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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Horst Rechelbacher, Austrian-born founder of Aveda Corps., one of the first mainstream companies to eliminate toxic chemicals in products, and enthusiastic-pioneer of mass market plant based beauty, sadly passed away last month at the age of 72. But he left behind a legacy of healthier communities.

Throughout his work and career Horst Rechelbacher shed light on the dangers of toxic chemicals in cosmetics long before the conversation was mainstream. Most importantly, not only was he an outspoken advocate on the issue, he offered solid solutions.

Founder of beauty care companies Aveda and Intelligent Nutrients, author, ayurvedic scholar and organic farmer, Rechelbacher grew revolutionary companies supplying high performing products and a keen awareness to the vital importance of natural beauty.

He would famously drink hair spray and other products made by his company to prove they weren’t simply giving lip service. “Everything we put in and on our bodies must be nutritious and safe,” was Rechelbacher’s signature motto.

Our skin, like a sponge, absorbs mostly anything we put on it; yet cosmetic ingredients are not regulated the same way food is. In the last decade, studies linking cosmetic ingredients to cancer have uncovered the importance of Rechelbacher’s pioneering work. But long before the conversation was mainstream, he was formalizing the best, toxic-free products through Aveda, and later Intelligent Nutrients; safe alternatives in form that didn’t sacrifice function.

Through his companies and tireless advocacy work, Mr. Rachelbacher revolutionized the beauty industry forever.

Mr. Rechelbacher’s plant-based approached stemmed from his mother, an herbablist. At the age of 14, he apprenticed at a nearby hair salon; only three years later to find himself working in Rome. He went on to found Aveda in 1978, fusing plant science and beauty against the modern ideas of efficiency through chemicals.

Thanks to Rechelbacher’s dedication Aveda is the first beauty company to produce with one hundred percent wind power, and the first beauty company to use one hundred percent post-consumer recycled PET packaging.

After selling Aveda in 1997, Rechelbacher founded Intelligent Nutrients, a beauty company using only certified organic ingredients. Most of the ingredients used are grown on his 570-acre organic farm in Osceola, Wisconsin.

Horst left us with fundamental ideas of the power of nature. Below are three revolutionary shifts he brought into the beauty industry forever.

1. The Relationship between Plants and Beauty is Luxury

Horst launched his career at a time when laboratory science was the shining horizon of global industries; food, beauty and others were looking for leaps in efficiency via chemicals as the answer to limits of nature. But Horst held on to the intrinsic benefits plants have to offer, and believed in beauty from the inside and out. His luxurious products free of toxic chemicals offer an alternative to the mainstream, proving you didn’t have to sacrifice form for function.

2. Companies are Greater Than Their Final Product

Rechelbacher’s work went far beyond his products. As an outspoken advocate for eliminating toxic chemicals in beauty, Horst helped finance the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. Today, the organization stands as one of the largest and most influential groups working towards regulating the cosmetic industry and increasing consumer awareness. Their most recent work persuaded Johnson & Johnson to remove two ingredients from their baby shampoo that are linked to cancer.

He also conducted his business as a holistic vision of health: He led Aveda to be the first beauty company to produce with one hundred percent wind power, and the first beauty company to use one hundred percent post-consumer recycled PET packaging. Intelligent Nutrients offers an ingestible product called Intellimune, made of five powerful seed oils: black cumin, pumpkin, red grape, raspberry and cranberry. His companies didn’t just make healthier products, but healthier and more holistic consumer world.

3. Natural is Not Only Good for Our Health, It’s Good For Business

In 1997, Aveda Corps. was sold to Estee Lauder for a reported $300 million, and is still carried in over 25,000 stores and salons worldwide. Now that’s good business.

To leave something behind, greater than ourselves, is a life well lived. Horst Rechelbacher founded and matured healthy companies that have touched millions of people. As the father of safer cosmetics, his legacy will live on; inside and out.

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image: Social Earth

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High-performance, organic, food-grade, cruelty-free, natural hair care raising the bar for beauty.

Award-winning hair-stylist, organic farmer, and socially- and environmentally-conscious beauty entrepreneur, Horst Rechelbacher has dedicated a lifetime to raising the beauty bar into a new paradigm.

“You’re beautiful, healthy, and alive. Let’s keep it that way.”

Rechelbacher, the original founder of Aveda, pioneered plant-based beauty at a time when the concept was completely revolutionary. Aveda not only used plant-based ingredients in its products but was the first beauty company to package products in one hundred percent post-consumer recycled PET, as well as the first beauty company to produce with one hundred percent wind power. In 1997, Rechelbacher sold Aveda to Estee Lauder for $360 million, and has since moved on to even greener pastures.

The culmination of a lifetimes work in beauty, a passion for organic farming, and a curiosity in plant-based medicines, has led Rechelbacher to create the chicest and most ethically sound beauty company on the market, Intelligent Nutrients.

Intelligent Nutrients is an organic, one hundred percent food-based beauty company with an ethos that stands behind the philosophy that beauty is natural and natural is beautiful. Certified by a plethora of 3rd party certifiers, the brand is USDA Certified Organic, The Institute for Ethical and Environmental Certification, Harmonically Made, Soil Association Organic Standard, Cosmos Organic and Leaping Bunny certified.

Rechelbacher ensure the ingredients he sources are up to his standards by producing them himself on his off-the-grid organic farm in Osceola, Wisconsin which runs on wind, solar, and geothermal power. Moreover, the products are packaged in one hundred percent recyclable materials.

