Think bar soaps are an old school skincare item your grandma used? (She totally did). But–a big but!–Bar soaps are a very valuable addition to any proper skincare routine for all organic beauty types. Inexpensive, effective, and look pretty dang cool in the bath too.

We are all about the multi-step beauty regimen these days. And this includes cleansers.There are cleansing gels, milks, creams, and oils. Micellar water and a wide selection of toners. Even special cloths meant to get face and body super clean. But most of us have forgotten about the good ol’ bar soap. And that’s a shame, especially since it’s more environmentally-friendly than liquids in plastic or even glass.

Pared down beauty is what it’s all about right now and bar soaps fit right in. They are made of few ingredients and offer a straightforward cleanse. Feel they may be too strong or leave a film on skin? Not when they are made with the best natural ingredients.

Here’s a selection of bar soaps that nourish and cleanse he skin, and look good while doing it.

Best Bar Soaps for Good Looking Skin (that look good too!)

Kahina Giving Beauty Goat Milk & Honey Soap. One perk of bar soap? They are often suited to both face and body. A multi-use shower staple. For dry skin, try this argan oil-infused bar.

Soapwalla Activated Charcoal & Petitgrain Soap Bar. We’ve talked before about the benefits of activated charcoal on acne-prone skin. Use this guy to balance oil and clear pores.

Osmia Organics Rose Clay Facial Soap. Bar soap too harsh for sensitive skin? This chunk o’ soap is designed specifically to treat easily irritated complexions. Creamy and gentle, it cleans and nourishes.

Osmia Organics bar soaps. Talk about bathroom eye candy. Bar soaps don’t get much prettier than the whipped up beauties of Osmia Organics. Choose from the selection to treat every skin type. My fave for a sink-side perch? Has to be Milky Rose.

Meow Meow Tweet Bar Soap. Love, love, love the whimsical design of these sweet bar soaps. The ingredient combos don’t hurt anything either. Can’t choose? Get yourself a Bar Soap Party Pack.

Pearl Plus Moisturizing Soap. Remember soap-on-a-rope? Yeah, this is like that only ultra-mod. Moisturizing with crushed pearl to add luminescence to skin. Looks like a hunk of marble in your shower.

Wary Meyers bar soaps. So gorgeous you may never want to use them. Yes, they are little works of art. But these bars are also free from nasties and cruelty-free. That Pink Champagne bar, though. Use or display, it’s up to you.

*Disclaimer: Help support EcoSalon! Our site is dedicated to helping people live a conscious lifestyle. We’ve provided some affiliate links above in case you wish to purchase any of these products.

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Image of woman using bar soap via Shutterstock

The post Yasss! Bar Soaps are Still In: Good Looking and Good for Skin appeared first on EcoSalon.

Treatments, moisturizers, serums, eye products for using while you sleep. Ever wonder if those nighttime skin care products really do any good?

Sleep is more than just down time. It is restorative and essential to good health. We reenergize while we catch our Zs. Sleep supports the immune system, boosts the mood, and even improves our ability to keep off unwanted pounds.

Sleep also helps to keep our skin firm and youthful looking, and gives us that healthy glow we love. Why not put this restful time of day to even better use with healthy nighttime skin care products?

You see many beauty products marketed as nighttime skin care. But what’s so special about them and how do they help our skin while we sleep?

Most nighttime skin care potions are packed with healing oils that do a myriad of good things to skin. Clear pores, depuff, tone, protect, and moisturize. The difference is, you can really layer on the goodness at night and garner the most benefits.

8 Nighttime Skin Care Products You Need to Own

1. Odacite Nighttime Repair Serum: Deliver a hefty dose of wrinkle-fighting antioxidants while you are in dreamland. For dry to normal skin types.

2. Vintner’s Daughter Active Botanical Serum: Fight signs of aging and inflammation with this potent cocktail of good for skin oils. A little goes a long way.

3. B Leaf Botanics Nurture Night Treat: This little powerhouse rejuvenates skin and repairs damage overnight. The seabuckthorn oil also means you wake up with a healthy glow.

