Earth Day is fast approaching—it’s this Saturday!

To celebrate, we’re posting videos that show the magic and strength of Mother Earth.

“Vorticity” by Mike Oblinski features time-lapse footage of a tornado. After all, good tornados are ones that occur far, far away from where you’re at. Enjoy this tornado’s majesty below.

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The post Tornados are a Dangerous, Beautiful Aspect of Earthly Weather [Video] appeared first on EcoSalon.

Earth Day is here once again, but it can often feel like there’s no rhyme or reason to the plethora of Earth Day activities. So instead of just winging it, we’ve provided you with some surefire ways to get a real annual Earth Day tradition underway like all the other legit holidays. From creating your own calendars to throwing parties, we’ve got something for everyone!

1. Hit the Streets

Some might agree that there’s not much better for you than getting some fresh air in the great outdoors – even if that means a city or urban area – which is why one of our Earth Day tradition suggestions is to take alternative transportation. Walk the block from your house for breakfast, take the bus or subway, and even consider carpooling to work – organizing the group rides may stick around beyond the occasion. Another option is to incorporate some exercise simultaneously by taking your bike, hoofing it, or even busting out those dusty rollerblades that have been sitting in the garage. Whatever you choose, try to avoid using your car alone.

2. Earth Day Shindig

Ok, so this isn’t all about literal “digging” per say, but it does involve a lot of fun, food, and friends while also celebrating Mother Earth. We’re suggesting an Earth Day party with a few of your closest, or people you feel may need a little enlightening this year. Screen environmental documentaries, such as “An Inconvenient Truth”;  “Blue Vinyl”; or “Earthlings,” and ask guests to bring an item to donate to a food bank or other good cause as their entry fee.

Additionally, we would suggest serving vegan or vegetarian food and organic wines and liquor to really get the party started. Compostable plates might not be a bad idea either. And if you’re feeling really ambitious, have guests create Earth Day themed costumes using recycled materials for a fun contest. Good times and environmental awareness all at once – what’s not to love?! This will be an event friends look forward to year after year.

3. Plan Ahead Calendar

If you’d rather have a nice quiet evening at the house, then consider picking up a calendar – made from recycled materials, of course – or use your phone’s calendar to proactively create reminders for the year ahead that will help you accomplish the small, medium, or big goals that will help you feel like you’re making the world a better place. Whether it’s as simple as swapping your light bulbs for something more efficient, upgrading your appliances to ones that use less energy, or a project as involved as eliminating meat from your diet, or setting up a composting station outside, we believe in you! This is an ideal tradition for years to come, especially fun to plan activities for littles in your life as well.

4. Lend a Helping Hand

Volunteers are crucial when it comes to spreading awareness and lending a hand. We think spending Earth Day helping one of your favorite environmental organizations is a great way to have a productive and feel good tradition that can take place year after year, as well as throughout. VolunteerMatch.org is a great place to start looking for opportunities near you – they have over 10,000 opportunities through the United States – wow! Meetup.com is another resource to find local groups. The activities range from sustainability, environmental awareness, and new urbanism, to alternative energy, green home, green living, and vegan and vegetarianism. Go out there are discover something or someone new – like-minded people working towards similar good for the planet goals.

5. Get Down and Dirty

Get down and dirty for Earth Day – right in your own backyard! Take that idea however you wish, but know that we’re talking about getting your hands dirty by planting a few trees or starting that garden you always dreamed about. If you’re short on space or don’t want a gargantuan tree in the yard, then try an Eastern Redbud, Crape Myrtle, Serviceberry, Paper Birch, or Japanese Cherry to name just a few. Vegetable gardening might seem a little daunting, especially if you’re like me and can kill a cactus, but we’ve got a handy little guide from Gardener’s Supply Company to get you started – add a new vegetable every year and you’ll have a thriving food source for you and your family.

How do you feel about our ideas for Earth Day? Do you have any traditions already in the works? Let us know on the EcoSalon Facebook page!

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Image of Three Bikes via Shutterstock

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Promote community-building and make your town or city a greener place to live.

Looking for easy ideas to promote sustainability and community building at the same time? We got you covered.

