Silky, Smooth Skin…Naturally

Like most people, I liked my synthetically created shaving cream — great foam, soft legs. What’s not to like? That is, until I did an ingredient check and found all of the toxic goodies packed in that puffy, white foam. Myristic acid, Potassium Hydroxide, and triethanolamine (TEA) and parabens, which are linked to both cancer and reproductive problems, were a just a few of the unpronounceable ingredients I was slathering over half my body (and men, this means right on your face.) Yikes!

Compare this to some of the ingredients in all-natural shaving cream — aloe, sunflower oil and essential oils from every flower and fruit you can think of — and it’s easy to make the switch, and get over the lack of foam. That’s right people, you have to give up the foam. The biggest difference between synthetic shaving cream and organic shaving cream is the texture.

Almost all synthetic shaving creams are foamy. Foam is created with synthetic emulsifiers while organic shaving soaps utilize natural oils and natural emulsifiers. While the puffy white foam does have its merits, (it’s fun to watch it grow!), what would you rather put on your skin, acrylate crosspolymer or coconut oil and aloe vera?

An added bonus for choosing the ingredients that you can actually pronounce is that natural oils and emulsifers also provide a smoother shave, which translates to soft, silky, hydrated skin. Organic shave cream moisturizes as you shave away the hair. I know, because I’ve dedicated some serious time to searching and sampling les crème of luxurious organic shaving creams.

Summer is here, the sun is out and I am lovin’ my legs! Guys, you’ll be lovin’ your face with these men’s grooming products, too. Once you give up the foam and switch to organic shave cream, you’ll never go back. Trust me!

Here are my faves:

Miessence Shaving Gel feels different from any other shave gel I have ever used. This is a unique organic shaving soap in that it goes on like a transparent lotion and is super moisturizing. Organic emollients, such as sunflower, aloe and chamomile not only protect from razor burn, but also soften, really. And, guys, did I mention a super close, smooth shave...or should I say, girls? It’s safe to say, you will miss this product if you run out. And true for most organic shave creams, a little goes a long way.

EO Shave Cream was my next pick. I tried the lavender with aloe scent, which delivered a heavenly smell while I took care of business. EO goes on like something between a lotion and gel with a light sudsing quality. The organic jojoba oil and olive wax makes skin feel instantly hydrated and my razor effortlessly glided over my legs. The added aloe vera, soy proteins, lavender and vitamins A and E aid in the elasticity, renewal and overall glow of our skin. Did I mention that I loved the smell?

From the moment you unscrew the cap on Alba Botanical Mango Vanilla Cream Shave, you’ll want an umbrella drink. The scent is delicious and it actually smells hydrating (ok, so maybe that doesn’t make sense, but that’s my story and I am sticking to it). Enriched with jojoba and vitamin E Alba delivers a close shave and lasting softness. Let’s not forget the soothing aloe and skin renewing qualities of the mango. Yummy.

Burt’s Bees Natural Skincare for Men Shave Cream is great for sensitive types, as the calendula extract soothes irritated skin and the added chamomile smoothes and hydrates those baby cheeks — all the while providing a very close shave. This cream is the foamiest of the all-natural shaving creams.

Aubrey Organics Men’s Stock. While we’re at it guys, here is one that you don’t want to miss. Organic aftershave. I sampled the North Woods Shaving Cream Classic Pine Scent, which goes on like a lotion and offers an invigorating aroma and a cool feel — camphor, menthol and organic eucalyptus included — the second you apply it. Added witch hazel soothes irritation and the organic avocado and wheat germ oils ensure an extra smooth shave. All those details aside, the best feature of this man shaving cream is the added flaxseed lignans, which prevent razor burn, bumps and ingrown hairs. Yes, please!

