A new way to green your beauty cabinet. 

In the world of beauty, there’s a whole lot to be avoided. Synthetic chemical mixtures and animal testing are only the beginning of the wide world of toxic products that are not only harmful to your own health, but the environment’s as well.

Fortunately, the boom in the organic movement has meant that beauty products have followed suit. With the variety of products out there however, it’s hard to know which ones to choose. But what if you got to sample the latest and greatest in organic beauty products every month? Goodebox allows you to do just that. A service that’s designed with the motto “healthy beauty delivered monthly,” for $16 a month, Goodebox members receive a selection of six or more, trial size, healthy, innovative and effective beauty and personal care products.

But what about the impact of all the packaging that comes from beauty products? To tackle that obstacle, Goodebox has joined TerraCycle’s Personal Care and Beauty Brigade, an innovative recycling program for all kinds of hair care, skin care and cosmetic packaging. All typically non-recyclable beauty product packaging can be sent to TerraCycle, free of charge, to be made into new products, which means you can feel good about coming full circle with your natural beauty products.

The upcoming June Goodebox is curated by our very own Beauty Editor Katherine Butler. To get in on the action, simply subscribe before May 31, 2012.

The post Discover New Sustainable and Natural Beauty Products with Goodebox appeared first on EcoSalon.

ColumnGreen marketers want us to believe in their products while hiding their dirty laundry.

To listen to the marketers, it’s a brave new green world of products out there. But greenwash is greenwash and Burmese teak is bad news no matter how you slice it. A gas hog SUV is still a planetary parasite even with a hybrid emblem. And some of the so-called sustainable successes are merely bad ideas passed off as alternative chic.

We pulled a handful of products for you to take a closer look at.

Curtain Call

Many are pondering the utility of the Energy Curtain,the solar-powered alternative to the window blind. It is designed to store energy all day to switch off lights at night. But since it has to be drawn all day to charge up, you have to turn on lights inside to get the electric glow when it goes dark. Maybe it’s best to use natural light during the day, and as little power as possible at night.

Less Packaging, Higher Price

Touted for 24% less packaging and more concentrated powder for smaller scoops, the new Ultra Tide simply doesn’t do the trick, according to users who say it’s the same chemically enhanced powder as the old one except they shrunk the box and raised the price. Boxes that are bite-sized are great, but it’s still the same harsh formula for fighting stains. In other words, it gets under your skin in a bad way.

Green Thumbs Down

For those desperately in need of seeing green in their cubicle, the USB powered Mini Greenhouse from DreamCheeky has arrived, letting you grow your own marigolds with the artificial soil and seeds provided. Fresh, faux or freaky? As Mainstreet points out, the so-called good green system calls for a PC with Intel Pentium 4 operating at 2.4 gigahertz or faster, at least 128 megabytes of RAM, a Windows compatible soundcard, a CD-ROM drive, plus a specific type of display adapter capable of Microsoft Windows XP. Yes, installed on your Windows PC, you can monitor nature at work (sans the sunlight). Really?

It’s A Wash

The Swiffer Vac mopping system may appeal to us slobs who are looking for a quick clean-up in our dirty nests, but the non biodegradable, plastic cleaning mop isn’t actually greener than the old tools, despite claims of saving gallons of hot water. Instead of the precious water, this nifty gadget uses single-use chemically-soaked cleaning wipes destined for the landfill heap. We love all the green (color) branding that tries to distract you into thinking Swiffer is really eco-friendly.

Teaked Off

You hear the floor or trays are teak and you are certain that means eco-friendly – from certified plantations, right? But when it comes to Burmese teak, logs yielding as much as $25,000 are stolen from ravaged forests and shipped to Japan, the U.S and Europe and turned into nice patio furniture. Over 24.7 million cubic feet of teak is taken from the Myanmar’s forests by Thai companies helping to finance the Burmese military government’s long border war against ethnic insurgents. While many floor companies are shunning the teak, you can still harvest it online through many sources.