4. Tammy Fender Spontaneous Recovery Crème: A buttery cream for face designed to soothe irritation and douse the skin in nutrients. Awaken to a naturally radiant complexion.

5. Kahina Giving Beauty Night Cream: You’ve heard all about the beauty benefits of resveratrol, right? Supposed to be the latest in skin support, try it out in this argan oil rich cream.

6. Dr. Alkaitis Night Cream: Looking for something a bit lighter? Hydrate and clear pores with this aloe-based moisturizer.

7. Hurraw Moon Lip Treatment Balm: Don’t forget your smoocher. This soothing balm hydrates lips in a formula that stays put all night long.

8. Metta Skincare Face Balm: The thick, rich substance isn’t only for winter. Think of nighttime as the right time to deliver skin-healing benefits in products you wouldn’t use during the day. A balm can be way too heavy and greasy for daytime use. Apply a layer over your favorite treatment to keep skin hydrated and sort of seal the deal.

Choose what works for you and make it a habit. Now go get your good night’s sleep.

*Disclaimer: Help support EcoSalon! Our site is dedicated to helping people live a conscious lifestyle. We’ve provided some affiliate links above in case you wish to purchase any of these products.

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The post 8 Nighttime Skin Care Products Worth Buying appeared first on EcoSalon.

With cold weather, windy days, and indoor heating right around the corner, it’s time to make some adjustments to your beauty kit. Before you go on a shopping spree, find out which fall and winter skin care product is most important for the season.

Sure, you can go the multi-product route to treat dryness, and that works well some of the time. But there is one skin care product that has several uses and can stave off winter skin doldrums.

Skin balm is a versatile beauty product that goes way beyond treating dry skin. Yes, its rich emollient texture helps to soften skin and hold in moisture, making it the perfect addition to any fall and winter beauty routine. But balms also add sheen to sapped skin, soften lines and wrinkles, relieve redness and irritated skin conditions, and more.

Best Skin Balms and Ways to Use for Fall and Winter Skin Care

RMS Beauty Lip & Skin Balm

A must have for every beauty kit. This super smooth, subtly scented balm resuscitates dry or dreary skin. Of course, you can use as a standard moisturizer or spot treatment, but this baby does so much more. Use as a lip balm, apply to cheekbones and eye lids for instant glowy sheen, run a dab over hair to tame flyaways, treat dehydrated cuticles, and remove makeup. Another fun trick – mix a bit of balm with powder shadow or blush to create your own cream tints for eyes, cheeks or lips. The options are practically endless.

Tata Harper Redefining Body Balm

You already know skin balm hydrates, but did you know it can tighten and firm skin too? Red algae and natural butters support skin, minimize the appearance of stretch marks and cellulite, and promote elasticity.

Kahina Giving Beauty FEZ Hand and Body Balm

Good ol’ argan oil to the rescue in this warmly scented balm. Softens and soothes while diminishing redness.

Vapour Organic Beauty Lux Lip Conditioner

This is, technically, a lip balm. But the convenient chubby stick makes it easy to swipe your balm on the go. Possibly my favorite lip balm ever, I’ve been known to use on backs of hands, cheeks…whatever the day calls for while on the run.

Indie Lee Calendula Eye Balm

Ever deal with dry eyelids? Ugh! Such a tough area to treat. Use this ultra hydrating, deeply soothing balm at night and let it repair the delicate area while you sleep. You’ll be back to wearing powder shadow in no time.

Metta Skincare Face Balm

We’ve been talking the benefits of fruit oils for skin here lately. This fruity balm contains pomegranate and raspberry to soothe and protect. Sea buckthorn ups the glow factor.

When using balm to treat dryness, pat onto damp skin to help hold in moisture. Couple with a facial oil or daily moisturizer for extra hydration. Enlisting the help of this important beauty product now is the best fall and winter skin care move you can make.

*Disclaimer: Help support EcoSalon! Our site is dedicated to helping people live a conscious lifestyle. We’ve provided some affiliate links above in case you wish to purchase any of these products.