Here’s to adding a whole new dimension to your morning showers. Organic shave creams hydrate your skin while the scents of many of these products offer up sweet aromatherapy in a bottle. The best part? We sacrifice nothing in order to be environmentally good to ourselves and our world. Enjoy!

all-natural nails don’t have to go bare

Now that summer’s going strong, my feet are getting a whole lot of airtime. Which made me want to pretty them up for all those fab sandals I’m wearing. And that path led right to doing some legwork on finding organic nail polishes. And I must admit, I might’ve put my foot in it this time because the truth is, there’s a lot of controversy over the term “organic”, especially when it comes to things like nail polish. But let’s take a look at how it all started.

Traditional nail polish, in many cases, uses ingredients that date back to the 1920s and 1930s, when cosmetics companies borrowed methods from car manufacturers that were developing new paint technology. (That’s right, gals. Car paint. Not what I wanna be wearing this summer.)

Hard to believe, but the chemicals used way back then to create lasting results are still in those shiny little bottles, which means you’re dabbing that nasty stuff onto your toesies. Oh no-sies!

Most polishes contain dibutyl phthalate (DBP), a plasticizer that disrupts endocrine function and is linked to birth defects. And some also have toluene and formaldehyde, which are suspected carcinogens. (Let’s all say yuck together now. Yuck!) The European Union banned the use of DBP and, in some instances, formaldehyde, in cosmetics in 2003, although the FDA says those chemicals pose no threat at such low levels.

But the HYPERLINK "http://www.safecosmetics.org/" Campaign for Safe Cosmetics disagrees. This coalition aims to get cosmetics companies worldwide to phase out potentially harmful ingredients by having them sign their Compact for Safe Cosmetics.

So far, 600 cosmetics companies have signed the compact. OPI, a major player in the nail-care industry, agreed last year to stop using DBP in its products (though it still uses formaldehyde in some). And Sally Hansen has reformulated all of their products to be free of DBP, toluene and added formaldehyde.

Creating a safer polish does have its trade-offs, though, like texture inconsistencies, sheer appearance and drying times, they say. So I decided to try a few and let you know how they stack up.

Polish it up

HYPERLINK "http://pritinyc.3dcartstores.com/" Priti Nails. Priti Nails sells a soy-based nail lacquer and soy polish remover, plus an entire spa collection to delight your eco-bod. That said, Priti Nails doesn’t bill its products as organic. As owner Kim D’Amato explains, “Organic is a marketing term that is used over and over inappropriately. Polish is not grown from the ground. It has to contain chemicals to make it adhere to the nail. We all end up with the same sort of formulas in the end as there’s really only one lab in the states that sells it in small quantities to small companies. But we get to choose our formulas.”

Priti Nails contains one of the cleanest soy formulas out there. Their polish in France, Japan and Australia, where it has to go through 9 months of testing to be accepted by those governments. Even though their polish contains chemicals, they’re not in quantities that are considered harmful. And of course, they’re Three Free, which means they don’t contain toluene, formaldehyde and DBP, some of the most toxic chemicals in nail polish, so they’re considered non-toxic.

Priti Nails non-toxic polishes contain:

Butyl Acetate – an organic compound commonly used as a solvent. Colorless, soluble found in many types of fruit. Such as red apples and used as flavoring in candy, and baked goods. It also has the sweet smell of banana.

Ethyl Acetate – an organic compound with a pungent smell like pear drops. It is colorless and used as a solvent.

Nitrocellulose – a long-lasting, film-forming agent derived from cellulose.

Acetyl Tributyl Citrate – colorless non-toxic liquid used as a food additive.

Phthalic Anhydride/Trimellitic Anhydride/Glycols Copolymer – intermediate for the synthesis of surface coating in dyes and adhesives.

Isopropyl Alcohol – the non-toxic alternative to formaldehyde

Stearalkonium Hectorite – a thickening agent.

Adipic Acid/Fumaric Acid/Phthalic Acid/Tricyclodecane Dimethanol Copolymer – an organic compound used as a food flavoring ingredient, found in mushrooms and lichen.

Citric Acid – obtained from citrus fruits.