Images: Torely; Cushnie et Ochs‘; DreamCheeky; Procter &  Gamble; Chevrolet; Procter & Gamble; Perpetual Kid; Teakworks4U, redwood1

Editor’s note: The Beige Report is an open EcoSalon team column showcasing the most ridiculous in green design and marketing greenwash. Buyer beware.

The post The Beige Report: Greenwashing Makes Us Feel Dirty appeared first on EcoSalon.

I’ve just spent three fast and furious days at the America’s Mart in Atlanta, Georgia for the Fall Gift Show. “Gift” is loosely used in the retail industry to describe anything from furniture to sheets and towels to my favorite, a high heeled shoe that cradles a hairbrush (as seen above).

Twice a year, like thousands of other buyers, I travel to shows looking for the latest and greatest from the world of consumer goods. Wholesalers exhibit their goods and buyers buy them to sell to consumers like you and me. Editors from magazines come to look at the latest trends and shape their stories for the seasons to come. Sounds exciting, right? Sometimes it is, but more often than not, especially if you’re of a sustainable bent, it can be a little depressing.

If you’re like me and feel there’s entirely too much stuff in the world, attending a Gift Show will really make you a believer. When you come to these shows, the sheer amount of stuff, utterly useless stuff, is truly overwhelming.

At the America’s Mart, there are 5 million square feet of showrooms and 99% of them are filled with things you can’t imagine anyone ever wanting. And certainly not needing. Floor after floor of fake neon Christmas trees, LED polar bears, strange elfin mannequin dolls meant for I’m not sure what.

Every now and then you find the needle in the haystack, the innovative item that could make your life easier, help you be more efficient or teach you something about lessening your impact on the planet. But mostly, it’s just more of the same, more of the different, and more of the “what the…?” variety. With “more” being the operative word.

At my company, VivaTerra, as at EcoSalon, we’re all about conscious consumerism and we’re trying to help wean us all from the “more” and on to the fewer and better for longer. If we can’t make that change, those LED polar bears may be the only ones left.

Let us do some of the work for you. (And let me tell you, Atlanta in July is hard work!)

Editor’s Note: Guest contributor Susan Donaldson Ely is the Director of Merchandise at EcoSalon sister company, VivaTerra, and is a sustainability consultant working and living in the Bay Area.

The post The Road to Retail Is Paved with Bad Inventions appeared first on EcoSalon.

When The Eco Luxe Life sent me SKOY Cloth as part of my quarterly packet of goodies, I was initially skeptical. Really? A paper towel that’s meant to be reused? Is that sanitary? Or perhaps slightly insane?

But then I tested it out and discovered that for most cleaning needs, it works just as well as – if not better than – a regular paper towel. It’s sturdy enough for repeated use and it came out squeaky clean when I ran it through the dishwasher – not a trace of dirt or residue! But if you don’t have a dishwasher (or choose not to use it), you can also throw it in the clothes washer or microwave it for 1-2 minutes while damp.

I use my SKOY Cloth for cleaning up light messes around my apartment, since the company’s website discourages using it with chlorine (I assume other harsh cleaning products are a no-go). Seeing how it’s reduced my paper towel usage also inspired me to add a few old t-shirts to my rotation as rags so I can reduce my paper towel consumption even further. Unfortunately, my old t-shirts aren’t quite as absorbent.

According to the SKOY Cloth website, Europeans have been using a similar product for years. In fact, SKOY draws its name from Skoj, which is a Swedish word meaning “just for fun.” That attitude shines through in the whimsical colors and patterns of their product, too.

Since paper towels account for 3,000 tons of landfill waste every single day, it would have an incredible environmental impact if more of us reduced our dependence on disposable paper products.

The post Reusable Paper Towels: Smart Design or Ick Factor? appeared first on EcoSalon.

Lately we’ve seen the mantra “Keep Calm and Carry On” everywhere from T-shirts to chocolate bars. (If your curious about the origins of this now popular phrase, then check out this article in the UK Guardian.) But we love how zJayne on Etsy has taken this British motivational phrase and given it an eco twist: “Keep Calm and Recycle On.”