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Some of the best ingredients are old school. Think neem is ancient history? Well, it is, but it’s also a gold mine for skin and hair today. Find out what neem oil benefits you are missing out on, plus product picks.

Neem has long been used in Ayurveda for its medicinal and therapeutic attributes, and was traced to ancient Indian texts as far back as 2000-4000 BC. You may not be downing neem fruit smoothies, but neem oil benefits skin, hair, and teeth. And that’s just for starters.

Neem oil has many uses and benefits, from softening skin to repelling insects. It is rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids, making it a suitable ingredient for dry and mature skin types. Its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory components help to control acne and lessen the severity of skin conditions like eczema and rosacea. The oil contains antifungal and anti-viral properties which treat ringworm, cold sores, warts, and athlete’s foot. Dandruff, head lice, cuts, burns, you name it, it seems neem is good for it.

Before you go out and buy yourself a big bottle of neem oil, there are a few things you should know about this natural ingredient. The oil is both very potent and strongly scented on its own. Most cosmetic products contain neem oil that has been mixed with another natural oil to make it more skin friendly and pleasant to use.

Neem Oil Benefits and Product Picks

Multi Use

Pratima Skincare Neem Healing Oil

Ayurvedic skincare line, Pratima Skincare, carries several neem products. Healing Neem Oil is a versatile oil that can be used as skincare or to treat a variety of ailments. A good one to stock in your beauty cabinet.

For Acne

Vered Organic Botanicals Clarifying Detox Mask

Acne skin type can benefit from the detoxifying and antibacterial effects of neem oil. This mask gently exfoliates and clears skin.

Pratima Skincare Neem Purifying Cream

Clear congestion, banish breakouts, and lightly hydrate upset skin with this healing herb combo.

YULI Pure Treatment Mask

Use to balance oils and clear pores, while zapping zits and blackheads.

For Sensitive/Rosacea

Pratima Skincare Very Sensitive Herbal Cleanser

Irritated or inflamed skin can benefit from a dose of neem. Try this super mild cleanser built to address the most delicate skin types.

SKIN Healing Calendula Salve

A soothing salve that works on rosacea, burns, even cracked lips. A must-have.

For Dry/Mature

Mahalo Balm

Mahalo Balm marries neem with cocoa butter and other rich oils to deliver moisture and anti-aging benefits to dry and mature skin.

Pratima Skincare Neem Rose Face Sunscreen SPF 30

Ward off damage with zinc protection and skin supportive ingredients.

For Hair

Pratima Skincare Neem Mint Botanical Shampoo

A gentle herbal shampoo ideal for all hair types.

Alaffia Neem & Shea Scalp Recovery Conditioner

Tend to dry, flaky scalp with this moisturizing hair treatment.

Yarok Feed Your Do Styling Whip

An invigorating lemon mint styling product to sculpt and protect hair.

*Disclaimer: Help support EcoSalon! Our site is dedicated to helping people live a conscious lifestyle. We’ve provided some affiliate links above in case you wish to purchase any of these products.

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Image of happy woman touching temples via Shutterstock

The post Remarkable Neem Oil Benefits and Products You Can Use appeared first on EcoSalon.

Finished up your farm-to-table meal? Make way for your earth-to-face beauty products.

Just like our food is healthier for us and the planet when it comes from a farm that looks like a farm instead of a factory, the same can be said for our beauty products – and a burgeoning industry is poised to meet the growing demand.

“Consumers seem motivated by a desire to support a farm-to-face ethos and by the belief that ‘pure’ products are more healthful and less likely to cause problems,” reports the Los Angeles Times. “Such ‘natural’ products accounted for almost 17% of $3 billion in ‘prestige’ skin care sales from department stores and shops like Sephora this year.”

A whopping $7 billion was spent in 2011 around the planet in organic personal care and beauty products, making it the fastest-growing segment of the personal care industry.

And it’s no wonder: Research continues to link common ingredients in personal care and beauty products to serious illnesses and diseases including cancer. Those ingredients like phthalates, parabens and some sulfates are predominant in most personal care products—from deodorants to lipsticks.

