seriesPart 3 in a special series on the presence of plastic in our lives.

We all try to do our part. We try to make conscious, low environmental impact choices when we can, but technology has outpaced awareness. Plastic hides everywhere: under our noses, in place sight, in the places we’d least expect. Case in point: a committed java junkie, I try to carry a reusable cup at all times. When I don’t, I order a medium in a large cup, so I can avoid the plastic lid. And then I learned even the paper cups have a thin layer of polyethylene lining.

Most of the scientific literature to date suggests that polyethylene doesn’t leach chemicals, but it doesn’t biodegrade, either, creating a lasting problem. So often, we don’t even know we’re consuming plastic. Even chewing gum contains plastic (poly-vinyl acetate). Check the ingredients; it’s difficult to find a single chewing gum that doesn’t contain a synthetic. Ditto beer. Fans of the hearty, local microbrew will notice the plastic gasket lining the bottle caps of glass bottles. In short: it’s everywhere.

Many face cleansers, for example, utilize plastic in their formulas to work as an abrasive. Everyone wants healthy skin, and we dutifully scrape away those older, dead skin cells to reveal the younger, fresher cells beneath. The plastic particles in the exfoliants wash down the drain, into the rivers and the ocean, where they work as a vector to absorb persistent organic pollutants at highly toxic levels – and can be ingested by fish and bio-magnify up the food chain, right back into tonight’s dinner.

Treatment plants haven’t been able to demonstrate effective capture of these plastic additives, which on personal care labels will go by names like “polyethylene micro-spheres” or “micro-beads.” Brands like Clearasil, Ponds, and Neutrogena all use synthetic exfoliants. (Luckily, there are healthy, green alternatives for younger, fresher skin, from brands like Farm Aesthetics, Burt’s Bees, and Yes to Carrots to homegrown remedies like lemon peel and coffee grounds.)

Coffee, beer, gum, cleansers – does it ever stop? Plastic is even in some brands of whitening toothpaste.

The stuff just doesn’t go away. We’ve been using plastics widely for about 40 years, with consumption spiking about 20 years ago. Within this short span of time, plastic can already be found in every part of the ocean and on every single beach in the world.  It’s made of toxic chemicals. It doesn’t biodegrade. It’s accumulating in every light and dark recess of our reality. And we don’t know what it’s going to do to us yet.

Recycling, far from being an answer, is a myth, one that makes us feel good but doesn’t solve the problem. When we throw “it” away, we have to remember one thing: there is no away. There is only out of sight. As we wash our faces, brighten our smiles, and pound our morning lattes, we’re creating an ever-, over-plasticized environment.

Editor’s note: This is part 3 in a special series on plastic. Read part 2 and part 1.

Image: Nick Harris

10 great blogs covering sustainable, nontoxic and vegan beauty.

If you’ve ever stared blankly at an array of beauty products in the drugstore aisle and felt hopelessly clueless about which brands are the real McGreen, this is for you.

When I’m wondering whether the newest “organic” mascara is green or greenwash, or how to translate the latest makeup trends into real-life looks with non-toxic products, I turn to these 10 top green beauty blogs, written by both experts and everyday women who cut through the chemicals and share what they find.

Fig + Sage

Erin and Stancie, the sisters behind Fig + Sage, are just plain passionate about organic, non-toxic beauty, and they want to help us all discern the truly gush-worthy products from the disappointing (or worse). Case in point: a recent post on ‘6 Things that Irritate Me‘, which includes “Brands that get annoyed, defensive and rude when you ask them to prove the validity of their claims.  If that kind of response isn’t suspicious I don’t know what is.”

Ecouterre

Helmed by Inhabitat founder Jill Fehrenbacher, Ecouterre showcases more than just the latest in innovative and quirky sustainable fashion design – it’s also a helpful source of information about natural and organic beauty, whether highlighting their favorite products or shedding light on the latest beauty-related studies. Bonus: tips for guys, too!

Gorgeously Green

Author of best-selling green guide Gorgeously Green, Sophie Uliano is an expert on ditching toxic ingredients and being more environmentally friendly without sacrificing style and glamour. She brings the same tips that made her book so popular to her blog, A Simply Gorgeous Life, discussing both store-bought products and skin care recipes you can make yourself.

