NYC. The self-powered flashlights were great stocking stuffers and the coin purses made of 95% recycled post consumer material were cute money gift cardholders. Unfortunately Therapie is closing down but some of their eco-friendly products are still online. It also had a wide selection of natural and organic beauty products like Weleda, Dr. Hauschka, and Avalon Organics. Just recently I discovered Ecoya.

Australian-based Ecoya produces home fragrances, candles, and body care products. It combines high-end looking design with environmentally responsible ingredients. The company’s name comes from ECOlogical and sOYA (as in soy wax) which symbolizes its commitment to sustainable business practices. I was not surprised to learn that the founders of New Zealand based 42 Below vodka created Ecoya since the branding is gorgeous. The beautifully designed candle range is made from 100% vegetable based soy wax, free of environmentally harmful petroleum, paraffin or beeswax. All soy wax candles are handcrafted and made from soy that is sourced from sustainable farms. The wicks are made from 100% natural, lead-free cotton. What’s great about soy candles is that they generate up to 90% less soot than traditional paraffin wax. This reduces their carbon emissions. I’ve also been using the Ecoya Lip Balm lately. It’s free of parabens, sulfates, propylene glycols, silicones or artificial colorings - great for winter. This is my farewell post to therapie for now hoping that it’ll reopen soon with many eco-chic finds. I’ll make sure to stop by.

green your home with household products from New Zealand

Yesterday an article in the NYT mentioned that niche brands fare better within the green household market than green versions of conventional brands. In my eyes smaller niche companies are more truthful to their green values like ecostore and this shines through in their products. I was fortunate enough to visit the amazing ecostore retail shop in Auckland that also carries a wide selection of other sustainable brands. It ranges from Living Nature Skincare, Apple & Bee cosmetic bags to Merino Kids Cocooi Babywraps. Then of course, there’s also the complete line of ecostore sustainable household and personal care products. 

The current ecostore range has more than a 100 products that are all made in New Zealand with the earth and human health in mind. Lately I was finally able to try their plant based laundry liquid. Until then I was hesitant to try a green detergent made overseas. But my other favorite eco-friendly  detergent brand Vaska was sold out which was a great excuse. The super-concentrated ecostore laundry liquid contains no nasty chemicals such as toxic petrochemicals or phosphates and is highly biodegradable. It’s also grey water safe for gardens, lawns and trees. What I’m really curious about though is ecostore’s new range of skincare products. It just launched in New Zealand and I love the line drawings on the labels designed by artist John Reynolds. They embody the less is more approach of ecostore’s product formulations. And you know how much I love great modern design combined with sustainability.

eco-chic skincare from New Zealand that’s carbon neutral

During my last vacation in Germany I discovered a store in Cologne specializing in natural and organic beauty products. The brand that caught my eye thanks to the beautiful packaging was New Zealand based Snowberry. I had never seen it in NYC before and was really smitten by the gorgeous paper cut art designed by London artist Rob Ryan. It turned out that the eco-chic packaging is made of biodegradable and recycled materials. Little did I know that a business trip would take me to Auckland shortly after. Of course, I picked up some samples at Smith & Caughey.

Snowberry was founded by Soraya Hendesi and is the first New Zealand beauty company to achieve carboNZero certification for every product. This means that every carbon generating activity is offset through carbon reducing projects such as forest regeneration or wind power generation. Snowberry is not certified ‘natural’ or ‘organic’ but contains no petrochemicals, sulphates, artificial coloring, silicones or glycols. Its mission is to achieve a highly functional anti-aging skincare line that’s as natural as can be. Therefore it contains some ingredients that are not available from organic sources. The eco-chic beauty products incorporate a unique natural preservative system instead of parabens. It’s based on a mix of herbal extracts including Totarol from New Zealand’s rainforest. Currently I’m testing Snowberry’s lite day cream and night cream. Please leave a comment or send me a tweet if you want to hear how it goes. One thing is for sure: it’s the most beautiful packaging on the beauty market I've seen.

natural skincare made from unique New Zealand botanicals

Since I got to Auckland I’ve been amazed at the variety of natural skincare lines that are made in New Zealand. I’m not surprised since the landscape has been gorgeous. Living Nature’s website states that 80% of New Zealand’s plants can’t be found anywhere else in the world due to its geographical isolation for more than 80 million years. It’s these unique plants that go into the sustainable skincare, body care and cosmetic lines. 