While these ingredients do things like preserve and stabilize products, they also make artificial scents linger way longer than they should. And once you’ve cleaned up your diet, smelling like laundry detergent all day quickly starts to lose its appeal (if it ever existed).

Natural products made from botanicals, oils and stuff likely in your kitchen right now—think salt, cornstarch, vinegar and lemon—are not only the opposite of the toxic artificial ingredients in most other beauty products, but they have a longer history of efficacy, too. And while you could whip up all of your beauty products on your own, there are specialists—herbalists and alchemists—already doing it for you, and with incredible results.

The Times reports on several skin care boutiques in the Los Angeles area where you can purchase some of these natural brands (many of whom we regularly feature on EcoSalon). And, of course, if you don’t yet have a boutique specializing in clean skincare in your neck of the woods, you can find them all online.

Not only are these pared-down products better for our health, but moving away from the chemicals and the factories that produce these products is also significantly better for the planet. That’s something that’s going to be much more important to our health and beauty than ever before. The chemicals in conventional beauty products are largely petroleum-based, factories producing those products create pollution, and many of them still employ archaic animal-testing practices, something unheard of in the earth-to-beauty movement.

If you’ve been using conventional beauty products for a while, making the switch to a botanical-based product can come with a few growing pains. Number one: the sticker shock. It’s not uncommon to pay upwards of $80 for a one-ounce bottle of a proprietary oil blend. Or see such a short ingredients list that you can’t help but wonder if it’s going to be effective or spoil before you’ve used up the lot. But results speak for themselves. And they’re speaking loudly: “People want natural and organic. They feel like if they can eat it, it can be on their skin,” Paula Weiser-Vazquez, owner of Beautyhabit, a high-end apothecary in Westlake Village told the Times. “I think this is the new trend. It’s not going to be a flash in the pan.”

Find Jill on Twitter @jillettinger

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Natural skin care products that will leave your skin healthy and radiant all winter long. For realz.

Between dipping temperatures, nasty winds, snow (ugh), and drying indoor heat, it’s no wonder winter sucks the life right out of your skin. Lucky for you, we’ve compiled a list of ah-mazing natural skin care products to keep your skin nourished from H2T:

Image: From The Lab

1. 24-Hour Face Cream

24-Hour Face Cream by From The Lab keeps your skin feeling soft and silky all day and all night (but I’m sure you guessed that already). Its anti-inflammatory properties even skin tone, while anti-pollution agents neutralize free radical damage: It purifies and protects your skin from environmental micro-toxins while stimulating collagen production and minimizing signs of premature aging.

Image: From The Lab

2. Hydrating Lip Primer

From The Lab’s Hydrating Lip Primer protects your mouth from environmental stressors and improves natural moisturization so your lips look and feel healthier. You can use it under lipstick or on its own – either way, your lips will be left plump, silky and smooth.

Image: One Love Organics

3. Active Moisture Time Release Mist

One Love Organics’ Active Moisture Time Release Mist is just as snazzy as it sounds: Using a patented, time-release delivery system, the mist delivers bioactives and moisture to your skin for long-lasting hydration. It contains Ecocert-certified Alpine rose extract, which helps increase skin’s resistance to environmental stressors and dryness. Spritz throughout the day to refresh your skin, and you can also use it to set your makeup.

Image: Zappos

4. SpaRitual Handprint Hand Salve

When it comes to icky winter dryness, our hands usually end up punished the most. Handprint Hand Salve by SpaRitual will solve all the woes your digits experience by softening, nourishing, repairing, and protecting dry hands. It’s formulated with Fair Trade organic shea butter, aloe ferox, marula oil, griffonia seed extract, and honey bush to deliver moisture and promote skin regeneration.