1. Get Involved with Government and Politics – If you aren’t already involved within your community’s government, you might be surprised at the opportunities for everyday residents to influence policy decisions. Make sure to attend public meetings, reach out to elected officials, and even serve on local boards and commissions.
2. Start a Community Garden – Growing food together in a sustainable way isn’t a radical new idea in community building. It’s one that our grandparents and great-grandparents practiced to grow food and to help communities work together. A community garden is about more than just fresh fruits and vegetables; it’s about creating connections with neighbors to create a better and more resilient community.
3. Become a Bike Advocate – Here in my home state, we have two local bike groups–the Urban Bike Project and the Newark Bike Project. They are nonprofit groups with the goal of encouraging and supporting bicycling as a healthy, affordable, and practical means of transportation, recreation, and community building. Maybe you could start something like this in your town.
4. Pick an Issue and Work on It – There are plenty of worthy, local issues that need advocates just like you. Promoting backyard egg-laying chickens, curbing the use of plastic bags, allowing backyard beehives, and more are all great issues that you promote along with your neighbors. Make change in your community while you build relationships with neighbors!
5. Advocate for Local Food – Whether it’s getting a farmers market started in your town, getting a community garden off the ground, working on policy to allow fruit trees and foraging on public lands, there are so many worthwhile local food projects to advocate for while community building.
6. Certified Wildlife Habitat –  Work with your neighbors to turn your lawns into certified wildlife habitats through the National Wildlife Federation and allow nature to flourish in your town. The antiquated idea of what a yard is supposed to look like dates backs to the 16th-century aristocracy!
7. Promote Open Space – Walking paths and parks are one of the quickest and most effective ways to build a sense of community and improve the quality of life. Gather your neighbors together to reach out to your elected officials to identify and protect open spaces in your community.

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The post 7 Simple Community-Building Ideas for a Greener Space appeared first on EcoSalon.

On April 22nd, the world will be celebrating Mother Nature in all her indomitable glory. These 22 Earth Day quotes will remind you just why nature is your best and most reliable friend.

The human connection to nature is a deeply intrinsic, universal emotion that most of us often forget to honor on a regular basis. The following famous poets, writers, philanthropists and philosophers remind us why we should all embrace the world we live on a bit more passionately. Read through these Earth Day quotes and then give a tree a well-deserved hug.

Earth Day Quotes:

1. “I believe in God, only I spell it Nature.” – Frank Lloyd Wright
2. “In wilderness is the preservation of the world.” – Henry David Thoreau
3. “When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.” – John Muir
4. “The proper use of science is not to conquer nature but to live in it.” – Barry Commoner
5. “He that plants trees loves others besides himself.” – Thmas Fuller
6. “The use of solar energy has not been opened up because the oil industry does not own the sun.” – Ralph Nader
7. “For 200 years we’ve been conquering nature. Now we’re beating it to death.” – Tom McMillan
8. “What is the use of a house if you haven’t got a tolerable planet to put it on?” – Henry David Thoreau
9. “Suburbia is where the developer bulldozes out the trees, then names the streets after them.” – Bill Vaughan
10. “Until a man duplicates a blade of grass, nature can laugh at his so-called scientific knowledge. Remedies from chemicals will never stand in favorable comparison with the products of Nature, the living cell of a plant, the final result of the rays of the sun, the mother of all life.” – Thomas Alva Edison
11. “There is a pleasure in the pathless woods, There is a rapture on the lonely shore, There is society, where none intrudes, By the deep sea, and music in its roar: I love not man the less, but Nature more.” – George Gordon
12. “And this, our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything.” – William Shakespeare
13. “Only when the last tree has died and the last river been poisoned and the last fish been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.” – Cree Indian proverb
14. “The wealth of the nation is its air, water, soil, forests, minerals, rivers, lakes, oceans, scenic beauty, wildlife habitats and biodiversity… that’s all there is. That’s the whole economy. That’s where all the economic activity and jobs come from. These biological systems are the sustaining wealth of the world.” – Gaylord Nelson
15. “The environment is where we all meet; where all have a mutual interest; it is the one thing all of us share.” – Lady Bird Johnson
16. “A true conservationist is a man who knows that the world is not given by his fathers, but borrowed from his children.” – John James Audubon
17. “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” – Albert Einstein
18. “The good man is the friend of all living things.” – Gandhi
19. “Here is your country. Cherish these natural wonders, cherish the natural resources, cherish the history and romance as a sacred heritage, for your children and your children’s children. Do not let selfish men or greedy interests skin your country of its beauty, its riches or its romance.” – Theodore Roosevelt
20. “Nature never hurries: atom by atom, little by little, she achieves her work. The lesson one learns from yachting or planting is the manners of Nature; patience with the delays of wind and sun, delays of the seasons, bad weather, excess or lack of water.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
21. “I only feel angry when I see waste. When I see people throwing away things we could use.” – Mother Teresa
22. “You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” – Jane Goodall

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Photo Credit: dorena-wm

The post 22 Earth Day Quotes to Inspire Your Love and Appreciation for Mother Nature appeared first on EcoSalon.

