Green Daily

Natural cosmetics: $200 for a bird poop facial

Jonathon Morgan — 2008-04-30T15:39:00 00:00

If you're worried about the lead in your lipstick, the mercury in your cosmetics, or the placenta in your hair conditioner, you may be exploring more organic ways to enhance your natural beauty. So how about rubbing bird poop all over your face?

As it turns out, the last time one of Mother Nature's feathered friends dropped a bomb on your noggin, they were doing you a favor. Because, believe it or not, high-rolling New Yorkers are paying for that crap -- the Shizuka salon in midtown Manhattan charges $216 for the courtesy of lathering your face in bird excrement.

But before you judge, apparently geishas and kabuki dancers have been doing this for centuries. Bird poop contains guanine, which helps remove pollutants and blackheads. Plus, nowadays, instead of taking guanine, um, direct from the source, the stuff is sterilized with UV light before it's pasted on your face.

So, while I wouldn't recommend standing under trees, face-up, hoping for perfect skin, this might work as an alternative to your traditional cosmetics routine. Or not.

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Dr. Bronner's to other soaps: you are not organic, beeyatches

Ellen Slattery — 2008-04-30T13:30:00 00:00

Filed under: Health, Natural Body Care

Here at GD, we love us some Dr. Bronner's, and for good reason: the products boast all-natural, organic, fairly-traded ingredients, they're gentle on the skin, and they can be used for pretty much anything.

Now, the slightly wacky organic soap line is filing a lawsuit against other personal care product companies, saying that they're not as organic as they claim. (One of Dr. B's mottos is "Wash with a clean conscience.")

And Dr. B's is kinda right: not many products can rightfully claim that they're organic (recently, an Origins line was the first to be registered organic by the USDA). In the official news release, Dr. B's calls out companies like Estee Lauder, Kiss My Face, and Nature's Gate, listing the hard-to-pronounce chemicals that appear on the labels of their products.

Specifically, Dr. B's claims that many of these so-called organic products still contain synthetics.

The mud-slinging has already begun: about a week prior to the release of the Dr. Bronner's lawsuit, Ecocert, one of the companies accused of being unorganic, filed a claim basically asking the judge to throw out the first suit.

So, whaddya think?

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Beekman 1802: Homemade goats milk soap

Laura Malesich — 2008-04-29T12:04:00 00:00

Filed under: Natural Body Care

Yesterday I was watching snippets of the Martha Stewart Show while straightening up my house when I saw Dr. Brent Ridge share his goat milk soap recipe. For those of you who like to DIY here is the recipe -- those of you who are less inclined to break out the lye and fresh goat's milk you can purchase these beautiful bars from their source: Beekman 1802. The handmade, artisanal, chemical-free soaps are made at the Beekman farm just north of New York City where Dr. Ridge raises his own goats. You can choose from unscented or scented selections which change every month. This would be a wonderful Mother's Day gift too!

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100% Pure: Great gifts for your eco-friends

Kyle Hepp — 2008-04-28T10:59:00 00:00

Filed under: Natural Body Care

In Women's Health Magazine a doctor was quoted as saying, "As much as 60% of topical skin-care products are absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream. They should be consumed with the same prudence that we use to choose our breakfast cereal."

So, 100% Pure body products would be the perfect gift for your eco-friendly friends who take that advice to heart. They're made of real ingredients. So if your lotion says it's blueberry scented, there are actual blueberries in it -- what an amazing concept!
In Women's Health Magazine a doctor was quoted as saying, "As much as 60% of topical skin-care products are absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream. They should be consumed with the same prudence that we use to choose our breakfast cereal."

So, 100% Pure body products would be the perfect gift for your eco-friendly friends who take that advice to heart. They're made of real ingredients. So if your lotion says it's blueberry scented, there are actual blueberries in it -- what an amazing concept!

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Julia Roberts: the deodorant revolution continues

Josh Loposer — 2008-04-24T12:01:00 00:00

Filed under: Celebrities, Health, Movies, TV and Books, Natural Body Care

What's up with celebrities and their outright rejection of the hygiene products that they once endorsed? It seems like every week we hear a superstar complaining because their co-star won't take control of the bodily odor. Now we find that even the best-smelling Hollywood divas don't wage war on their underarm sweat glands by jamming them full of phalates and aluminum. Is boycotting deodorant the next big celebrity trend?

