I have a hard time taking makeup products for face value (pun intended) and always try to reinvent them as something else: I blend blushes into serums for a natural glow, dot my cuticles with my heavy duty winter moisturizer, and smear bronzer into my body lotion.

Eye cream is no exception. Yes, I religiously pat three perfect circles on the delicate undereye area morning, noon, and night in hopes for prevention and to fake eternal perkiness. But I don’t stop there.  This week, score a FREE regular sized Trilogy Eye Contour Cream ($44) with any Trilogy purchase (see my suggestion below). Make this product your beauty BFF with these alternate uses:

* Create a super sexy glossy eye lid. Looking like someone could shovel your eye make-up off with a snow plow because it’s so matte and caked on is not attractive. Avoid the frosted sugar cookie syndrome by mixing a teeny bit of eye cream with your favorite shadow. You can even coat a finger and blend over your lid post-application. Voila! Instant, gorgeous, natural eye makeup.

* Create your own anti-aging concealer. Do NOT become that woman with a thick half moon of heavy nude colored makeup smudged under her eyes. Vampire-intense dark circles are more seductive than this makeup mishap. Concealer is notoriously thick — combine a bit with this cream to get bright, glowing, wrinkle free undereyes.

Now that you can’t wait to play Picasso with your Eye Cream, I’m suggesting a purchase. Scoop up Trilogy’s Certifed Organic Rosehip Oil ($44), another aesthetic all-star. This is a beauty no-brainer and a total indulgence. At night, massage a few drops into your skin and go about your nightly businesss.  You know that relaxed, excited feeling you get when you go to sleep expecting a visit from some holiday heavyweight ( Santa, the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, whatever)?  This delivers that and more for your face. Look in the mirror and prepared to be amazed. It does it all (wrinkles, correct sun damage, provides a moisture jolt) – and is all natural to boot. Trust.

After committing mass carbocyde at your fam’s tofurky feast, put down the fork and try exercising your green thumbs with a bit of online shopping. To ease the overwhelmed, we’ve put together a couple splurge suggestions below. And as extra incentive, take 20% off purchases:

You’re the Balm

Order up this natural problem salve-r and get ready to bare all in your holiday party dresses. Trilogy’s Everything Balm ($21), packed with Omega 3s and vitamins, is like superfood for your skin.  Baste your bod with a nourishing blend of power oils (jojoba, rosehip, and coconut) and rid yourself of winter roughness. The use-everywhere balm also works wonders on dry cuticles, parched pouts, or delicate baby skin.

Babies Right to Shoes

We were totally disappointed to hear that Disney’ll no longer be making princess movies. Let the legacy live on for your little one by gifting them with Bamboo Terry Baby Shoes ($20). The sustainable slippers are crafted from all natural bamboo fiber and cotton and come in three adorable shades (pink, blue, and white).

Sweet Surrender

You’re too stuffed from sweet potato pie to consider anything edible, but hear us out: popping one of these Fleur de Sel ($25) chocolate caramels will benefit more than just your tastebuds. Each bite sized treat is handmade from a single origin cocoa bean derived from a hybrid purchased on a sustainable fam-run farm in eastern Columbia and the too-pretty-to-unwrap box is crafted from recycled materials. How’s that for alievating some of that gourmet guilt?

It’s difficult to know what to do when a friend is diagnosed with breast cancer, but a thoughtful gift is always a great option. Chemotherapy patients suffer many difficult reactions and sensitivities while they’re undergoing treatment—here are some natural products from Beautorium’s Think Pink, Go Green collection that are safe and gentle enough to help your favorite survivor deal with the uncomfortable side effects of chemo.

Side effect: Photosensitivity, dull skin. To combat dull, sensitive skin, we like Juice Beauty SPF 30 Mineral Light Moisturizer. With full-spectrum sun protection, vitamin antioxidants and essential nurtrients, it will help soothe and protect chemo-treated skin.

Side effect: Irritated, dry, sensitive skin. We’ve got a great line-up of moisturizers to ease the drying effects of chemotherapy, including Saaf Organic Eraser Body Oil, Saaf Organic Super Hydrating Body Balm, and Trilogy Nourishing Body Lotion, all recommended for damaged, sensitive, dry skin.

Side effect: Cracked lips. Our favorite multi-tasker, Trilogy Everything Balm, is a great healing option for cracked lips, but you can also use it all over for multi-purpose moisture.

Side effect: Radiation burns. With soothing calendula, both Exuberance She’s So Lovely Daily Moisturizer and Trilogy Aromatic Body Treatment Oil will help skin heal.

Spring is a time of renewal and rediscovery, rebirth and re-energizing. So it’s not surprising that many of our favorite flowers also play a starring  role in natural skincare and organic cosmetics. Here are just a few of our favorites, along with a summary of their relevant powers and a couple of popular products that use them.  See if you can spot your favorite blooms, and try some Flower Power today!