FDA-approved colors

Choosing from 104 eco-nail lacquers shades makes it really easy for your green self. Not to mention that even your little one, niece, or best friend’s daughter can use Priti Polishes since they’re non-toxic and machine washable. So you can literally let them get all Priti-ed up without a care about anything except how much fun they’re having. Now that’s music to a girl’s toes.

HYPERLINK "http://store.karmaorganicspa.com/nail-polish.html" Karma Organic is actually a spa that's “dedicated to creating an eco-friendly environment with organic products as a healthy alternative for your beauty needs”. They have a line of nail care (among other products) that includes over 80 different nail polish colors, so I thought I would try a few out. I aimed for the craziest ones that my daughter, Green Bean, picked out. So that meant purple (Midnight Passion), blue (Safety Zone), red (Wicked ‘n Wild), orange (Tropical Dream), and pink.

The polishes are also Three Free. Their polish remover, which is biodegradable, 100% soy- and corn-based, non-toxic, non-carcinogenic, packaged in 100% recyclable glass bottles and comes in different formulas: lavender, tea tree or unscented. (And we like those options way better than solvent stinky, don’t we?)

While the colors go on sheer, in some cases, like for Safety Zone, requiring maybe three coats to get a nice, opaque tone, they work great. They glide on just like regular polish.

What’s more, they come off nicely with Karma’s nail polish remover. The one I chose, Lavender, smells like beautiful, lush lavender and feels more like enriching nail oil than a remover. After Kim D’Amato’s explanation, the label on their nail polish remover that says “Organic” in big, fat letters did, however, give me pause for thought. Seems they might be among those companies who use the term organic a bit too liberally.

It was the first time my nails felt smooth and nourished after removing polish, instead of dry and kind of brittle. Green Bean got a kick out of the colors and it made me feel great to make my little girl’s dream of multi-colored nails come true. (We gave her a full pediatric pedicure, with every toenail a different color. She was in toddler heaven.)

Next up, and for something really different, we tried HYPERLINK "http://www.honeybeegardens.com/natural-cosmetics/products/npwcne.html" Honeybee Gardens Non-Peel Off WaterColors Nail Polish. Their unique water-based polish is totally odor-free! No more nasty fumes. But perhaps best of all, there's also no need for toxic smelly nail polish remover. This polish removes with rubbing alcohol, vodka/grain alcohol or our new Odorless Polish Remover. And it’s free from FD&C colors, toluene, dibutyl phthalate, xylene, and formaldehyde. What it does contain is:

Water
Water-miscible acrylic
Polyurethane formers and thickeners
Non-ionic soaps
May contain: ultramarine blue, carmine, mica, iron oxides, and/or titanium dioxide (colorants)

Their formula is so different, they’ve patented it, so there's nothing else like it on the market.

Unlike Karma Organic, this stuff went on thick. One coat did the trick. It was impressive. And it dried pretty quickly, almost as fast as traditional nail polish. But they do warn you that their polish is different. WaterColors Nail Enamel must be given time to create a tough film. About 75% of the hardness is achieved very quickly, but it needs 4-6 hours to achieve maximum hardness.

Interestingly, they also say that unlike the solvent-based traditional nail polishes, which strip the nails of their natural oils, their polish leaves your nails’ oil on, but if you have dry skin or nails, you should consider applying a little nail oil in advance for extra lubrication.

Lastly, they mention that the film that this water-based polish forms actually hardens more and more over time, so they recommend you remove it within a week of application or it can be a bit tricky to take off. I took the polish off pretty fast and it came right off with their Odorless Nail Polish Remover. It’s acetone-free, fragrance-free and enriched with horsetail extract to strengthen nails. Plus it’s fortified with vitamin E and aloe to soothe and protect cuticles. But it should be noted that it’s made with a few different kinds of alcohols, which are toxins, so if you’re not into that, steer clear.

