There are plenty of binge-worthy bits of entertainment on Netflix right now — I’m currently crushing on “Jessica Jones” and revisiting “Twin Peaks.” But if you’re similar to me, you may feel like you should be doing something else while you’re taking in all that entertainment. Well, I’ve discovered the perfect thing to do while watching incredibly enthralling things (thanks, Internet). That thing is: use organic beauty products.

Yes, we all work hard. And, true, it’s really hard to remember to put on a face mask once a week, let alone remember to take out your contacts before you go to bed. So, why not make binge-watch time beauty time? The following items will make sitting on your couch and chilling even more worth it, and will also leave your skin glow-y, rather than pillow-smushed and tired.

Image via Michael Todd

1. Mask Madness

If you’re going to sit on your ass for three-plus hours, you may as well be wearing a luxurious face mask. This pack from Michael Todd contains three great masks that serve different purposes. The Pumpkin Mask will brighten dull skin and diminish the appearance of fine lines. The Charcoal Mask is perfect for getting rid of excess oil and detoxifying skin. And the Milk and Honey Mask will help exfoliate skin while moisturizing your mug. Priced at $102.

Image via One Love

2. Skin Savior

After you’re done with all that mask business, slather on some of One Love Organics’ Skin Savior. This multi-tasking wonder balm can prime your skin for makeup — if you decide to go out later. It keeps skin supple and happy because it’s filled with an antioxidant-rich blend of organic coconut oil, mango butter, jojoba, and chia. Priced at $49.

Image via Spirit Beauty Lounge

3. Fabulous Organic Foot Balm

All feet could use a little TLC. Enter Suti’s Organic Foot Balm. This balm will rehydrate and revive your tired, dry feet all while you’re relaxing and sipping chardonnay. The balm contains peppermint, eucalyptus, lemon, olive oil, avocado, carrot, calendula, rosemary, and pumpkin seed. Priced at $29.50.

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Image of women watching TV via Shutterstock

The post 3 Organic Beauty Products to Use While You Netflix and…Sloth appeared first on EcoSalon.

One lucky EcoSalon reader will win a $500 gift card for Juice Beauty PLUS a free personalized consultation with one of their skincare consultants! Here’s how to enter.

Since the new year is all about new beginnings and fresh starts, why not extend that sentiment to your skincare routine? Maybe you’ve tried oodles of beauty products over the years but something still feels a little… off. Or maybe the winter air has morphed your skin into a flaky hot mess. Or maybe you’ve been on a beauty hiatus, waiting for the perfect product line to come along that actually does what it says it’s going to do.

That time is now: We’ve got a Juice Beauty gift pack to giveaway that includes a gift card valued at $500 and a free personalized consultation with one of their expert skincare consultants – and all you have to do to enter is sign up for our newsletter.

Juice Beauty products are the perfect blend of nature and science: They contain the highest organic content in skincare thanks to the brand’s unique antioxidant rich organic juice base. This means that every drop feeds your skin with powerful antioxidants, nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and more! With your skin absorbing upwards of 64 percent of what you put on it, you want what’s absorbed to be as healthy for your skin as it is effective.

Each product is formulated with certified organic ingredients that are primarily sourced from the Western US to ensure purity, quality, and efficacy. The chemistry goes beyond natural to match or exceed conventional formulations, which are typically filled with chemicals and synthetic ingredients that aren’t pretty for your skin or the environment.

Not only does Juice Beauty offer award-winning and clinically proven skincare, makeup and hair care products, but they do so while meeting the most rigorous organic regulations in North America – without sacrificing results. In fact, Juice Beauty‘s clinical validation results showed up to 87 percent reduction of free radical scavenging (in other words, sayonara wrinkles and sunspots!).

Here are just some of the lux products you’ll be able to indulge in if you win our Juice Beauty prize pack:

• Green Apple Age Defy Moisturizer
  This powerful moisturizer replenishes and firms your skin with a brightening and refining complex of certified organic juices and an antioxidant cocktail of alpha lipoic acid, Co Q10, Vitamin C, peptides and DMAE for optimum age defying results.
• Stem Cellular CC Cream
  The ultimate multi-tasker, this one cream accomplishes 12 different things for your skin, including evening out skin tone and texture, firming and improving elasticity, and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
• Blemish Clearing Serum
  Reduce breakouts, unclog pores and even your skin tone with one powerful serum: Its formula renews your skin for a healthy, clear complexion while adding moisture.

