You know the times you’ve run a fingernail down the side of your face and small bits of face have rolled off with it? The ick factor is huge, right? And most of that ick is dead skin.

Sure, you can moisturize with the best organic lotions out there. (And for the best green lotions to use, click here.) But those dead skin cells have to absorb the lotion before it can penetrate the skin underneath.

No amount of organic skin lotion is going to raise your skin cells from the dead. But before you conduct a green funeral for your face, try sloughing off with your best tool of choice – a scrub.

Bringing out the healthy, alive layers of skin on your face will improve your skin immensely. You’ll be less prone to break outs. Your skin will be smoother and have a healthier glow.

Pick a scrub that can make best friendsies with your skin. It is possible to over-exfoliate so be forewarned! If you over scrub, you can sand paper away the natural, protective barrier of your skin.

For sensitive skin, you’ll want a gentle exfoliating scrub. If your skin can take a sand blasting, go for the deep pore scrub. Depending on age and sensitivity, some people scrub daily, some only once or twice a week.

Best Scrub to Lessen Your Carbon Footprint:

Pangea Organics Facial Scrub ($32.00)
This gentle scrub is organic and, even better, fair trade. It contains Egyptian geranium with adzuki bean and cranberry. The smell is interesting – a combination of mud with bits of fruit buried in it. It’s light enough to use daily but strong enough to feel like you’re getting a good exfoliation. It is free of parabens, sulfates and any synthetic preservatives.

Best Scrub to Brighten Your Face:

John Masters Organics Jojoba and Ginseng Exfoliating Cleanser ($28.00)
This fantastic product contains certified organic jojoba beads (to exfoliate!) and ginseng (to revitalize!). And the best part? It will leave your face noticeably brightened. It seems to contain almost light-reflective properties that sit atop your skin and make it glow.

Best Scrub to Pretend You’re at the Beach:

Juice Beauty Exfoliating Cleanser ($22.00)
This is another gentle cleanser/scrub that has a rich pineapple base. The fresh fruity scent will bring you back to the beachy memories of childhood or that vacation you once went on where you blacked out from pineapple margaritas. It also contains certified organic extracts of white grape and aloe vera.

Best Scrub for Your Buck:

Noah’s Naturals Face Scrub with Jojoba Beads ($7.99)
This is a great, all-around scrub. You’ll feel like you’re getting a good wash while scrubbing out the baddies. It gives off a pleasant, old-school scent that’s almost floral, without being perfumey. It contains no parabens or sodium lauryl sulfate. It’s not organic, but it’s a good choice if you want an affordable, natural cleanser.

Best Scrub to Love Your Sensitive Skin:

Avalon Organics Exfoliating Enzyme Scrub ($16.95)
This product offers up a light, lavender scent. I used it daily for about a week and my skin did feel smoother after a couple of days. It’s free of parabens and preservatives. It is 100% vegetarian, and contains certified organic ingredients.

Best Scrub to Blast Your Skin:

Burt’s Bees Peach and Willowbark Deep Pore Scrub ($7.99)
If you’re looking for a scrub to really tear it up, this is the product for you. It has a fresh, peachy smell but it does leave a bit of a waxy, leftover feeling. It’s made from ground peach stone to exfoliate and also contains willowbark, a natural source of salicylic acid. 98.45% natural, it is free of sodium lauryl/laureth sulfates, parabens and phthalates.

Best Scrub to Use Daily:

Aveda Tourmaline Charged Exfoliating Cleanser ($29.00)
This product works really well as a cleanser, but if you want a vigorous scrub, look elsewhere. It is not organic but it does contain “naturally-derived” exfoliating beads and certified organic lavender and geranium oils. And it’s tourmaline charged. What, pray tell, is tourmaline charged? Tourmaline apparently “acts as a conductor for the plant energy and the crystalline energy, while energizing the skin and boosting it with moisture and vitamins.”

Best Scrub to Simply Wash Your Face:

Exfoliating Wash by Kiss My Face ($15.00)
This scrub”¦er, wash got high marks for smell. It reminds me of lime and mint, and really makes me want a Mojito. It’s clean and refreshing, but doesn’t feel like a scrub.  It works more like a gel and feels gentle on your face. It’s not organic, but does contain several “certified natural” ingredients.

The post Re-New Your Skin: 8 Best Organic and Natural Scrubs appeared first on EcoSalon.

When I was a girl, toners were part of the Great Unknown. The Great Unknown also included things like sunscreens, antioxidants and men who may or may not be just that into you.

Then I moved to Hollywood and discovered what it meant to live in sunlight 360 days of the year. I was sucked into a vortex of skin care obsession, the levels of which were only recently matched by the Great Cupcake Debates of ’07.  (Sprinkles vs. Magnolia – has there ever been such an important issue at hand?)

Back to toners – what are they and why should we use them?

Aesthetician Kjerstin Nomad of Orange County, Calif., informs me that toners are used to restore your skin’s natural pH  levels. And it is your pH levels that protect your skin against harmful influences like sun, pollution and stress.  Toners are to be used right after cleansing and just before moisturizing.  They also tighten the skin’s pores and remove cosmetic residue.

For a product designed to restore your skin’s natural balance, organic is important. Here’s a list of our favorite green skin toners.

Organic Lavender Toner by Kimberly Sayer

Designed for sensitive skin, this gentle toner contains only purified water and organic Lavender Flowers harvested in Northern California. This product will reduce redness and irritation. If you have problems like rosacea, they even suggest applying toner-soaked pads to your face. It has a fantastic, light lavender scent, and it left my face feeling tight but fresh. If you are new to toners, this is a great product to start with.

Balance Facial Toner by Leaf People Naturals

Best for combination skin, this is a clean, light product that is about as natural as they come. Balance Facial Toner is made with aloe vera gel, witch hazel, green tea and other organic ingredients. It also leaves you with a subtle green tea scent that lasts. Leaf People is a great little company that puts an emphasis on product, not packaging. They support organic and biodynamic farming, ethical wild harvesting and fair trade.

Kiss My Face Balancing Act Toner

Great for normal skin, this low-priced product provides some bang for your buck. It has a fruity scent – grapefruit is the dominating sensory experience here – so don’t be surprised if you start attracting bees after application. It contains certified organic grapefruit, orange, ginger and lemon balm essential oils and extracts, as well as antioxidants like Ester C to help fight aging. Cruelty-free, Kiss My Face contains no animal ingredients, artificial colors or unnecessary chemicals.

SpaRitual Eloquent Toner

This is formulated for dry skin. It is made with Australian tea tree oil, which gives it a refreshing scent. The product leaves your skin feeling tight and hydrated. SpaRitual comes outfitted with a cool spray nozzle that lets you mist yourself and complete the mini-spa experience. Made from natural botanicals, it is 100% vegan and paraben-free.

The post Skincare Review: Best Organic Skin Toners appeared first on EcoSalon.