We’ve mentioned the benefits of “greening” your beauty routine before, but it’s worth a reminder—just spend a few minutes poking around on the Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database and you’ll get an eye-opening glance at what you’re putting on your body.
Why organic is good for your locks
Since scalp and hair, like your skin, easily absorb the ingredients in your hair care products, it’s important to pay attention to what’s in them: Common synthetic ingredients in shampoos and conditioners like sodium lauryl sulfates and propylene glycol (what you would otherwise call antifreeze) can dry out your scalp, irritate oil glands, and damage hair follicles. Contrast this with true organic hair products, which have all of the benefits of organic beauty and skin products—their natural ingredients make them a good choice for sensitive, allergic skin, they’re not loaded with chemical or synthetic substances that could potentially cause health issues, they’re effective, and all of that good-for-you stuff they’re made of has the added bonus of smelling great.
Our faves
John Masters Organics. We love the entire line of John Masters Organics products for their gentle scents and fair-trade ingredients. The Lavender Rosemary Shampoo is good for all hair types, and has coconut, periwinkle, sage, chamomile, and willow bark (in addition to lavender and rosemary). The lavender works to slow hair loss, the rosemary stimulates hair growth while adding volume and shine, and the willow bark is a natural exfoliator. For dry hair, the Evening Primrose Shampoo is a good option—it contains evening primrose and rose geranium for added moisture and strength, ylang ylang to control oiliness, and cedarwood, which helps to combat eczema, psoriasis, and dandruff. If you need a little extra help smoothing and detangling, try the John Masters Organic Detangler, a lightweight conditioner with natural vegetable oils, wheat protein to eliminate split ends, and lemon.
Dr. Hauschka. Dr. Hauschka’s Nasturtium & Lemon Shampoo is a good introduction to this line of hair care products; the gentle formula is best for normal to oily hair, and includes nasturtium, neem, and watercress extracts to keep your hair from getting greasy. If your tresses are on the drier side, try Dr. Hauschka’s Jojoba & Marsh Mallow Conditioner, with marsh mallow and larch to soften and detangle, macadamia nut and jojoba oils to moisturize, and apple cider vinegar for shine.
Suki. Suki Daily Shampoo is a vegan formula, and a good choice for any type of hair—it’s effective, but gentle enough to use every day. Laded with jojoba, yerba protein and hyaluronic acid, it’ll leave your hair shinier, fuller, and smoother.
When making the switch from synthetic to organic hair care products, you’ll probably have a few days of transition (meaning your hair may be oilier or drier than usual), while your scalp adjusts. This is natural—your scalp is getting over the effects of all those drying chemicals! Stick with the organic products for a few days, and you’ll soon start to see healthier, shinier hair, and eventually, less breakage and hair loss. If you decide to share your secret to beautiful tresses when the compliments start to pour in, that’s up to you!
-Aleigh Acerni
Suki’s 100% natural skincare and cosmetics line is beloved by celebrities (Hayden Pannetiere, Jennifer Garner, Julia Roberts and Katherine Heigl, to name a few), and it’s easy to see why—it’s hard to go wrong when so much attention is paid to the process. All of the products in Suki’s line get their start in the Suki Organic Innovation Lab, where they’re created from hand-chosen raw materials, then blended in-house, and finally stored in (beautiful) environmentally responsible packaging. What’s not to love?
What we tested:
Suki Pure Cream Stain Lip & Cheek in Chestnut.
Suki Rich Pigment Mascara in Copper Brown.
The verdict: We love Suki’s sleek, earth-friendly packaging; we’re so glad that the glass containers and recycled cartons (printed with vegetable-based inks, no less) mean that we don’t have to feel guilty for admiring it.
We were pleasantly surprised with the amount of product in the jar of Suki Pure Cream Stain Lip & Cheek—especially when we realized that just a dab of this stuff goes a long way. Its slightly tacky (but not sticky) consistency makes it best applied with fingers or the Suki Cream Color Applicator Puff; swipe your finger or the puff over the product, tap the puff or a finger along your cheekbones to distribute the color, then blend—repeat if you’re going for a more dramatic look. It sinks right into your skin for a natural-looking glow. We love that the stain’s moisture-rich formula smells of chamomile; and that it was a great base on our lips, as well. Top it with gloss and the color will stay put on your lips all day.