Each set of three dryer pillows uses upcycled T-shirts filled with organic lavender buds to give laundry a light, flowery scent. They’re reusable and double-secured with a separate interior pouch so you don’t have to worry about the lavender buds leaking out. (“No way, no how!” as the Etsy description says.) These cute little pouches are sewn on a vintage White 1951 machine for a charmingly retro touch and come in several different color combos.

Of course, dryer pillows aren’t the only eco alternative to dryer sheets. I’ve used little rubbery dryer balls to dry clothes more quickly without creating extra waste (like the dryer pillows, the dryer balls are reusable). Air-drying wet clothes on a clothes line is another option if you have the space. The Clean Air Gardening Blog lists several other alternatives to commercial dryer sheets, some of which contain chemicals like Benzyl Acetate and Benzyl Alcohol. Not so great for you, your clothes, or the environment.

The post ‘Keep Calm and Recycle On’ – Reusable Dryer Sheets appeared first on EcoSalon.

Dude! You’re clean shaven but are you green shaven?

Yes, the eco marketing of all consumer goods has reached the scratchy male whisker. Despite the notion that the greenest face is the hairiest one, not all men like sporting facial fur and not all females like going into-the-wild to make out.

What steps can you take before going under the knife? Don’t roam far from the healthy foam; don’t be a fool with the wrong disposable tool; never brace your face with a jug that’s mean to your mug.

Here are a few products your barber-in-the-hood probably never chatted you up about:

Razors:

Be kind to your face and to the planet with this innovation in shaving, the Preserve® Triple Razor. Featuring titanium-coated blades and lubrication strip for comfort, this cutting edge razor is made from recycled plastic – including Stonyfield Farm® yogurt cups. It delivers a clean, close shave for both men and women. What’s more, it comes in four fun colors with an ergonomic handle that exhibits contours and gripping regions that enhance performance and control. Unlike other plastic disposables, after the shave it is fully recyclable. The blades are easy to replace by squeezing the arms of the Razor handle, popping off the blade cartridge and pressing in a new blade. The Preserve Triple Razor package doubles as a reusable travel case and can be returned for recycling using the postage-paid label.

Each Triple Razor package comes with two of Preserve’s titanium-coated blades. Replacement blades are available wherever Preserve Triple Razors are sold.

How to master the art of shaving so you don’t cut up your face? For that, check out this E How tutorial.

For those hooked on electric razors, Procter & Gamble’s Braun division has introduced a line of Energy Star-certified shaver chargers – a world’s first. According to a review by Trend Hunter, the Smart Plugs use 64 percent less energy than standard shavers and, according to the company, will save over 12 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per year, or the equivalent of removing 1,073 cars from the road, planting 1,526 acres of forest or lighting 5,861 homes for a year.

The Lotion

Only $7.95 for 11 oz., Kiss My Face Moisture Shave is a cool way to go lime green. The lotion is a natural, cooling antiseptic that also acts as an astringent with its moisturizing formula containing highly effective natural essential oils, extracts and vitamins. Features include:

– antiseptic peppermint to cool and stimulate
– emollients olive oil and coconut oil and aloe vera for healing
– antiseptic goldenseal, also for healing
– Arnica aids circulation
– Lady’s mantle is an astringent and has styptic properties
– Sage, horsetail, and orangeflower act as astringents and refreshers
– Soapwort is rich lathering, effective with acne, and like lemongrass, cleansing
– Vitamins A and E are important nutrients for healthy skin
…all in a refreshing key lime.

Another soft touch is the Baby Face Healing shaving Cream from Ken Men.

The company is on a mission to formulate the “best possible shaving cream” and admits the word foam is not on its agenda, as there already exists a myriad of shaving foams on the market. Baby Face combines essential oils to create a shaving cream which can “adhere” to hair no matter how rugged the follicle. Ken says you no longer have to bleed to be smooth! (Ingredients include: De-Ionized water, Vitamins E and F, Ascorbic acid, Tea Tree oil, Rosa Mesquita, Flax seed & Macadamia Essential Oils, Salicylic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Oleth-20, Meadow foam Seed Oil, Lime, Coconut oil extract,oils of Mentha Veridis, Aloe Vera Juice Extract, Bisabolol, Essential oils of Sage, lime, vetiver, coconut pulp, patchouli & frankincense.)