Celebrate Earth Day all year long with simple and green DIY projects.

April 22nd is when we celebrate Earth Day, but don’t just stop there. Earth Day actually has a year-round mission to widen and engage the environmental movement worldwide through education and action. You don’t have to wait until Earth Day to celebrate, but now that it’s here you can take action with one of these simple DIY projects.

1. Seed Bombs – Seed bombs are balls made up a mixture of soil, compost and seeds that can be used to plant in difficult to reach locations (like vacant lots you may not have access to). It’s a form of guerilla gardening for celebrating Earth Day and is a statement about reclaiming space for nature as much as it is a planting method.
2. DIY Macrame Market Bags – Instead of buying those reusable bags at some big box store, make your own market bag. Simply use repurposed fabrics and yarns for a stylish, practical and sustainable solution for what to use at the market.
3. Pallet Compost Bin – Turn your yard waste and table scraps into usable compost to feed your vegetable garden and flower beds. Repurposing pallets is one great solution for making a practical compost bin.
4. Create a Certified Wildlife Habitat in Your Yard – Most of us who live in the suburbs do not actually use our yards and none of us needs a lawn, that antiquated idea of what a yard is supposed to look like that dates backs to the 16th-century aristocracy. Create a certified wildlife habitat with your yard and allow nature to flourish in the suburbs again.
5. Vermicomposting Bin – If you live in an apartment, but still want to compost, consider vermicomposting. Vermicomposting is simply composting with worms and can be done mess-free, inside a container.
6. Little Free Library – Build a Little Free Library for you and your neighbors and eschew the Kindle and other e-devices. I don’t know about you, but I have shelves and shelves of books I could share with others instead of contributing more e-waste to the planet!
7. Feed the Pollinators – Plant trees, shrubs, flowers and other plants that will provide food for pollinators like bees and butterflies. And commit to going pesticide-free!

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Composting image via Shutterstock

The post 7 Simple DIY Projects to Celebrate Earth Day appeared first on EcoSalon.

Everyone should buy a piece of jewelry every now and again. Next time you feel like adding a new sparkly piece of bling to your jewelry box, search for upcycled jewelry pieces first. To help you start your search, we’ve rounded up a few jewelry shops that specialize in making upcycled jewelry, taking the planet into consideration as well as style.

1. RomantiquarianDesign, an Etsy shop

While this shop sells quite a few different pieces, I was drawn to this upcycled Scrabble necklace. It features a vintage, wooden Scrabble piece that’s adorned with brass trinkets and chain. This item is priced at $24.50 and handmade.

2. Pearlreef, an Etsy Shop

Alas, most women can’t grow luscious facial hair. But if you purchase this pair of mustache earrings, you can easily display your love for dapper facial hair on your ears. These earrings are made from recycled bike tires and are priced at $8.

3. 31 Bits

31 Bits goal is to “empower people through the fashion industry.” The company’s jewelry is made from recycled paper fashioned into the shape of beads. Each piece is incredibly unique. Women in Uganda make the jewelry and earn an income that allows them to support their families.

The piece I’ve featured here is perfect for festival season. It’s called The Free Spirit and goes for $36.

4. Upcycledjewelry, an Etsy Shop

These earrings are perfect for the tech-loving gal. This piece is handmade and prominently features its main material: an upcycled circuit board. This piece is priced at $20.

Do you own any pieces of upcycled jewelry? If so, share what shop you snagged your pieces from in the comment section. We’d love to hear about other Earth-friendly businesses.

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Image: 31 Bits Facebook page

The post 4 Upcycled Jewelry Shops That Rock an Earth-Day-Every-Day Attitude appeared first on EcoSalon.

Just in time for Earth Day, some of our favorite names in eco fashion are springing forth with new lines this season. But you can step out in guilt-free designer gear and support companies who support Mother Earth any day of the year.

Earth Day celebrates and promotes the greening of cities and communities worldwide. It’s a big-picture holiday that you can participate in year round by virtue of the small choices you make on a daily basis. The daily question of “what to wear” can have a tremendous impact on Mother Earth, as the garments you wear contribute to your carbon footprint.

These stylish, sustainable eco fashion designers can help you make every day an Earth Day, straight out of your own closet.