Ready to enter?

For your chance to win this amazing prize, all you have to do is sign up for our newsletter – and if you’re already a subscriber, you’re already entered! (Easy peasy!)

Go ahead and sign up now! Good luck!

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The post Enter to Win $500 of Juice Beauty Products, Plus a Personalized Skincare Consultation! appeared first on EcoSalon.

One lucky EcoSalon reader will win this incredible Michael Todd prize pack valued at $500 – and that reader could be you! Here’s how to get in on the action.

I don’t know about you, but this is usually the time of year when I spend more time moisturizing than breathing. Otherwise, the crisp winter air turns my skin into sandpaper. If you’re also looking for a way to turn your skin care routine up a notch (or nine), you’re in luck: We’ve got a Michael Todd prize package on our hands that we can’t wait to giveaway to one of our readers – and entering is as easy as signing up for our newsletter.

Michael Todd combines science and nature to create a stellar line of beauty products that will enhance and protect your skin for years to come. Made in the USA with certified organic ingredients, the company uses as much organics as possible without compromising performance and never (ever!) uses parabens, sulfates, mineral oil, artificial coloring or synthetic fragrance. You can use Michael Todd’s incredible line while breathing easy.

Here’s what one lucky EcoSalon winner will receive:

1. Soniclear ($150)

What do you get when you combine skin cells, makeup, and moisture with a typical sonic cleansing system? An insta-breeding ground for icky bacteria that builds after each use. Enter Soniclear: The first ever sonic cleansing brush with built-in antimicrobial protection which acts as a superhero, protecting your brushes against contamination and leaving them cleaner, fresher, and for a longer period of time. The Soniclear has six power settings, making it easy to customize your cleansing experience to combat your specific skin issues – it even has an automatic timer that lets you know when it’s time to move onto another area of your face or body! Both face and body brush are included.

2. Soniclear Carrying Case ($25)

This fabulous hard shell Soniclear Carrying Case is perfect for travel, and will make freshening up on your next road trip a breeze!

3. Soniclear Body Brush Extension Handle ($25)

The Soniclear Body Brush Extension Handle has been designed to help you cleanse the trickiest parts of your body, such as your back, legs, knees and feet with ease.

4. KNU Serum ($150)

KNU Serum is known as a reset button for the skin: This lux anti-aging serum transforms skin on contact with Michael Todd’s infamous formulation for insta-firming, lift, and tightening. It’s made with 70 percent organic ingredients combined with a unique fusion of Matrixyl 3000®, Syn®-Coll, Epidermal Growth Factor, DMAE, Alpha Hydroxy Acid, Snail Serum, Arbutin and L-Arginine and other clinically proven ingredients known for their powerful skin regenerating properties.

The serum promotes continuous healing, repair and natural collagen and elastin production for reduced depth of wrinkles and loss of elasticity over time, while the powerful antioxidants protect against future damage. Long story short: Your skin will be getting its glow on!

5. KNU Eye Gel ($150)

KNU Serum Eye Treatment is filled to the brim with cutting-edge eye enhancing ingredients: Haloxyl and Eyeliss to reduce bags, puffiness and dark circles, and Reishi mushroom (which is known as the “mushroom of immortality” in ancient eastern medicine) to improve wrinkles, uneven skin tone and increased size of skin pores. All of these ingredients combined will restore hydration, reduce depth of wrinkles and improve elasticity – and the “Cool Tip” applicator, which cools the skin as serum is applied is just icing on the cake.

Ready to enter?

Of course you are! It’s super easy too: All you have to do is sign up for our newsletter. And if you’re already a subscriber, you’re already entered to win! How cool is that?

Go ahead and sign up now! Good luck!

To read more about EcoSalon’s giveaway rules, click here. 

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The post Giveaway Alert: Enter to Win a Michael Todd Prize Package ($500 Value!) appeared first on EcoSalon.

One lucky EcoSalon reader will win $490 worth of amazing natural beauty products from Logona + SANTE. Want to get in on the action? Read on to find out how you can enter.

While Mother Nature has a cure for practically anything, finding natural cosmetics that are earth- and animal-friendly while remaining as effective as “the other guys” can be tough. Enter Logona and SANTE: Two ah-mazing lines of natural beauty products developed and manufactured by Logocos AG in Germany.

