Fight back in the cold war by reaching for some winter salve-ation. From a sea scented candle to rejuvenating massage oil, we’ve rounded up the necessary beauty booty for turning your hibernation station into a spa-like sanctuary this winter.

Below, our organic pampering clues for escaping the winter blues:

Get lit

When the weather outside is frightful, it makes perfect scents to reach for red flower’s ocean petal topped candle ($34). Getting wick-y with it will inject your home and lungs with a sweet, coastal aroma completely free of dyes and parabens.

Smooth operator

Skin shouldn’t mirror the Gingerbread house in texture. Remedy roughness with ample amounts of suki Delicate Hydrating Oil ($24.95). This vegan power product works to instantly moisturize parched patches without leaving a greasy feel. All skin types (including sensitive) can benefit from the earthy botanical blend of rose and apricot kernel oil – plus, it’s the perfect stocking stuffer size.

Shining star

Salvage your strands this season with an all natural boost of shine and moisturize. We love this leave-in treatment from John Masters Organic ($30) for glossing up locks without weighing down. Liberally coat locks with this treatment (made with organic kelp) to pump up the volume, encourage impromptu braid sessions, and keep locks lovely all winter long.

Each year, to celebrate the New Year and to help improve the chances that the next year will be a great one, people worldwide eat specific foods that have traditionally been considered lucky. Although the foods vary, many of them have health benefits beyond just luck—so much so that you can often find them in your beauty products! We’ve rounded up the lucky foods that feed your skin and bring you luck.

Pomegranate. In Turkey and the Mediterranean, pomegranates are eaten at the New Year to bring abundance and fertility throughout the year; pomegranates have powerful antioxidant properties. To incorporate the pretty (and potent) fruit into your beauty routine, try John Masters Organics Pomegranate Facial Nourishing Oil or Saaf Organic Ultimate Moisture Face Serum.

Citrus. In China, citrus fruits are associated with prosperity because the word for “tangerine” sounds similar to “luck” in Chinese. Your skin loves citrus, too: it’s used in a long list of organic, natural products, including Trilogy Age Proof Replenishing Night Cream or Evolution Sugar Cane & Maple Alpha-Hydroxy Facial Exfoliant.

Grapes. At midnight on New Years Day, merrymakers in Spain eat twelve grapes; one for each stroke of the clock to bring luck each month of the year. Both Afterglow Organics Lip Love lipsticks and Exuberance Radiance Facial Cleanser include grapeseed extract to moisturize and beautify.

Legumes. Resembling coins, legumes like beans, peas and lentils are symbolic and money—eating them at the New Year is hoped to symbolize earning power for the months to come. If you’re extra superstitious, try using Pangea Egyptian Geranium with Adjuki Bean and Cranberry Facial Scrub—the adzuki bean is also great for skin clarity and exfoliation.

It’s not too late for a little extra New Year luck! What foods do you eat to celebrate?

-Aleigh Acerni

The new year is here, and it’s a great time to switch up your beauty routine—instead of reaching for your old standbys, why not give some natural, organic products a try?

1. Saaf Organic Hydrating Face & Lip Balm. Ditch your chapstick for the organic version, which calms dry, irritated skin on your lips (and face) without those junky synthetics. This beauty is packed with steam-distilled essential oils of lavender, chamomile, geranium, natural Vitamin E, and black seed oil (and anti-irritant). It can even fade the appearance of old scars and blemishes.

2. Trilogy Age Proof Replenishing Night Cream. Don’t slather synthetic chemicals on your face overnight: those products seep into skin while you sleep, so why not do your face a favor with a more gentle, organic nighttime treatment? Your average cold cream’s got nothing on this blend of bio-actives helps your skin regenerate overnight to restore elasticity and suppleness while smoothing fine lines and wrinkles. It pairs avocado, certified organic rosehip, and marula oils for a combo of essential fatty acids, and includes hylauronic acid to plump skin.

3. Exuberance First Love. If you’re looking for a way to test out organic products, look no further than this palette of Exuberance’s ten favorite facial products—the perfect way to find your personal favorites before making a full-sized commitment.

