Green Your Beauty

RATING: 4 TREES
Product Link:

I love the idea of a natural leave-in conditioner. I bought mine at Whole Foods and it is also available on the product website.

PROS:
+ the website  informs you  is not vegan because it contains lanolin.
+ minimal, recognizable ingredients
+ does exactly what it says: detangles and conditions
+ compact, eco-friendly bottle..good for traveling

CONS:
– the smell, ick!
– not vegan

INGREDIENTS:
Witch Hazel (natural herbal extract), Deionized Water, Mucopolysaccharides*, Organic Lavender Oil, Lanolin, Vegetable Glycerin, Organic Evening Primrose Oil, Panthenol (Vitamin B-5).

FINAL VERDICT: This is a great product, it’s not greasy, the bottle is great for traveling. I originally bought this to protect my hair from salt water for an upcoming trip. I get SUPER tangly hair and lose a ton of hair due to this when I comb it after the shower. It was easier to comb through after using this product and feels nice and soft…..buuuuutttt…the smell did not mesh well with me at all. I am not sure what it was, but it reminded me too much of my dead grandma, (when she was alive). Not that I mind positive memories of her, but I was never a fan of the baby powder old-person smell. It may not be bad for you, and I have seen some positive reviews about the smell. It also does get a little bit more pleasant after you blow-dry. However, I think when it comes to leave-in conditioner, I need the synthetic fragrance. Bottom line: this could be an excellent product for you, just save your receipt just in case you don’t end up loving the smell.

*I have found differing definitions of this but it appears to range as being described as a class of polysaccharides, to a type of sulphur, to a substance in your body present in connective tissue. It didn’t come up as its own ingredient on EWG but the ingredients it seemed to link to were low hazard (1). It doesn’t appear to be a harmful chemical, and actually came up as possible hair growth promoter! If anyone has more info on this ingredient feel free to comment it along!

RATING: 3 TREES
Product Link:

I am almost through my first bottle of this conditioner. I like it! I bought mine at While Foods. It is available on the EO website, as well as drugstore.com, various drug stores, etc.

PROS:
+ nice, understated herby smell
+ nice consistency, good for dry hair
+ packaging: stands upside down by itself
+ relatively natural ingredients
+ family owned and local (Marin, CA)

CONS:
– contains phenoxyethanol
– contains centrimonium bromide
– contains guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride
– contains dimethicone

INGREDIENTS:
Water Purified, Vegetable Glycerin, Jojoba Oil, Behentrimonium Methosulfate/Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Organic Olive Oil, Behenalkonium Chloride, Behentrimonium Chloride, Hibiscus Extract, Gotu Kola (Centella Asiatica Extract), Green Tea Extract (Color Protecting Complex), Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus) Extract (Color Protecting Complex), Hydrolyzed Quinoa Protein, Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis) Leaf Juice (EO Organic Herb Blend), Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract (EO Organic Herb Blend), Calendula (Calendula Officinalis) Flower Extract (EO Organic Herb Blend), White Tea Leaf Extract (EO Organic Herb Blend), Bergamot (Citrus Aurantium Bergamia) Oil (EO Essential Oil Blend), Geranium Essential Oil (EO Essential Oil Blend), Grapefruit Essential Oil (EO Essential Oil Blend), Ho Leaf Essential Oil (EO Essential Oil Blend), Palmarosa (Cymbopogon Martini) Oil (EO Essential Oil Blend), Patchouli Extract (EO Essential Oil Blend), Patchouli Oil (EO Essential Oil Blend), Chamomile Essential Oil (EO Essential Oil Blend), Rose Essential Oil (EO Essential Oil Blend), Rosewood Essential Oil (EO Essential Oil Blend), Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Cetrimonium Bromide, Lecithin, Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A), Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Amodimethicone, Sodium Phytate, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin

FINAL VERDICT: I liked this conditioner, however there were a bit too many chemicals in it for me to use it again. If you don’t mind the addition of the chemicals mentioned in the ‘cons’ and are looking for a decent, thick, conditioner for damaged hair, I would say this is a good bet. With conditioners, you don’t need to worry as much unless you are putting them on your scalp, since there is less chance for them to penetrate the skin. The herbal smell may be a bit strong if you are fragrance sensitive, so I recommend smelling it first. I bought the one for color-treated hair today and am looking forward to trying it! They also sell bulk versions of some of their other products, but not this one.

