Green Your Beauty

RATING:To Be Determined
Product Link:

This lip balm comes recommended via my dad. I have yet to try it but can be purchased on their website, amazon, and probably various health stores.

PROS:
+ natural
+ minimal, recognizable ingredients
+comes in different flavors

CONS:
– none that I know of

INGREDIENTS:
pure vegetable oils (canola, almond, apricot & jojoba) beeswax, lecithin, vitamin E, aloe vera & flavor, active sunscreen – PABA

FINAL VERDICT: My dad is a big fan. The company is also known as Golden Temple.  Once I try this balm myself I will go ahead and give it a rating!

RATING:5 TREES
Product Link:

I love my new shampoo! I bought mine at Whole Foods and it is available on the Aubrey Organics website.

PROS:
+ completely natural
+ good for irritated scalp
+ pleasant smell
+ vegan
+ product is biodegradable
+ can be ordered in a larger side, more eco-friendly
+ made my hair manageable and shiny!
+ minimal, recognizable incredients

CONS:
– consistency (see below)
– packaging: won’t stand upside on its own

INGREDIENTS:
Deionized Water, Coconut Oil-Corn Oil Soap, Soap Bark Extract, Yucca Root Extract, Carrageenan, White Pine Bark Extract, Organic Lemon Peel Oil, Calaguala Extract, Cade Wood Essential Oil, Organic Evening Primrose Oil, Aubrey’s Preservative (Citrus Seed Extract, Vitamins A, C and E).

FINAL VERDICT: This shampoo fits the natural bill inside and out. It is supposed to be based on an ancient Mayan recipe. Those Mayans sure knew how to wash hair is all I can say! My scalp is extremely sensitive and is prone to irritation and itchiness from other chemical-laden shampoos. While I did not care for the leave in conditioner by this brand due to the smell, I have been wanting to check out their other products for awhile after being drawn to the simple, minimal, ingredients. I am a fan!I used it two days after my vinegar rinse and my scalp feels great, even after blow-drying my hair out for 30 minutes which usually results in itchiness!  The smell is kind of similar to Aveda products but not as strong and overwhelming. It helped get rid of the vinegar smell, which usually lingers in my scalp for a couple days after I do the rinse. My bf likes it as well, which is saying a lot! I may have him try it soon. I rotate this shampoo with a slightly less natural Avalon Lemon one and am pleased with the results. It really gets rid of buildup and results in lots of volume. The only negative is the consistency and appearance. Because this is natural, it is colored a mucky brown and does feel kind of strange when you put it on in the shower. It takes slightly longer to rinse off as well. If you are not into using natural shampoos, this may turn you off. Be careful that it doesn’t stain your shower as well. All in all, I highly recommend this product. I am looking forward to trying the primrose and lavender scalp shampoo at some point as well!

Thanks Aubrey!

So I finally used up my Ole Henriksen Herbal Day Cream Moisturizer, (which isn’t that bad ingredient wise compared to most but still not quite natural enough for me). I tried to switch back to my Korres Yogurt Cream, which immediately caused me to breakout, so now I am on the search for a replacement. It is hard! Nearly every moisturizer in the ‘natural’ section of most online retailers contain parabens, benzyl alcohol, or fragrance! Those are the first three things I recognized and know to avoid in products that sit on my skin.

Here are some I have found that seem to be “more” natural but still contain some ingredients that I would need to look up:

Earth Science Almond-Aloe Moisturizer/Ingredients:
Aloe Juice, Glycerin (Vegetable), Ginseng Extract, Glyceryl Stearate, Squalane (Vegetable), Sweet Almond Oil, Jojoba Oil, Dimethicone, Ceteareth 5, Canola Oil, Soya Sterol, Soya Liposomes, Tocopherol, Camomile Oil, Geranium Oil, Sorbic Acid, Allantoin, Ascorbic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Lactic Acid, Beta Carotene, Licorice Root Oil, Retinyl Palmitate, Phenoxyethanol

I recognize most of the ingredients with a couple of exceptions. There has been some debate about Retinyl Palminate lately, particularly when you are out in the sun. Phenoxyethanol is not wonderful, either, but better than parabens. Dimethicone is a low to moderate hazard. That said there are already 3 “iffy” ingredients that may not make this as wonderful a choice but perhaps a better alternative to most. It also doesn’t really contain any known anti-aging ingredients so I’m not sure it would be worth it unless you really just want a basic moisturizer. Almond and Jojobo oil are great for the skin, but at that point you could probably just use them in their pure form.