4. Melvita Purifying Roll-On Deodorant. For years, there’s been a lot of fuss over the aluminum, zinc, propylene glycol, and phthalates in your average deodorant, especially considering it’s a product that most of us use every day without fail—sometimes two or three times a day. Most have warnings that they’re not to be used on open wounds (and post-shaving, don’t most of us have tiny open wounds?), but it’s hard to give up your old standby when you’re not sure if a new product will be as effective. Never fear: even Health.com likes the newest organic deodorants, and so do we!

5. Korres Materia Herba Toning Cleansing Foam. Show your skin some love in the new year—this cleanser makes skin of all types happy, with purifying ingredients like hamamelis extract and centaurea flower-water.

6. Trilogy Everything Balm. Useful on everything from soothing dry, cracked skin to strengthening nails, conditioning lips, and even on delicate baby skin, if you add one new product to your beauty arsenal in 2010, this should be it.

What’s your beauty resolution for 2010?

Don’t know what to get for the girl who has everything? We’ve got some suggestions. You really can’t go wrong with any of these options—they’re all great for any skin type, and they all do so many great things for your skin, we don’t see how you could resist them!

1. Trilogy Everything Balm. The name says it all: even The Guardian considers this stuff “the ultimate multipurpose cream.” Use it to moisturize lips, dry skin, and cuticles, as a massage oil, or to soothe delicate baby skin.

2. Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil. Ideal for all skin types (even sensitive, scarred, or sun-damaged skin), this organic rosehip oil is clinically proven to improve skin moisture, reduce the appearance of wrinkles, and improve skin smoothness. What more could you ask for in a skincare product?

3. Revolution Organics All-Over Body Balm. Bragging over 22 uses from your nose to your toes, Revolution’s Body Balm does everything from relieved chapped lips and dry spots to preventing stretch marks, strengthening nails, improving skin texture, taming unruly eyebrows, conditioning hair, and priming skin for makeup.

4. Sophyto Skin Energising High Potency Concentrate. This lightweight skin supplement is great for inflamed, sensitive, or sun-damaged skin, helps minimize fine lines and wrinkles, acts as a cushioning agent against damage, and smoothes and softens skin.

5. John Masters Pomegranate Facial Nourishing Oil. A blend of 12 organic plant and essential oils, this product rejuvenates dull, dry skin, acts as an anti-inflammatory, helps spur the formation of new, healthy skin and hair, bolsters the skin’s immune system, and stimulates collagen production.

What’s your favorite multi-tasker? We’d love to hear about it if you’ve found a new/different use for a favorite product!

-Aleigh Acerni

Yes, the pink-washed month of breast cancer awareness is over, but that doesn’t mean breast cancer just goes away. Every day of every month there are new women diagnosed and beginning the fight against breast cancer. So why not start today, right now, learning about how you can increase your odds of avoiding that nasty enemy? One important step you can take is to do your best to steer clear of the synthetics and chemicals that emerging science has linked to breast cancer. We’ve got the details on two of the main guilty parties for you.

Why aren’t these ingredients banned?

In the United States, testing of cosmetics is voluntary—the U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers the cosmetics industry to be a self-regulating industry. According to the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database, 89% of ingredients used in personal care products have not been evaluated for safety by any publicly accountable institution. That means the burden is put on you as a consumer to take responsibility for protecting yourself—and often, that’s not an easy task.

Public Enemy No. 1: Phthalates. According to Breast Cancer Action, phthalates “have been known to cause a broad range of birth defects and lifelong reproductive problems in laboratory animals exposed to these chemicals during pregnancy and after birth.” They’re used as solvents in many cosmetics, but you can also find them in food packaging, building materials, and children’s products, and in cosmetics items including deodorants, nail polish, and fragrances. This substance can mimic natural hormones, disrupting the normal hormone process—possibly even causing early puberty in girls. In 2000, the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on the Environment reported that phthalates are carcinogenic.

Public Enemy No. 2: Parabens. Breast Cancer Action characterizes parabens, like phthalates, as “chemical preservatives that have been identified as estrogenic and disruptive of normal hormone function.” Exposure to external estrogens has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. The Skin Deep database considers parabens a high hazard, rating it a 7 on a scale from 1 to 10, where 10 corresponds to the highest concern. Traces of parabens have been discovered in breast cancer cells.