RATING: 3.5 TREES
Product Link:

I’ve been using this for the past year and liked it enough to buy a 2nd bottle! I haven’t seen anti-aging benefits per sea, but my skin looks really nice for a least a couple of days right after I use it! I buy mine at sephora, and it is also on the REN website.

PROS:
+ smells great
+ good-texture
+ works great in the shower
+ skin-smoothing benefits
+ most of the ingredients explained
+ appears to be vegan

CONS:
-does contain chemicals, even if “naturally” derived
-contains phenoxyethanol
-could use more anti-aging ingredients
-not all the products are recognizable

INGREDIENTS:
Polysorbate 60 (Source Rape Seed Oil), Glycerin (Source Coconut Oil), Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Water, Lecithin (Source Soybean), Lactic Acid (Source Wheat), Ribes Nigrum (Black Currant) Seed Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Passiflora Quadrangularis Fruit Extract, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Ananas Sativus (Pineapple) Fruit Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Fruit Extract, Alcohol denat. (Source Grape), Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Seed Oil, Xanthan Gum (Source Corn), Maltodextrin, Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Extract, Parfum (100% Natural Fragrance), Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Oil, Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin Orange) Peel Oil, Citrus Tangerina (Tangerine) Peel Oil, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Seed Oil, Limonene, Linalool, Citral, Phenoxyethanol (Source Aromatic Ether), Sodium HydroxymethylGlycinate* (Source Amino Acid), Hippophae Rhamnoides (Seabuckthorn) Berry Oil, Tocopherol (Vitamin E).

FINAL VERDICT: This product is not a miracle-worker, but it is certainly effective in terms of helping your skin stay smooth and nice between facials. It is primarily devoid of harmful chemicals, although it is important to note that just because the sources listed are natural, many chemicals still need to go through synthetic production to get to their current form. If they were using the fruit oils in their pure form, it would list those ingredients and not some confusing chemical name. For example: sodium hydroxymethylglycinate came up as a low hazard on EWG and it stated that it has not been assessed for safety. All in all, while I wouldn’t call this product purely natural, it is cruelty free, and seems to get the job done! Minus 1 star for containing phenoxyethanol and a half star for too unknown effects of sodium hydrox.

RATING: 2 TREES
Product Link:

I have been using this serum off and on for a few months with no results. I bought mine through Sephora, but it is also available on the website. (However they seem to be having coding issues and I was not able to link to it at the present time). For $50.00 I expect results!

PROS:
+ nice smell*
+ contains green tea and vitamin C
+ paraben free

CONS:
– contains perfume*
– contains Phenoxyethanol
– contains PEG-12 Dimethicone
– contains dye
– minimal anti-aging ingredients
– no anti-aging results
– glycerin (may not be vegan)

INGREDIENTS: Water (Aqua), Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Calcium Acerbate, Sorbitol, Glycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Euphrasis Offinalis Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Seed Extract, Oleth-20, Hydroxyethylcellulose, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Benzophenone-4, Sodium Hyaluronate, Thioctic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Limonene, Linalool, Citral, Fragrance (Parfum), Yellow 6 (CI 15985).

FINAL VERDICT:This product did nothing for me. It has a sticky texture on your skin and I would sometimes wake up with acne-like bumps after using it, (possibly hives from all the chemicals!). The additions of both fragrance and dye (Yellow 6), are unnecessary and possibly related to toxicity and irritation. PEG-12 dimethicone is rated a 4-6 on EWG and may be related to organ toxicity and may not be safe for damaged skin. In short: the addition of at least three added chemicals of moderate to high hazard do not qualify this as a suitable natural product in my book. There are also little to no proven anti-aging ingredients other than some of the fruit extracts which could be found in more effective products. On the plus side, the smell is nice, but that is due to added synthetic fragrance.

RATING:3 TREES
Product Link:

I’ve been using this for a few months now and it  is ok. I bought mine from Sephora, but it is also available through the website.