Nearly every product for the line contains Intellimune, Intelligent Nutrient’s own blend of five powerful seed oils: black cumin, pumpkin, red grape, raspberry and cranberry. The super-antioxidant, cold-pressed seed blend fights off free radicals and encourages healthy cell growth within the body. The company not only adds the blend to almost every product but also sells the blend in oil form.

“Intelligent Nutrients practices true, scientific technology to create products that are truly sustainable, effective and a pleasure to use. What is the chemistry, energy, toxicity, nutritional value, medical integration—these considerations go into every product we make.”

images from the brand

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Simple beauty tips for a balanced budget.

Green beauty has flourished in the past several years, bringing clean ingredients to the masses. And nothing ushers forth an ageless natural beauty like products free of harmful chemicals. But the price of clean beauty can sometimes be more than a green goddess wants to pay. The good news? You can still get age-defying, top-shelf products without composting the innards of your wallet.

Here are ten green beauty products that will brighten your age-less beauty on a budget.

Raw Sugar Scrub by Strawberry Hedgehog ($20.00)
For a youthful glow, toner and moisturizer are your best friends. But a good body scrub is your wise, cool auntie who can talk about the days of Woodstock yet still crack you up on Twitter. The key to skin renewal is to make dead skin the enemy, and this organic Raw Sugar Scrub from vegan experts Strawberry Hedgehog does just that. Made with organic sweet almond and apricot kernel oils, vegan sugar, and pure essential oils, this sweet but simple products offers up an excellent exfoliation.

Not to mention it’s in a mason jar.

Sensitive Care Lotion, Chamomile, by Seventh Generation ($7.99)
Dry, flaky skin is the bane of aging—seriously, it should be wearing a cape and twirling a moustache, it’s so evil. But even the most supple-skinned maiden knows to reach for a daily moisturizer to maintain her dewy hue. Green product giant Seventh Generation offers up this gentle, 95% plant-based product which provides deep moisture with a light application.

Bearberry Oily Skin Balancing & Toning Mist by John Masters Organics ($20.00)
Toner is like the available nice guy we’re supposed to live happily ever after with at the end of the romantic comedy. We ignore toner when, the entire time, the answer is right there in front of our face. One of the best ways to maintain and brighten your complexion, toners can restore your skin’s natural pH levels while protecting your skin against stress and pollutants. This offer from organic skin experts John Masters Organics provides a moisturizing coverage made up of certified organic ingredients.

Apple Brightening Cleanser by MyChelle Dermaceuticals ($13.39)
As we age, our skin can take on a dull tone which only works to add years to our complexion. This product from MyChelle Dermaceuticals promises to gently cleanse away the look of discoloration and sun damage, all the while offering up a fun, fruity scent. It is free of sulfates and gluten and is vegetarian-friendly.

Organic Coffee Bean Eye Cream by 100% Pure ($19.00)
Nothing ages you more than puffy, dark-rimmed eyes that look like they just dragged themselves through the sewer after a night of partying. (Or sitting up with a baby, without the sewer part.) This Coffee Bean Eye Cream from 100% Pure offers up anti-inflammatory, caffeine-rich green tea, great for reducing puffiness and increasing circulation. It is 100% natural, 100% vegan, and gluten-free.

Certified Organic Leave-In Conditioner by Intelligent Nutrients (Travel Size—$12.00)
Dry, brittle tresses do nothing for a youthful visage, so it’s important to keep locks feeling hydrated and healthy. From eco-beauty giant Horst Rechelbacher (founder of Aveda) comes this fantastic conditioner from Intelligent Nutrients. Certified USDA Organic, this conditioner offers the mysterious Intellimune ingredient, described as a “blend of nature’s powerhouse antioxidants.”  It is vegan and gluten-free.

Baking Soda and Lemon Teeth Whiteners (Less than $5)
Bright pearly whites are a key indication of youth, but who wants to use the harsh, chemical whiteners gracing our drug store shelves? Try lemon juice and baking soda as a simple, home remedy to freshen up your choppers. In a small bowl, mix together the juice of one freshly-squeezed organic lemon with a small amount of baking soda. After using a tissue to wipe excess salvia from your teeth, apply the mixture. Leave it on for one minute before brushing it off with your toothbrush. (Note: Do not exceed the one minute mark. You don’t want the lemon acid to damage your tooth enamel.)

Bronzer by Alima Pure ($20.00)
Sun-kissed skin is seen as the signal of health and youth in our culture. However, some bronzers can make you look more Snooki than siren. This bronzer from Alima Pure offers a light color in multiple shades to produce just the right hint of health. Alima Pure is a preservative-free line with a BDIH natural cosmetics certification, putting it on standard with European brands.

Fingerless Gloves by Coolibar ($19.00)
Did you spend your youth, like most of us, waving your hands in direct sunlight with nary a sun block smudge to be had? These fingerless gloves from Coolibar can help halt the march of time across your hands. With a UPF rating of 50+, they keep your hands sunshine-free and, while driving, offer up a nice grip on the steering wheel. Not to mention, they serve as a great visual reminder to keep the sun block flowing. (Here are our picks for green sun blocks.)

Correcting Concealer by Juice Beauty ($18.00)
Dark spots from sun damage are the enemy of the clear, even skin many of us covet. But mainstream lightening products can contain chemicals such as hydroquinone, which is so toxic that the FDA has proposed banning it. Instead, consider this correcting concealer from Juice Beauty, which offers up coverage with certified organic and natural ingredients.

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