Image: SkinAgain

5. SkinAgain Youth

The name speaks for itself: Youth by SkinAgain contains four powerful active ingredients that diminish dark spots and even out your skin tone so it looks younger, healthier and more vibrant. Best of all, Youth is one of the very few dark spot treatments available that focuses on natural ingredients that tap into your skin’s own healing properties. Fragrance-free, paraben-free, gluten-free and cruelty-free, Youth uses the highest-recommended percentage of each active ingredient – so you really do get what you pay for.

Image: DermStore.com

6. Soothing Serum

It’s virtually impossible for your skin not to flare up at some point during the winter months, and that’s where Juice Beauty’s Soothing Serum comes in. This natural skin care product soothes your skin and reduces redness thanks to a blend of certified organic, antioxidant-rich raspberry and aloe vera juices, licorice and bearberry botanicals, and essential fatty acids that will leave you with a healthy glow.

Image: Spirit Beauty Lounge

7. Tata Harper Regenerating Cleanser

No natural skin care routine would be complete without a gentle exfoliating cleanser to banish dry, flaky skin from your repertoire. Tata Harper Regenerating Cleanser freshens your skin as it cleanses – minus the whole drying it out thing. The gentle scrubbing apricot seed powder deeply cleanses your pores and removes dead skin cells, while the antioxidant pomegranate extract hydrates your skin and promotes the regeneration of new skin cells. Cha. Ching.

Image: Spirit Beauty Lounge

8. SW Basics Vegan Lip Balm Set

Variety is the spice of life, and this is especially true of the Vegan Lip Balm Set by SW Basics, which contains four delicious lip balms: Peppermint, Cocoa, Citrus and Cinnamon. No matter your mood, there’s a lip balm for that.

Image: Anthropologie

9. Active Moisturizing Cleanser + Makeup Remover

We rock at multi-tasking, so why shouldn’t our natural skin care products? One Love Organics’ Active Moisture Vitamin B Enzyme Cleaning Oil & Makeup Remover effortlessly lifts away impurities and makeup while restoring your skin’s natural moisture and pH balance. Bonus: It’s gentle enough for all skin types.

Which natural skin care products do you swear by in the winter?

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In the golden age of mass-produced everything, you’ll be happy to know the apothecary is making its return in the form of small-batch, local, handmade, natural beauty products.

It used to always be this way. Hand-poured soaps and perfumes, creams and lotions. But you don’t need me to explain how the Beauty Industry changed all that–how Walmart and Target shelves are now lined full of exceptionally cheap (even if they’re expensive) and often highly toxic products that we’re encouraged to slather onto our bodies and our hair.

We’re trained to spend less money more often on products that don’t really even work and may be doing more harm than good. But if we were to invest that same amount of money in small batch apothecary-style handmade natural beauty products often made in our very own community, how would that change our beauty regimen? Would our skin and hair look better?

Apothecary-inspired brands offer just that: high quality, small batch produced beauty care products that are sure to inspire you to feel more beautiful about your investment in looking more beautiful, naturally.

Meow Meow Tweet is a Brooklyn-based beauty care line embodying the apothecary style of production. “Besides the soap, lip balm and the deodorant, which we make weekly, if you order something from our website, we make it to order,” says co-founder, Tara Pelletier. Inspired by Tara’s restaurant experience with cooking whole foods, the brand wanted products that reflected that sensibility. “For us, apothecary is like a small-town pharmacy from the 19th century with a garden out back that the pharmacist harvests from to hand-make lozenges, salves and tinctures according to the needs of the people in the town. We see a direct correlation with modern day apothecaries and the slow food movement. People want to know where their skin care is coming from, who is making it and what’s in it. It’s like community-based skin care.”

I’ve been loving the MMT face and body oils. They just feel right on my skin. So simple and pure. (Sample sent courtesy of MMT but opinions are all my own.) And I’ve been using the deodorant which actually works. Like, all day. I cannot say that about most other “natural” deodorants available. “Deodorant is a tricky thing; one person’s body chemistry might love our deodorant and for another person, it may not be as effective,” explains Tara. And for customers who have special needs, Meow Meow Tweet will work with you: “We make bespoke recipes for folks based on their sensitivities. We recently met a customer with allergies who was desperate to try our deodorant but couldn’t use the shea butter and coconut oil. We made her a dusting powder that she loved. Perhaps, that’s the difference between us and one of the big guys, we’re small enough that we’re still able to go into the kitchen and cook you up something special.”

