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!

We’ve all got one – a little tube in the nightstand drawer, ready for those moments when our bodies seem to be failing at what they’re supposed to do naturally. At the risk of sounding like a commercial, I’m just going to say it: vaginal dryness happens.

Maybe you’re on birth control pills, or maybe your man isn’t spending enough – ahem – quality time before the act itself takes place. But if you find yourself reaching for lubrication, stop and read those ingredients! You might be filling one of the most delicate parts of your body with a bunch of scary chemicals, and even affecting your fertility.

It’s all too easy to just grab whatever the most promising-looking plastic tube on the drugstore shelf. The labels on products like KY Jelly, Astroglide and Durex Play focus on adjectives like “sensual” and “warming”, not safety – and sometimes, ingredients aren’t even disclosed.

Here’s the thing about most conventional sex lubes:

Many contain parabens. KY brand lubricants – aside from the ‘sensitive’ version – contain parabens, a class of chemicals used as preservatives. Even the relatively natural-sounding brand ‘Phyto Soya’ is packed with practically every paraben in existence. Parabens are estrogen mimickers and have been linked to breast cancer. Chemicals like parabens are easily absorbed through the skin, and mucous membranes – like vaginal tissue – are even more susceptible.

They’re often petroleum-based. Any lubricant that lists mineral oil in its ingredient list is made from petrochemicals. An obvious offender is plain old petroleum jelly. If you like putting fossil fuels in your vagina, raise your hand! Yeah, that’s what I thought.

They can cause infection. Whenever you see glycerin or a word starting with “glycol” in the ingredients, you’ve got potential problems. These ingredients – common in lubes like Astroglide – are closely related to glucose, which means they’re a sugary feast for yeast. Not exactly sexy.

They affect fertility. If you’re trying to conceive, think twice about using any old lube. Studies show that lubricants like KY, Astroglide and FemGlide affect both sperm quality and motility, meaning they slow ‘em down and damage their DNA. While a product called “Pre-Seed” proved to be the most sperm-friendly, it does contain parabens, so it’s best not to use artificial lube at all if possible.

That doesn’t mean that just because you’re breastfeeding, going through menopause or taking antidepressants, you have to resign yourself to uncomfortable sex. Check out some of these alternatives:

Firefly Organics – Though not made for use with latex condoms (polyurethane is okay), Firefly Organics is a 100 percent natural, paraben-free personal lubricant made with sunflower seed extract, cocoa butter and shea butter.

Yes Lubricant – Yes brand lubricants come in both water- and oil-based varieties for latex condom compatibility. The oil-based product contains shea butter, sweet almond oil, sunflower oil, beeswax, cocoa butter and vitamin E while the water-based product is made with aloe, guar gum, locust bean gum and flax extract.

Good Clean Love – Totally natural, organic and vegan, Good Clean Love lubricants come in naturally scented versions like lavender rose, almost naked with a touch of lemon and vanilla, and cinnamon vanilla – a spicy scent reminiscent of pumpkin pie, a scent that most men find sexy.

Coconut Oil – Some ladies swear by plain old virgin organic coconut oil as a sex lube, and though no studies have been done on its safety, it seems like a great choice. Coconut oil is naturally fungicidal, so nothing funky will grow in it (which is a common problem in any kind of lube). It’s also antibacterial and silky smooth, but avoiding it in conjunction with latex condoms is probably a good idea.

Image: Zawezome

There’s a lot of sunscreen out there, and there’s very little about it that makes sense. Between the sunscreens and the sun blocks, the UVA and the UBV, it’s easier to become more confused than a tourist during Mardi Gras. How confused is that? Let’s just say it involves a level of confusion that may cause someone to bolt across the parade route from one cop to another while that certain someone is just trying to catch the last bus back to Baton Rouge or is it Ponchatoula? Yeah, that confused.

At the center of this sunscreen spaz attack comes the seminal sun protection question – what the heck is in my sunscreen?

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (pdf), sunscreen “protects your skin by absorbing and/or reflecting UVA and UVB rays.” Further, “broad-spectrum sunscreens often contain”¦UVA-absorbing avobenzone or a benzophenone.” Sunblocks, which block instead of absorbing the sun’s ray, include chemicals like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.

They may not sound so healthy, but we need titanium dioxide and zinc oxide to protect our skin and the organic skin care world doesn’t seem to be offering up truly organic substitutes. So that means you want to be sure that the rest of the product is as organic as possible.

We have taken a look at the latest sun protection the green world has to offer. They are all eco-friendly or organic in some capacity. But we’ve also put them to a much more rigorous round of questioning. What do they smell like? How well do they absorb? And do they leave you looking like Bozo the Clown?

Ultra Light Facial Moisturizer SPF 25 by Kimberly Sayer

This product is marketed as a “day cream” and a “moisturizer.” It has also become my “all-time bestest most favorite-ist” face cream for the summer. With a wonderful lemon scent and a lightness that is comparable to whipped cream, this is best of the batch. It smells great, absorbs quickly and doesn’t leave you with a residue. It contains oat beta glucan to protect against UVA. And its lightness allows an easy application under makeup, making it a good place to start on your daily beauty regime. $32.