Aubrey Organics Moisturizer SPF 15/Ingredients:
Active Ingredient: Padimate O (PABA Ester). Inactive Ingredients: Coconut Fatty Acid Cream Base, Organic Aloe Vera, Deionized Water, Organic Shea Butter, Aubrey’s Preservative (Citrus Seed Extract, Vitamins A, C and E), Milk Thistle Extract, Organic Rosa Mosqueta® Rose Hip Seed Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Organic Evening Primrose Oil, Lavender Water, Canadian Willowherb Extract, Organic Lavender Oil, Organic Blue Green Algae, Grape Seed Extract, Organic Blue Camomile Oil.

Okay, so I recognize pretty much all of these ingredients which would make this a pretty natural product. Padimate O is ranked as a 6 (moderate hazard) on EWG, but most UV blocking agents are, unfortunately. Oxybenzone is rated a big fat 9, (severe hazard), and the more commonly used ingredient in sunscreens. Titanium Dioxide may be your best bet, which is rated as a (1-3). This might be a great day-SPF cream without oxybenzone that appears to be naturally composed in all other regards! I looked up some reviews and a frequent complaint was: smell. This was my issue with this company’s leave in conditioner. I would most likely try to purchase this from a store that lets me try it out first to see how the smell sits with me. Another review complained that they got burnt within 5 minutes, so I am not sure about the protection benefits Padimate 0. If anyone happens to read this and has information let me know! One thing to keep in mind is that an SPF moisturizer is not really something you want to depend on if you are in direct sunlight. You’re generally getting a water-ed down concentration and would probably need to use 3x as much to really get any protection. I use them when I am inside most of the day but feel it’s better than nothing for the sun exposure I do get when I’m in my car, etc. I also use an additional SPF infused powder. When I am in direct sunlight I will use an actually sunscreen and reapply every hour or so depending on the SPF.

Eminence Tomato Sun Cream SPF 16/Ingredients:
Active Ingredients: Zinc Oxide 12%. Ingredients: Tomato Extract, Tomato Juice, Sheabutter, Aloe Vera Extract, Horse Chestnut, Spring Water, Corn Germ Oil, Biocomplex ( Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Esther C, Coenzyme Q10, Alpha Lipoic Acid), Stearic Acid, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Vanilla, Peppermine Extract, Pine Needle Oil, Orange Oil, Beta Carotene, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate ( Soy Derivative).

Zinc Oxide rates as a 2(low)-5(moderate) hazard depending on the percentage. It is 12% in this product which probably doesn’t offer a lot of protection but also probably means it is limited toxicity. As I was writing earlier, most SPF infused moisturizers are not enough protection and even if you are just out and about and getting indirect sunlight, it might be a good idea to also use an SPF powder or full-on sunscreen (but try to stick to one with titanium dioxide as it seems to be the least hazardous). I love that this product has an antiaging complex which is infused in most of their products. There are minimal, recognizable ingredients. Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate is a 2 (low hazard) and I don’t feel like researching it just yet to put it on my ingredient glossary. It acts as a preservative or conditioning agent and is a better alternative to parabens, (of course), and phenoxyethanol, (wow I can spell that all by myself teacher!), which is rated as a 4, (moderate). The negative part is the pricetag – $66 big ones for 2 ounces..eek! This is less than some of the higher-end department store brands but still a bundle for such a small amount of product. The Ole Herbal Day Cream that I was previously using was $35 for 1.7 ounces. It’s hard to say if you are paying for quality in this product but I am not sure I’ll be purchasing this just yet!

Dr.Hauschka Quince Day Cream/Ingredients:
Water, Apricot Kernel Oil, Kidney Vetch Extract, Quince Seed Extract, Alcohol, Carrot Extract, Glycerin, Shea Butter, Almond Oil, Olive Oil, Fatty Alcohols, Avocado Oil, marshmallow Leaf Extract, Jojoba Oil, Beeswax, Quince Wax, Lecithin, Bentonite, Witch Hazel Extract, Essential Oils, Xanthan Gum

This is about the same price as eminence (30 bucks for an ounce). Many people rave about this brand and I have yet to try it out. There aren’t really any anti aging ingredients in this, but it might be a nice daily day moisturizer. There is also no SPF. You will have to cut the tube at some point if you want to full use up all of the product.