How adorable is the company name, too? In case you’re wondering (of course you are) it was inspired by their two cats and co-founder Jeff Kurosaki’s cockatiel (back in his home state of Hawaii).

Want to discover more apothecary style beauty care brands? Here are a few others we adore:

Golden Path Alchemy

King’s Road Apothecary

Moon Valley Organics

Zoe Organics

Are handmade beauty products being produced near you? What are your favorites?

Find Jill on Twitter @jillettinger

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Images courtesy of Meow Meow Tweet

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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.

They always have their pick of the latest and not-so-greatest chemically laden skincare and make-up products, which is why we love reading about celebrity’s who favor natural beauty products instead.

The dog-eat-dog-world of the red carpet means only the fittest and those with the most glowing skin survive. No wonder we sit up and take notice when a celebrity recommends a natural beauty product. Hollywood stars–like the rest of us–are choosing cleaner skincare products that are free from toxic parabens, sulfates, and petrochemicals, and packed with good-for-you ingredients like natural oils, antioxidants, and vitamins. And when they have the pick of the latest and greatest beauty products, you can rest assured that their favorite natural options are still producing great results.

While the rest of us don’t have to dedicate our lives to our personal grooming habits, celebrities certainly do. Happy to discuss their natural and organic lifestyles in interviews, there are plenty of opportunities to note the products that get mentioned the most. Here are the top 5 most effective natural skincare products, and the celebrities who love them.

1. Living Luminizer up by RMS Beauty

Rose-Marie Swift of New York-based RMS Beauty decided to produce a beauty product line that only used natural products. One of the line’s most popular products is Living Luminizer, which uses raw coconut oil to highlight the skin with an ultra sheer translucent finish. Celebrity fans include Miranda Kerr, Karlie Kloss and Gisele Bundchen.

2. 100% Pure Argan Oil by Josie Maran

The signature product from actress and model Josie Maran’s eponymous eco-friendly beauty line, the lightweight and organic argan oil is rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids that keeps skin glowing and nourished. The line has many celebrity users including Alicia Silverstone, Emma Stone and Julianna Moore.

3. Herbal Recovery Eye Gel by Jurlique

A powerful botanical anti-aging eye treatment, Jurlique’s beloved Herbal Recovery Eye Gel helps fade dark circles, puffiness and smooth delicate skin around the eye area. The potent product is infused with herbs and precious plant oils. Nicole Kidman, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Pamela Anderson are all said to swear by it.

4. Rose Day Cream by Dr. Hauschka

Thirty rose flowers go into each tube of this cult cream making it an incredibly rich and luxurious moisturizer ideal for dry skin. Containing no synthetic ingredients, it is extremely soothing and gentle for irritated and weather-damaged skin. A long list of celebrities rave about it including Madonna, Nicole Kidman and Nina Garcia, Rachel McAdams and Jennifer Lopez .

5. Skin Food by Weleda

This whole-body cream is ultra rich and deeply hydrating. It’s ideal for dry elbows, hands and feet or any areas of rough skin. In addition to essential fatty acids and vitamin E, the deeply nourishing cream contains extracts of soothing rosemary and organic calendula flowers, which have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. Victoria Beckham, Adele, Alexa Chung and Rihanna are reported to use the bargain beauty product.

Top Image: JenniferLopez

The post 5 Celebrity Favorite Natural Beauty Products appeared first on EcoSalon.

Welcome to the fifth installment of our seven-part Eco Salon Eco-Beauty Approved Guide: Personal Care & Hygiene Products. Coming up next is:

SCENT
SUN

We’ve worked really hard to gather this list from professionals in the field, including Kristen Arnett, Paige Padgett, Jessa Blades, Greta Eagan, Sophie Uliano, Todra Payne, Renee Loux, Starre Vartan and others, along with our very own editors and writers. We’ve looked at ingredients, brand missions and philosophies, considered skin and hair types, all types of concerns and tested several products in each line. We’ve broken it down by category, with multiple options in each, so get ready for lots of options.

