eco-chic design

eye-opening green beauty

I’ve always been a bit skeptical of eco-friendly mascara but tried Josie Maran’s mascara at Sephora the other day and really liked it. It’s paraben and fragrance-free and contains organic ingredients like organic Argan oil and organic Jojoba oil that are gentle on your lashes and the environment. Her website assigns symbols to every product of her natural beauty line that explain what makes them eco-friendly. Based on her labeling system some components of the packaging for the mascara are recyclable and it’s not tested on animals. It’s a fun interactive way to analyze all her products that range from 100% organic Argan oil moisturizer to Bear Naked Wipes that not only remove make-up in a natural way but also support the Natural Resources Defense Council's Polar Bear SOS initiative.

Many products of Josie Maran Cosmetics are packaged in biodegradable plastic made of corn based resin such as her blush, bronzing powder or eye shadow. I like the sleek look of the packaging even that it reminds me quite a bit of Laura Mercier’s designs. But of course I love that it’s an eco-friendly yet stylish alternative that looks great in my bathroom and purse. I applaud Josie Maran who used her background as a model in the fashion and beauty industry to create cosmetics that are eco-friendly yet luxurious. Righteously she calls it luxury with a conscience.

the evergreen of beauty products

Some green classics never go out of style and Dr. Bronner’s classic liquid & bar soaps are definitely one of them. Dr. Bronner started making his famous peppermint liquid soap in 1948 in Los Angeles as a third-generation master-soapmaker. Not sure if you ever spent the time to read the famous labels on the packaging made of 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles. Small type covers the labels from top to bottom promoting the founder’s vision of social and environmental ideals. They range from “balanced food for body – mind – soul – spirit is our medicine” to “ no 6-year old can grow up free without the ABC”. It’s hard to limit your shower time to a few energy efficient minutes if you want to read them all while soaking.

Dr. Bronner’s classic liquid & bar soaps are vegetable based made with organic oils and the soap is completely biodegradable. Both product lines are certified Fair Trade by the respected Swiss certifier IMO under their “Fair for Life” program since 2008. In addition to all classic scents with peppermint being the all time classic the line also added the two new scents rose and citrus orange. It’s great to see that green and social awareness not only is timeless but that you can even make it part of your daily routine.

go green with your spring cleaning

Always eager to discover the story behind eco-friendly companies I was glad to see J.R. Watkins at the Go Green Expo in New York. Especially since I’ve always loved their beautiful packaging. The company has been a pioneer in natural living since 1868 and originally started as a home-manufacturer of spices and natural remedies like their Original Pain Relieving Liniment.

Since then Watkins launched a line of USDA Certified 100% Organic Spices in 2006 and officially launched J.R. Watkins Natural Apothecary and J.R. Watkins Natural Home Care in 2008. Makes a lot of sense since what you put on your body is as important as what you put into it. If they can relieve minor muscle aches naturally, I trust that they can remove grease stains in my kitchen in a safe way. I love that their ingredients originally came from the garden to the kitchen in the form of spices and now to personal care. The gorgeous labels of their products reflect the company’s long history and heritage through their modern take on old-fashioned lettering. The J.R. Watkins Natural Apothecary line of personal care contains only natural, environmentally friendly ingredients without chemicals like parabens, sulfates or phthalates. The same principle of using natural ingredients is true for their natural home care. It comes in great scents like lavender or aloe and green tea. Something I unfortunately can’t smell these days because of my seasonal allergies. But please go ahead, spice up your home with an eco-friendly spring cleaning and let me know which scents you like.

green beauty with a high IQ

Yesterday I attended “the road to eco-friendly beauty” at Barneys that was moderated by Vogue beauty editor Sarah Brown. The panel discussion included Nude Founder Bryan Meehan, Aveda and Intelligent Nutrients founder Horst M. Rechelbacher, Chantecaille founder Sylvie Chantecaille and Red Flower founder Yael Alkalay. The discussion was very stimulating, since every company had their own opinion about the USDA certification process. Yet all agreed that the goal is to combine effectiveness with eco-friendliness in a luxurious way.

Horst M. Rechelbacher who considers his business activism was very passionate about the importance of USDA certification. He introduced his new company Intelligent Nutrients that uses 100% food-based and organic certified ingredients. It was launched in September 2008. Intelligent Nutrients is free of toxins and helpful for disease prevention. He quoted that 95% of diseases come from environmental effects and only 5% are genetically based. Therefore it’s no surprise that his products not only include a line of skin and hair care products but also neutraceutical supplements and functional foods. Take the certified organic Intellimune Oil for example where two teaspoons have the oil antioxidant power of the seeds in 10 pounds of grapes, raspberries or cranberries. That sounds pretty intelligent to me. Here's to a beautiful and healthy Earth Day!

green fragrance on the go

A lot of Sephora’s in-store displays are geared toward green products during earth month that led me to Pacifica’s solid perfumes. The eco-modern fragrance tins are perfect for the tiniest purse and airport travel. I love the smell of the Tuscan Blood Orange solid perfume. Its ingredients include organic soy and coconut wax with Pacifica's signature perfume blend of essential and natural oils.