OrGLAMic Beauty

Delicious-smelling perfumes made from essential oils, firming facial serums, fun freebies and more can be found at orGLAMic’s Health & Beauty blog. Founded by television host and former Miss Los Angeles Sandra Sanchez, orGLAMic focuses on sustainable alternatives for women (and men!) who love luxury.

The Nature of Beauty Blog

Do we really need to use toners? What are the hottest new shades of non-toxic nail polish? What’s the deal with that new USDA certification program for ‘natural’ products? You’ll find the answers to all of these questions at the Nature of Beauty Blog, run by the organic beauty shop of the same name. Founder Terri Bly is super-picky about the products she chooses to sell, and her insight is definitely worth a read.

EcoStiletto

Looking to downsize your carbon footprint? Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff wants to help you shrink it down to a tiny pointed heel with EcoStiletto, a green blog with a focus on style and celebs. Check it out for interviews with stars like Chloe Sevigny and Daryl Hannah, lists of the greenest products in drugstores and department stores, plastic-free skin care lines and sustainable beauty that gives back.

Josie Maran Cosmetics

Sure, Josie Maran is blogging about her own products – why wouldn’t she? But the model, green activist and eco-beauty entrepreneur gives us a cool inside take including demonstrations and suggestions for using them, and the occasional coupon code or heads up on a sale. Her posts that match up the latest runway trends in makeup with  products that can help you get the same look are extra helpful.

Organic Beauty View

The Organic Beauty View blog is a great source of seasonal beauty trends, skin care tips and lots of top 10 lists for everything from organic shampoo to non-toxic mascara. Get your natural beauty questions answered by Emma Pezzack, founder of Futurenatural, a Sephora-like emporium of natural and organic beauty products.

Vegan Beauty Review

Looking for products that are not just cruelty-free, but totally vegan? At the Vegan Beauty Review, blogger Sunny tries out eyeshadow primers, soap, nail polish – pretty much any product you can think of. More so than ‘natural’ or ‘organic’ products, Sunny focuses on those that don’t include a single drop of any animal product. “I want the world to know that you can be vegan and cruelty-free and still be über girlie and have fun.”

Eco Chick

Full disclosure – I write beauty posts at Eco Chick. But that doesn’t mean I can’t say the site rocks. Founder Starre Vartan, author of The Eco Chick Guide to Life, strikes a refreshing balance covering the best of the best luxe green beauty lines and cheap and easy DIY beauty recipes and tips.

Finally, you can always peruse the many expert beauty articles of our own beauty editor, Katherine Butler. Looking good, lady!

I am not what you would call adventurous when it comes to makeup. I wear lipstick, a little tinted moisturizer, some mascara and nothing more. This is not because of any God-given beauty that renders me naturally stunning – it’s just that I am supremely clumsy and untalented when it comes to cosmetics. I have never, ever known how to apply two colors of eye shadow correctly onto my eyelid. And no matter how many times my daughter has tried to show me how it’s done, I still can’t use blush to create the illusion of cheekbones. My face is somehow makeup-averse. Even when it is skillfully applied by a friend or makeup artist, it looks wrong on me – I end up looking painted, garish and overdone. I have invested in several professional makeovers and each time I’ve come away looking like some kind of demented, bad-girl circus clown.

The only sure-fire trick in my makeup arsenal is a particular MAC lipstick, a shade called “Hug Me.” I can’t tell you why, but this one perfect, pinkish brown lipstick adds warmth and definition to my face; it detracts attention from the dark circles under my eyes, and subtly rearranges my features, instantly making me look years younger. Well, I think it does, although not everyone seems to agree (as my mother used to say “It’s lipstick, not a friggin’ magic wand.”)

In a rare blend of shallow vanity and noble altruism, my lipstick addiction not only improves my appearance, it lets me feel that I am doing my part to help the planet: MAC’s recycling program allows you to return any six empty makeup containers and get a free lipstick on the spot. This program delivers a double whammy of feel-good opportunities: it saves me $15.00 while also letting me reduce my carbon footprint. I am not generally the most organized person and I’m not known for my long game, so the fact that I can save and keep track of half-a-dozen empty lipstick casings shows a surprising amount of discipline and foresight.

I do have one small problem with the recycling program – when you purchase a MAC lipstick it comes nicely sealed and sensibly protected in a small black cardboard box. But when you recycle your six used-up containers, the ladies at the counter drop a naked lipstick tube into your hand – no box, no bag, no nothing. There is something jarringly casual about this transaction, and it also seems a little shady – the lack of a box always makes me think that the lipstick may have been found in the street, or on the floor of some gas station ladies’ room.

