Archive for November, 2008

We just busted open the anxiously awaited Organic Apoteke Turkish Rose Body Cleanse Gel and Body Hydrate Oil and it is intoxicating. The shower gel is completely non-drying and the oil is deeply hydrating and smells wonderful! Organic Apoteke is one of those companies who thinks of everything when it comes to their impact. Their manufacturing plants use renewable energy, their packaging is all recyclable and biodegradable – even the labels on the bottles, their ingredients are usually 100% natural and about 90% certified organic and they donate 5% of profits to charitable causes. That is almost enough for us to love working with them but on top of all that, their products preform incredibly well! To request FREE organic apoteke samples, just type in ORGANIC APOTEKE in the customer notes area when you place your next order!

If you knew how hard it is to get, you’d know why we are so honored to now be officially part of Coop America’s Green Business Network. Since we applied earlier this year for this esteemed membership, we’ve gone through months of interviews, homework and panel discussions. It is very rare for a beauty business to gain membership but we didn’t give up! One of the improvements we were required to make before being accepted was adding the country of origin to every product detail. During the interviewing process we even had to drop a line from our incoming inventory when we found out they couldn’t prove fair labor was used in the manufacturing of their products. We thought we knew it all but the application process taught us so much more about how to analyze the companies we work with on an even deeper level than we had before. So what does it prove? Well, Co-op America approved companies:
* Actively use their businesses as tools for positive social change;
* Run “values-driven” enterprises that operate according to principles of social justice and environmental sustainability;
* Are socially and environmentally responsible in the way they source, manufacture, and market their products and run their offices and factories; and
* Are committed to developing and employing extraordinary practices that benefit workers, customers, communities, and the environment.

Could we be more flattered? I think not!

People ask me for organic based alternatives to their favorite department store products or “product conversions” so often, I just have to post a few.

Keihl’s Lip Balm #1 = Jurlique Lip Care Balm

Swap out the nasty petroleum for castor seed oil, beeswax, shea butter and jojoba seed oil and you’ve got the perfect year round lip healer!

La Mer Creme de la Mer = Patyka Biokaliftin Creme Visage Reparatrice

Though it claims no “miracle broth” of Sea Algae extract in it’s ingredients, the Patyka Creme has been known to deliver the same results without the mineral oil, petrolatum and frightening octosyllabic chemicals.

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser = Organic Apoteke Buttermilk Cleanser

The classic dermatologist reccomended facial cleanser for ultra-sensitive and irritated skin is no more than some water, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, alcohol, Propylene Glycol, and three different parabens.  The preservative seems overkill in this simple solution doesn’t it?  Why not opt for an extremely gentle natural alternative like Organic Apoteke’s Buttermilk Cleanser instead?

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick = Nvey Eco Organic Lipstick

If there is one thing you have got to give up now it’s toxic lipstick!  I grew up with Revlon Super Lustrous lipstick, not knowing that what (my mother and)  I were putting on our lips was nothing but pretty poison.  You wear it, you ingest it and it’s full of known neurotoxins and carcinogens.  Opt for the rich, hydrating natural based Nvey Eco Organic Lipstick instead!

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizer = Ila Face Oil

For many years, the driest of skins have relied on the Clinique classic for all day dryness relief.  Take a look at the ingredients and you’ll find that it’s basically artificially colored vaseline.  Slathering your skin with mineral oil everyday will certainly make your skin feel less dry but it won’t do anything to rebalance or actually restore hydration to your skin.  This is the type of product that if you go one day without it, you shrivel up and flake because it’s not healing your skin at all, just coating and clogging it.  Instead, try using a restorative blend of natural oils like ila face oil.  It’s not heavy enough to give you the feeling that petroleum products do right away but over time, the wild grown argan oil and organic rosehip seed oil along with healing vitamin E could actually rebalance your skins own natural moisture levels.

Do you have a product you’re trying to give up but can’t find a safer alternative that works?  Challenge ME to find it for you and I’ll post your results here on our blog!

Did you know that how you wash your face is as important as what you wash it with? Did you ever find that with conventional chemical based skin cleansers, they work great and then after a few weeks, your skin starts to feel drier or oilier every time? That’s because typically, the chemicals used to give you a great squeaky clean foam or that baby soft feel or that wonderful fragrance, are actually wreaking havoc on your skins natural ph balance and ability to self-renew. With organic and natural based cleansers, you can use less product and get better, lasting results without the yo-yo, as long as you know how to get the best of them.

There a two basic types of facial cleansers: Milk or Lotion cleansers and Foaming Cleansers. Both are available for all skin types but you may find that cleansing lotions work better for dry skin and foaming cleansers work better for oily skin. Cleansing lotions usually double as great makeup removers while foaming cleansers are perfect post-workout.

Lotion Cleansers
I often hear people say their skin doesn’t feel clean when they use cleansing lotions. Often it is because they are not meant to be used the same way you use conventional cleansers that you rub, scrub and rinse with. By following these tips may get you much better results. With a lotion cleanser, the first thing you want to do is moisten the face with warm water, loosening the dirt and oils in your skin. You may pat a wet washcloth to the face if you’re not in the shower. Next, you would pump the cleanser into your hand and apply evenly, directly to the skin. This is the part where we usually mess up. DO NOT rub your face with cleanser! This action could potentially only cause dirt and oils to be shoved into your pores, so to speak, rather than lifted from them.
Instead, press your palms, not fingers, to your face and roll them back and forth and then lift and repeat. You’re trying to create a suction action that will actually draw dirt out of your pores and onto the surface of your skin to be rinsed away. You don’t want to rush this process. Take your time as the natural, active oils and nutrients in the cleanser rebalance your skin. With any type of facial cleanser, washing it off too soon is the most common mistake and can leave your skin unbalanced.
If you are wearing eye makeup or a lot of face makeup, you may skip the pre-moistening step. Apply the cleanser directly to the face and use a warm, soft washcloth to wipe the makeup off. Then proceed with regular cleansing.

Foaming Cleansers
Think of foaming cleansers as concentrates. The most common mistake is applying them directly to the skin, foaming them up and then washing them off. By applying the concentrated cleanser without foaming first, you may be using too much product. This process can leave your skin unbalanced, overdry or unclean. With most foaming cleansers, instead of rubbing your face with them to build up a lather, you should rub them between your hands with water first and then gently rub the foam to your face. Rub only enough to evenly distribute the cleanser and then begin to pat and roll, creating suction. This process should take at least 30 seconds. Don’t rush it! Rinse thoroughly. If your skin feels tight or dry after using a foaming cleanser, it is posible that the product is not right for you but you may need to rinse longer or you may have used too much product.

As with any new skin care product, it can take some getting used to and not seeing results right away can be frustrating.  If you are trying natural based cleansers for the first time, when you don’t get the same feeling you’re used to right away, you might think about going back to conventional products but remember, that feeling never seems to last does it?  By being patient with the process, and using these tips, you may end up finding an effective, healthy cleanser that you can use for years to come and continue to get great results like I have!

Check us out on these sites (and maybe catch some secret savings codes!):

About.com Top ten Gifts That Give Back
Victoria-E Interview with Spirit Demerson
Fig and Sage
Feelgood Style
Spa Beauty Schools
UltimaSkin
ChickCentric Picks us for TOP 5 Organic Beauty Blogs on the Net
FreshThyme