Marigold:

The bright yellow blossoms,  known as Calendula, are rich in flavenoids. Their healing, soothing properties  make them a popular choice for gentle cleansing and care. Found in:  Juice Beauty Cleansing Milk,  and Pangea Egyptian Calendula and Blood Orange Facial Cleanser

Geranium:

An invigorator, geranium oil helps boost circulation and improve skin’s elasticity. Found in  redflower japan hinoki mint mineral bath soak  and  Saaf Organic Hydrating Face and Lip Balm

Frangipani:

This charming tropical flower has a long-lasting, sensual fragrance that calms mind and body. Found in  Farfalla Frangipani Eau Fraiche and Shower Cream

Witch Hazel: 

The bark of this spiky-flowered plant is a natural astringent that helps reduce redness. Found in  Dr. Hauschka Bronzing Powder and Logona Age Protection Lifting Serum 

Evening Primrose:

These plants calm and moisturize skin, while fatty acids also encourage cell renewal and help prevent aging. Found in Cattier Moisturizing, Firming Body Milk, and  John Master’s Evening Prmrose Shampoo

Beautorium’s own Barry , the British bloke, was recently chosen to proffer up the male point of view for none other than the O.B.E., a.k.a. Andrea Kane, the  Organic Beauty Expert– one of the first and best green bloggers around.  By the way, does Andrea know that O.B.E. also stands for “Order of the British Empire?” It’s just shy of a knighthood. So I guess we’ll start calling her Dame Andrea. Anyway, herewith Barry’s debut post, published earlier this week in O.B.E. Enjoy!: 

If you have a male undercover product junkie in your life, join the crowd! New posts from “A Man’s View”

courtesy ocean resort key west

It’s Valentine’s Day and why not have some good clean fun! Here’s a simple way to spend time together, getting green and clean.

The Get Green and Clean Together Kit

1.      Sharing a bath is both greener and sexier. Set the mood by lighting a redflower italian blood orange candle to get things glowing and lightly scented

 2.      Farfalla Gemstones Oils :The Feel Good Set – Cleopatra used gemstones to build her beauty aura.  This kit contains seven different 100% certified natural, biodynamic oils to suit every possible mood – each features its own semi-precious stone and essential oils combo to banish stress and negative thoughts and bring balance and harmony. Each can be used as bath or massage oil. Start your soak with a couple of drops of  “Positive Flow” oil ( with Cleopatra’s favorite peridot gem)  to keep things moving in the right direction….  

3.      Pangea Japanese Matcha Tea with Acai and Goji Berry Mask : This mask is green in every sense of the word!  Have fun applying the gooey green mask to each other’s faces and laughing as you remind yourselves what fun it is to finger paint. The best surprise of all comes once you rinse off to reveal fabulous, glowing, nourished skin- visibly smoother and sexier. 

4.      More massage, this time with another of the Feel-Good Gemstone Oils.  Get close safely  by choosing “Security”….

 5.      Lip Therapy- make sure yours are ready for kissing with Juice Beauty’s SPF8 Lip Trio, made with USDA certified organic ingredients. With a rosy tint or plain.

  6.      The Morning After: have all you need to get spruced up and squeaky clean for work with the convenient  Dr. Hauschka  Daily Body Care Kit- contains travel-sized body washes and body creams for both of you. Choose rose body cream to bask in your last nights rosy glow! 

It’s been a while – almost one month, to be exact, since my last post. I have been preoccupied by various family issues, notably a very ill father, but am now back on the blog, so to speak. Several things happened in the interim: New Year, New President; The Inauguration ; New Organic Beauty Magazine – just to mention a few. Here’s an update on a couple of historic happenings.

Cherie’s Natural History:

Tomorrow night my old acquaintance Cherie Blair is speaking here at the Charlotte History Museum. I know her from my days as an Exec at Boots PLC in the UK – she’ s a fabulous supporter of Breast Cancer Research, one of Boots’ lead charities, and a wonderful woman in her own right. Five years ago, when she was still at Downing Street, we spent a lunch discussing (among other topics) the relative merits of organic cranberries and other natural trends. She recommended green tea as an energy and concentration booster in the mid-afternoon. I plan to remind her of that conversation tomorrow and seek an update on her latest green tips.

Green Cinderella:

I wasn’t invited to either of the green inaugural balls (sniff!) BUT my friends from Greenopia were there at Planet Green’s soiree in all their eco-finery – and by all accounts had a fabulous time.
Founder Gay Browne was a featured speaker and Greenopia VP of Strategic Alliances Elizabeth Harrington looked divine as she smiled for the camera and even took a turn behind it for some of the photos. Nothing like start-up mulititasking…! Also, Elizabeth planned on doing her own green “Cinderella” – complete with makeover  – and I gave her my last-minute top-to-toe tips for going gorgeous and green.