John Masters Organics Mandarin Maximum Moisture/Ingredients:
Aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf juice,* helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil,* populus tremuloides (aspen) bark extract, reticulata blanco var. unshiu (citrus unshiu) peel extract, glycoproteins, glycerin,* cetearyl alcohol, cetearyl glucoside, caprylic/capric triglyceride, cetearyl olivate, sorbitan olivate, butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter,* sodium hyaluronate, xylitylglucoside, anhydroxylitol, xylitol, tilia cordata (linden) flower extract,* sambucus nigra (elder) flower extract,* hypericum perforatum (st. john’s wort) extract,* aniba roseodora (rosewood) wood extract, tilia cordata (linden) blossom oil,* cananga odorata (ylang ylang) flower oil,* bisabolol, xanthan gum, rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) extract,* potassium sorbate This was recommended on one of the sites I frequent: Eco Gloss. There are quite a bit of weird sounding ingredients on this. Sometimes that makes me think it is intentionally so to disguise the chemicals. The only one I really recognize is potassium sorbate which is a low hazard and used as a preservative or fragrance. I will look more into the other ones at a later point in time but I am not sure how “natural” this product is as of now.

Okay that’s my list for now.

Random tidbit: just bought the eminence herbal contour cream that I have been wanting to try for oh so long! It broke the piggibank so this gobbley goo better be magic!

RATING:2 TREES
Product Link:

I’ve been using this cleanser for awhile and always wondered why my skin felt so dry after using it. I bought mine at whole foods and it is available on the website, drugstore.com, etc.

PROS:
+ smells good
+ some natural ingredients
+ easy-to-use pump
+ nice consistency

CONS:
– contains phenoxyethanol
– contains benzyl alcohol (drying)

INGREDIENTS:
Organic lavandula angustifolia (lavender)(1), chamomilla recutita (chamomile)(1), camellia sinensis (white tea)(2) and organic arnica montana(3) extracts (aqueous), cocamidopropyl betaine, disodium oleamido succinate, sodium cocoyl glutamate, sodium cocoyl isethionate, organic aloe barbadensis(2), vegetable glycerin, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (vitamin C), glycereth 7 cocoate, lemon bioflavonoids, melatonin, citric acid, phospholipids, tocopherol acetate (vitamin E), panthenol (pro-vitamin B5), sodium PCA, allantoin, phenoxyethanol, benzyl alcohol, organic citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) oil(2) and other essential oils.

FINAL VERDICT: This product smells great but is quite drying. I attribut this to the benzyl alcohol which also has been linked to toxicity. I have been trying to use it up by doubling it up as a shower gel and have developed patchy scales of dry skin all over my arms. (I had previously been using Griffin’s Remedy shower gel which is much more natural). This indicates that the parts of my skin that had not developed a “tolerance” reacted very negatively to the alcohol and other chemicals. There’s no way I could put this on my face! In short, this may have less chemicals than some other brands but I wouldn’t recommend it, particularly if your skin is sensitive or dry.

RATING:3 TREES
Product Link:

I need to begin this review with raving about how delicious this conditioner smells! I purchased mine at Whole Foods and it’s also available via the website, drugstore.com, and probably various other health food stores/websites.

PROS:
+ prevents against color fade
+ primarily natural
+ scent is yummy! *
+ product comes out easily
+ grape seed may help prevent dandruff
+ good for colored hair

CONS:
– contains phenoxyethanol
– contains glycerin, may not be vegan
– contains panthenol, may not be vegan
– contains glyceryl undecylenate
– contains synthetic fragrance*
– thin consistency – need to use a lot of product
– packaging: won’t stand upside on its own

INGREDIENTS:
Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Fruit Extract, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Extract, Aspalathus Linearis (Red Tea) Leaf Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Equisetum Hiemale (Horsetail) Leaf/Stem Extract, Althaea Officinalis (Marshmallow) Leaf Extract, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Extract, Coffea Arabica (Coffee) Seed Extract, Viola Tricolor (Wild Pansy) Extract, Silybum Marianum (Milk Thistle) Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Wheat Starch, Panthenol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Stearalkonium Chloride, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance.