I discovered the natural skincare line through Ecostore where I picked up Living Nature’s rescue gel made from Manuka oil and Manuka honey. My hope is that it’ll soothe my skin that has been breaking out thanks to the high humidity in Auckland. And I’m sure going from winter in NYC to summer in New Zealand didn’t help either. The packaging of the product is not only super-gorgeous with a black illustration of a Manuku flower but also 100% recyclable. It comes in a carton sourced from renewable forests and contains no toxins or chlorine bleach. All Living Nature’s products are paraben and synthetic preservative free. The sustainable skincare line contains only 100% natural ingredients, preservatives and fragrances and is certified by BDIH Germany to ensure the ingredients are safe. It’s comforting to know that the products are biodegradable since they are washed down the drain at the end of the day. Keep your fingers crossed that Living Nature’s rescue gel will help to soothe my skin as well as the planet.

give the gift of giving with a nature-inspired beauty pouch

After a super-soothing massage at my favorite eco-friendly spa in Manhattan I discovered these adorable pouches on my way out. Maybe I was too relaxed thanks to the amazing treatment at Pratima Ayurvedic Skincare Spa but I really loved the nature-inspired designs. I learned that Pratima created the Beauty in Giving Bag in collaboration with The Hunger Project. The eco-chic beauty pouch is made with 100% organic hemp and lined with 100% organic cotton. The graphic pattern uses water-based paints and is naturally dried in the sun. It’s designed by Valentine Viannay and personally hand-silk printed by the artist with the help from a local women-run business in San Diego. The design reflects the pure herbs, roots, and flowers of the Pratima products. Every pouch looks slightly different and 100% of the proceeds from each purchase go towards The Hunger Project Initiative in India.

Pratima Ayurvedic Skincare Spa is LEED-certified with a décor that includes natural cork, bamboo flooring, and flaxseed or hemp carpets. The walls are coated with non-toxic paint or natural earth clay. You can also buy the natural skincare line that uses botanicals from sustainable farms in the US and India. It’s chemical and preservative free. So far I only used the refreshing mint eye gel made of a botanical blend with organic Mint, Aloe, and Triphala but really like it. Since the stressful holidays are approaching quickly I might also try the calming organic bath salts soon. And take a deep breath.

hair care that's good for your body and the environment

Last weekend I finished a paper about toxins and personal care products for my studies in sustainable design. As part of my research I revisited Annie Leonard's story of cosmetics: the ugly truth of toxins in, toxins out. All her videos are so amazing. I can highly recommend them. The amount of toxins that we apply to our bodies on a daily basis is quite scary. To make matters worse we then wash them down the drain where they also enter our waterways. That’s why I love Avalon Organics since the company understands the relationship between beauty, health, and the environment.

All products by Avalon Organics are made without parabens, harsh preservatives, synthetic fragrances or artificial colors. Instead their ingredients include organic essential oils, organic plant oils and organic botanical extracts. Not only are they safe for your body but they also support sustainable agriculture. For a while now I’ve been using Avalon Organics hand & body lotion in lavender made with 70% organic content. I’m always bummed when my local Duane Reade runs out of them. Since I love to try new products that are organic or natural I’ve been testing the tea tree mint treatment conditioner as well. It comes in a gorgeously blue bottle, has a cooling effect and smells amazing. To be honest it was the smell that sealed the deal for me even that the awapuhi mango moisturizing conditioner would have been better for my hair type. I might try this one next.

eco-fabulous make-up bags from Australia

It’s always a nice surprise when the design of a product catches my eye first and then it turns out to be eco-friendly. That was the case with the sleek and sustainable make-up bags by Australian based company apple & bee at NYIGF last week. What I loved about the bags was their envelope shape so that they easily double as a purse. And multi-functionality is a big part of sustainable design. The make-up bags are made from 100% organic cotton, non-toxic plant dye, and lined with hemp. I love that they close with a zipper and a flap with a magnetic clasp. They are incredibly well made and come in 5 charming patterns. 

Apple & bee is a Sydney-based company founded by Brett Pattinson, the founder of the natural skincare line bod and designer Claire Morris, the former art director of Marie Claire. Their products combine everyday functionality with contemporary design that’s considerate of the environment. The entire line includes cosmetic, travel and baby bags made from materials like certified organic cotton, bamboo silk, hemp, and burlap/calico. The company is carbon neutral through the organization Climate Friendly. Apple & bee also created the Bee Foundation to support the study of Colony Collapse Disorder affecting honeybees that are needed to support crops and eco-systems. All this sounds pretty amazing to me. Now I just need to decide which eco-friendly make-up bag to get. After all a green life-style is all about being kind to the environment while being good to yourself, right?