When I’ve asked the MAC saleswomen why there’s no box with a trade-in, I always get the same vague response, an airy non-explanation that trails off after some mumbling about “policy” and do I need any eyeliner? But I never push it. These ladies know I’m hooked on Hug Me. They can sense my panic as I anxiously ask if the shade is about to be retired. Because as any woman knows, the more perfect a lipstick is, the more likely it is to be abruptly discontinued. I was caught unaware when this happened in the late 1970s with Maybelline Frosted Mocha, but I won’t be caught off-guard again. I call the company periodically, and I check on the website for news of my favorite shade’s demise. Before it disappears forever, I plan to purchase a lifetime supply of Hug Me. But I wonder what I’ll do with all those empty lipstick tubes…

Image: striatic

Sass is big these days. It’s singing on our TVs (Glee!) and it’s kicking ass on our movie screens (Hit Girl! In Kick Ass!). It seems like you can’t flip a channel without seeing spunk and sass twirling across our pop culture zeitgeist. So yes, sass is in – and it’s all over recent makeup trends. Recently, we brought you the smoky eye of the sexy vixen. Now, check out our tips for a fun, funky makeup look – complete with eco-product suggestions, of course!

Sassy and fun (also known as “flirty”) is all in the application and color. Sass comes with the most striking looks. You’re going to want to go for makeup that gives you a rosy glow and bright, fun colors for your eyes. It’s easy to have a gorgeous makeup style with just a hint of drama.

All about the Eyes
When you’re going for sass, you want to make your eyes stand out. Think about cool, eye-popping shades like fuchsia, purple, blue, gold or even silver. Pick up some Alima Lumino Shimmer Eyeshadow ($9.00) in bold colors such as Azure. Find eyeliner in a similarly bright color, such as Lavera’s Eyeliner ($13.50) in blue. And pick up a colorful mascara from Lavera, which offers one in a funky shade of blue. (We’ll just call this look “electric eyes.”)

Using the eyeliner, line your upper and lower lashes as well as the inside rims of your eyes. Repeat as necessary to add emphasis. Add the eye shadow to your lids, but be careful not to extend into your brow line. Curl your eyelashes, add a coat of mascara, and curl again. Also, while applying your mascara, make sure to add a little extra product to the corners of your lashes. This can really make your lashes pop.

And think about adding false eyelashes. Jane Iredale offers Professional False Eyelashes made from real hair. (However, the glue to apply them isn’t particularly eco-friendly.) Click here to read more.

Think about a Light Blush
Okay, so now you’ve got the eye-catching “¦ eyes. Time to attend to your rosy cheeks. 100% Pure offers up a Fruit Pigmented Blush ($16.85) that is 100% natural and 100% gluten-free. And it gets a Skin Deep rating of zero. Apply it to the apples of your checks. But don’t overdo it on the blush – your goal is to compliment your brightly-colored peeps. Finish with a translucent powder like this one from Earth’s Beauty.

And Finally, Leave Your Lips Naked
A really great sheer lip gloss can finish a look. This 100 % Pure Sugar Plum Sheer Lip Gloss can add a lovely sheen without too much color.

Photo Source

Life is good for green beauty. We have boutiques for easy shopping and sites for learning more about eco products. But sometimes, it is nice to settle in with a good book to educate ourselves. (Especially with ones printed on recycled paper!) Luckily, there are a lot of fantastic books that give us a comprehensive look of what it means to be a green beauty. And we’ve been lucky enough to read more than a few.

Check out our favorite picks for green beauty tomes. And after we have our green faces on, check out Amy DuFault’s recent article on top 15 eco fashion books.

1. Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry by Stacy Malkan

Want to know everything you can about the fight for safe cosmetics? Stacy Malkan, co-founder of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, published this informative tome in 2007. Malkan takes us through her personal journey towards green beauty, starting as a teenager “desperate to fit in” finding solace in the drug store cosmetics aisle. She describes the ‘pink-washing’ of the cosmetics industry – aka “we raise money for breast cancer studies while putting chemicals that cause breast cancer in our products.” Malkan lays out the stark, dark truth of the cosmetics industry while giving us hope for a healthier – and yes, prettier – future. Considered a seminal text for the green beauty movement, this is a must-read.

