eco-chic design

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.

organic and fair trade chocolate that’s deliciously good

There’s a cute coffee place in Lambertville NJ called Lambertville Trading Company with shelves full of interesting chocolates. I left the store with a big can of theo's 'chiplotle spice' sipping chocolate since I was really intrigued by the flavor. It’s organic, fair trade and has a gorgeous logo design made out of dripping dark chocolate. The taste is inbetween sweet and savory making it perfect for an afternoon pick-me-up or after dinner treat.

Theo is the first and only organic and fair trade chocolate factory in the US and was founded by Joseph Whinney in 2006. All ingredients are carefully screened for social and environmental practices. Sustainable growing methods include shade grown cacao that allows for biodiversity and offers habitat for many species. The ‘fair for life’ seal on the sipping chocolate ensures that human rights are met at every production stage. Workers are treated under fair working conditions and farmers receive a fair share. It’s quiet eye-opening to hear Debra Music from theo mention during her talk on ted that a lot of farmers have never tasted a chocolate bar. No wonder that theo is committed to support local farmers through education. Another example of theo’s transparent business practices are the factory tours in Seattle as part of their educational vision. I would love to go if it wouldn’t be on the West Coast. But luckily it’s easy for me to support this amazing USDA organic certified and fair trade company by sipping another cup of their amazingly good chocolate.

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.