1. Ethical Fashion from Eileen Fisher

The vision of Eileen Fisher is to change the fashion industry one garment at a time. Fans of the designer can feel confident that they’re giving back by opting for these eco styles. From the organic, chemical-free materials to the bluesign certified factory ensuring fair working conditions, Eileen Fisher is ready-to-wear for Earth Day.

Her breezy Spring 2014 collection features classic cuts like the Boyfriend Jean in organic cotton stretch denim. By avoiding conventionally grown cotton, you avoid one of the most toxic crops.

The collection also features an elegant take on sustainable silk within the Silk Effect collection. The garments are multi-layered with an ethereal yet earthy vibe.

2. Raven + Lily Preserve one of Earth’s Most Powerful Resources: Women

Earth Day is not only about preserving the physical resources of our planet, but also the health of humanity. Raven + Lily offer eco friendly, Fair Trade fashion and accessory collections that support women. The company’s mission is to empower women by employing those marginalized and in recovery from abuse. The artisans and craftswomen employed by Raven + Lily are provided with a sustainable income and health care.

Tops and tees from Raven + Lily are perfect for Earth Day festivities, and you can feel good that any jewelry you choose to accessorize with supports women all over the world including Kenya, Cambodia and the USA.

3. Tread Lightly on the Earth in PONS Avarcas

This Earth Day, you can step out in traditional sandals with a twist. The Avarca is a classic Spanish sandal. It’s the traditional footwear from the island of Menorca in the Mediterranean Sea.

PONS Avarcas  is a company with a mission to preserve the integrity of these ancient sandals. PONS Avarcas imports the shoes directly from artisans on Menorca and the sandals are hand-sewn utilizing rubber soles repurposed from old tires. The company is true to the traditional design and craftsman ship of these versatile warm-weather essentials.

4. Akola Project: Accessorize with Activism

Earth-friendly endeavors extend to all levels of the manufacturing process, from the materials used to the labor practices. The Akola Project focuses on the Fair Trade and labor aspects of eco fashion, opting to employ impoverished women in Uganda. The marginalized Ugandan women are masterful artisans and create handmade jewelry and accessories.

Akola also provides fresh-water wells in the areas where its craftswomen live. In fact, 100 percent of the net proceeds from Akola are funneled back into Ugandan, Kenyan and Ethiopian communities in need.

5. LSTN Ear Buds for a Cause

Get into the spirit of celebration this Earth Day by listening to inspiring tunes on these equally inspiring ear buds and headphones from LSTN. These uber hip and eco friendly high-quality earpieces are the ultimate sonic accessory. LSTN donates proceeds from each sale towards restoring hearing for those in need, so you can rock out in socially-supportive style. The gorgeous one-of-a-kind headphones will turn heads and match with your sustainable threads. Made from repurposed wood, each pair is unique. Proceeds go to the Starkey Foundation which helps restore hearing to those in need. LSTN has already helped more than 15,000 people hear again.

6. FashionABLE is Fair Wage and Fabulous

A springtime scarf can be the ultimate accessory, adding a depth of style in the easiest possible way.

When you purchase a hand-loomed scarf from FashionABLE, you directly create sustainable business in Africa. The FashionABLE model is dedicated to long-term solutions in fighting the poverty that keeps women marginalized in East African communities. Your purchase creates jobs for women who become part of a revitalized local economy. FashionABLE also promotes Fair Trade and fair wage practices in the communities it serves.

7. Bluejeans Without the Blues: Love Premium Denim

Denim is the essential “down to earth” fashion item. In denim you’re ready to get down and dirty, to work and to play. 

Wouldn’t you love to step out on Earth Day in jeans designed by the same folks who wrote the “Kama Sutra of Jeans”? Love Premium Denim is your go-to designer for jeans that truly hug your body.

Luckily, the day after Earth Day, April 23rd, is National Denim Day–a day to be proud of your jeans-clad self.

Your purchases from Love Premium Denim supports breast cancer awareness, adding a socially aware element to your casual comfort.

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The post 7 Earth Day Inspired, Guilt-Free Products that Make It Easy to Love Mother Earth appeared first on EcoSalon.

Natural beauty products are better for our body. And on Earth Day 2014, we remember that they are better for our planet, too.

Earth Day, now in its 44^th year, invites us to examine how our actions impact the planet. But it is just one day—so what about the other 364 days in the year?

