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.

Greenwash: The act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service.

Green is truly the new black. There are trendy, eco-friendly ways to update our homes, our travel, our meals, our clothing—and our beauty products. But how do consumers know how “green” a product really is? And how can you keep from being duped into buying something that only appears to be eco-friendly?

Helping consumers wade through the plethora of retailers claiming to be environmentally-conscious was a topic up for discussion last week at the Natural Beauty Summit—Beautorium.com co-founder Ann Francke was on hand to discuss what it means to be an ethical retailer when it comes to natural, organic beauty products. The last thing a green-minded gal wants to do is spend money on a product or service she believes is doing right by environment, only to find out the product’s packaging or advertising was misleading.

In the beauty category, decoding a product or company’s claims of “natural” or “organic” can get a little challenging: “Natural” doesn’t mean “organic,” and vice-versa. Plus, there are plenty of products that claim to be green, organic, or natural, but whose claims either can’t be easily confirmed or are too vague to be useful to a consumer. Beautorium.com, for example, offers a carefully handpicked selection of natural and organic beauty products according to five criteria, many of which have been certified by reputable international organizations (find a list here). Francke also suggests consumers look for authentic seals, like those from the Natural Products Association (NPA) or the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), which are getting to be more widespread.

Francke also mentioned some great resources on the web. The Greenwashing Index offers a three-step guide to spotting greenwashing. Greenopia.com offers Green Ratings Guides, ranking levels of “greenness” according to five specific criteria when it comes to automobiles, mass retailers, fast food, and more. There’s even a site produced by TerraChoice, which lists the “Seven Sins of Greenwashing.”

More good news, according to Scot Case, vice president of TerraChoice, is that eco-labeling is on the rise. “Legitimate eco-labeling is nearly twice as common as it was in our 2007 survey, increasing from 13.7% to 23.4% on all ‘green’ products,” he says. “The 2009 Seven Sins of Greenwashing report demonstrates that consumers do have greener choices in products but that they need to recognize the legitimate labels and ask questions of unfamiliar ones.”

Bottom line? Consumers need to be aware and thoughtful about the beauty products they buy and where they buy them. But every day, retailers are taking steps to make it easier for you to feel good about using the products that make you feel good!

-Aleigh Acerni

One  of the  big beauty trends  set to continue in 2009 is the cross-over of ingredients from food to skincare, says Mintel, a big research agency that’s up on such things.  Funny that should be considered a trend, as it was also very prevalent in ancient times. People tended to use the same ingredients  on their tables and in their ablutions, as they didn’t have myriad other choices to consider. They also tended to use locally grown  ingredients, more out of out of necessity than convenience or conscious choice.   Again, locally-grown ingredients in food are a next-year’s trend worth mentioning in treehugger.  Maybe, as some of the  elaborate and excessive rituals of recent years disappoint,  we respond by  embracing practices centuries old, becoming more biblical in our behavior. 

There is much to celebrate for your feet and face on the holiday table. Many  festive favorites  work wonders inside as well as out. My top six follow, along with  product recommendations to help get you glowing. …And you can rejoice in knowing you’re as on trend  in 2009 as you would have been 2009 years ago. Talk about Timeless!

Berries:

From Acai to Goji, with Cranberies and Currants in-between, berries are super-fruit antioxidents. The darker the berry’s skin  the higher the  antioxident  index that’s effective against free radicals, according to a report in the U.K.’s Daily Telegraph. For a berry merry holiday glow, try Pangea’s  Cranberry Facial Scrub  followed by their fab Acai and Goji Berry Mask! 

Clove:

Clove oil warms the skin and improves circulation, like basking in the glow of a holiday fire. Add warmth and comfort to cold, chapped holiday skin with  Saaf Organic Super Hydrating Body Balm ; for  sensual, spicy and glowing skin, try red flower hamman cardamon and amber oil  

Olives:

One of nature’s finest foodie gifts to the world!No table would be complete without olives or olive oil! Nor would any skincare regime! Olives are a cradle to grave necessity in both food and skincare. Found in over 100 of beautorium’s products, they hydrate, protect, and prolong for young , old, and in-between.  Proof in point: Martina Gebhardt Baby Calendula Cream, Martina Gebhardt Happy Aging Cream and  Trilogy Everything Balm. 