Ingredients:
Methanol (wood alcohol, which it should be noted, is toxic, hence, the bittering agent they add to discourage anyone from drinking this stuff, since it’s clear)
Methyldiglycol (is a fuel additive, as it’s an alcohol)
Trimethyl hydroxypentyl isobutyrate (another alcohol)
Equisetum arvense (horsetail) extract
Tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E)
Aloe barbadensis leaf juice
Denatonium benzoate (bittering agent)

This totally odorless blend of alcohols removes their WaterColors Nail Enamel as well as conventional polish. Good to know.

So there’s a whole host of organic and alternative nail polish options to keep your toes hopping this summer. You can go as colorful or as subtle as you want, without fear of what you’re putting on your feet or into the environment.

green beauty ingredients tip: get your antioxidants

When you’re searching for new beauty products to green up your routine, you probably know which you don’t want. But what about the ones you do want? After all, different ingredients do different things. So let’s talk about the ones that help fight aging and sun damage for starters. (Four letter words, if you ask me.)

Antioxidants are one of your best weapons against the ravages of time and sunshine. These powerful natural ingredients are made of vitamins and minerals that fight pesky free radicals, a buzzword you’ve probably heard. Simply put, free radicals damage DNA and accelerate aging. Free radicals are everywhere, even in the air and particularly from sunlight. Alrighty then. Science class is over. All I care about is how to prevent that evil. So, how do we do it?

Well, first off, you can get antioxidants by going green when you sit down at the dinner table. No, I’m not talking about cloth napkins instead of paper (although that’s a good idea). I’m talking plenty of green leafy vegetables. Eating antioxidants is a way to lessen free radical damage. So eat your organic spinach. Eat your organic kale. And have another helping of that salad with organic arugula and romaine lettuce. Mmmmmm...

Now, here’s an old favorite. Vitamin C. It’s not just for colds anymore. Experts believe that the antioxidants in Vitamin C can minimize signs of aging, wrinkles and fine lines because they stimulate collagen production. (Collagen is that springy stuff that makes your skin look plump and young. And we want all of that we can get, especially as we age.) Vitamin C is particularly powerful when eaten. So when you’re out getting that organic spinach, don’t forget the broccoli, tomatoes and citrus fruits.

Besides becoming a green gourmet, another way for you to get antioxidants is to apply them topically. As they’re absorbed into your skin, antioxidants strengthen skin cells, boosting their ability to fight those nasty free radicals.

Speaking of which, Eminence Organic Skincare makes a fab Carrot Vitamin Masque that’s full of carrot and orange pulp. It’s just loaded with vitamin C. It has a zinc oxide base and is infused with honey, lemon and vanilla. The smell is out of this world, not to mention how your skin feels post masque. Great for sensitive skin.

Now here’s a shocker. Can coffee can be good for your skin? I mean, I love a latte as much as the next person. In fact, can’t start my day without it. But I never thought about slathering it on my skin. Yet many claim coffee can do several things to improve the appearance of your skin when applied topically. It may slow down the aging process and help protect from sun damage. (Having said that, never, ever go out without your sun block.) They even claim that it smoothes bumpy skin, such as cellulite. Grab those grounds, girls...

And while we’re on the topic of cellulite, Lavere Body Control Anti-Cellulite Lotion says it improves circulation and smoothes skin with caffeine and fruit acids. It also has a nice moisturizing effect. Their customers report a 50% improvement in cellulite and 90% increase of skin moisture. So chalk one up for coffee.

Spot of tea instead? Certainly. Especially if it’s green tea, which has been shown to fight free radicals. When applied to the skin, green tea can slow down the aging process and even act as sun protection. (Again, don’t forget your sun block.)

Burt’s Bees has capitalized on this ingredient in their Repair Serum. The green tea combined with 11 essential botanicals repair skin damage and reduce fine lines and wrinkles. And, when you drink it, green tea is believed to ward off cancer and heart disease. Get healthy and look younger? Cheers!

So go forth, Greenies! Stock your kitchen and powder room with antioxidants and give Father Time and Brother Sun a run for their money.

organic heaven and body bliss at the Cloisters Spa

So now that I'm golden brown and covered in organic sunblock, I'm headed out to the beach. Thank goodness I got that organic spray on tan! Being in a bathing suit is scary enough.