2. No More Dirty Looks: The Truth about Your Beauty Products and the Ultimate Guide to Safe and Clean Cosmetics by Siobhan O’Connor and Alexandra Spunt

This recently published book comes from journalists O’Connor and Spunt, who offer up fun, anecdotal stories about their experiences with all the wackiness that is the beauty industry. It’s a great resource to help anyone understand the practices of the beauty industry. At the same time, O’Connor and Spunt offer up fun, hopeful suggestions for a healthier present and future.

3. Return to Beauty: Old World Recipes for Great Radiant Skin by Narine Nikogosian

Okay, so now you know your drug store moisturizer may have more petroleum by-products than a plume of oil. Sometimes, the safest products are those we make ourselves. Nikogosian was inspired by her Russian grandmother who took her daily ration of government butter and turned it into a moisturizer. Nikogosian serves up homemade skincare recipes for all skin types and even categorizes them according to sun signs. If you are ready to be your own beauty chemist, this is the book for you.

4. The Green Beauty Guide by Julie Gabriel

Gabriel provides a great comprehensive resource for all that is eco beauty. You get lessons on the science of natural beauty, ingredients list tips, do-it-yourself recipes, product suggestions and even green beauty detox suggestions. Better yet? Gabriel presents a great list of the 100 ingredients you want to avoid in your products. She continues the discussion online at her blog, The Green Beauty Guide.

5. Eco-Beautiful: The Ultimate Guide to Natural Beauty and Wellness by Lina Hanson

Hanson is a makeup artist who was inspired to go green after a move to Los Angeles opened her eyes to a healthier way of living. She includes tips on how to treat different skin types as well as recipes for healthy nutrition and more. But her experience as a makeup artist is the biggest selling point for this tome, which includes detailed tips on application. You’ve got your eco-friendly products – this is the book that tells you how to apply it all.

Ready to shop? Check out 10 Great Eco Boutiques Online

Photo credit: Main picture from tibchris on Flickr. Licensed for commercial use under Creative Commons.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right? So that means beauty treatments are also in the eyes of the participant. But sometimes, these eyes are smeared with snail ooze. Or maybe they’re splashed by a ramen noodle spa or slithered across by snakes during a massage. Some beauty treatments around the world seem the stuff of Willy Wonka’s factory, without the ensuing sugar coma.

But hey, we don’t judge. After all, we live in a world where people make a practice of injecting botulism into their foreheads and silicone into their lips. If someone wants to put bull semen in our hair, we say “how much?” and “just keep it away from my ears”. And while we figure out a way to comfortably staple our ears closed, check out some of the stranger beauty treatments making their way around the planet.

1. Snail Ooze Facial

Would you ever consider smearing your face with snail ooze? If so, pick up De Tuinen Snail Gel, sourced from the snails of Chile. (And sold in Holland, nice carbon footprint!) The secret is in the snail’s secretion, which is used to smooth the snail’s shell. It is supposed to support the skin’s elasticity and more.

2. Snake Massage

Some people think that letting snakes slither across their bodies would be the stuff of nightmares. Not so, for the patrons of Ada Barak’s spa in Israel. The $80 treatment gets you several non-venomous snakes slithering around your body, apparently producing a therapeutic kneading sensation. Barak’s clients claim the treatments ease migraines and soothe sore muscles.

3. Ramen Noodle Spa Bath

Hakone Kowakien Yunessun of Japan offers up a treatment suitable for both lunch and spa. Sitting in a tub shaped like a ramen noodle bowl, the water contains pepper-flavored water colored a light, milky brown. Just what does the Ramen noodle spa bath do for you? The water contains collagen and garlic extracts, and officials claim it can help produce beautiful skin and aid moisture retention. And it probably makes you feel like a giant’s lunch in some fairy tale.

4. Bull Semen Hair Treatment

Think that organic chamomile conditioner you just shelled out 40 clams for is great? Consider lathering up with bull semen instead. Hari’s, a salon in London, uses the semen of Aberdeen Angus bulls to treat their customers’ locks.  As the salon’s owner Hari Salem told reporters, “The semen is refrigerated before use and doesn’t smell. It leaves your hair looking wonderfully soft and thick.” We’ll take your word for it, Hari!

5. Fish Pedicure

You know what is my worst nightmare? Hands down scariest thing I can imagine is falling into a tank of dead fish. (And here’s to exposing our darkest fears on the internet!) Ask my young nieces, they can vouch that I’ve run screaming from the room at the sight of a possible floater in their little fish bowls. I can’t tell you why. I just skeeve dead fish.