The Rich Pigment Mascara in Copper Brown is a flattering, inky brown color, very smooth and ultra-moisturizing. Its hypo-allergenic formula left our lashes plumper and fuller, and at the end of the day, it hadn’t smudged. (Gotta love that.) This nourishing mascara is wetter than the conventional formulas you may be used to; we had the best results when we applied a coat of mascara and let it dry for about 30 seconds before applying a second coat. We love that it’s 100% natural, and we swear our lashes felt softer after a few days of using the Suki mascara. No more brittle lashes for us!
Extras: Suki’s environmental policies are worth a mention. Not only do they work to create products that are safe for pregnant women, nursing moms, and babies; their gentle, effective products are created from cruelty-free, fair trade, organic ingredients, and they consider fuel emissions and travel when choosing their suppliers. Their handmade products are made fresh, with virtually no carbon output.
In addition to their natural ingredients and stringent quality standards, Suki supports more than 16 nonprofit organizations that work to generate awareness and progress, including the Organic Trade Association, OASIS, Breast Cancer Action, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, and even Brad Pitt’s Make It Right coalition, which is working to restore New Orleans’ hurricane-ravaged Lower 9th Ward.
-Aleigh Acerni
Whether you’ve struggled with acne for years or have stumbled into an uncharacteristic (and unfortunate) outbreak, acne is never fun to deal with. While your instincts may tell you to run for the harshest products you can find and wage a full-on war with your blemishes, there are plenty of gentle-yet-strong natural and organic products that are effective—no need to douse yourself in harsh-smelling, stinging chemicals! Here’s a roundup of some of our favorites, and a three-step routine to get your facial freak-outs under control.
Step 1: Cleanse. Clean skin is the first step to clear skin. Be sure to wash your face at night (we don’t recommend sleeping in your makeup, even if it’s organic!), and in the morning before you put any other products on your face. For acne-prone skin, we suggest Sophyto’s Deep Pore Cleanser, a foaming cleanser with bio-compatible fruit acids and enzymes or Saaf’s Organic Pure Face Cleanser, which has a purifying blend of natural ingredients in an ultra-gentle formula.
Step 2: Tone. Using toner on a clean face will improve your skin’s quality and texture, particularly with oily complexions. If you find that using a toner is drying out your skin, switch to a gentler formula or switch to using it every other day instead of every day. Two to try: Dr. Hauschka’s Skin Clarifying Toner, a great daily toner for oily, irritated skin, or skin with large pores. We like it for its ability to help prevent and minimize the appearance of blemishes and blackheads, and shrink pores, and Exuberance’s best-selling product, the Believe Balancing Facial Tonic, with sugar maple and Vitamin C to help brighten and balance skin while fighting aging and acne.
Step 3: Moisturize. Even oily skin needs to be moisturized; it will keep dry skin from drying out and oily skin from over-producing oil. We recommend Suki Balancing Day Lotion, a lightweight, greaseless day lotion to calm and soothe the complexion, or Saaf Organic Complexion Boosting Serum, with purifying botanicals that clear breakouts, balance oily skin, help to eliminate blemishes, and improve skin tone.
Bonus treatments: When you’re suffering from a breakout, have a big event coming up, or want a little something extra as an acne preventative, pamper your face. We love the smoothness we get from facial masks, and how much smaller (and clearer) our pores are after a facial steam bath. Try the Dr. Hauschka Facial Steam Bath, an herbal steam bath that opens pores and helps soften blackheads and impurities with extracts of nasturtium, daisy, and witch hazel, leaving your skin perfectly prepped for a clay mask like the (vegan!) Suki Transformative Cleansing Clay Mask with soothing lavender and antibacterial zinc to combat blemishes, or the John Masters Morrocan Clay Purifying Mask, with balsam copaiba resin (an anti-inflammatory), lavender, sunflower, and aspen bark.
-Aleigh Acerni
Juice Beauty’s Mineral Moisturizer is a great way to keep your skin happy and protected in the summertime heat. 
Formulated with a base of fresh-squeezed organic juice concentrates (instead of water), Juice Beauty’s products are packed with antioxidants, vitamins, phytonutrients and powerful hydroxy acids—and claim the highest organic content in skincare, up to 95%, as well as a natural, chemical-free, full spectrum sun SPF 20 sun protection plus organic white grape and pomegranate juices.
How we use it: Alone, to protect against sun exposure and even out skin tone; underneath our favorite foundation (especially works great as a thin moisturizing layer beneath mineral makeup), or even mixed with something a little shimmery for extra coverage.