I’m on holiday, as the Brits say, and staying at the Cloisters Resort on Sea Island, GA. And they have a rockin’ spa that uses all natural products in many of their treatments. Beach? Spa? Beach? Spa? Well, you get the picture. Decision, decisions... Well, a girl’s gotta make ‘em, so here’s mine.

a great body of work with the Spice of Life body treatment

Walking into the Cloisters Spa, I had no idea that I was embarking on such a relaxation journey. Before you even get through the first set of doors to the incredible atrium adorned with tall plants, pool with waterfall and overstuffed chairs, you feel at least 25% of your cares slipping away. Did I mention the cashmere throws on the chairs? Sweeeet.

I was passed like a fragile package from staff member to staff member, all just to lead me to the changing room. (Wow, it took three people to get me 60 feet. I could get used to this.) Plus, everyone at the spa, from the front desk to the aesthetician, were all about me. That works.

After being completely catered to, I was joined by my aesthetician, who took me to my Spice of Life body treatment. She showed me all of the ingredients in the Red Flower products she was going to use and explained what each did. That’s when I fell hard for Red Flower.

The treatment started with a sugar-based scrub called lemon coffee blossom olive stone scrub. What an incredible combination of smells! This scrub pulls impurities out of the skin. As it turns out, I prefer a salt-based scrub, as it’s softer, but this was still a great scrub.

Next came the Moroccan mint tea silt purifier. And after that, I jumped into the shower. OK, maybe it was more like, stumbled into the shower, I was so relaxed and intoxicated by all of the amazing yet subtle fragrances. I barely had the energy to move to the oversized bathtub, where I soaked for 20 minutes. Somehow I made it back to the table for an hour massage first with cardamom amber oil and then with tangerine fig butter crème, which keeps the moisture in and acts as a skin polish.

(BTW, if you get the opportunity to go to the Cloisters Spa, send me an email and I’ll give you the name of this aesthetician. She’s off the charts!)

Many of the body treatments use products by Red Flower, too. I chose to add Ohana Gingergrass Bamboo Scrub to my beauty arsenal. Not an easy choice, given their incredible selection. This is a gentle scrub (not like the ones that leave you looking like you just used sandpaper). It exfoliates dry skin and increases energy flow, which may be due to the fact that the main ingredients are invigorating oils of ginger, lime and fine grains of bamboo, which sure beats the non-natural versions that contain parabens and dyes. Yikes! Sea oil acts to make the skin silky (love that!), silt from the earth encourages cell renewal, while ginger and lime increase blood flow. Whew, I could keep going, but I think you get the picture. I loved the smell when I opened it and loved how my skin felt afterward. Woohoo!

One more thing—they package in 77% post consumer recycled paper AND print at a 100% wind-powered plant. Cool.

face first with a first-rate organic facial

In addition to many other wonderful services, the Cloisters offers a vast array of facials. I was feeling the need for a little face time, so I booked one.

Their facials use products by Sodashi. Sodashi is a great discovery. They are to green beauty products what sliced bread is to, well, sliced bread. They’re a very environmentally focused company that makes incredible, 100% chemical free products largely made from natural plant extracts and essences. To preserve the product, violet glass with light filtering qualities encases the item. The best part of that is, their packaging is 100% recyclable. Bonus!

Sodashi products are formulated based on the wisdom of ancient philosophies and natural healing traditions, they say. I just say, wow, my face looks and feels great. That’s what we want, right?

After my incredible facial, my product pick was Nourishing Repair Treatment. Not that it was an easy choice to make, given my state post-pampering. (I came out of the treatment so relaxed I had to check my pulse.)

The moment you apply this moisturizer, you feel the deep hydrating qualities of avocado and centella. Carrot oil reduces sun damage. Aging and poor skin tone are addressed by the rock rose and neroli. And if all that is not great enough, Nourishing Repair Treatment has regenerative qualities. Can’t go wrong here.