Myrrh:

The rich royal resin with the slight vanilla fragrance so popular in incense also stimulates circulation and has lifting effects. Found in Logona’s Age Protection Lifting Serum and Farfalla’s Regeneration Gemstone oil. 

Pomegranate:

Pomegranate oil is a great anti-ager by dint of its antioxidant qualities, which run at  2-3x the level of green tea …it also boosts elasticity and contains natural estrogen,  making it a perfect choice for post-menpausal women. Add some TLC to your fireside look  with  Juice Beauty’s Oil-Free Moisturizer and After Glow’s  Organic Lip Love.  

Rosemary:

One of the first and best ingredients for rejuvenating skin and hair. Helps with dermatitis and dandruff; boosts circulation, simulates hair growth, adds shine.  Try Dr. Hauschka  Rosemary Foot Balm and John Masters Organic Lavender and Rosemary shampoo.

So this holiday season, treat yourself to these natural food and skin care traditions and who knows? A miracle might just happen!

William Safire I ‘ain’t, although I have long admired his On Language column in the Sunday Times Magazine. There’s something almost blog-like about Safire’s style, which makes him prescient,  if not iconic, as he pre-dates the rise of blogging as our new national obsession. Safire stays current – as all good linguists must- and has a wonderful nose for the “smell of the place” — meaning he can sniff out what’s linguistically intoxicating as well as culturally in touch.  Recently, he passed on Oxford Press’s stodgy choice for word of the year (the dull “hypermiling”) in favor of something far more captivating: “Frugalista”! 

What a word! As Safire points out, it derives in part from the word “fruit”, as fruits were cheap in Shakespeare’s day. Which makes it a great choice for green savers everywhere, since fruit and veg, and botanics generally,  are what we like to put onto our bodies and into ourselves. 

This holiday season, we are featuring a lot of savings for people. We are Green Frugalista’s! Even at the best of times (aka: normal prices) our products are not outrageously expensive, overtly packaged or couture.   That seems so, so over. In with the new reasonableness! Our average price point is under $30 and we have many great gifts under $50. You can check more of them out here.  

In fact,I  have noticed a new emphasis on being a Green Frugalista in almost every environmental email and ezine – from Daily Green to Ideal Bite to Vital Juice Daily. The  Treehugger on Sustainlane in  Greenopia agrees:  Conserve your Cash , Conserve your Health and Conserve your Planet! What a winning combination!  

Go Forth and Green, Frugalista! 

And get in touch with the Oxford Press, demanding a referendum vote on that word of the year.  Tell them Will Safire sent you…..And don’t forget– you can save 20% off everything beautorium  at people.com!

 Last week I had dinner in New York with an old friend who is a Global MD for a well-known ad agency. When I asked her how she was doing, she gave a relieved grin and said she was fine: her clients sold mostly  comfort food, and that was continuing to do well in these troubled times. People are seeking solace in mac- n-cheese. 

Another friend hosted a wonderful party and I gave her the rich and luxurious  Saaf Super Hydrating Organic Body Balm as a hostess gift. She rang me the next day to say how of all the wonderful packages she’d received,  ours was the only one she’d opened that night. Slathering it on before bedtime, she said, had become her new  guilty pleasure. She especially loved the home-for the-holidays scent of clove, patchouli  and mandarin orange.

Saaf Organic Super Hydrating Body Balm

 That got me thinking- Is balm beauty’s equivalent of comfort food? Do we apply a thick layer of balm as we would spread cream cheese on our toasted bagel, or pile our plates high with mac n cheese?

There is definitelysomething rich and comforting about balm. Even the word sounds soothing. And the formula is totally traditional. According to the etymology from Merriam- Webster’s Dictionary, below, balm’s been with us since the 13th century:

 Pronunciation:

\ˈbä(l)m\

 History

The history of balm is almost as rich as the substance itself. Greek philosophers extolled its  wonderful healing properties. Chinese emperors commissioned bespoke versions and safeguarded the ingredients. Elizabethan England’s well-heeled establishment kept balm in the cupboard as a reliable cure for colds and fevers. 