The After Splash

Are you man enough to slap your cheeks with a product called Nancy Boy? The $20 blue bottle contains a refreshing gel that won’t burn or shock your skin. As the company puts it, “our position is that alcohol-based bracing aftershaves should have gone out with Joe McCarthy. They inflame the skin you’ve just abraded by shaving and worse, dry it out mercilessly.”

According to the site, this stuff is composed mostly (75%) of aloe, the healing, moisturizing wonderplant, and the bracing, cooling effect is naturally derived from the oil of peppermint. The natural witch hazel hydrosol in the formulation is another of nature’s best skin healers and soothers, while the alcohol, present at less than 1 part per hundred, is there to help sterilize any nick you might have self-inflicted.

Aubrey Organics Men’s Stock after shave is made with organic oils and extracts with a handsome scent of cedar, sandalwood and bergamot. It leaves a cool, tingly feeling and invigorates the face and tightens the pores. It is said to leave skin smooth and smelling yummy. Think English Leather without the beating. The formula includes witch hazel extract, organic aloe, cedar oil, sandalwood and patchouli.

Main image: dotbenjamin

The post Green Shaven appeared first on EcoSalon.

We brought you the goods on great green hair conditioners. Naturally, now we’re following up with the best eco-friendly, natural, organic shampoos! (Or should it be the other way around?)

But first, why do we want to go organic and nontoxic with our shampoos? One reason: it’s called sodium lauryl sulfate.

This chemical is what makes regular shampoos suds up. Among other things, it can lead to skin damage, permanent eye damage in children and even liver toxicity.

The news is not much better for sodium laureth sulfate (SLS). On the up side, SLS cannot be metabolized by the liver. But that just mean the other bad things about it hang out that much longer in your body.  And don’t forget, it is also used to degrease engines.

There are alternatives. Some natural shampoos use disodium laureth sulfosuccinate, which can be considered the lesser of two evils. (Skin Deep rates it only a moderate health hazard.)

Better than that, there is decyl glucoside.  This is a mild sudsing agent certified for its eco-clean production. And some natural shampoos don’t use any sudsing ingredients at all – though this means they don’t foam up very well and if you’re accustomed to the foaming action of most shampoos, it can take some getting used to.

Confused? Not to worry. We went through quite a few natural and organic shampoos to sort out the best picks for your different hair types. And we point out the good and the bad.  So get ready to get lathered up!

And Our Top Pick Is”¦

Tasmanian Lavender Shampoo from Sea Chi Organics

Out of all the shampoos I sampled, this combined the best of everything. It had a fantastic scent that can best be described as “spicy lavender.”  It really foamed up in the shower and didn’t leave any build up. Best of all, if left my hair feeling silky and light.

Its ingredients read like a breakfast menu: seaweed extract, nettles, marshmallow root, comfrey root, calendula blossoms, oat straw, kombucha tea and more. It does not contain any solvents or sodium lauryl or sodium laureth sulfates. Bravo on the organic suds! And finally, it is great for all hair types.

Best for Normal Hair…

Lavender Rosemary Shampoo from John Masters Organics

This is another great product from John Masters Organics. It was a bit thick and heavy going on, so it is probably not best for every day use.

It is free of sodium lauryl sulfate, using decyl glucoside to get sudsy. It contains 13 other certified-organic ingredients and is cruelty-free.

Pampering Carrot Juice Shampoo from Yes to Carrots

This fun product has a fresh, light floral smell.  It lathered well, rinsed well and left my hair feeling light.

This paraben-free shampoo is blended with organic carrot, sweet potato and pumpkin, which act as potent antioxidants to cleanse and moisturize the hair. It also contains Dead Sea Mud (seriously), melon, orange and honey. However, it does contain some sodium laureth sulfate, so be warned.

Best for Dry Hair…

Teatree Mint Shampoo from Organix

Out of all the samples I tried, this is the best bang for your buck. It retails for about $6 and has a delicious mint smell that lingers. It left my hair feeling soft and clean, and there’s a good suds factor.