So this latest spa treatment to sweep the world is not for me. But for the braver (read: less neurotic) sorts, you can dip your toots into a fish bowl filled with tiny carp that will nibble away your dead skin. And sure, these fish are alive. But can we really take that chance? Can we?

6. Sheep Embryo Injections

Want to look young forever? Who knew that all it took were sheep sacrifices! But before we all reach for our sacrificial robes (made of organic cottons, of course) keep in mind that you can merely inject sheep embryos into your face. Rocker Debbie Harry did 30 years ago and credits her youthful appearance to the procedures. As the musician told reporters in 2008, “I had these cells injected into me in my early 30s and it turned out that I was the youngest person to have the treatment. They would take (cells) from the liver, glands, bone and whatever. Whether that treatment lasted this long, I don’t know, but I feel great.”

7. 24 Carat Gold Face Mask

The secret to glowing skin? According to the good people at UMO, its slathering gold all over your pores. Using an “ultrasonic nano mist,” gold penetrates your skin to lift, firm, and reduce the signs of aging. No word on whether King Midas had anything to do with the development of this treatment.

Photo credits: Face; Snail; Snakes; Ramen; Bull; Fish pedicure; Sheep; Gold. All photos from Flickr, licensed for commercial use under Creative Commons.

But hey, we don’t judge. After all, we live in a world where people make a practice of injecting botulism into their foreheads and silicone into their lips. If someone wants to put bull semen in our hair, we say “how much?” and “just keep it away from my ears”. And while we figure out a way to comfortably staple our ears closed, check out some of the stranger beauty treatments making their way around the planet.

• «
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• »

1. Snail Ooze Facial

Would you ever consider smearing your face with snail ooze? If so, pick up De Tuinen Snail Gel, sourced from the snails of Chile. (And sold in Holland, nice carbon footprint!) The secret is in the snail’s secretion, which is used to smooth the snail’s shell. It is supposed to support the skin’s elasticity and more.

• «
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• »

2. Snake Massage

Some people think that letting snakes slither across their bodies would be the stuff of nightmares. Not so, for the patrons of Ada Barak’s spa in Israel. The $80 treatment gets you several non-venomous snakes slithering around your body, apparently producing a therapeutic kneading sensation. Barak’s clients claim the treatments ease migraines and soothe sore muscles.

• «
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• »

3. Ramen Noodle Spa Bath

Hakone Kowakien Yunessun of Japan offers up a treatment suitable for both lunch and spa. Sitting in a tub shaped like a ramen noodle bowl, the water contains pepper-flavored water colored a light, milky brown. Just what does the Ramen noodle spa bath do for you? The water contains collagen and garlic extracts, and officials claim it can help produce beautiful skin and aid moisture retention. And it probably makes you feel like a giant’s lunch in some fairy tale.

• «
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• »

4. Bull Semen Hair Treatment

Think that organic chamomile conditioner you just shelled out 40 clams for is great? Consider lathering up with bull semen instead. Hari’s, a salon in London, uses the semen of Aberdeen Angus bulls to treat their customers’ locks.  As the salon’s owner Hari Salem told reporters, “The semen is refrigerated before use and doesn’t smell. It leaves your hair looking wonderfully soft and thick.” We’ll take your word for it, Hari!

• «
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• »

5. Fish Pedicure

You know what is my worst nightmare? Hands down scariest thing I can imagine is falling into a tank of dead fish. (And here’s to exposing our darkest fears on the internet!) Ask my young nieces, they can vouch that I’ve run screaming from the room at the sight of a possible floater in their little fish bowls. I can’t tell you why. I just skeeve dead fish.

So this latest spa treatment to sweep the world is not for me. But for the braver (read: less neurotic) sorts, you can dip your toots into a fish bowl filled with tiny carp that will nibble away your dead skin. And sure, these fish are alive. But can we really take that chance? Can we?

• «
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• »

6. Sheep Embryo Injections

Want to look young forever? Who knew that all it took were sheep sacrifices! But before we all reach for our sacrificial robes (made of organic cottons, of course) keep in mind that you can merely inject sheep embryos into your face. Rocker Debbie Harry did 30 years ago and credits her youthful appearance to the procedures. As the musician told reporters in 2008, “I had these cells injected into me in my early 30s and it turned out that I was the youngest person to have the treatment. They would take (cells) from the liver, glands, bone and whatever. Whether that treatment lasted this long, I don’t know, but I feel great.”