We’ve discussed safety as a reason to incorporate organic products into your beauty routine before, and that logic still stands. After all, more than 60% of what you put on your skin is absorbed into your body. If you have a family history of breast cancer, or feel that you’re especially sensitive to synthetic ingredients, swapping out some or all of your daily products for organic ones could give you peace of mind—and leave your skin just as lovely.

-Aleigh Acerni

And it’s not just for the month of October. Beginning today, and for the next three months, we’re uniting breast cancer research fundraising with education about the health benefits of natural and organic beauty products. From now until January 15, 25% of the proceeds from products under Beautorium’s Think Pink, Go Green cosmetics collection will go directly to Susan G. Komen for the Cure North Jersey.

We’ve got several brands involved, including Exuberance Beauty, Juice Beauty, Marina Cosmetics, Revolution Organics, Saaf, Sophyto, and Trilogy—a lineup of 35 natural and organic products that have been hand-picked from Beautorium’s top sellers. (If you’ve been meaning to try some of the great products we’ve mentioned lately, you’re in luck. Both Trilogy Organic Rosehip Oil and Juice Beauty SPF 30 Tinted Moisturizer are on the list.)

Beautorium’s partnership with Susan G. Komen North Jersey highlights the organizations’ mutual interest in promoting health awareness and education for women, and help generate awareness of the many ways natural and organic products contribute to a woman’s best health. In Beautorium’s products, you won’t find the many ingredients commonly found in commercial beauty products that are linked to cancer or other health issues—something breast cancer survivors often become uniquely aware of during their battles with the disease.

“I would like to thank Beautorium for raising awareness and funds for our organization from their Think Pink, Go Green Collection. Their support will help us to one day realize our goal and vision of a world without breast cancer,” said Deborah Q. Belfatto, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Susan G. Komen North Jersey.

“We are passionate about the fight against breast cancer and thank Susan G. Komen North Jersey for the opportunity to support their work,” said Beautorium founder Ann Francke. “We are hoping that our benefit campaign will be highly successful and enjoyed by all!”

-Aleigh Acerni

Whether you’re taking a redeye to a Monday morning meeting or a luxurious cruise through the Mediterranean, you want to look your best, even after hours of travel. Believe it or not, it’s possible to look fresh, even when you have to pack light or adhere to the airlines’ strict security policies. We’ve gathered nine beauty secrets for the pretty traveler—so that you can look as fantastic as you feel on your vacation (or fake it during that business trip)!

1.    Get your beauty sleep. This is beauty prep work; after all, the more rested you are when you get on the plane, the more rested you’ll be when you get off—even if you have a hard time sleeping in uncomfortable airplane seats.

2.    Stay hydrated—inside and out. Drink lots of water (altitude is no friend of hydration), and use a hydrating spray every so often to keep your skin feeling fresh. (We recommend the John Masters Rose & Aloe Hydrating Mist or Pangea Organics French Rosemary with Sweet Orange Facial Toner. No need to re-apply your makeup; just spritz yourself and go.

3.    Keep it covered. Pack a concealer, even if you don’t normally need one (lucky you!)—it will come in handy for last-minute touch-ups to smudged eye makeup or the dark circles that emerged after that redeye flight. We love the easy-to-blend Dr. Hauschka Concealer.

4.    Go au naturale. When traveling, go light on the foundation to keep pores clear and your makeup from smudging. If you’re blessed with perfect (or close-to-perfect) skin, skip the foundation entirely. If you can’t bear to show your face without a little something, we recommend starting with a primer to act as a protective barrier, to keep skin moisturized and to give your makeup extra staying power. Sophyto has a great, moisturizing formula to try.

5.    Don’t skimp on lips. Ditch the long-lasting lipsticks for travel—they might seem like a good idea, but they’ll just dry out your pout. Instead, try a base color with either a lipliner or lip stain, and top it with a clear or slightly-tinted gloss that you can re-apply throughout your travels for a fresh look. Try: Suki Pure Cream Stain Lip & Cheek or Dr. Hauschka Lipliner, and top with a sheer Logona Lip Gloss. This is a great tip for workday lip wear, too—no need to save this tip for travel!