Apparently, Julia Roberts has now disclosed that she is amongst the deodorant-hating ranks of Matthew McConaughey and Orlando Bloom. Her method of avoiding b.o. is so top secret, she can't even disclose it to Oprah -- now that's personal. These guys do know that organic alternatives exist out there, right? Is there something wrong with Tom's organic deodorant that we don't know about yet? Hollywood types always seem to get the info first, but of course the also have a tendency to be a little eccentric.

[via Ecorazzi]

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My favorite green retailer

Deanna Glick — 2008-04-22T16:20:00 00:00

Filed under: Home, Shopping Guide, Activism, Natural Body Care

I'm not one to tout consumerism as part of green living. But I'll go a little crazy since it's Earth Day and what's Earth Day without shameless promotion for the sake of our planet?

My favorite mainstream green retailer, alongside my local health food stores -- yes, plural -- and farmer's market is The Body Shop. Of course they are touting themselves today. The company has been around for for 32 years, dare I say much longer than most who have jumped on the green bandwagon? They use recycled packaging (although they lose points for abandoning refill service several years ago.) They claim to promote energy efficiency throughout the company's corporate offices and incorporate a green philosophy into the design of new stores. Plus, the company has made a commitment to being a Carbon Neutral retailer by 2010. They also support community trade and Farm Aid.

Basically, shopping there is about as conscientious as you're going to get in the mall.

Beyond that, they make good stuff at mostly fair prices. I love their makeup, especially the Ultra Smooth Liquid Concealer, and moisturizers, especially the Daily Eye Treatment with Kinetin. I'm getting old! They have divine fragrances and stuff made with hemp, too.

So, those are my props for The Body Shop and my sole promotion for the day. Happy Earth Day!

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California Baby products: a testimonial

Beth Lebwohl — 2008-04-14T22:09:00 00:00

Filed under: Health, Home, Kids and Parenting, Movies, TV and Books, Natural Body Care

A week ago, I posted about sunscreens and noted that California Baby sunscreen came highly recommended. This week, I wanted to tell you a little more about the entire California Baby body-care line, which I love.

California Baby was started by Los Angeles resident Jessica Iclisoy, who, back in 1991, was raising newborns. She was also having difficulty finding bath/diaper products for them that contained organic, non-synthetic ingredients. Lucky for us, the entrepreneurial spirit drove her to make some of her own.

Today, Iclisoy's line is in health food stores across the country. And even though it's "supposed" to be for babies...who cares?! Try anything of hers, even if you're 102.
I first got hooked about five years ago when I tried the California Baby Super Sensitive Shampoo & Bodywash. It contains no sodium laureth sulfate, masking scents, or parabens. Currently, I'm very into the Tea Tree & Lavender bodywash, which contains organic essential oils, and organic aloe vera. It's all great for people with sensitive skin -- no glutens, no nut oils, no soy.

California Baby also makes products -- all equally planet- and people-friendly -- for sun care, diaper care, bathtime fun, and aromatherapy.

(I see you. I know you like bathtime fun. Check it out.)

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Farm therapy is effective mental health treatment

Josh Loposer — 2008-04-12T15:30:00 00:00

Filed under: Health, Natural Body Care

Just as it's been shown that children who play outdoors are less likely to develop ADD or ADHD, Norwegian researchers have found that spending time on a farm can help those with mental illnesses manage their symptoms.

Subjects that routinely cared for farm animals -- mostly cows and horses -- showed a lower level of stress along with an increase in confidence in managing new situations. The technique is known as "Green Care," and it's being employed more and more to treat schizophrenia, anxiety, personality disorders in US and Europe.

At a time where many are worried about the effects that come along with taking prescription medications indefinitely, health professionals are looking into more holistic forms of therapy. In the past, caring for a dog or cat has been shown to ease some forms of mental illness, but they can be a pretty full-time commitment -- sometimes I think my pets are trying to drive me insane. Farm animals, on the other hand, only need a few hours of attention each day, so they're much more conducive to a therapy routine.

It's interesting that the research carried out on topics like Green Care and Nature Deficit Disorder seem to uphold a set of conventional wisdoms -- for instance that TV rots your brain, and that children need to spend time playing outdoors. Usually, I take it for granted that a lot of that stuff is bogus, but there's obviously a kernel of truth in the idea that getting in touch with nature has specific health benefits. Nice.