Cucumber Face SPF 30 by Coola (shown at top)

Want your sunscreen to evoke a cool glass of water at the high-end spa?  Then this is the product for you. With a fruity, cucumber scent, you can treat it more like perfume than a sunscreen. In fact, I liked the scent so much that I have worn it indoors while typing away at writing assignments with the shades drawn. It also absorbs quickly and doesn’t leave your skin feeling sticky.  This organic product covers a UVA/UVB broad spectrum and is PABA/paraben/petroleum free.

Sunscreen Watermelon Face Cream SPF 30 by Korres

This fantastic face product is like a mini-facial. It felt more like moisturizer than sunscreen. It has a fun fruity scent, and it smooths on without a white residue. It is free of mineral oil, silicone, propylene glycol and ethanolamine. It also has “natural filter titanium dioxide and shea butter for broad-spectrum sun protection (UVA-UVB-IR).”

Anti-Age Sunscreen SPF 20 by Lavera

This product has a light, almost candy-like scent. And it protects against UVA, UVB, and UVC rays, is biodegradable and is paraben- and PABA-free. However, it does leave your skin with a bit of a white sheen. At least you know it’s working!

Purely Age-Defying Day Cream SPF 15 by Jurlique

This is a lightweight, moisturizing sunscreen that has a vitamin-y aroma. It leaves your skin feeling a little sticky, but it does absorb quickly without leaving a white residue. It is made from organic herbs and flowers grown on the Jurlique farm. This includes rose hallica, licorice root, chamomile, pansy and sweet violet.

Dual Nature Face Protection SPF 15 by Aveda

Want a great smelling product? Then this is not the sunscreen for you. I am not a fan on the smell, which comes off a bit like sour fruit. It also leaves you with a bit of a chalky residue. But it does get props for quick absorption. It contains organic geranium, jasmine and orange for aroma, and the container is made from 35% post consumer HDPE.

All Day Moisture with SPF 15 by Noah’s Naturals

This product has an easy, pleasant smell. It absorbs quickly and without white residue, but it does leave you a little gunky. It is paraben-free and contains minimal amounts of chemicals. Noah’s Naturals also practices 1% for the Planet, which means they donate 1% of their sales to environmental organizations worldwide.

Vitamin C Moisture Plus Lotion SPF 15 by Avalon Organics

This product has a fresh, fruity aroma and it absorbs fast. Score and score! But it does require a bit of elbow grease to rub in, so make sure you work it to avoid the Casper effect. It provides UVA/UVB protection, and it has organic aloe, rose hips and sweet orange oils.

We brought you the goods on great green hair conditioners. Naturally, now we’re following up with the best eco-friendly, natural, organic shampoos! (Or should it be the other way around?)

But first, why do we want to go organic and nontoxic with our shampoos? One reason: it’s called sodium lauryl sulfate.

This chemical is what makes regular shampoos suds up. Among other things, it can lead to skin damage, permanent eye damage in children and even liver toxicity.

The news is not much better for sodium laureth sulfate (SLS). On the up side, SLS cannot be metabolized by the liver. But that just mean the other bad things about it hang out that much longer in your body.  And don’t forget, it is also used to degrease engines.

There are alternatives. Some natural shampoos use disodium laureth sulfosuccinate, which can be considered the lesser of two evils. (Skin Deep rates it only a moderate health hazard.)

Better than that, there is decyl glucoside.  This is a mild sudsing agent certified for its eco-clean production. And some natural shampoos don’t use any sudsing ingredients at all – though this means they don’t foam up very well and if you’re accustomed to the foaming action of most shampoos, it can take some getting used to.

Confused? Not to worry. We went through quite a few natural and organic shampoos to sort out the best picks for your different hair types. And we point out the good and the bad.  So get ready to get lathered up!

And Our Top Pick Is”¦

Tasmanian Lavender Shampoo from Sea Chi Organics

Out of all the shampoos I sampled, this combined the best of everything. It had a fantastic scent that can best be described as “spicy lavender.”  It really foamed up in the shower and didn’t leave any build up. Best of all, if left my hair feeling silky and light.

Its ingredients read like a breakfast menu: seaweed extract, nettles, marshmallow root, comfrey root, calendula blossoms, oat straw, kombucha tea and more. It does not contain any solvents or sodium lauryl or sodium laureth sulfates. Bravo on the organic suds! And finally, it is great for all hair types.

Best for Normal Hair…

Lavender Rosemary Shampoo from John Masters Organics

This is another great product from John Masters Organics. It was a bit thick and heavy going on, so it is probably not best for every day use.

It is free of sodium lauryl sulfate, using decyl glucoside to get sudsy. It contains 13 other certified-organic ingredients and is cruelty-free.

Pampering Carrot Juice Shampoo from Yes to Carrots

This fun product has a fresh, light floral smell.  It lathered well, rinsed well and left my hair feeling light.

This paraben-free shampoo is blended with organic carrot, sweet potato and pumpkin, which act as potent antioxidants to cleanse and moisturize the hair. It also contains Dead Sea Mud (seriously), melon, orange and honey. However, it does contain some sodium laureth sulfate, so be warned.