It has organic Australian tea tree oils, moisturizing milk proteins and micro-infused peppermint oils for hydration and balance. It is sulfate free, but does contain disodium laureth sulfosuccinate.

Burt’s Bees Super Shiny Grapefruit & Sugar Beet Shampoo

This smells exactly as you would imagine – sugary and grapefruity. It is pH-balanced, and sodium laury/laureth sulfate-, paraben- and phthalate-free. And it contains decyl glucoisde.

I found it rather hard to work through my hair and had to follow with conditioner. But it did leave my hair feeling clean and refreshed.

Best Clarifying Shampoos…

Why do we want an occasional rinse with a clarifying shampoo?  Well, to remove chlorine and mineral buildup. Use them once a week and you will notice a difference in your hair. Just be sure to follow with a great conditioner, as overuse can strip your hair of all the good oils.

Hair Detoxifier from Aveda

By far, this is the best product for the task at hand. It has a clean, camphor smell that perks you up. It is almost magical how clean and silky your hair will feel after use. (And trust me, it has to be magical to get me to use the term magical.)

It contains certified organic aloe and no synthetic reducing agents. And it suds with disodium laureth sulfosuccinate. Like all Aveda products, it is cruelty-free and contains 80% post-consumer packaging.

Clarifying Shampoo from Alba Botanica

This has a pleasant fruity scent that didn’t disappoint. My only complaint is that it is a bit thick, so leave some time to lather it out of your hair.

Alba Botanica’s shampoo is made with eucalyptus, which has antiseptic and cooling qualities. It is free of sodium lauryl sulfate, parabens, artificial colors and of course there is no animal testing. It also contains 100% vegetarian ingredients.

Best Volumizing Shampoos…

Volumizing Shampoo from Nurture My Body

This product lathers sufficiently and left my hair feeling full and clean. It contains oat extract and honey to help strengthen the hair.

Nuture My Body’s product does not contain sodium laurel sulfate or any harsh detergents. It is supposed to be fragrance-free, but it smells more like light vitamins. Not bad, just not exactly fragrance-free. (Though it is free of the “fragrance” that is often used in non-organic brands which is nothing more than parabens.)

Big Body Shampoo from Kiss My Face

This product has a complex, fruity scent. Another great value, it is made with certified organic ingredients like floral water of rosemary, chamomile, lemon balm and more.

It contains no animal ingredients, sodium lauryl sulfate, artificial colors, or unnecessary chemicals.

Image: Meg Yarsh

The post Best Organic, Natural and Eco-Friendly Shampoos for All Hair Types appeared first on EcoSalon.

Fashion this season has taken on a bright and colorful slant – it’s no wonder the world of furniture design is following suit. If a beautiful blouse or a sumptuous sofa is dressed in a dazzling color, it can create all kinds of crazy – the good kind of crazy, of course. The properly placed pop of color will catch your attention, whether you want it caught or not. It is that powerful.

Steel, on the other hand, doesn’t bring much to mind other than cool, modern, slick and smooth. But when said steel is slathered in non-toxic powder coated color, an entirely different style of steel emerges.

Take the Origami Side Table (above) made from two sheets of laser-cut, recycled steel. It’s the perfect little piece for next to the bed or reading chair. Made in the USA from locally sourced material, the table ships flat-packed and is simple to assemble without tools or hardware. Bend each piece and the folds lock the parts together. I bet there’s a color that suits your situation – bright red, brilliant white or sensuous black. Find it for $185 at Mio Culture.

I also found myself attracted to the Hive Bench/Table (above) the moment I laid my eyes on its intricate and sexy pattern. Made of powder-coated recycled steel, I think the reddish-orange is especially spectacular, although any of the color options are cool.

The Coral Bench/Table (above) is another winner, and would be just as stunning in white as bursting berry. Both pieces are manufactured in the U.S. by Arktura using solar and wind power. Purchase them at Vivavi for $1790 and $1495, respectively.

Image at top via stylebakery

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