Today, as we seek comfort and warmth from the dark days of winter and the darker days of the economy, slathering on balm after a nice, hot bath (or shower) is a great way to indulge and restore the senses as well as to soften, nourish  and protect dry skin. 

 Comfort food or guilty pleasure? You decide!

They say that Lipstick is a key economic indicator, and that every time the the unemployment rate rises 1%, lipstick sales increase by $25m. Don’t just take my word for it- here’s the source:

 If the unemployment rate rises, one would expect demand for all goods and services to decrease, but in fact, the opposite is true for lipstick,”said Lim.Burrowing into the data shows for instance that for every one percent increase in the unemployment rate, women buy $25m worth more of lipstick, according to Kline.

 So given that unemployment rose to its highest levels in October, lipstick sales should be soaring! But does the same apply to green lipstick? One would think that trend multipliers would kick in and we’d all be rolling in organic lip gloss….

Yet recently the venerable New York Times ran an article hinting that organic was going the way of the trip to the luxury store. Although they did say they felt consumers would still spend on kids, the article concluded that organic was a dispensable luxury in most cases. In other words, green lipstick would dip into the red…. I wonder if this is true. After all, as long as you can choose nice feeling, cheerful and colorful lipsticks that are lead , paraben and toxin -free, why wouldn’t  you? Especially now that there are many value-priced choices- like Logona,  Afterglow, Juice Beauty, Dr. Hauschka and Pangea. 

So go on, do your bit! Shop for green lipstick in the red economy. It’s positively patriotic! And it will cheer you up!!

An Inclusive Victory

Like many Americans I am thrilled with the historic outcome of this election. Obama has become a national President, capable of unifying Americans across the geographic, gender, generational and racial divides. This is a victory for new America. A testimony to Americans’ capacity for growth and change. As a former expat who lived for 21 years in Europe, I know it will also enable a big boost in America’s international reputation, and an affirmation of the principles upon which the country was founded.

These themes were all echoed in Obama’s acceptance speech – a speech marked by a willingness to be humble in victory, and to reach out and embrace those disgruntled by defeat. His inclusiveness will help people move forward together, tackle tough issues, and get things done in the months ahead.

Inclusiveness is infectious. John McCain, in his concession speech, immediately became a practitioner. Gone was the bitterness, negativity and name-calling of the past few months. In its place was a heartfelt respect, as McCain reclaimed his dignity by asserting his intention to do all he can to help Obama in the days ahead. So much nicer than finger pointing !

And the point is? This inclusiveness, the leadership of change by understanding, inspiring and harnessing hope, by uniting people to work together for a better future, is very effective. It can be applied across many issues we face, both large and small.

Certification: A “Clean” Campaign?

I would love to see it applied to the area of natural and organic beauty care certification. Instead of unity, there seems protectionism and partisanship, according to this recent report from cosmetics design. There’s a new seal and standard every week, it seems, with slightly different criteria, both here and abroad. The still small but growing industry seems caught up in a “my seal is better than your seal” competition, complete with name-calling and lawsuits.

Inspiring? Or Tiring?

When I ask natural and organic beauty companies why they aren’t certified, they often reply that they feel many of today’s seals are “self-serving”, focused more on protecting and perpetuating their own interests than on educating consumers with reliable and truthful information about alternatives to conventional products. Others feel they have to appease multiple seal owners and collect them all like badges of victory. Still others feel unfairly excluded– because although they are making progress, they aren’t perfect yet. They feel eschewed for their imperfections rather than encouraged for their good intentions. If we are not careful, this sentiment could soon spill over to consumers. Confusion, cynicism, and ultimately, apathy could be the result.

“Do an Obama”

Why waste time, energy and money infighting about what is essentially good for everyone. I encourage the leaders of the natural and organic beauty industry to “do an Obama” and embrace the power of inclusive change in the campaign for safe and certified cosmetics. By enabling all “candidates” to work together to establish an achievable and measurable global standard of natural and organic beauty certification, even one with multiple levels, everyone stands to gain.

United we stand, divided we fall. A tired cliche?

Let last night be a lesson.