A pioneer in the industry, Logocos manufactures most extracts in-house and sources many raw materials from their own gardens and Fair Trade partnerships around the world. Not only do they have rigorous ingredient standards, but they also don’t test on animals. They are committed to developing products of uncompromising quality and efficacy, while doing their part for the environment.

Today, Logona, together with its sister brand SANTE, serves as a leading supplier of natural beauty products throughout Europe and is currently expanding into the North American marketplace – and you could get to try both incredible lines of natural beauty products for free! We’re giving away 24 products totaling $490 in gorgeous hair care, skin care, and cosmetic lines that will blow your mind. Ready to enter? All you have to do is sign up for the EcoSalon newsletter. Already a subscriber? You’re entered to win. You’re welcome :).

Here’s what one lucky EcoSalon winner will receive:

1. SANTE Facial Cleansing Tissues: Organic Goji ($8)

Perfect for when you’re on the go, SANTE Facial Cleansing Tissues are alcohol-free moist towelettes made from organic cotton. Use them as a cleanser, makeup remover, or a simple pick-me-up for your skin.

2. SANTE Eyeshadow Stick: Coffee 08 ($15)

This SANTE Eyeshadow Stick is a versatile shade you can play up or down depending on the occasion – whether you feel like going glam or low-key, SANTE’s eyeshadows have you covered.

3. SANTE Eyeliner Pencil: Deep Black 08 ($15)

SANTE Eyeliner Pencil has a gentle texture that’s perfectly suitable for use on your inner eyelids. The pencil includes a sponge for soft blending to make your color last even longer.

4. SANTE Liquid Eyeliner: Sparkling Brown 01 ($18)

SANTE Liquid Eyeliner has a special brush to help you master those trendy thin lines – or that dramatic cat-eye you’ve been itching to try.

5. SANTE Mascara Volume: Black 02 ($20)

SANTE Mascara Volume is formulated with natural waxes and purified mineral pigments to nurture your lashes while offering long-lasting coverage.

6. SANTE Mascara Volume Sensation: 04 ($20)

For the ultimate in dramatic eyelashes, SANTE Volume Sensation Mascara doesn’t miss a beat – or rather, a lash with its dense mascara brush. Formulated with vitamin E, natural sunflower oil and nourishing natural almond oil, you eyes have never looked so good.

7. SANTE Hypnotic Lashes ($35)

For hypnotically beautiful lashes, SANTE Hypnotic Lashes offers strengthening 24-hour care for longer and thicker eyelashes after just 4 weeks! It’s formulated with an active ingredient complex that includes birch extract, birch sap and black cohosh. Simply apply once or twice daily to the clean eyelid, directly along the eyelashes.

8. SANTE Rouge: Silky Mallow 02 ($20)

SANTE Rouge is made with organic jojoba and chamomile – this soft powder blush has a silky-smooth texture and will leave you with a refreshing natural glow.

9. SANTE Lipstick: Pink Rose 02 ($19)

This SANTE Lipstick is a soft, subtle shade that provides your lips with gentle protection while letting them shine. Made with organic jojoba, it’s skin-friendly, free of synthetic coloring agents, fragrances or preservatives. All of SANTE’s raw materials are tested to be free of lead and other heavy metals often found in lipsticks.

10. SANTE Lipstick: Nude Mellow 13 ($19)

This SANTE Lipstick shade is a bold and irresistible lip color that’s sure to turn heads. SANTE’s lipsticks, lip glosses and lip duos come in a variety of colors and shades, providing nourishing care to your lips while giving you a versatile, natural beauty routine.

11. SANTE Lip Duo: Glamorous Look 03 ($17)

SANTE Lip Duo is a super convenient multi-tasker: Use the fine, hard tip as a lipliner for perfect contours, then fill them in with the softer, wider tip. The palm kernal oil used comes from sustainable sources and is RSPO certified.

12. SANTE Lipgloss: Peach Pink 03 ($16)

Not only does SANTE Lipgloss enhance that natural beauty of yours, its nourishing and moisturizing ingredients care for your pout as well as the best lip balm.

13. SANTE Sharpener ($5)

Keep your SANTE pencils and sticks in tip-top shape with our trusty SANTE Sharpener.

14. SANTE Shampoo: Henna Volume ($9)

Ready to give your hair a (literal) boost? This SANTE Shampoo is enriched with organic honey, beer, and non-coloring organic hanna extract, which nourishes the hair structure and maintains your hair’s natural elasticity.