Why we think it’s great for summer: It gives you just enough coverage to get by without foundation on a hot day (so you don’t feel like your face is melting). Plus, it’s quickly absorbed, so it lets your skin breathe—your face won’t be left feeling greasy, and your pores will stay clear.
Extras: It simply just feels good, and its clean, earthy scent is soothing. We love that Juice Beauty’s products are made with 100% vegetarian ingredients, and come in 100% recycled packaging. This moisturizer comes in a glass bottle; so when you’ve used it all up, toss it in your recycling bin!
-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
These days, it’s a commonly known fact that sunburns and over-exposure to the sun can put you at risk for skin ca
ncer—but for the eco-conscious, the chemical-based preservatives and sun blockers in common sunscreens are just as much of a concern. After all, any ingredient that could potentially be harmful to humans could also be harmful to wildlife and ecosystems in our lakes, oceans and rivers. And according to the Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database, there are a lot of common sunscreen ingredients to be concerned about.
So how to protect your skin—and the earth—at the same time? A good option is to seek out sunscreens that contain zinc and titanium dixoxide. Both are naturally-occurring minerals that reflect light.
Here are some suggestions:
Juice Beauty Green Apple SPF 15 Moisturizer. This is a good option for every day use—it contains titanium dioxide paired with organic white grape and pomegranate juices, antioxidants, and other nutrients for happy skin.
Dr. Hauschka Sunscreen Spray SPF 15. This formula is gentle enough for the face, but can be used all over, and it’s a convenient spray. It contains titanium dioxide plus ice plant, rose hip, and quince seed extracts to moisturize, avocado, sunflower and sesame oils, and rose seed extract.
Suki Liquid Concealer. This vitamin-rich, non-greasy formula packs powerful anti-inflammatory and antibacterial ingredients plus pure crushed minerals to balance oil production, fight redness, brighten under eye circles, treat blemishes (and protect against sun exposure).
Afterglow Organic Mineral Foundation. This foundation comes in a variety of shades and contains a natural sunscreen—plus it’s ideal for even the most sensitive skin.
Weleda Children’s Sunscreen SPF 18. Weleda grows over 300 certified organic ingredients in its own biodynamic gardens, and worked with Burt’s Bees to pioneer the new Natural Products Association USA standard. This sunscreen has both titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, to keep you (and your little ones) sunburn-free.
With such great natural sunscreens on the market, you have no reason to fear the sun—get out there and enjoy it!
-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
Wading through the sheer amount of information out there about organic beauty products can be a challenge for even the most dedicated. We’ve managed to cut through the hype to examine three big myths about eco-friendly, organic beauty.
Myth #1: Organic products don’t come in rich, bright colors, and there isn’t much to choose from. Thankfully, this myth is just simply untrue. The demand for natural and organic beauty products is on the rise, and as a result, there are more great products out there for you to test (and fall in love with). We love Dr. Hauschka’s lipsticks, which come in eight shades, and Logona has a great selection of eyeliner pencils, including green and turquoise, and they’re 100% vegetarian.
Myth #2: Natural or organic products aren’t as effective as synthetic products. This is a biggie. Even when it comes to anti-aging (and ridding your face of those dreaded wrinkles brought on by the sunburns of your irresponsible youth), organic and natural products often have the same or similar active ingredients as synthetic products. Look for ingredients like caffeine (antioxidant and great at tightening skin and reducing puffiness), peptides (to stimulate the production of collagen and tighter, firmer skin), hyaluronic acid (nature’s “moisture magnet”) and phytoactive ingredients (for reducing wrinkles). To try: Juice Beauty’s Antioxidant Serum, Trilogy’s Age Proof Replenishing Night Cream, and the Exuberance Optimism Periwinkle and Aloe Uplifting Eye Gel.
Myth #3: Organic products always cost a fortune. We can debunk this one, too. Just like with synthetic beauty products, there’s a range in the prices of natural, organic beauty items. If you’re just starting to incorporate organic products into your daily routine, it’s a good idea to try out some samples before you commit—and gradually replace your stash bit by bit when you run out of your non-organic mascara, blush, or moisturizer. Some budget-friendly buys to take for a whirl: Logona mascara, $14.50, Pangea Organics Egyptian Basil and Mint Hand and Body Lotion, $16, John Masters Sea Mist Salt Spray with Lavender.
-Aleigh Acerni