April 22 1990 was the 20^th anniversary of Earth Day, and my first. I had just moved to Minneapolis having accepted a position at Aveda a month prior. Little did I know it would be a move to a whole new way of life.

Before I started working for Aveda, green was simply a color to me. Once I joined the company I began to understand that green was so much more, thanks in no small part to its visionary founder, Horst Rechelbacher. His vision of sustainability and environmental responsibility changed everything. No longer did you have to sacrifice product performance for a cause. All of us on the inside were constantly being challenged to live up to the mission of the company, and what made Aveda so special and successful was that we did. Our enthusiasm was contagious.

It was through the success of Aveda that I realized that the choices we make with our purchases support the changes we want to see in the world. Just look at how many choices we now have for amazing product made in a responsible, earth friendly manner. It’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the choices, though (I know I do). Therefore, I called my friend and Aveda alum, Terry Gips, who is now President of the Alliance for Sustainability and asked: “What can I do for Earth Day, and will it really make a difference?”

The truth is, there is a lot each of us can do–even if it seems so simple, so insignificant. From supporting companies that are minimizing their impact on the environment, to making small changes that can save money and the earth at the same time. There really is so much that can be done. Terry’s advice is to educate yourself: “understand what is going on and prioritize.” Terry has written a wonderful piece called “Show Me the Money: 10 Simple Sustainability Steps People Can Take to Save Money and the Environment.”

To that advice this Earth Day, why not educate yourself on some natural products for the body and home, and see if you can go a little greener? Swap one of your usual natural beauty products for a more sustainable product that makes you look better, with no guilt! Here are four companies noteworthy for both their commitment to the environment as well as making truly fantastic and effective products. They’re so green you’d think it was St Paddy’s Day all over again!

Hair

First up is Intelligent Nutrients Certified Organic Health and Beauty, founded by Horst Rechelbacher. IN is the evolution of Horst’s idea that “Everything we put in and on our bodies must be nutritious and safe.”

Intelligent Nutrients uses:

• certified organic ingredients
• 100% plant fragrances, never synthetic
• Nothing toxic, plasticizing, metallic or scary 
(I love this!)
• Combining plant wisdom with the latest in scientific technology

My family’s favorite IN product is the Pureluxe Shampoo and Conditioner. As with all of Horst’s products, the scent is what you fall for first. Lemongrass, ylang ylang and geranium combine for an uplifting and refreshing experience that leaves your hair hydrated, shiny and healthy, and I feel good about my daughter using it.

Face

Earth Tu Face began with two herbalists, a garden, and a focus on creating a purely plant-based skin care. I recently discovered Earth Tu Face and appreciate its responsible plant based approach to beauty.

Earth Tu Face believes:

• In truth and transparency in the personal care industry
• Never putting on your skin what you would not put in your mouth
• In minimal waste packaging
• In avoiding synthetics & preservatives

The Earth Tu Face Voyage Travel Kit is a great introduction to its skin care. It includes: Face Wash, Face Serum and Body Butter.  The gentle formulas and earthy aromas make your skin feel as if you’ve been on a retreat (even if your never left your bathroom).

Body

Robin Brown and Anna Cirronis started Erbaviva in 1996 as a line of organic skincare products for baby and mothers-to-be (their own newborn was their inspiration). The company has since (and thankfully!) grown to include products for the entire family. Erbaviva’s products are compassionately made by hand at the company’s own renewable energy powered facility in Southern California. With so many beautiful products to choose from it’s hard to decide which one I love the most!  The Relax body lotion is a perfect addition to a pre-bedtime ritual.  The light and nourishing cocoa seed butter combine with natural oils of lavender, rose and neroli to restore moisture and encourage relaxation.  Or check out the Refreshing Foot Balm, which is perfect for getting those winter feet flip-flop ready.

Home

Launched just one year ago by artist and package designer Kristi Head, LITE+CYCLE candles are 100 percent earth-made with pure essential oils, vegetable waxes and a single cotton wick. No chemicals, pesticides, paraffin or synthetics. Made by hand in the USA. The vessel-less pillar candles integrate renewable biodegradable materials with natural-only ingredients.

The recently launched Urban Forrest candle was inspired by the juxtaposition of  a natural oasis in the center of the city. Notes of cedar, fennel, fir and a hint of coffee blend to create the perfect balance of Zen with the zip of caffeine.

My personal steps for Earth Day: indulge in all of the above! Plus, I just ordered a compost bin for my organic waste. Change starts one step at a time.