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Biodegradable caskets from EcoffinsUSA

Josh Loposer — 2008-04-11T14:40:00 00:00

Filed under: Natural Body Care

Due to a recent advancement in funeral technology, we may be one step closer to answering one of life's great riddles: which is greener, burial or cremation? A company called EcoffinsUSA has tipped the scales back in favor of burial by offering up a selection of biodegradable woven wicker caskets.

OK, it's not exactly an technological advancement, but it does solve a couple of environmental problems that are caused by the traditional burial process. Many conventional coffins are constructed out of threatened old-growth woods like mahogany and are sealed with toxic sealants or paints. EcoffinsUSA's lineup is woven out of sustainably-grown, 'fair trade' bamboo, willow, and banana.

Gallery: Green Burial Options

EcoffinUSA's suppliers may be stretched out across the globe, but their caskets -- and urns -- are shipped with their carbon footprint in mind:

"Our Company's commitment to minimizing our carbon footprint dictates our desire to deliver larger quantities, shipped Russian Doll style, directly from our worldwide factories to the United States. From there, a funeral professional has easier access to our products, and would be able to pass along the costs savings to the family, providing an affordable, attractive environmentally friendly focal point to any ceremony."

[via Treehugger]

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Guide to safe sunscreens

Beth Lebwohl — 2008-04-06T18:42:00 00:00

Filed under: Health, Home, Kids and Parenting, Natural Body Care

There's a helpful post on sunscreens up at Enviroblog; contributor Jovana Ruzicic points to a guide to using sunscreens created by the Environmental Working Group. In case you were wondering, California Baby brand stands out as a winner. Kiss My Face, too.

Jovana goes on to mention a chemical called oxybenzone, which, a new study finds, contaminates nearly all Americans. According to the post, it's a synthetic sunscreen ingredient linked to, "allergies, hormone disruption, and cell damage." (Hmmm. Sounds like oxybenzone might protect you from the sun, but still kill you dead.)

Jovana also calls out the FDA on it's lax application and creation of standards for sunscreen chemicals and use.

So wear a hat. Problem solved (temporarily)!

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Celebrities who use eco-friendly makeup

Kyle Hepp — 2008-04-01T16:00:00 00:00

Filed under: Celebrities, Natural Body Care

If you've ever wondered which of your favorite stars are using organic natural makeup, here's the inside scoop!

Gallery: Budget eco-friendly makeup used by celebs

To find out what eco-friendly products Uma Thurman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Alicia Silverstone and more are using, browse through the gallery. Oh, and best of all, everything is affordable. Keep reading to learn where you can find these budget friendly, earth friendly items.

You can find the Pangea Organics Facial Cream on the Pangea website. It's $31 but they're currently running an Earth Day Awareness Month special for 20% off if you enter the code GOGREEN08. Offer is good through April 30th.

Sephora has the PlantLove Lipstick that Mariska designed. There are also other shades done by other celebs such as Lindsay Lohan, Evangeline Lilly, Sarah Chalke and more. It will run you $20, but $2 from every purchase goes towards the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Origins Smileage Plus liptint costs $10 and can be found online at Macy's.

And who would have thought that Heidi Klum uses a product so ordinary that it could be found at Target?!? For just $8.99, Boots Mediterranean Wonderbalm is a total steal!

Visit Kiss My Face's website in order to find a shop near you that sells Alicia's favorite product, Kiss My Face Obsessively Natural Color 3way tint.

And last but not least, Maria's favorite face mask, the Apivita Aromatherapy Express Revitalizing Face Mask with Orange is just $4.00 on Amazon. With a price like that you can't go wrong!

Via the Sun Sentinel.

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Suki Cosmetics have it all

Kyle Hepp — 2008-03-29T20:42:00 00:00

Filed under: Natural Body Care

I get so lost looking at cosmetic product choice. There is makeup made with organic ingredients. There's makeup that isn't tested on animals. Then there's businesses who manufacture makeup using only sustainable practices.

Suki Cosmetics has it all. Their products are made with only ingredients that you could actually find in nature. They're a green company who also doesn't test on animals. Not only do they not test on animals, but they ensure that even their ingredient suppliers don't test on animals.