15. SANTE Hair Conditioner: Brilliant Care ($12)

SANTE Hair Conditioner enhances your hair’s volume and shine. Provitamin B5 and vegetable glycerin maintains your hair’s strength and elasticity, while peanut oil, organically grown birch leaf extract and burdock root oil keep your hair tangle-free without weighing it down.

16. SANTE Hairspray ($15)

SANTE Hairspray gives your hair natural hold and volume without making it feel sticky. Its non-coloring henna extract and nourishing jojoba and almond oil help protect your hair against negative environmental influences.

17. SANTE Styling Gel ($12)

SANTE Styling Gel is made of natural substances like plant sugar and organically grown birch leaf extract to strengthen your hair and deliver moisture and nutrients. It reinforces hair structure, allowing you to shape and style with ease.

18. SANTE Styling Foam ($15)

Ideal for hairdryer styling and gentle enough for daily use, SANTE Styling Foam is formulated with wheat and silk proteins to nourish your hair with visible results.

19. Logona Age Protection Cleansing Foam ($20)

Logona Age Protection Cleansing Foam contains extracts of organic sea buckthorn berry, organic chamomile, organic witch hazel, as well as organic aloe vera. Its natural conditioning complex protects skin from loss of moisture, replenishing its natural lipid balance while leaving you with a refined complexion.

20. Logona Age Protection Facial Toner ($30)

Logona Age Protection Facial Toner also contains extracts of organic sea buckthorn berry, organic chamomile and organic witch hazel. On top of which, it contains organic caffeine, which helps clarify and freshen your skin after cleansing to prepare it for the rest of your beauty routine.

21. Logona Age Protection Day Cream ($38)

Logona Age Protection Day Cream is formulated with organic sea buckthorn berry extract and hyaluronic acid, which reduces the appearance of fine lines and provides intense nourishment to high-maintenance skin.

22. Logona Age Protection Eye Cream ($32)

Logona Age Protection Eye Cream with organic sea buckthorn berry extract and hyaluronic acid reduces the appearance of fine lines and intensively nourishes the skin around your eyes.

23. Logona Age Protection Night Cream ($40)

Our skin does its restorative magic while we sleep. Logona Age Protection Night Cream is formulated with a careful combination of ingredients that support the natural regeneration of the skin and boosts cell renewal.

24. Logona Age Protection Hydro-Lipid Balance ($42)

Logona Age Protection Hydro-Lipid Balance reinforces your skin’s natural barrier function while providing increased elasticity and reducing fine lines.

Ready for your chance to win? It’s super easy to enter: All you have to do is sign up for our newsletter. Already a subscriber? Then you’re already entered to win! See how easy that was? The winner will be selected at random and must live in the United States. Good luck! Enter now!

Come on, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and sign up now! 

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The post Giveaway: Win 24 Natural Beauty Products From Logona + SANTE [$490 Value] appeared first on EcoSalon.

EcoSalon is excited to announce our latest uber-exclusive sale in partnership with Évolué of Beverly Hills on must-have natural glow beauty items!

Summer’s here, and who doesn’t want to get their glow on? We’ve partnered with Évolué Beverly Hills to help you do just that. Tops in the industry, Évolué specializes in all-natural, non-toxic skin care products. We’ve teamed up to offer EcoSalon readers a summer glow package you shouldn’t be without!

Our exclusive package (there’s only 37 left!) includes RMS’s Living Luminizer (their hottest-selling item), their brand new mascara, and Évolué’s Gentle Cleanser Makeup Remover, a total value of $98, but it’s yours for $78 + free shipping!  That’s a $20 savings!

Seriously, when have you ever seen RMS or Évolué products on sale except for on EcoSalon? (You’re welcome.)

Can’t wait to grab yours?

Living Luminizer ($38)

Women who know makeup know their highlighter. When used properly, it highlights your best features. Use on your brow bone, cheekbones, the bridge of your nose, V of your lips, or dot on the center of your eye lids to give your eyes an extra twinkle. RMS Beauty’s Living Luminizer is both RMS’s and Évolué’s best seller.

It’s non-greasy and sheer with a translucent satin-pearl finish. Most highlighters are too shimmery or glittery (so 1994!). If you want naturally sensuous and glowing skin, RMS is the gold standard.