Find Fatima on Twitter @fatimaolive and on Pinterest

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top image: karin.krn

The post Earth Day 2014: Low-Impact Sensibility for Your Natural Beauty Routine appeared first on EcoSalon.

On Earth Day, we hosted a Natural Beauty Chat on the EcoSalon Facebook page with celebrity green make-up artist and beauty expert, Kristen Arnett.

Kristen expertly fielded questions covering a wide range of beauty topics, from BB and CC creams to applying foundation, dealing with dark circles, to dry skin. In the event that  you missed it, we’ve got the recap here for you. After all, who can’t benefit from a little insider knowledge from an expert when it comes to cleaner, better beauty solutions?

Q: Laura: What do you recommend for morning puffy eyes?
A: Clairvoyant Beauty has a really nice Depuffing Cucumber & Cranberry Eye Gel that is quite soothing and helps. Otherwise, just about anything cool and a light facial massage.

Q: Robin: Are there any secret potions to lengthen and thicken eyelashes? I saw a YouTube video with a girl saying to put petroleum jelly on your eyelashes to make them grow–but WE know that’s not safe. Any suggestions?
A:  Let me get up off the floor laughing first about how someone could actually make a video saying how petroleum would help eyelashes grow. Now, there are some products on the market that are more natural and promote lash growth, BUT this all depends on much of a purist you want to be with it. It really takes a science lab kind of thing to do that.

Q: Megan: I have combination skin that breaks out easy, is there a foundation that will keep an even tone (not shiny on my t-zone) and won’t mess with my skin ?
A: In my experience, most traditional makeup these days won’t cause pimples, rather irritations. So are you getting pimples or irritations from your makeup do you think? Most foundation lines these days are going to leave skin glowy, because that’s the modern look, then you can use a setting powder in the t-zone to take away extra shine.

Q: Sarah: I’ve already learned so much from your site about safe SPFs and BB creams. Do you have any advice for the best BB creams on a budget? Thank you!
A: I am going to step on some toes with this answer, but I honestly think you are better off not buying a BB cream. Just get the right products that are good for your skin and put them on layer by layer.  I did write this article hoping to offer some good background information on the subject as well.

Q: Marcella: I’m pretty bad at putting on foundation but do you have any tips for dry skin types and using foundation? I also have to work around small bumps (from stubborn acne scars) that I want covered.
A: First let me ask you, is your skin dry because you dry it out to control the acne or has it become dry on its own since you had acne? The reason I ask is that your skin is the first thing to address so you don’t have to wear so much makeup – but it also helps me determine what texture of foundation might be right for you.
Reader response: Ooh that’s a great question! I’m in my 20s right now and I have noticed my skin has become noticeably dryer. At least compared to my oily/teen-acne filled skin in the not-so-good old days. But actually, I don’t use any products to dry my acne out out. I normally use a light facial oil and sometimes a Konjac sponge for gentle exfoliation.

Q: Tricia:  Is there a particular brand of green skincare you recommend for sensitive/reactive skin?
A: To me ALL skin is sensitive and reactive so I really think it’s about keeping things very simple and trying it out in sample size first. Shall I just plug the heck out of Goodebox now – that’s the beauty of it. Low commitment sampling. You can check out this article for some great ideas on caring for sensitive skin.

Q: Sharon: What clean shampoo do you recommend that won’t leave my hair looking limp or oily?
A: Regarding a shampoo, that’s tricky without knowing your hair and skin type. Limp and oily comes from using a shampoo that leaves behind residue. I’ve had good luck with Neuma, Giovanni and the brands listed here.
Reader comment: I LOVE NEUMA….fab shampoos, conditioners and the mousse is to die for! They also make a great argan treatment. I just discovered Andalou Naturals. LOVE their argan and sweet orange shampoo. It smells like candy!

Q: Beth: What is the difference between BB and CC creams?
A: The thing about BB and CC creams is that they are multitasking formulas. What I’ve found is that I prefer CC creams to BB Creams. The one from Juice Beauty is actually really nice. CC creams are lighter and not as thick/chalky. I find it’s a bit less pigment than a tinted moisturizer however. Both formulas offer SPF protection.

Q: Nathalia: What primer and foundation do you use during photo shoots?
A: I don’t always use a primer on shoots – I think they are 80 percent unnecessary. For foundations, I really dabble between a variety of brands such as rms beauty,Vapour Organic Beauty, Alima Pure, Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics and W3LL PEOPLE.