Best for Dry Hair…

Teatree Mint Shampoo from Organix

Out of all the samples I tried, this is the best bang for your buck. It retails for about $6 and has a delicious mint smell that lingers. It left my hair feeling soft and clean, and there’s a good suds factor.

It has organic Australian tea tree oils, moisturizing milk proteins and micro-infused peppermint oils for hydration and balance. It is sulfate free, but does contain disodium laureth sulfosuccinate.

Burt’s Bees Super Shiny Grapefruit & Sugar Beet Shampoo

This smells exactly as you would imagine – sugary and grapefruity. It is pH-balanced, and sodium laury/laureth sulfate-, paraben- and phthalate-free. And it contains decyl glucoisde.

I found it rather hard to work through my hair and had to follow with conditioner. But it did leave my hair feeling clean and refreshed.

Best Clarifying Shampoos…

Why do we want an occasional rinse with a clarifying shampoo?  Well, to remove chlorine and mineral buildup. Use them once a week and you will notice a difference in your hair. Just be sure to follow with a great conditioner, as overuse can strip your hair of all the good oils.

Hair Detoxifier from Aveda

By far, this is the best product for the task at hand. It has a clean, camphor smell that perks you up. It is almost magical how clean and silky your hair will feel after use. (And trust me, it has to be magical to get me to use the term magical.)

It contains certified organic aloe and no synthetic reducing agents. And it suds with disodium laureth sulfosuccinate. Like all Aveda products, it is cruelty-free and contains 80% post-consumer packaging.

Clarifying Shampoo from Alba Botanica

This has a pleasant fruity scent that didn’t disappoint. My only complaint is that it is a bit thick, so leave some time to lather it out of your hair.

Alba Botanica’s shampoo is made with eucalyptus, which has antiseptic and cooling qualities. It is free of sodium lauryl sulfate, parabens, artificial colors and of course there is no animal testing. It also contains 100% vegetarian ingredients.

Best Volumizing Shampoos…

Volumizing Shampoo from Nurture My Body

This product lathers sufficiently and left my hair feeling full and clean. It contains oat extract and honey to help strengthen the hair.

Nuture My Body’s product does not contain sodium laurel sulfate or any harsh detergents. It is supposed to be fragrance-free, but it smells more like light vitamins. Not bad, just not exactly fragrance-free. (Though it is free of the “fragrance” that is often used in non-organic brands which is nothing more than parabens.)

Big Body Shampoo from Kiss My Face

This product has a complex, fruity scent. Another great value, it is made with certified organic ingredients like floral water of rosemary, chamomile, lemon balm and more.

It contains no animal ingredients, sodium lauryl sulfate, artificial colors, or unnecessary chemicals.

Image: Meg Yarsh

Mosquito season is here, and although I’ve found my personal zen with them it’s no fun to find yourself flailing, yelping and slapping when those little critters come buzzing around. You can preserve your personal comfort this summer by making (or growing) your own mosquito repellent.

The recipe goes like this:

2 ½ teaspoons of any mixture of the following essential oils: basil, catnip, cedarwood, citronella, juniper, lemon, lemongrass, myrrh, palmarosa, pine, rose geranium or rosemary.
½ cup of 190-proof grain alcohol (such as high quality vodka)
½ cup distilled, filtered or spring water
Put this mixture in a small spray bottle, shake it up and you’re set.

Many commercial repellents contain DEET, which rates a 6 (moderately dangerous) in the Cosmetic Safety Database. Your skin absorbs everything you put on it and carries it to the rest of your body, so if you choose to buy mosquito repellent, check the ingredients and go natural.

And if you’ve already been bit, rub some crushed plantain on the itchy spot. A common “weed,” plantain (plantago) is nature’s best bug bite remedy. You can also stick a small strip of regular Scotch tape over the bite – the adhesive will draw out the irritating liquid and help to relieve the itching.

Image: James Jordan

What is it about nail polish that inherently draws us in to want to paint?

Wikipedia says nail polish originated with the Chinese around 3000 B.C. However, the Japanese and Italians are thought to have been the first ones to actually use it.

The Chinese used a colored lacquer, made from a combination of Arabic gum, egg whites, gelatin and beeswax. They also used a mixture consisting of mashed rose, orchid and impatiens petals combined with alum. This mixture, when applied to nails for a few hours or overnight, would leave a color ranging from pink to red. The Egyptians used reddish-brown stains derived from henna to color their nails as well as the tips of their fingers.

Nowadays, toxic ingredients including phthalates, toluene, and formaldehyde have been added to most nail polishes leaving many women clueless as to what our eco-options are.

Thankfully, not only are companies coming out with non-toxic nail polishes, nail freaks will be happy to know companies like Honeybee Gardens and Sula offer paint and peel collections. No smell during or even after painting with acetate based polish removers.

That means you can sneak off to the kitchen after the kids are asleep, the husband’s doing whatever he does that makes him happy post dinner and you can brew up your favorite tea and paint your nails purty.

After all, we’ve got tradition to uphold here.