Here they are for anyone who ’s interested – with Valentine’s day just around the corner, no doubt there will be more glamorous occassions!

Beautorium’s Ball Menu:

Body:

• Bathe in Dr.Hauschka Lemon Bath Oil to refresh you and “get juices flowing” for the big night ahead.
• For something really unique, try Farfalla’s Gemstone Oils with real semi-precious stones – go for Joy of Life to mark the spectacular and celebratory occasion.
• Moisturize with redflower’s wonderful cardamom amber oil -will leave you with a slightly spicy, warm and sultry natural scent rich in global traditions.

Hair:

• Wash and condition hair with Trilogy gentle moisturizing shampoo and deep conditioning masque
  
• Style with John Master’s Shine On – gives soft natural shine and highlights for the big night
• Use John Masters Pomade – to hold elegant up-do in place…

Face:

• Prep using Juice Beauty’s Green Apple Antioxidant Serum
• Follow with Trilogy Vital Moisturizing Cream, perfect under make-up.
• Blend in Dr.HauschkaTranslucent Make-up in medium for healthy moisturizing glow.
• Finish with suki pure cream stain for cheeks and lips in Dahlia

Eyes:

• Apply suki liquid concealer to hide any imperfections or circles
• Brush on Logona Eyeshadow Duo in silver/gold.
• Carefully line with Dr.Hauschka liquid eyeliner in Black
• Get lush lashes with Afterglow Pure Soul Mascara in Mink.

Voila! And yes, glass slippers are sustainable, so feel free to lose yours!

Beauty and the (News) Beat:

Organic Beauty Debut

Organic Beauty seems a good title – very well written and researched, and I like the way the debut issue leaps out at you at the news-stand. (It’s the close -up cover photo of Olivia Wilde that helps it to stand out, together with the darker background).

I am pleased to have been consulted as an expert in the premiere issue for the article on sulfate free shampoos – you can read more about that here. They seem to be off to a good start, and as it’s tricky to launch anything in these times, I applaud them for trying and wish them much success!

Did you know American adult women can use up to 25 personal care products per day?

That means on average absorbing up to  200 chemicals per day into the body. This year, why not resolve to switch a product a week for the next 20 weeks from conventional cosmetics to natural and organic beauty care? That way you can go green gradually and the whole de-tox process seems more fun rather than daunting and expensive. 

You can start from the head and work down to the toes- or vice-verse. Or start with  your least favorite current beauty item and end with the one hardest to wean yourself off of.  Or the opposite,  if  you’re a gung-ho, maximum impact sort.  You can even compare notes- team up with a friend, your daughter, even your book-club, and compare product discoveries and favorites. 

Along the way, you will recognise that you don’t need to sacrifice efficacy either– more and more green beauty products are using top notch natural science and substantiating their performance claims (and after all many have been used for centuries  by millions  so have thousands of “satisfied customers”) 

As you go green gradually, here are four reasons to motivate you  along the way:

1. Plant-based diets help you live longer

This just in from CNN!  A  doctor researching the ‘blue zones’ , pockets of longevity which include Sardinia , Costa Rica and Okinawa, advises folks aspiring  to reach 100 candles to have primarily plant-based diets. Might using plant-based beauty care also count towards that goal? Given skin absorbs up to 60% of what we put on it, I’d be inclined to agree, if only under the rubric of”every little helps”….Plus, you don’t have to move to Costa Rica!

2. Essential Oils are a great way to de-tox mind and body:

Natural beauty care uses esential oils. From dandruff and  depression, to  menopause,  scars and stretch marks, essential plant oils  have a wonderful track record of helping to detox and heal mind and  body naturally.For a compendium of which oils can help do what, check out this online guide here from pureinsideout.com.

3. Organic ingredients can help boost your metabolism:

Most of us aim to  get fit and shed a holiday pound or two come January. Research from  Canada, published on Prevention.com, suggests that ingesting organic foods boosts your metabolism. Again, given you also absorb what you put on your skin, using organic beauty can only help !

4.Obama would approve: 

OK, so this really is pushing it a bit. But with the President-elect setting records in approval and most admired ratings, the American people are starting to value authenticity, straightforwardness, and common sense  over the complexity, artifice and excess  of  the past decade. Be part of the new way of living honestly, naturally and  and sensibly,  starting with how you treat your body.  

To help you go green gradually, checkout beautorium’s 5-50-5 beauty promotion now through January 11th. We’ve picked 15 top selling products covering all aspects of beauty care from toners  to body washes, and are offering them at 50% off for a limited period. It will help save money and go green gradually while   doing something good for you , your skin and the planet! 

 Cheers from all of us at beautorium, and here’s wishing you and yours a  Happy Healthy 2009!!

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!