Gallery: Amazing Suki products

Which by the way, is a common way to mislead consumers. Makeup companies often say they don't test on animals, but their suppliers will test on animals leading up to the final product.

Anyways, Suki is so committed to not harming any living thing that even their products using bee wax come from "ethical sources that do not harm bees in production."

Suki is primarily skincare and haircare products. To give you an idea of cost, one of their most popular products, the Lemongrass Cleanser will run you $24.50. So it's right in line with normal face washes and cleansers. You don't have to pay extra just to get a great, green, quality product!

Check out their website. I love that you can click on any product and get a complete rundown of all the ingredients and what exactly each one does.

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Be hot, wear hemp

Ellen Slattery — 2008-03-29T15:04:00 00:00

Filed under: Fashion, Food, Natural Body Care

As far as sustainable plants go, hemp is right up there with the best of 'em. The plant has a really short growth cycle, so it can be re-grown over and over. And when it's ready to use, the entire plant can be utilized, whether for food, clothing, paper, upholstry...the list goes on and on. (And though you already know this, I'm going to reiterate it anyway: there is virtually no THC in hemp. So, you'd have to smoke a hemp plant the size of a telephone pole to feel even remotely high. Okay? I repeat: hemp is not marijuana. The plants are cousins).

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, check out all of these rockin' ways hemp can be used. Let a little hemp into your life. You'll be glad you did.

Gallery: Hot for Hemp

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Cosmetics are tested for safety, right?

Patricia Mayville-Cox — 2008-03-29T09:03:00 00:00

Filed under: Natural Body Care

I think that many of us, myself included, assume that if something is for sale, it must be safe. Someone, somewhere in the government, must be regulating it, right? Well, when it comes to cosmetics, think again. According to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, major loopholes in the laws allow the cosmetics industry to put unlimited amounts of chemicals into personal care products, with no prior testing and no monitoring of health effects.

In other words, from the mouth of the FDA, "The regulatory requirements governing the sale of cosmetics are not as stringent as those that apply to other FDA-regulated products... Manufacturers may use any ingredient or raw material, except for color additives and a few prohibited substances, to market a product without a government review or approval."

If you live in Europe, you'll have much more protective laws in place. The EU banned the use of many chemicals that are suspected of causing cancer or birth defects in 2004 and wants to require chemical companies to test chemicals for health effects before they go on the market.

What can you do? Well, on the individual level, you might have to take responsibility for your own health on this one. Run your cosmetics, shampoos, soaps, lotions, sunscreens and any other personal care products through the Environmental Working Group's Cosmetics Database to see how they rate on safety, and to find alternatives if you choose.

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Antibacterial soap: Go natural

Laura Malesich — 2008-03-24T13:42:00 00:00

Filed under: Health, Home, Natural Body Care

Many well-meaning people choose antibacterial soap over the regular sudsy type thinking it will reduce their chances of getting infections or colds, keeping everything clean. But the reality is that antibacterial soaps don't pack an additional punch -- they just encourage bacteria to morph into superbugs! So what can parents and germaphobes do? Consider naturally antibacterial soaps that keep you clean without the triclosan added in.

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Carcinogenic 1,4 Dioxane found in organic personal care products

Patricia Mayville-Cox — 2008-03-15T08:06:00 00:00

Filed under: Natural Body Care

1,4 dioxane is often found as a contaminant in personal care products, especially those that contain ingredients derived from petroleum sources. Studies show 1,4 dioxane easily penetrates the skin and the EPA classifies it as a "probable carcinogen." It can be easily removed by the manufacturer, but it often isn't.

According to the Organic Consumers Association, 1,4 dioxane is often present in conventional personal care products. Well, here's more bad news. The contaminant is also present in many leading "organic" and "natural" branded products.

Some brands found to contain 1,4 dioxane include JASON and Kiss My Face. Dr. Bronner's, Sensibility Soaps and Terressentials were found to be 1,4 dioxane-free, along with Aubrey Organics and Dr. Hauschka.

In general, to avoid 1,4 dioxane, whether in conventional products or products labeled "organic" or "natural," the Organic Consumers Association advises consumers to avoid any products with ingredients that have the following in their names:

Myreth, oleth, laureth, cetereth, any other "eth,"
PEG
Polyethylene, polyethylene glycol
Polyoxylene
Oxynol.