We’ve also considered price and tried very hard to include a broad range from luxury to affordable for just about any budget. Even though we’ve listed just one or two product recommendations per brand, it’s hard to go wrong with these companies, so experiment until you find your new must have products! Without further ado, please read on for the 2013 EcoSalon Approved Eco-Beauty Guide!

1. Blossom Organics 

Founder Melissa Jochim’s mission is to create naturally pure, effective and healthy alternatives in all personal care categories. In pursuit of healthy well being, beautiful intimacy and blissful pleasure, Blossom Organics creates safe, naturally pure intimate care products.

Product Picks:

Natural Moisturizer Lubricant (made to mimic a woman’s chemistry)

Pure Pleasure Arousal Gel  (nothing kinky, just a little added warmth and blood flow)

2. Erbaviva

Erbaviva was created to offer mommies-to-be and babies upscale products completely free from all harsh detergents, chemical fragrances, and other unhealthy additives. Today they offer a wide range of products for the entire family with bath, body and true aromatherapy.

Product Pick:

Deodorant (for everyone, an alcohol based spray when you prefer something light)

3. Preserve 

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. Those are the principles that have driven Preserve since 1996 and that motivate them to encourage more households to choose our 100% recycled and recyclable products over conventional products.

Product Picks:

Toothbrush (for everyone, it’s recycled and recyclable)

Triple Razor (for everyone, it’s recycled and recyclable)

4. Quantum Health

Natural, over the counter products to help your body function more effectively – supporting bodily systems safely and naturally.

Product Pick:

Buzz Away (DEET free and it actually works, though reapply every few hours)

5. Seventh Generation

The nation’s leading brand of household and personal care products that help protect human health and the environment. Providing healthy solutions for the air, surfaces, fabrics, pets and people within your home–and for the community and environment outside of it, they want their products to make a difference—from their development through to their production, purchase, use, and disposal.

Product Picks:

Organic Cotton No Applicator Tampons (available in a variety of absorbencies, the shape is better than most)

Chlorine Free Panty Liners (for light days and added protection)

6. Sir Richard’s Condoms

They believe the power of business can help bring health and pleasure to the global community.  Their mission is to bring pleasure and health to the global community while stimulating social discourse and evolving attitudes towards contraception. For every vegan, toxin free Sir Richard’s condom you purchase, you contribute one to a developing country.

Product Pick:

Pleasure Dots

7. Soapwalla 

Soapwalla founder, Rachel Winard pulls knowledge from her study of Ayurvedic medicine, botanicals, aromatherapy and whole-body nutrition. Every product is made by hand in small batches to ensure quality, freshness and the utmost attention to detail.

Product Pick:

Deodorant Cream (for everyone, it actually keeps stink at bay and helps with wetness)

8. Vitacare 

VITACARE is a natural oral care system of vitamin-infused whitening toothpaste, alcohol-free mouthwash, whitening chewing gum and eco-friendly toothbrushes.  VITACARE’s products are infused with a powerful Vita-Boost Complex, which delivers a potent blend of essential vitamins A, C, D, E and Calcium to work in synergy to support overall gum, tooth and mouth health.

Product Pick:

Mint + Acai Toothpaste (for everyone, it’s cleansing, whitening and refreshing without being overpowering)

Read Eco Salon’s 2013 Eco Beauty Approved Guide Part 1: 19 Bath & Body Products here.

Part 2: 41 Facial Care Products.

Part 3: 11 Hair Care Products.

Part 4: 17 Makeup & Color Products.

Looking to try healthy beauty products before you buy?  Goodebox delivers 6-7 personalized samples per month to take the guess work out of cleaning up your beauty routine. Try Goodebox today.

The post EcoSalon’s 2013 Eco-Beauty Approved Guide Part 5: 8 Personal Care & Hygiene Products appeared first on EcoSalon.