FINAL VERDICT: This conditioner does have a fair amount of mild-concern chemicals, as well as phenoxyethanol, which is a moderate hazard, and fragrance, which can be a moderate or severe hazard. My broken record tells you that because the conditioner doesn’t really penetrate the skin, this doesn’t bother me as much and I personally am more concerned about the scent and the texture, so I’m willing to forgive the presence of the ingredients as long as there aren’t parabens and drying alcohols, (cetyl alcohol is not supposed to be drying). I prefer this much more to the Depth conditioner, which had a weird plasticy, almost mildewy scent to it. The pomegranate smell even lingers a bit after you use it. I am tempted to try the shampoo, but it contains sodium lauryl sulfate which tends to irritate my scalp. We shall see! In short, I do recommend this conditioner, especially if smell is a priority for you, with the disclaimer that there are some ingredients of concern, and it is not vegetarian. I would love for the company to remove some of the chemicals to make it more natural and I will plan on emailing them about this. Let me know what you think if you try it! I did decide to change my “4″ to  “3″ as I have noticed that this conditioner has been causing some buildup and tends to leave a weird film that doesn’t fully rinse off after I use it. And so continues the search for the perfect natural conditioner.

Random possible bonus from the website:
“In recognition of the importance of rainwater to our heritage and the desire to give back to our communities, we have partnered with WaterAid to develop sustainable uses for rainwater and help communities in Asia and Africa obtain long term access to safe, clean water.”

RATING: To Be Determined!
Product Link:

Thanks to my friend Marlene for alerting me of this lip stain! I have yet to try it, but will soon, once I use up a couple of my other lipsticks! So far it looks very promising. I especially love the name of the company: Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics. You can buy it from their website.

PROS:
+ 100% vegan/cruelty free/PETA Approved
+ paraben/preservative free
+ comes in a variety of colors
+ purported to last a long time
+ minimal, recognizable ingredients

CONS:
– contains titanium dioxide
– contains tocopheral acetate
– application requires a brush/ not as travel/purse-friendly

INGREDIENTS:
Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Cannabis Sativa (Hemp) Oil, Mentha X Peprita (Peppermint) Oil, Tocopherol Acetate (Vitamin E) May Contain: D&C Red #7, D&C Red #30, FD&C Blue #1, FD&C Yellow #6, Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide

FINAL VERDICT: I don’t have one, yet, since I haven’t officially tried the product! I like the idea of it, and that it has minimal chemicals. It could stand to be more natural but I will probably still check it out, since there are less chemicals than in the BE lipstick. If you try this before I do, please let me know what you think! Comment it along until the user review option is up!

RATING:2 TREES
Product Link:

I disliked the smell of this conditioner so much that I will not be using it again. My BF seems to think it smells okay, though, and he is going to test it out. I will have him post a comment when he does!  I bought mine from Whole Foods, and it is also on the website and drugstore.com.

PROS:
+ safe for color-treated hair
+ decent consistency
+ scent is good if you like rose
+ packaging: can easily stand upside down
+ family owned and local, (Marin, CA)
+ good for colored hair

CONS:
- contains phenoxyethanol
- contains cetrimonium bromide
- contains retinyl palminate
- contains hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride
- contains dimethicone
- did not care for the rose-smell

INGREDIENTS:
Purified Water, Vegetable Glycerin, Organic Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) Oil, Behentrimonium Methosulfate (and) Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Organic Coconut (Cocos Nucifera) Oil, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Organic Olive (Olea Europaea) Oil, Behenalkonium Chloride (and) Cetyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Hibiscus (Rosa Sinensis) Extract, Gotu Kola (Centella Asiatica) Extract, Color Protecting Complex [Green Tea (Camelia Sinensis) Extract, Sunflower (Helianthus Annus) Seed Extract], Hydrolyzed Quinoa Protein, EO^® Organic Herb Blend [Organic Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis), Organic Chamomile (Matricaria Recutita) Extract, Organic Calendula (Calendula Officinalis) Extract, and Organic White Tea (Camelia Sinensis) Leaf Extract], EO^® Essential Oil Blend [Bergamot (Citrus Bergmia) Essential Oil, Geranium (Pelargonium Graveleons) Essential Oil, Grapefruit (Citrus Grandis) Essential Oil, Ho Leaf (Cinnamomum Comphora) Essential Oil, Palmarosa (Cymbopogon Martini) Essential Oil, Patchouli (Pogostemon Cablin) Essential Oil, Chamomile (Anthemis Nobilis) Essential Oil, Rose (Rosa Damascena) Essential Oil, Rosewood (Aniba Rosaeodora) Essential Oil], Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Cetrimonium Bromide, Organic Lecithin, Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A), Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Amodimethicone, Sodium Phytate, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin

FINAL VERDICT: I was hoping to like this conditioner, having had a good experience with the chamomile and honey one. Unfortunately the smell did not mesh well with me. While I like roses on anniversaries and special occasions, am known to refresh with a little rose mist now and then, and have even been known to stop and smell them, I don’t think I want them in my cosmetics. If you love the smell of roses, then you just may love the smell of this product. The consistency was was okay. Not quite as thick as I would like, and had to use more product than usual. My hair was easy to comb through afterward, (partly due in fact to the addition of Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride and Dimethicone), and does look shiny. Between the smell and the aforementioned ingredients in the cons section, I would have to say that I do not recommend this product.

RATING:3 TREES
Product Link:

I am almost done with this bottle and it is fantastic! I bought mine from Whole Foods, and it is also on the website and drugstore.com.

PROS:
+ great for dry hair, very moisturizing
+ sweet/beachy smell
+ user friendly/product comes from the bottom
+ 70% organic
+ 100% vegetarian
+ good for colored hair
+ mostly recognizable ingredients

CONS:
– sodium benzoate
– I am starting to notice a plasticy smell as I near the end of the bottle.

INGREDIENTS:
purified water, stearylalkonium chloride, certified organic aloe barbadensis leaf juice, vegetable glycerin, ulva lactuca (sea lettuce) extract, cetyl alcohol, palmaria palmata (red algae) extract, glyceryl stearate, fucus vesiculosus (seaweed) extract, sunflower seed oil, macrocystis pyrifera (giant kelp) extract, soy protein, panthenol (vitamin b-12), tocopherol (vitamin e), citric acid, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, natural aroma blend, ethylhexylglycerin.

FINAL VERDICT: This is the best conditioner that I have found so far in the “natural” category. I don’t need to use half the bottle to moisturize my dry color-treated hair and I adore the smell. It is perfect for summer and really makes you feel like you are ready to hit the beach, even if you are about to sit in a cubical all day. Minus a star for the only slightly-concerning ingredient which is sodium benzoate which is rated a 2, (low concern), on EWG and acts as a preservative or masking fragrance. It may be linked to cancer, and organ/neuro-toxicity. I have said it before and will say it again, that with a conditioner that does not sit on my skin, I am not as concerned about chemicals since it gets washed off right away. In short, this is an effective product and I recommend it. The only thing that is strange is I am starting to notice a faint plastic smell coming from the bottle. I am not sure if it has to do with it being type 2 plastic, or if it is something in the product. I will update if I find more information on this. Has anyone else noticed a plastic smell? Update 7/28/10: I previously had rated this 4 stores but am going down to 3 because of the lingering plasticy smell. I am scent sensitive, however, so you may not notice it!

RATING: 5 TREES
Product Link:

I bought a smaller roller-version of this fragrance for an upcoming trip and I am in love! I bought mine at Sephora, and it is also available on the website, drugstore.com, amazon, etc. I still have to use up my “name brand,” albeit chemical-filled perfumes, and then I plan to buy a full size!

PROS:
+ doesn’t test on animals
+ no harsh chemicals
+ smells amazing!

CONS:
– kind of pricey?

INGREDIENTS:
Alcohol denat. (from Organic sugar cane), botanical fragrance blend (cedrus deodara (cedarwood) oil, citrus paradise (grapefruit) peel oil), deionized water, lyceum barbarum (goji) powder, terminailia ferdniandiana (kadaku plum) fruit extract, epilobium angustifolium (Canadian willoherb) extract, olea europaea (olive leaf) extract, alteromonas ferment extract, chysanthellum indicum (chamomile) extract, oat amino acides, glycerin (vegetable), vanilla planifolia (vanilla) oil.

FINAL VERDICT: This is a great fragrance! I hesitantly recommend it because I would love for it to be a secret and be my own signature scent, but I think the secret is already out. This company also makes deodorants, lotions, etc. Check it out!