Pacifica was founded in 1996 by Brook Harvey-Taylor and Billy Taylor with seven home-blended perfumes inspired by their surfer life-style. Their products include perfumes, soy candles and natural soaps that are free of parabens, propylene glycol, phthalates and lead wicks – basically everything that’s bad for you. The packaging is not only incredibly adorable, but also recyclable and made with recycled content. I love their tropical inspired designs which make me lust for Hawaii especially since I’ve never been there. Pacifica is working towards carbon neutrality and is 100% committed to cruelty-freedom. They don’t use any animal ingredients, including beeswax. Instead their soy candles are handmade with vegetable soy wax and lead-free wicks that don’t emit toxic fumes like conventional ones. I think I just discovered my favorite brand for the summer.

smooth and sustainable

Always on the lookout for conditioners based on naturally-derived ingredients I went to Aveda last month. After a quick hair analysis in the amazing smelling store and I left with Aveda’s smooth infusion conditioner. Since then I’ve been testing it in April showers as well as in the Bahamas and I like that it keeps my hair frizz-free while being active.

Aveda’s smooth infusion product line consists of shampoo, conditioner and style-prep smoother. The exclusive plant infusion is a blend derived from organic aloe, maize and guar bear to smooth the hair. I’ve written about the amazing smell of Aveda’s pure-fume aromas before. The smooth infusion aroma is no exception with a mix of certified organic bergamot, certified organic palmarosa, Bulgarian rose and Australian sandalwood. I love the sky-blue packaging made out of post consumer recycled materials. Aveda’s founder Horst Rechelbacher will be at the upcoming panel discussion “the road to eco-friendly beauty” organized by Barneys and Vogue here in Manhattan in two weeks. I’ll be there and keep you posted about their green developments. Please say hi if you see me - I'll be the girl trying to look smooth.

green skincare from Greece

Every March I dread daylight saving time since I really miss the extra hour in the morning. Coincidentially I had bought the evening primrose eye cream from Korres last week. It comes really handy these days since it brightens up the eye area and is based on natural ingredients. I’ve always been curious about Korres since I absolutely love the packaging designed by K2 design in Athens.

Korres started out in the oldest homeopathic pharmacy in Athens, Greece, in 1989. Since then it developed natural skin, hair, and personal care products using essential oils, high quality herbs, and plant extracts. What you won’t find are mineral oil and its derivatives, propylene glycol or silicones that are synthetic. Instead they are replaced with naturally derived ingredients such as vegetable oils. In fact most of their packaging has a “Yes” and “No” ingredients list that states exactly what’s in the Korres products. I love the transparency and I hope more manufacturers will follow. All packaging components are recyclable. To me this is a Greek myth come true in the shape of a green skincare line.

recycled plastic with a close shave

What if the yogurt cups that you consume would actually help you shave in the morning? And what if disposable razors would come in sexy yet unisex colors? Well, the Preserve Triple Razor does just that. I’ve written about Preserve's success of combining modern design and eco-friendliness for everyday objects before. All their products are from 100% recycled materials and produced in the USA to save energy and natural resources.

The Preserve Triple Razor is made from 100% recycled plastic including Stonyfield Farm yogurt cups and is fully recyclable. Each Triple Razor package comes with two of Preserve's titanium-coated blades that are easy to replace. The ergonomic design of the handle with contours and gripping regions enhances performance and control. I love that the packaging doubles as a reusable travel case that’s recyclable which makes it perfect to be carried around in my gym or travel bag. And now I’ve a little confession to make. In my ongoing effort to green my life I enrolled in a online certificate for sustainable design at MCAD earlier this year. This week is all about analyzing my plastic consumption. I can’t believe I didn’t replace my disposable razors earlier and I deeply apologize to you and the planet.

for earth-loving babies and moms

It was inspiring to hear Erbaviva’s co-founder Robin Brown speak with so much integrity about USDA certification at the speaker series about sustainable design at NYIGF. I always loved the modern eco-design of their products and you can even download his presentation. Erbaviva is a USDA certified organic personal care line that has always been organic. It became USDA certified in 2007, which is mostly only given out to food. That’s quite impressive.

Erbaviva balances its carbon footprint through the purchase of renewable energy certificates to offset 100% of the electricity used by their offices and manufacturing facilities. All products are handmade and packaged in earth-friendly recyclable, eco-friendly bottles and containers. I love the company’s social responsibility that’s reflected in the packaging of their baby soaps, baby washbags and milk bath pouches. They are made by the Pwo Karen Hill tribe in Thailand and Burma that also hand-weaves their baby baskets. The pouches travel down the mountain via elephant back and are shipped down the river on a raft. You can’t get more energy-efficient than that! Plus it makes for a great bedtime story.

the master of organic hair care

While working as a salon stylist in the 80s John Masters set out to create the ultimate organic hair care line to establish a toxin-free salon environment. Since then he launched John Masters Organics, which was the first comprehensive, luxury-organic hair care line. I love the smell of his rosemary & peppermint conditioner with organic plant oils, protein and vitamins that comes in a sleek, slightly elongated bottle. It doesn’t only detangle my hair, but also clears my head – something I can really use these days.

All his products are paraben-free, contain no petro-chemicals and use plant extracts and essential oils that are 75% - 100% organic. In addition all essential oils are steam-distilled and all plant oils are cold pressed. His ingredients are biodegradable and the packaging is recyclable.