Whew. What a list. And here is the full list of the natural/organic products as tested by the OCA and their 1,4 dioxane status.

Reduce your cancer risk by going green

Here's 10 tips from the experts at Avoiding Cancer One Day At A Time on how you can go green, and stay cancer-free.

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Williams-Sonoma launches new green cleansers

Ellen Slattery — 2008-03-10T17:00:00 00:00

Filed under: Home, Natural Body Care

The hoity-toity gourmet food/kitchen store just debuted its "Pure and Green" collection of gorgeously-scented, culinary-inspired, overpriced dish soaps and lotions made from essential oils and packaged in recycled plastic bottles.

The website devotes an entire 5-minute video to describing the new products, which includes some priceless quotes from a Caldrea Company exec, including that the average WS consumer is "very sophisticated, well-educated, and well-traveled." Well, la-di-dah. Also notable? The exec says confidently about the store's ideal consumer, "we worked really hard to stay ahead of her in terms of newness and freshness in this program."

Hmm...so in order to buy these products, you absolutely must be a jet-setter, a Yale grad and most importantly, female. Because only females a) do the dishes and b) want their cleaning products to not smell like caustic chemicals.

Okay, so maybe the average man wouldn't want to spring for Ruby Grapefruit Ylang-Ylang hand soap foam or Lavender Juniper Rose dish soap (FYI: I didn't make up those titles - they are actual WS products). But some would. Come on, WS: don't start a line of cool green cleaning products and then isolate half of your potential Yale grad jet-set clientele. Très uncool.

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Whole Foods comes up with a new safety seal for personal care products

Patricia Mayville-Cox — 2008-03-07T10:31:00 00:00

Filed under: Natural Body Care

Amidst the growing confusion over what is a "natural" product, Whole Foods Market has come up with its own new "Premium Body Care" seal for personal care products.

Currently, the FDA does not regulate the use of the term "natural" on products, including food and body care products, so it's up to each customer to figure out exactly what each manufacturer means when it slaps that Natural label on the package.

The Whole Foods seal of approval will identify products that meet the Premium Body Care Standard.

For preservatives, formaldehyde-releasing preservatives will not be allowed, such as diazolidinyl urea, DMDM hydantoin, in addition to parabens. Potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate are allowed under the new seal.
For sunscreens, only physical sunscreens such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide are allowed, as opposed to chemical sunscreens such as oxybenzone and octyl methoxycinnamate.
Naturally-derived fragrances will be allowed.

For the rest of the details, see Whole Foods description here.

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A "Natural" label means nothing

Patricia Mayville-Cox — 2008-03-06T12:30:00 00:00

Filed under: Food, Health, Natural Body Care

When you see the word "Natural" on a label, what does it bring to mind? Healthy, no chemicals, good for you, made from the bounty of the earth?

Well, "Natural" might mean that. Or not. Turns out the label "Natural" means nothing, or at most, just whatever the person who wrote it on the label wants it to mean. According to Consumer Reports Greener Choices, there is no government or official definition for this term. No one verified the claim. Nothing.

According to MC Milker on Eco Childs Play, the FDA continues to decline to regulate the use of the word natural, both on food and other household products, such as personal care products.

If you really want to know what that label Natural means, you'll have to ask the manufacturer of the particular product.

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Not-so-dangerous mascara

Patricia Mayville-Cox — 2008-03-05T14:31:00 00:00

Filed under: Natural Body Care

Ask a crowd of women the one product they can't live without, and I'll bet a whole bunch of them will say, mascara.

Erin Schrode, one of the founders of Teens for Safe Cosmetics, lets us in on the cold truth about mascara that you probably already suspected; there is tons of nasty stuff in mascara. Parabens, phthalates, triclosan, coal tars, formaldeyde, yuck.

If you're concerned, run your mascara through the EWG's Cosmetic Database and see where it comes out on the hazard rating. It might be fine, or you may want to find a new brand. Here are some recommendations from Erin and from EWG on safe mascara brands:

Finally, here are some tips from Consumer Reports on how to use mascara safely, no matter what the brand.

Apply it only to the tips of your lashes.
Don't share mascara.
Don't add liquids to mascara.
Never apply mascara in a moving vehicle, even if you're the passenger.
Don't store mascara at temps over 85 degrees F.
Toss your mascara every three months.

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