6.    Let your lashes go naked. Mascara has a tendency to migrate south onto cheeks and underneath your eyes, so if you’ll be traveling (especially if you’re hoping to get some shuteye while on the go), just leave off the mascara altogether. It’s easy to apply a quick coat once you reach your destination.

7.    Don’t neglect your hands. Make sure to tote your favorite hand cream on your travels—apply liberally throughout your trip to keep hands moisturized and protect your skin from the harsh soaps in public restrooms. Our absolute favorite is the Dr. Hauschka Hand Cream; it’s quickly-absorbed, non-greasy, smells divine, and it’s the perfect size for your purse or carry-on.

8.    Give yourself a boost with aromatherapy. Essential oil is a great way to refresh your sinuses after being stuck on an airplane, breathing in all of that re-circulated air. Dab a little on your temples and neck, and then take deep breaths for an instant mood boost. We like Rain Africa’s “Focus” blend, with peppermint, rosemary, eucalyptus and lemongrass. We also love Naturopatch aromatherapy patches, like the Citrus Fusion, which is perfect for an extra energy boost when you’re on the go.

9.    Pack light; but not too light. You’ll probably want to step up the glamour during your trip, so don’t forget to add some favorites to your makeup bag for when you’ve made it to your destination. An easy way to glam up a muted daytime look is to add a bit of shimmer; mix a shimmery shadow with your everyday color (or layer the shimmery shade on top) for an alluring look that easily transitions from daytime to playtime. Try Afterglow Organics’ Mineral Eye Shadow in Halo, Sage, or Lyric.

Packing for any trip can be a chore, but we’ve made it especially easy for you; Beautorium.com is offering 20% off travel kits this week, so you can score all of your favorite organic products in convenient travel sizes. Bon voyage!

-Aleigh Acerni

For those wanting to live a holistic lifestyle, practicing yoga and using organic beauty products are almost no-brainers; after all, both are good for your body and the planet. But yoga and organic beauty have more in common than you might think—so if your daily mat habit is leaving your skin ultra sensitive, adding gentle but effective organic products into your daily routine can help perfect your complexion while helping you maintain your holistic lifestyle. Here’s how.

Aging. Yoga’s ability to stimulate the body’s detoxification process can go a long way to delay aging; there’s even some anecdotal evidence that some yoga poses, particularly inversions, can stimulate blood flow to hair follicles and even revert gray hairs back to their natural color! Likewise, organic beauty products incorporate natural anti-aging ingredients like antioxidants and vitamins to give your skin a more youthful appearance. Try Juice Beauty Green Apple Antioxidant Moisturizer or Logona Age Protection Wrinkle Therapy.

Relaxation and stress relief. Practicing any kind of yoga is almost guaranteed to have a near-immediate impact on stress levels, relaxation, and help you sleep. Likewise, using organic products in the bath or shower, particularly those with relaxing scents like lavender and rosemary, can have an added impact. Try Dr. Hauschka Lavender Bath or John Masters Lavender Rosemary Shampoo.

Happiness/mood. By creating a strong mind-body connection (and a healthier, stronger body), yoga practice improves overall well-being and mood. Essential oils used in many organic products also have mood-enhancing properties, and the purer formulas in natural products mean they often have a more powerful effect. Try Farfalla Gemstone Oils or Rain Africa Essential Oil Uplift.

Allergies. Deep yoga breathing can help clear nasal passages, while practicing yoga in a heated room often can clear sinuses and make allergy symptoms more mild. Organic products are often more friendly to sensitive or allergy-prone skin, since they’re not packed full of synthetic chemicals and fragrances. Try Dr. Hauschka Eye Solace or Logona Free Body Lotion.

Beautorium recently partnered with CocoaOm.com and LovePeaceYoga.com to offer yogis a chance to test out some organic goodies at a discount—check them out for details and see how incorporating organic products into your routine can enhance your yoga practice.