RMS Mascara ($28)

Created with rich mineral pigments and certified organic oils, butters and waxes, this mascara will instantly add life to your lashes without flaking, smudging or clumping. When it comes to mascara, the brush is just as important as the formula, and depending on your needs you can pick volumizing, defining – or both. (You’ll be able to choose which mascara you’d like in your summer glow package.)

RMS Volumizing Mascara‘s combination of organic plant waxes and select raw minerals allow this emollient mascara to shape lashes and intensify fullness.

RMS Defining Mascara is creamy and rich. Its unique formula separates and defines lashes naturally for an overall dramatic eye.

And just when you think RMS’s mascaras can’t get any more amazing, they do! Top makeup artist Geoffrey Rodriguez not only gives them his seal of approval, it’s the only natural mascara he’ll use professionally because of how well it stands up against commercial mascaras.

Gentle Cleanser Makeup Remover ($32)

Free of the harmful parabens, sulfates, and drying agents frequently found in other cleansers, this specially formulated cleanser and makeup remover gently lifts dirt and makeup from the face while moisturizing and protecting your skin.

Gel or water-based cleansers add harsh soaps and detergents, which strip the skin of its natural oils, causing dry, unhealthy complexions. Oil fights oil best, and Évolué’s Gentle Cleanser/Makeup Remover uses only the purest, pharmaceutical-grade, first-cold-pressed jojoba oil.

Perfect for removing mascara, the Gentle Cleanser/Makeup Remover lifts away dirt, pollutants, and makeup while leaving your skin naturally hydrated.

The total value of this package is normally $98, but for you? Only $78! You’ll save $20 plus score free shipping!

We only have 50 packages available.  Number of packages left: 37

The flash sale ends when we’re sold out (which won’t take long, so place your order! You know, like now-ish).

What are you waiting for?

Grab yours now!

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The post Exclusive EcoSalon Flash Sale on RMS and Évolué Natural Beauty Products appeared first on EcoSalon.

What can’t you find on Etsy these days? The online marketplace of handmade goods offers everything from the perfect 1940s fashion finds for a Katherine Hepburn look to planters made out of reclaimed shoes, and it’s a great source of lovingly crafted organic beauty products, too. Artisans around the world mix up tinted lip balm, facial oils, perfumes, bath salts and other personal care items using vegan, organic and environmentally friendly ingredients. Here are seven notable natural beauty shops on Etsy.

Naked Eye Beauty

Totally vegan, handcrafted in small batches and made with eco-friendly and organically sourced ingredients, Naked Eye Beauty’s beautiful selection of personal care products includes bath soaks, lip balm, facial cleansers, mineral makeup and more. Try three of Naked Eye’s most popular products with the ‘Best of NEB Bundle,’ which includes hair powder in your choice of color, rose tinted lip balm and herbal deodorant cream.

Herbivore Botanicals

Herbivore Botanicals offers a range of 100% natural, vegan bath and beauty products hand-crafted in small batches using no artificial colors or fragrances, animal products, parabens, SLS or chemical preservatives. Bamboo charcoal soap, rose lip balm, pink clay floral face mask, sea salt hair spray and coconut milk bath soak are among the goodies you can get from this Seattle-based business.

Crush Cosmetics

With a wide range of rich and dramatic colors, Crush Cosmetics is a great source of mineral makeup on Etsy. Their products are free of parabens, silicones, fragrances and phthalates, with no nano or micronized ingredients. Many items are vegan-friendly.

Phoenix Botanicals

Phoenix Botanicals is a Brooklyn-based shop selling wildcrafted herbal balms and remedies as well as botanical perfumes. ‘Faerie Balm’ is a natural liden-infused moisturizing salve for the lips, face and other sensitive areas, while Sweet Birch Balm offers cooling anti-itch properties.

Borne Cosmetics

Borne Cosmetics creates organic mineral makeup formulated with antioxidants, jojoba oil, kaolin clay and crushed pearl. For a limited time, you can get sample baggies of mineral silk foundation (about two months’ worth) for just $4.99, making it easy to try out a few things. Other products include blush, eyeshadow, facial cleanser and anti-aging face cream.

The Pure Apothecary

Simple, natural and local: The Pure Apothecary’s organic beauty products are made with the environment and health in mind. Try the organic pumpkin flavor lip balm, which is only available seasonally, or the invigorating Peppermint Eucalyptus essential oil body lotion.