• «
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• »

7. 24 Carat Gold Face Mask

The secret to glowing skin? According to the good people at UMO, its slathering gold all over your pores. Using an “ultrasonic nano mist,” gold penetrates your skin to lift, firm, and reduce the signs of aging. No word on whether King Midas had anything to do with the development of this treatment.

Photo credits: Face; Snail; Snakes; Ramen; Bull; Fish pedicure; Sheep; Gold. All photos from Flickr, licensed for commercial use under Creative Commons.

Do you sprint through department stores? I do, and it’s always through the makeup section. I have bad allergies and walking through rows and rows of fragrances is akin to demons waving perfumed-drenched pitchforks at me. Fragrance means an instant headache, sniffling nose, and a possible asthma attack. To me, perfume is utterly toxic. To everyone else? Yeah, actually it looks like it is toxic as well.

At the start of the movement for safe cosmetics, way back in 2002 when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, a report called “Not Too Pretty” discussed the dangers of perfume. A full page ad ran in the New York Times with the release of this report, featuring a pregnant woman sniffing what looked like the perfume brand, Poison. The ad ran, “For baby, it could really be poison.” The report found that 72% of tested beauty products contained phthalates, a chemical linked to birth defects and hormone disruption. And Poison contained the highest levels of the chemical.

This report launched the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, which is responsible for much of the safer products on the market today. But a recent analysis by the Campaign shows that top-selling fragrances still contain at least 12 ingredients not listed on labels. What’s more, these “chemicals that can trigger allergic reactions or disrupt hormones. Hormone-disrupting chemicals are linked to a range of health effects including sperm damage, thyroid disruption and cancer.” Fragrance receives one of the highest hazard ratings from the Skin Deep database.

Second-hand fragrance is also a concern. Anne Steinemann is a professor of civil and environmental engineering and professor of public affairs at the University of Washington. According to Dr. Steinemann, “One person using a fragranced product can cause health problems for many others.” Some of the health hazards associated with second-hand fragrance are asthma, headaches, and even contact dermatitis.

So do we protest by throwing our perfumes into the sea like some kind of Boston Tea Party? (Heck no, because it is way too toxic for the fish!) We found at least one healthier option on the scented market. A Perfume Organic offers up fragrances with more certifications than a Star Trek neurosurgeon (aka TONS).  This brand is certified USDA Organic, Oregon Tilth, cruelty-free and vegan – it even gets Greenpeace’s approval.

The line was founded by Amanda Walker, a vegan, organic, local, and raw food advocate. After a career in the perfume industry, she decided to create a healthier option for those seeking scent. Her perfumes contain certified organic botanicals and are hand-poured locally in Manhattan in small batches to maintain purity.

A Perfume Organic offers four scents, each for $65: Green, Urban Organic, Perfumed Wine-Rose and White Magik. Green is rose with hint of chamomile; Urban Organic is lemon with ginger and grapefruit; White Magik has white flowers with spearmint; and Perfumed Wine-Rose is berry, crisp apple and peppers. I have to be honest – with my history of fragrance headaches, I approached these perfumes as one might approach a root canal. You know you gotta do it, but you just want it to be over with. Commence crushing headache, right?

Cue the ringing of church bells and throwing of confetti! Nary a headache did I have with these scents. They smelled fresh and botanical. If you want to smell like fruit, you smell like fruit. If you want a hint of floral, it’s there. My favorite was White Magik for its sage and spearmint “aftersmell.”

And just what are they made of? Amanda supplied me with a detailed list of what goes into her perfumes. Her scents contain pure ingredients like lavender, bitter organic, spearmint, white pepper, lemon, and more. As she told me, “I never use any solvent extracted ingredients. This is very important as solvent extraction use petrochemicals and phthalates (such as absolutes and concretes). Also, I’m very careful to never use any endangered ingredients – my sandalwood is from Australia.”

Best of all? You can actually wear her scents without smelling like a broken perfume factory just rampaged by 1000 cats. You can find them at Futurenatural.