PROS:
+ contains a couple of essential oils
+ pleasant smell
+ user friendly container
+ some SPF
+ seems to offer some moisturizing benefits

CONS:
– no apparent reduction in fine lines
– too many chemicals
– phenoxyethanol
– added (natural) coloring
– polysorbate 80

INGREDIENTS:
Octinoxate = 7.5%, Oxybenzone = 2.0%, Meridamate = 3.0%. Other Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oilm, Glycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Squalane, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Dimethicone, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 80, Sorbitan Oleate, Carbomer, Potassium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Citral, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool, Citronellol, Eugenol, Annatto (CI 75120)

FINAL VERDICT: This has done nothing amazing for my skin. For awhile I thought it was actually drying it out, but that turned out to be a face wash I was using. I’ve been using the tub up for the past month night and day and I have noticed that my skin is slightly softer.  They also ad CI 75120 which is a “natural” coloring agent that comes from the seed: Bixa orellana. Um, I’ve never heard of that. Even if there is no negative research on this ingredient, I feel it’s unnecessary to add any form of coloring to a cream, anyway, particularly if you are claiming to be natural. Polysorbate 80 is also added, which works as an emulsifier or fragrance. It is of low concern (2), but still has been linked to toxicity and cancer in some research. There has also been some recent research indicating that retinyl palminate can increase the likelihood of damaged skin/skin cancer, although that does seem to conflict with dermatologists that prescribe Retin A for antiaging… I will keep researching this. In short: this ingredient is not as natural as it could be. It’s better than a lot of the mainstream products out there but I’m going to try to go for something that does not contain as many chemicals.

RATING: 4.5 TREES
Product Link:

I have not personally used this product, but one of my friends says it’s great. All the more reason for me to get the user review capability installed!

PROS
+ feels nice
+ removes makeup
+ minimal and recognizable ingredients
+ lots of soothing, natural oils
+ user/eco friendly packaging pump bottle
+ well-known brand that a lot of people vouch for as being great

CONS
– cetearyl alcohol, may not be vegan. *

INGREDIENTS
Water/Aqua, Alcohol, Anthyllis Vulneraria Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Glycerin,Fermented Grain Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Bentonite, Lecithin,Xanthan Gum, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Fragrance/Parfum (Essential Oil), Limonene, Geraniol, Linalool, Citronellol

FINAL VERDICT: Many cleansers contain alcohol. Cetearyl Alcohol is considered to be a low hazard, so other than that this doesn’t seem like it would be a toxic choice. From their website: Why do some Dr.Hauschka Skin Care products contain alcohol? Herbs and flowers are the core of Dr.Hauschka Skin Care preparations and many are extracted in a mixture of alcohol and water. We use a Certified Organic food-grade ethyl alcohol (ethanol) from grain, fruit or vegetable. Many plants are extracted in alcohol because it extracts the widest variety of plant constituents. Alcohol also serves as a natural emulsifier, preservative and carrier, helping ingredients penetrate the skin. Alcohol is not drying to the skin when part of a carefully formulated Dr.Hauschka composition. Our alcohol is derived from a fermentation and distillation process and is gluten-free. Isopropyl alcohol is never used in Dr.Hauschka Skin Care products. *  From their website: Is the glycerin in your products animal or vegetable derived? The glycerin used in Dr.Hauschka Skin Care is always from vegetable sources. (Me thinks they should say vegetable glycerin in the first place, but that eez okay. Random tidbit: the models featured on the site are stated to be either friends,family, or members, which is kinda neat! Note on cetearyl alcohol: it is derived from natural oils and fats, so buyer should be beware that it may be animal-fat derived. It is supposed to act as an effective emulsifier in products, but unless the company can vouch exactly where it came from, it may impact the “veganness.”

All in all, this looks to be a good, natural product! More info on alcohol in skincare:

RATING: 2 TREES
Product Link:

This was another product that I loved to love, but can’t say that I did. I bought mine at Sephora, you can also purchase directly from the Korres website.