French Girl Organics

Inspired by the effortless, chic beauty of French girls, French Girl Organics is a handmade collection of organic, vegan bath and beauty products made with no animal testing. Facial care, lip tint and solid perfumes are infused with ingredients like activated charcoal, neroli, wildcrafted rose hip seed and organic white tea extract.

Images courtesy the brands

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The post Indy Organic Beauty Products: 7 Etsy Shops for Natural Makeup & Body Care appeared first on EcoSalon.

Labeling in the natural beauty world is a lawless society.

The world of safe cosmetics is like a modern wild west, filled with outlawed ingredients, determined settlers, and wild, crazed shoot-outs. (See: the comment sections of any controversial beauty item.) And the new sheriff in town who is going to make everything right in the land? Cue dramatic music: there is no sheriff.

Call a product natural, and you’ll soon find evidence it’s not. Find something proclaiming itself organic, and maybe only 10 percent of the ingredients actually are organic. A product says it’s chemical-free? Then why are chemicals listed on the label?

It’s enough to make you want to hang up your sunbonnet (best chemical-free sun protection ever) and hide behind the skirts of your favorite schoolmarm.

Why the confusion? There are few to virtually no regulations on the ingredients we put in beauty products. In 2011, the Safe Cosmetics Bill was introduced to update the existing law on beauty regulation, which has not been revised since 1938. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill, introduced the bill, noting “manufacturers are not required to disclose all their ingredients on labels, and the FDA has no power to supervise the use of toxic chemicals in cosmetics.”

So until this bill is passed, it’s up to us, the consumer, to figure out what to buy. It’s up to us to determine our own comfort level with ingredients. And foremost, it’s our decision on how natural we want to go with our products—since often times, products which proclaim themselves natural really aren’t.

Mia Davis, Vice President of Health and Safety for Beautycounter

I asked nationally-renown safe beauty expert Mia Davis to weigh in. Davis is the former Co-Director of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and current Vice President of Health and Safety for Beautycounter, a new beauty and skincare line. Recently, she shared her thoughts on natural beauty, safe cosmetics, and aging gracefully in a natural world.

Katherine Butler: Natural, organic, eco-friendly, green, and safe are all labels manufacturers use to sell their products. They all imply a level of cleanliness. What does it really mean for a product to say it is clean?

Mia Davis: A lot of time people are confused about that. They think “natural” and “organic” equals “clean” and “safe.” Many times, that’s the case. But to me, “clean” means safe—as in it’s not loaded with carcinogenic ingredients or petrochemicals that are harmful. Also, “natural” and “safe” are not mutually exclusive. I mean, poison ivy is organic and natural, as is lead.

KB: Good point. A lot of the unsafe ingredients are sometimes the ones that help a product perform. Do you have to sacrifice performance for clean ingredients?

MD: As a company, I think you have to work really hard to make sure that you are asking all the right questions to ensure that [your ingredients] are clean and safe—and performing. There’s another layer of complexity in formulating these products. As a consumer, you just really have to do your research and determine your own comfort level.

KB: Can’t we just trust that companies are telling the truth about their labeling?

MD: It’s really unfortunate how many companies are not fully disclosing their ingredients. When I was co-running the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, I heard from a lot of companies reporting on others that simply weren’t telling the truth, like “so and so are using hidden preservatives.” I wasn’t the cosmetics police, so there wasn’t much I could do. But as a consumer, I was horrified.

Now that I’m actually formulating products with a team of chemists for Beautycounter, I am shocked to learn how many chemicals have no safety data. I won’t name names, but there are several companies out there who are really marketing themselves on natural and organic products, and I would be willing to bet the farm that they are sourcing raw ingredients that are preloaded with petrochemical ingredients. Some aren’t harmful from a safety perspective. But from the consumer right-to-know perspective, it does worry me. They are marketing on something that isn’t true.

KB: What’s your take on more chemical-laden products like hair color and nail polish? Can you love doing your nails and still be committed to using natural products?

MD: I think it’s a spectrum. Hair color and nail polish are two of the products that tend to be the most chemically-laden and often hard to find a “natural” version. I prefer to say “less toxic” than chemical-free.

I think you just have to choose your battles and do what makes you feel good. I always push companies to make their products as least toxic as possible. I screen chemicals for safety, be they natural or synthetic. I want to be sure the ingredients in the products I use and promote are all okay for humans.

KB: So can you really fight fine lines, sunspots, without Botox or retinol?

MD: Well, you can prevent and minimize the look of fine lines—not permanently, but with makeup. That’s a version of fighting.