Q: Barbara: Is there anything I can do about the dark, dark “circles” under my eyes? Besides just try to conceal them (which doesn’t really work)?
A: Dark circles can be related to so many things. Here’s an article about dark cirles that may be helpful.

Q: Lauren: How can I whiten discoloration on the back caused by acne scarring?
A: Your question about lightening acne scars is a good one, but to be honest there’s very few things that are truly effective which are natural. Depending on how dark the scar is laser might be the only option. If they are lighter, then fruit acids could work. Generally all acne scars will fade on their own over time. Remember, don’t pick at the pimples!

Q: Veronica: What can we use for glowing skin, any cream or milk? What do you recommend for a natural lip gloss? Can you give us a moisture cream recipe to make at home ?
A: You have quite a few questions that actually can be answered by more articles on Green Beauty Team, so I’ll direct you there and tell you that I have quite a few favorite natural lip glosses. It’s actually the most common natural product to find in the beauty market. Primitive Makeup, Juice Beauty, BITE Beauty, Dr.Hauschka,  and about 100 more brands make great ones.

Q: Stacey:  I’m in my mid-40s and would love a recommendation for an all-natural wrinkle cream. Thanks!
A: It really depends on your skin type and a whole variety of conditions that are unique to you. Obviously we have some great natural skin brands represented here such as Clairvoyant Beauty and Juice Beauty. I’m also a big fan of Dr. Alkaitis Holistic Organic Skin Food.  Some people just use coconut oil and call it good.

Q: Maria: Is there a tinted moisturizer with SPF that you could recommend for hot/humid Miami weather?
A: I have been to Florida and will say that a tinted moisturizer sounds torturous to me! That humidity would just make me feel as if I were melting. My suggestion: put your SPF on, then concealer under the eyes, and do mineral powder like Alima Pure over the rest of the face.

Q: Heather: Do you have makeup free days or low makeup days? If you just throw on a few products instead of a full face of makeup, what products do you use? Do you suggest them for everyone?
A: I have makeup free days ALL the time! Sometimes I forget to put makeup on before leaving the house, then it’s a mad dash to put something on at the last second. I fully support that women do not need to fully cover their faces! When you really want to go for it, there’s truly a myriad of brands out there to use that depend on the finish you’d most prefer. I do a lot of makeup lessons (both virtually and in person) for women in every walk of life (actresses, singers, moms, business women, teens, brides) and there’s not one formula that I give out.

Q: Lillian: Any recommendations for treating dry skin?
A: Dry skin is often related to internal imbalance (as is acne and oily skin). So check out a few of our articles on the topic. Maybe you are deficient in potassium, or maybe you just naturally have dry skin, or maybe it’s the weather…  see where I’m going with this?

Q: Jade: Have any favorite facial oils?
A: I have SO many facial oils that I love. Current obsessions include Kahina Giving Beauty, there are 3 bottles in my bathroom right now. The blend of oils (not just the argan) is really luscious and nourishing. I also like the toner which isn’t drying  and is great for more arid climates.  Other favorites include Josh Rosebrook, Dr. Alkaitis, May Lindstrom SKIN, and MUN.

Q: Abbie: I have a question about blush…what do you like better, cream or powder?
A: I am a BIG fan of cream blush, but to be honest I often layer them. So I’ll use something like a hot pink from Revolution Organics and then go over it with a bit of shimmery bronze powder – ever so lightly – the Alima Pure in Belize is nice.

Q: Zerlyn: Do you have recommendations for lightening some sun spots? I have some under my eyes, and no serum (natural or not) works.
A: Yes, you are kind of reiterating a point I made earlier about acne scars. It’s really tough to find skin care that is both totally natural and will lighten those pigmentation areas effectively. Actually, as you get older those spots get darker…so what the natural brands can do for you is keep things at bay and protect you from them getting worse. I’ve done a lot of sun damage in my youth, but I actively prevent it from showing up on my face now and if I accidentally get too much sun – those spots come right out.

A few final words of natural beauty wisdom from Kristen:

1) Your makeup will only look good if your skin looks good
2) Your skin only looks good if your body is healthy
3) Your body is only going to be healthy if you care for it and you believe you are worth that kind of care (which YOU ARE!). For more tips from experts on all of these points, please keep up with us at Green Beauty Team!

The post Kristen Arnett’s Earth Day Natural Beauty Chat Roundup appeared first on EcoSalon.

To celebrate the world around us, here are 51 inspirational quotes of nature, wilderness and the environment.