 With the election in full swing wherever we look, we couldn’t resist jumping on the bandwagon with this week’s theme. Although the theme is tongue in cheek, the underlying message isn’t! Choosing safe cosmetics is important- as the green scene gains in popularity, greenwashing becomes more commonplace.

 With that in mind, we recently shot a documentary segment on safe cosmetics. It will be aired on national news networks and public TV  stations starting December. You can preview it here- and please feel free to share it with your friends.  

 [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCn-VyVSgLs]

One of the most compelling  observations from green researchers  is that the the average woman, using up to 20 personal care products per day, can absorb up to 5 lbs of chemicals per year. Not all of them are 100% safe. That’s why we choose our brands carefully. We believe you deserve products that work AND that are safe to use.  No Trade-offs. At Beautorium, we choose brands that are either certified natural and organic by trusted third parties like BDIH, Soil Association or USDA, or have signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics.  We’re delighted that leading bloggers like eco-chick recognize us for that. 

To celebrate new beginnings in America, and encourage new beginnings for you, we are also offering Everyone 20% off Everything this week- now through Election Day. It’s our way of making it easier to Vote for Safe Cosmetics! Just type in “VOTESAFE” at check-out!

Last weekend I went to Boston to catch the last couple of days of Natural Expo East, the East coast leg of the world’s largest organic trade fair. (Natural Expo West, in LA, is the West coast version and BioFach, Germany, is the International one.)

What strikes you is how mainstream green is becoming when you meander among the 2,100 exhibitor booths and ponder the relative merits of everything from organic morning-sickness tea to disposable dinner plates (from pressed palm leaves), to waterless car care, 100-calorie organic muffins and even organic fro-yo for dogs (no, I didn’t make that up. It’s called Yoeghund……)

Busy Green Street Scene

The green scene is still relatively recession proof, as well as sometimes achingly innovative (see above.) According to the organizers, New Hope Natural Media, Expo East attendance was up this year vs. last to 26,000 vs. 25,000. However, it was the first year the show was held in Boston, not Baltimore, and no offense to Hairspray but Beantown is a more popular tourist destination. But the American natural market continues to grow. The organizers cite 2007 figures putting the natural market at a total of $62 billion, an increase of 9.8% over 2006. Still, it’s less than 10% of the bailout plan for banks, so there’s a lot of runway left before it becomes the true fabric of society. 

As I strolled along the aisles, I also noticed how polished and professional these companies are becoming, rather than homespun and hit-or-miss. Beautiful booths, powerful branding, polished packaging, sophisticated marketing techniques and claims. The stuff even looks and tastes tastes good! Has chic style, contemporary color!! Why, it might even deliver against its performance promises!!! As one very successful  green entrepreneur and spokesperson put it – if all else is equal, why would you NOT go green?

On that happy call to action, let me share with you my top four personal stand outs from across the categories excluding beauty care (yes, there were several interesting beauty & personal care brands present – and we are following up with a few – but more on that later! Maybe we’ll ask you to cast your votes on election day!) Meanwhile:

Everyday Houshold Item: NEW LEAF PAPER

New Leaf's New Metric

I loved the positioning, product design and people at NEW LEAF PAPER. Pretty notebooks, cards, dividers and post-its made from 38-100% post-consumer recycled waste. Their real edge is their brand positioning and product communication. The sustainability metric and graphic is simple, relevant and compelling. It creates a meaningful, tangible, trackable perspective about what it means to go green. Making the ordinary extraordinary is a true art . Brilliant! (As the Brits would say).

Clothing: UNDER THE CANOPY

Elegant EcoWear

Intriguing name, elegant style. Pared down, sophisticated collection of “just enough’. Tees that exhort you to vote. Three piece lounging and travel sets, relaxed yet perfectly tailored in this season’s aubergine. Simple, soft robes, beautifully presented. Truly useful spa accessories. And account execs to die for, as they engagingly and effectively interpreted who you were and what you were interested in and edited their pitch accordingly. Thanks, Porscha!  And ah, the booth, a wonderfully tactile ”at home” set  with bed and boudoir decor – like Jo Malone, but real! Founder Marci Zaroff is an original practitioner of the ”if all else is equal, why NOT go green?” philosophy. She’s made that choice easy!  