Can you fight these things with Botox or retinol? Yes, and people need to make their own decisions. But if you’re using something that is by definition toxic to fight an aesthetic result that you don’t like, you have to think about the long haul. Are you going to look better in the end by using a toxic chemical? We don’t know. You just have to do what you’re comfortable doing.

Plus, there are plant-based ways to help age gracefully. Vitamins E and C are really good for you. Seed oils are very nourishing and are great for prevention.

If you’re much older and have wrinkled skin, you probably won’t see a reversal. But that’s okay; shouldn’t we be more focused on aging gracefully?

KB: Hear hear! So how should the consumer keep herself informed in the lawless world of natural beauty?

MD: In the end, remember that “natural” could mean anything or nothing. Most people assume that the FDA or some other agency is backing up these claims, but none are.

In the food industry, companies get in trouble for calling something organic if it isn’t. This is not the case in beauty. So go out there and vote with your dollars. And ultimately, know we have to pass legislation so we don’t have to be so vigilant about labels. This industry hasn’t been regulated since 1938—it is high time we’ve do something, so we don’t have to have these conversations.

What can you do to determine your level of natural beauty? Check out this article on seven important beauty ingredients to avoid. Go to The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics to learn more. And be sure to consult the Environmental Working Group’s database for individual ingredients and product safety, Skin Deep.

Image: Mr.nomind via photopin cc

The post What Does It Mean to be a Natural Beauty? Expert Mia Davis Weighs In appeared first on EcoSalon.

The green world is getting tough. Not tough like Afghanistan, more tough like an organic West Side Story. Still, it is stressful. Why? Because it seems you need a PhD in product just to make sense of what’s organic, what’s natural, and what’s really nuclear waste disguised as delicate organic face cream created by monks living in seclusion in the Alps. Or something.

Luckily, there’s been lots of help as late for consumers to make good, green choices. Whole Foods recently announced that they will make personal care product companies prove their organic claims. And here at EcoSalon, we’ve studied green labels to help you understand them. Now, we’re going straight to the source for more information. Because who knows green product better than an EcoSalonista?

Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with Melissa Tornay, co-owner of Primrose Organics Salon and Boutique in Los Feliz, California. Primrose Organics Salon and Boutique is an eco-friendly full-service salon, focused on sustainability in both its products and practices. They carry lines such as John Masters Organic, The Body Deli, Strawberry Hedgehog and more. As a green beauty business owner, Melissa is out there dodging the green bullets and, well, bullsh*t. She recently shared her take on corporate green washing and how the rest of us can keep our beauty regime eco-friendly.

EcoSalon: What would you say is the “green mission” of Primrose Organics Salon and Boutique?

Tornay: We want to help navigate the confusing world of green products. It can be very overwhelming (mentally and financially) for people to go green. We have information and tips on how to do it in a way that will work for anyone. We are also committed to being environmentally friendly in an industry that tends to be toxic and wasteful.

EcoSalon: As the owner of a green beauty business, what is your take on the great green washing of products? How can a consumer know for sure that she’s getting truly safe products where there is such a little real regulation

Tornay: It is frustrating that so many companies are green washing; there are very few truly green companies. Trying to steer your way through the mountains of products that claim to be natural can be exhausting! It is quite clear that it has just become a marketing ploy. That’s one reason I like to source products, for the most part, from smaller businesses. Then I know I can speak to the owners and employees and get a feeling if they are truly passionate and really know their business. I shouldn’t be able to stump them with questions regarding chemicals.

EcoSalon: So how do you know if you’re getting safe products?

Tornay: There really is no easy way to know you are getting truly safe products right now; you just have to read ingredients, ask questions, and find companies that you trust.

EcoSalon: What do you do to weed out the green washers?

Tornay: Like I said, we only purchase from companies that we know well. In most cases I have met the owners face to face. You can tell easily when someone is giving you lip service or when they are truly knowledgeable and passionate.

I also check on things like packaging, animal testing, and how they run the company because those things can tell you a lot. It is not easy to make the sacrifices it takes and the extra expenses to do everything green, so when I see a company is really going above and beyond it makes me want to support them. We don’t put our money into a line that isn’t one of the best things we have ever tried. It just wouldn’t be smart business – no matter how green a brand is.

Want to learn more? Check out Melissa’s easy, quick tips on making sure your product is healthy and eco-friendly!

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