1. Only when the last tree has been cut down,
Only when the last river has been poisoned,
Only when the last fish has been caught,
Only then will you find that money cannot be eaten.
-Cree Indian Prophecy

2. May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds.
-Edward Abbey

3. Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books.
-John Lubbock

4. Everything you can imagine, nature has already created.
– Albert Einstein

5. We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.
-Navajo Proverb

6. The human spirit needs places where nature has not been re- arranged by the hand of man.
-Unknown

7. I believe in God, only I spell it Nature.
-Frank Lloyd Wright

8. Humankind has not woven the web of life.
We are but one thread within it.
Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.
All things are bound together.
All things connect.
-Chief Seattle

9. In the hopes of reaching the moon, men fail to see the flowers that blossom at their feet.
-Albert Schweitzer

10. Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

11. Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.
-Lao Tzu

12. Nature never did betray the heart that loved her.
-William Wordsworth

13. One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.
-William Shakespeare

14. How I do love the earth. I feel it thrill under my feet. I feel somehow as if it were conscious of my love, as if something passed into my dancing blood from it.
-James Russell Lowell

15. It is horrifying that we have to fight our own government to save the environment.
-Ansel Adams

16. Man’s heart away from nature becomes hard.
-Standing Bear 

17. I believe that there is a subtle magnetism in Nature, which, if we unconsciously yield to it, will direct us aright.
-Henry David Thoreau

18. The poetry of the earth is never dead.
-John Keats

19. Never does nature say one thing and wisdom another.
-Juvenal

20. To sit in the shade on a fine day and look upon verdure is the most perfect refreshment.
-Jane Austen

21. Great things are done when men and mountains meet. This is not done by jostling in the street.
-William Blake

22. Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life.
-Rachel Carson

23. Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

24. If you wish to know the divine, feel the wind on your face and the warm sun on your hand.
-Eido Tai Shimano Roshi

25. There is a way that nature speaks, that land speaks. Most of the time we are simply not patient enough, quiet enough to pay attention to the story.
-Linda Hogan

26. Do unto those downstream as you would have those upstream do unto you.
-Wendell Berry

27. If you know wilderness in the way that you know love, you would be unwilling to let it go…. This is the story of our past and it will be the story of our future.
-Terry Tempest Williams

28. Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not every man’s greed.
-Mohandas K. Gandhi

29. The famous balance of nature is the most extraordinary of all cybernetic systems. Left to itself, it is always self-regulated.
-Joseph Wood Krutch

30. We have forgotten how to be good guests, how to walk lightly on the earth as its other creatures do.
-Barbara Ward

31. Nature is painting for us, day after day, pictures of infinite beauty.
-John Ruskin

32. Nature provides exceptions to every rule.
-Margaret Fuller

33. We owe our lives to the sun… How is it, then, that we feel no gratitude?
-Lewis Thomas

34. When the well’s dry, we know the worth of water.
-Benjamin Franklin

35. It is in man’s heart that the life of nature’s spectacle exists; to see it, one must feel it.
-Jean-Jacques Rousseau

36. It is good to know our universe. What is new is only new to us.
-Pearl S. Buck

37. The wilderness holds answers to questions man has not yet learned to ask.
-Nancy Newhall

38. I’ve loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night.
-Galileo Galilei

29. At some point in life, the world’s beauty becomes enough.
-Toni Morrison

40. Rain is grace.
-John Updike

41. Now I see the secret of the making of the best persons: It is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth.
-Walt Whitman

42. I am glad I will not be young in a future without wilderness.
-Aldo Leopold

43. Like music and art, love of nature is a common language that can transcend political or social boundaries.
-Jimmy Carter

44. The wilderness and the idea of wilderness is one of the permanent homes of the human spirit.
-Joseph Wood Krutch

45. There is nothing useless in nature; not even uselessness itself.
-Montaigne

46. When we heal the earth, we heal ourselves.
-David Orr

47. We have to walk in a way that we only print peace and serenity on the Earth. Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.
-Thich Nhat Hanh

48. We say we love flowers, yet we pluck them. We say we love trees, yet we cut them down. And people still wonder why some are afraid when told they are loved.
-Author Unknown

49. When the soil disappears, the soul disappears.
-Terri Guillemets

50. When the branches of trees in the forest are fighting, the roots are kissing.
-Senegalese proverb

51. To the dull mind nature is leaden. To the illumined mind the whole world burns and sparkles with light.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Check out more of our favorite nature quotes here.

Image: puliarf

The post 51 (More) Quotes on Nature, Wilderness and the Environment appeared first on EcoSalon.