Food & Energy Drinks: GOOD BELLY

From the endless procession of  food, drink and pro-biotics, GOODBELLY. Funny name, already conceived campaign slogan (“have you had your goodbelly today?”) which the sampling staff all knew, so good training. Packs in a 100% daily requirement of 9 vitamins, bolsters immunity and gives women everything they want: bloat-free regularity, no Wheat or Dairy, 50 calories. 21-day money back guarantee. (Boy, did that work for Danone!!). Oi, all this and did I mention? It’s DELICIOUS!! So stomach that!

Green Clean: SEVENTH GENERATION:

As one of the first and most successful green brands, Seventh Generation could be getting it badly wrong by now. Instead, they stand out as a beacon of authenticity in an increasingly crowded and cynical world. It’s the cleaning equivalent of comfort food. Their booth was simple, smack in the center, a landmark. It actually welcomed you in! (Sometimes going professional and scaling up really dials down the homespun and inviting – but not here!) Made everyone feel like stopping by and turned the brand into a lively meeting place. And meet they did: I met my Dr. Hauschka partner here and chatted with a couple of very switched on company staffers who weren’t the least bit bothered that I wasn’t going to place a big supermarket order, or even order at all. For 360 degree branding brought alive through every touch point, it was hard to beat. And by the way - I don’t even use the products! But I will NOW!!!

So, across the board a few observations. Authenticity. Flair. Efficacy. Accessible Information. Branding Brought Alive. And Walking in the Customer’s Shoes. That’s what each of these companies did well. And it’s what we aspire to deliver as we build beautorium. Walking among these “green giants” served as an inspiring reminder.

 MINERAL MAKE-UP RISE: MASS MARKET MANIA  

Today I spoke with John from Supermarket News (he interviewed me as a “background expert’) about the rise and rise of mineral make-up.  Unlike the Dow, the only way here, it seems, is up!  According to Datamonitor, say my notes from John, there have been 642 new facial and eye makeup cosmetic products launched containing minerals in the last 3 years, an increase of 5-fold over 2005. Of course all the big mass brands are riding this trend, including Cover Girl, Maybelline, L’Oreal and the like.

But why is mineral make-up so popular?   Clearly, claims that it is natural, good for sensitive and blemish-prone skin,  and free from a lot of chemicals and irritants found in conventional make-up help boost popularity with  consumers. And some of those claims seem to have their merits with the medical community– check out this great article on web MD. After all, Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, two common ingredients found in the make-up, have a calming and anti-inflammaotry effect, as well as providing moderate SPF protection. So far, so good!

But- beware the truth behind the mask! Not all mineral make-ups are what they seem! Alas, any make-up that contains minerals as a primary ingredient can label itself as such, even if it contains many other not-so -natural ingredients. Some of the most popular brands DO use the minerals, BUT still combine them with the usual suspects like parabens, synthetic fillers and other chemicals. Again, label-reading is crucial. 

ALL THE GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD: BISMUTH OXYCHLORIDE

Many mineral make-ups contain quasi-natural ingredients that can irritate. Bismuth oxychloride is a popular ingredient in many make-ups because it gives a pearly, golden glow. However, it is irritating to many people  and is best avoided.  Bismuth oxychloride can cause itching and rashes, and even acne.

So, how can you get a golden glow that’s safe yet sexy?

Afterglow Mineral Foundation

We recommend Afterglow cosmetics. The skindeep data base rates them among the safest and purest mineral makeups around!! They are 100%  natural,  use only certified organic ingredients whenever possible , and are free from bismuth oxychloride and carmine. Plus, they contain wonderful antioxidents like grapeseed oil which have anti-aging properties.  Founder Kris Adams adds two more points:

1. They come in subtle AND  bold “HD-type” colors that last (this is important as a lot of gals think organic make-up doesn’t last and comes in boring colors- NOT SO!):

Afterglow Eye Shadows

2. They are gluten free- which means you can eat your lipstick all you like with no worries if you’re wheat -intolerant!

Afterglow Lipsticks

 Seems like you can be a safe, sexy golden girl with Afterglow!