FTC Compliance

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

Did you know that the cosmetics industry is largely self-regulated? Did you know that lead is found in two-thirds of all top-selling lipsticks? Did you know the FDA has only banned eight of the 12,000 chemicals used in cosmetics and that they don’t require all ingredients be listed on the labels? Did you know that you could learn enough infuriating facts about the cosmetics industry to the point of wanting to don a haz-mat suit every time you step into the shower?

Okay, so the last question may be my own. But a new short from documentarian Annie Leonard has the beauty world talking – and this time, it’s not about who got what lip or breast implants. Leonard is the author The Story of Stuff, where she takes a good hard look at what we’re putting into our bodies every time we use beauty products. Check out her short here.

The good news? Congress has come up with legislation that may change all this. The Campaign of Safe Cosmetic just announced that Congress has introduced the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010. Reps. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc. sponsored the bill which ”gives the Food and Drug Administration authority to ensure that personal care products are free of harmful ingredients. Existing law, passed in 1938, granted decision-making about ingredient safety to the cosmetics industry.” This law, among other acts, will phase out ingredients linked to cancer, birth defects and more. It will adequately fund the FDA and require full transparency of ingredients of products for users and beauty workers.

So what can you do in the meantime? As always, be vigilant about reading labels. A good rule of thumb is to look for Sodium Lauryl Sulfates (SLS), parabens, and phthalates. Check out our resources for some of the most toxic products. We have covered a ton of products here at EcoSalon, so scroll down to learn about various natural and/or organic beauty products.

Baby Shampoo
Eye shadow
Deodorant
Shampoo
Conditioner
Makeup Labels
Blush
Kids Nail Polish
Facial Scrubs
Mascara
Moisturizer

Image: idhren

As someone who can’t tell a proton from a pronoun, I have endless admiration for the men and women who work in the fields of science. The chemists, engineers and inventors of this world all have my enthusiastic respect. I refer to them, reverentially, using the collective “they” as in “they can send a manned space ship to the Moon,” and “they can make delicious fat-free potato chips” (although not, regrettably, without the unpleasant and inconvenient side effect of “oily diarrhea.”) But given the leaps that science has made in recent years, I don’t understand why they can’t make a natural cosmetic product that doesn’t smell like old man’s feet.

Recently I went to Sephora, my local mall’s shrine to self-beautification, and conducted a completely unscientific sniff-test of anything labeled natural, organic or eco-friendly. I am sorry to report that the results on the whole were, meh. Some products smelled better than others and one or two were actually not bad at all. Well, not terrible anyway. Most of the products were labeled as “fragrance free,” but it would be more accurate to describe them as “perfume free” because many had a fragrance – just not one that was pleasing to the senses. In keeping with the scientific theory that smells evoke memory and emotion more than any other sense, some of the products turned out to be major buzzkills. There was a stick of “natural” moisturizer that gave off a mild and not-entirely unpleasant odor of eucalyptus – but it reminded me of the Noxzema that I washed with twice a day all through middle school, so the smell brought me instantly back to an era of cliques, gym suits, and social awkwardness.

A couple of other products had no discernible odor at all, which was somewhat off-putting. I’ve been programmed to expect makeup to smell festive – to evoke images of dressing up and going out. But the no-aroma items were far less offensive than some of the funkier organic products I would eventually inhale.

A tube of all-natural tinted moisturizer had an aroma that was eerily similar to my dentist’s office. Then there was an eye shadow that smelled like clay, with a top note of what appeared to be rancid fruit. I sampled a lipstick that hit me first with a strong odor of beeswax, followed up by something that smelled like the flesh of a decomposing gerbil. An aggressively “eco” mascara smelled like a tattered pair of bowling shoes I rented recently. And one entire line of earth-friendly products smelled like the chronically ill turtles I had as a child.

I wanted to respond favorably to the smell of natural cosmetics but it was hard going. On the whole, they just couldn’t compare with the memory of the Angel Face compact I remember from high school. Even now, decades later, I can summon up the light, clean, smell of that pressed powder. That fresh, delicate aroma lingers as the sense-memory of my first real date. Angel Face smelled like being out after curfew on a summer night. It smelled like slow-dancing with Jimmy Palladino in front of my house.

Of course that was long ago, before we knew how important it was to create paraben-free products in compostable packaging. I feel it is absolutely right and proper that cosmetic companies try to be more responsible in their approach to makeup. But I also feel a deep and genuine sadness for a generation of girls who, years from now, will get a whiff of roadkill on a summer breeze and think “Oh – that smells just like Prom night!”

Image: StephenCarlile