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.