PROS:
+eco-friendly container
+contains olive and macademia oils*

CONS:
-did nothing for fine lines
-contains benzyl alcohol
-contains fragrance
-heavy on chemicals
-not many antiaging ingredients

INGREDIENTS
Water, Yogurt, Butylene Glycol, Steareth-2, Isononyl Isononanoate, Macadamia Nut Oil, Mannan, Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Steareth-21, Triticum Vulgare, Xylitylglucoside, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Triethylhexanoin, Butyrospermum Parkii, Anhydroxylitol, Amyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Coumarin, Dehydroacetic Acid, Hydroxycitronellal, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Isoeugenol, Linalool, Magnesium PCA, Manganese PCA, Panthenol, Fragrance, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Sodium PCA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Xylitol, Zinc PCA.

FINAL VERDICT: I will not be purchasing this again. I saw little to no improvement in my skin, and in fact it feels dry when I wash the product off. Unless you want to waste your money on a product heavy on chemicals that will most likely dry out your skin, I would not recommend it. * You are better off ingesting essential fatty acids through your diet than by putting them on your face. Otherwise, go the hippy route and just use them in their pure form!

RATING: 4 TREES
Product Link:

I have been using this product for awhile, and I’m a fan! Bought it at the BE store. Can also be purchased through their website or sephora.

PROS:
+relatively natural
+pretty color
+good consistency

CONS:
-contains Tocopheryl Acetate
-contains silica

INGREDIENTS:
icinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Barium Sulfate, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil, Gardenia Tahitensis Flower Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Wax, Tocopheryl Acetate, Punica Granatum Seed Oil, Beeswax (Cera Alba), Silica, Echium Plantagineum Seed Oil, Hordeum Vulgare Seed Extract, Tocopherol, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Mica, Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Carmine (CI 75470)

FINAL VERDICT:
I’m not sure how moisturizing they can make lipstick without chemical additives such as tocopheryl acetate, (a conditioning agent). I have tried other natural brands in the past and they got all weird and flaky or wore off right away. I am content with the ingredients for now, but if you come upon a superior natural lipstick please do share!

RATING: 3 TREES
Product Link:

I bought mine at the vitamine shop but you can also purchase through the, (very cluttered), Jason website, whole foods, and the super health store online. Drugstore.com no longer carries it. There is much conflicting research on aluminum in anti perspirants and breast cancer/alzheimers. Bottom line, you can’t be afraid of everything, however for those that are -here is an option.

PROS:
+ smells good at first
+ aluminum and paraben free

CONS:
-  Like most natural deodorants, you may need to reapply if you’re working out or sitting in one of those 4-hour meetings that we all love so much.
-  gets a weird sour-fruit smell after I’ve worn it for awhile.

RANDOM INFO ON ALUMINUM:
Random aluminum info
wise geek aluminum article
associated content the health risks behind antiperspirants and deodorants
antiperspirant and cancer

INGREDIENTS:
Propylene glycol, aqua (purified water), calcium starch octenylsuccinate, sodium stearate, silica, ethylhexylglycerin, soyethyl morpholinium ethosulfate, cetearyl alcohol, ceteareth-20, prunus armeniaca (apricot) oil, zinc ricinoleate, allantoin, tocopheryl acetate (Vitamin E), bisabolol, fragrance oil blend.

FINAL VERDICT: I’ve decided I am not a huge fan because of the smell after awhile. It may vibe better with your own chemistry. If anyone has had better luck with a natural deodorant, that at the very least is cruelty free, let me know. For now I will probably stick, (pun intended), with the aluminum-filled antiperspirants and hope I don’t get alzheimers or some other ailment of the sort.

RATING:: NO RATING YET/TO BE DETERMINED

I personally do not have any scent allergies but recently my dad inquired and I did the minimal amount of 2-min web browsing. I cannot vouch for any of these shampoos but here’s a list of what I found. I will be straying from my “typical” blog-format on these right now, because frankly, putting up 20+ reviews in 2 days is tiring! Also feel free to do a search on “fragrance free” or “unscented” on this site and reviews matching up will show up. It you have any further unscented products, (no added oils either), to recommend, please do so!

organics shampoo

organics conditioner

The organics shampoo does have sodium coco sulfate. Overall the ingredients look decent though. Earth-friendly/herbal goodness wee!

remedies direct

Sulfate free.