-Aleigh Acerni

Summertime is the best time of year for the farmers market—locally grown fresh tomatoes, berries, peppers, herbs, and veggies are in season, plentiful, and delicious. Those fresh fruits and vegetables don’t just taste great, though; they’re loaded with antioxidants and vitamins that work from the inside out to keep you looking (and feeling) healthy. And—surprise!—those yummy, fresh foods you love in the summertime are also good for you when they go on your body instead of just in it.

Summer Raspberries

Berries. Sweet, juicy berries are nature’s superfoods. Chock-full of antioxidants, some berries have even been proven to elevate mood, enhance memory and cognition, and improve balance and coordination. Try: Juice Beauty Cleansing Milk, with red raspberry and white grape juices or Trilogy Age Proof Nutrient Plus Firming Serum with mulberry extracts to help even skin tone.

Cucumber. Use it for more than just slicing and placing on your eyelids—cucumber’s cooling effects make it a great skin soother. To try: Trilogy Balancing Gel Cleanser or Exuberance Optimism’s Periwinkle and Aloe Uplifting Eye Gel.

Citrus. Orange, lemon, grapefruit, and other citrus fruits are great for skin; they fight wrinkles, improve texture, and even clear your pores. Try: Dr. Hauschka Lemon Bath with pure lemon essential oils or Pangea’s Egyptian Fennel with Grapefruit and Sweet Orange Lip Balm.

Herbs. Herbs keep your skin looking and feeling healthy—use them to combat acne or soothe irritated skin. Try: Pangea Organics Egyptian Basil & Mint Hand & Body Lotion (basil is restorative, mint softens and cools the skin) or Argentinean Tangerine and Thyme Facial Toner (tangerine smoothes skin, thyme fights infection).

Carrots

Carrot. Carrots aren’t just good for eyesight; they have natural anti-inflammatory properties and revitalize and tone the skin. Try: Sophyto Mega Omegas Day Moisturizer or Dr. Hauschka Eye Contour Day Balm.

-Aleigh Acerni

Whether you live on the coast or in the mountains, your skincare routine probably varies from season to season, as your skin’s needs change. But pampering your skin doesn’t have to come at a high price. We’ve rounded up some great products to help you get that glowing summertime look—without breaking the bank.

Skin: Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil, $20. This product is endorsed by dermatologists worldwide, and is ideal for normal, dry, mature, sun-damaged, scarred and sensitive skin—basically, everyone. It restores the skin’s moisture balance, and is clinically proven to improve skin smoothness, reduce the appearance of wrinkles, and improve moisture.

Hair: John Masters Lavender Hydrating Mist for Skin & Hair, $16. If you’re a summertime sun worshiper, this hydrating mist is the perfect way to keep your hair and skin looking vibrant instead of parched. Lavender is renowned for its therapeutic and rejuvenating properties—a little spritz on the face, neck, and hair throughout the day (even over makeup or styling products) is a great pick-me-up.

Complexion: Cattier White Clay Facial Scrub, $14. This gentle exfoliant is great for all skin types, with jojoba oil to moisturize and protect your skin, and peppermint essential oil to stimulate, cleanse, and detox your skin.

Body: Pangea Organics Indian Green Tea with Mint and Rose Petals Soap, $7. Containing green tea, an antioxidant, mint to soften and cool the skin, and calming rose petals, Pangea’s organic soap is perfect for overexposed summer skin.

Body: Weleda Sea Buckthorn Body Oil, $20. After a day at the beach or pool, use Weleda’s Sea Buckthorn Body Oil to soothe moisture-zapped skin. You’ll smell delicious, too—it smells of orange and grapefruit.

Lips: Juice Beauty Lip Trio SPF8 Lip Moisturizers, $15. Juice Beauty organic lip moisturizers combine mineral sun protection with certified organic emollient plant oils, mango and passionfruit essences, nutrient-rich vitamins and honey. Includes a naturally clear and two luscious mineral tints.

For more budget-friendly beauty that proves you don’t have to splurge every season to keep your skin looking fresh, check out Beautorium.com’s organic beauty products.

-Aleigh Acerni