I’m looking for an excuse to stay another week and try all of the spa treatments. But no doubt, I’ll be leaving shortly, kicking and screaming. At least I can hunt around for some great new green beauty products. It’ll be just like being there… OK, maybe not. Sigh…

treat yourself to tan-in-an-instant with a professional organic spray tanning session

The truth is, no matter what body type we have, most of us would agree we look better golden brown. Especially for leg-baring skirts and dresses this summer. Or heaven help us, The Beach.

That’s why I had the good luck to visit Portland and was even luckier to visit the Portland Spa & Boutique, home to a choice of organic airbrush tanning. Check me in! Not only was the staff super friendly, they made me feel very comfortable. You know, as comfortable as you can be when you’re butt-naked in front of a bunch of strangers.

Anyway, the tan went on quickly and evenly. I walked out minutes later a golden brown with softer skin. Not surprising since this treatment is derived from walnut extracts, aloe vera and a blender-full of botanicals, including ginger, ginseng, green tea, lemon grass, and willow bark. What an awesome lineup! Especially if you compare it to a non-organic spray tan, which has in it, let’s see… Basically yuck.

Hard to say what the best part of my organic spray tanning was... My very soft skin, how fast the spray dried, the fact that it can last up to 14 days, that’s it’s organic. Hmmm… Maybe the fact that I looked great and wasn’t bright orange.

Portland Spa offers two organic spray tan options—an anti-aging complex (music to my ears!) and a shimmer finish. How can a girl go wrong?

My only regret? That I don’t live in Portland, which, by the way, is a very environmentally conscious city. And doesn’t get much in the way of sun (no wonder they love the organic spray tan). I would make a standing appointment for this luxurious organic treatment. I mean, you look great, you’re looking great in a way that’s safe for the environment, and you look great. Did I mention that you look great? Guess I figured out which is the best part after all…

organic sunless tanners and bronzers give you that sun-kissed look

If you’re like me, you’re into safe sunning — which means no tanning (with help from wonderful organic and natural sunscreens). But that doesn't mean you have to lose the look of sun-drenched skin. I mean, sustainable is one thing, pasty is another, right? Right.

So I went in search of organic and natural sunless tanners that worked. And I found a few that did the trick. Then added a few organic bronzers to my arsenal. Oh, speaking of tricks, look below for a few that go beyond your basic bronzers.

But first, what’s wrong with traditional tanners? Well, who wants to put things like DHA, the active ingredient in most traditional self-tanners, on your precious skin? For one thing, it smells terrible, especially when it combines with many people’s natural skin chemistry. There’s no sense in looking good if you smell bad.

And although most companies will tell you DHA is safe, a German study found that skin treated with DHA produced 180 percent more free radicals when exposed to UV light than untreated skin did. Free radicals cause damage to vital skin components like collagen and elastin, and the result is skin-aging inflammation. Uh, did you say “skin-aging?” We don’t need that.

organic self-tanners that really work

Lavera Sunless Tanning - Self Tanner Lotion. The first thing you’ll notice is, Lavera smells wonderful. No DHA. No chemical odors. Just yummy coconut to remind you of a day at the beach. The best part is, it works great. Smoothes on like a luscious body lotion and gives you a flawless tan in a few hours. No orange hue for you.

Lavera also offers FACES Summer Glow Streak-Free Facial Self Tanner. It contains a slightly lower dose of the soy extracts used in Sunless Self-Tanning Body Lotion, letting you build up color gradually with as many applications as you like to get the tan you want.

Besides the soy extracts, Summer Glow drenches your face with extracts of organic calendula, peach, kiwi, apricot and papaya to nourish your skin. Vitamins E and C offer anti-oxidant protection against environmental damage.

Sante Naturkosmetik Sun Care Self Tanning Lotion. This light, moisturizing cream with gentle self-tanning action promotes a summer-like complexion the whole year. With daily use, it develops a soft, even tan in 4-5 days. Natural organic moisturizers, argan and jojoba oils as well as shea butter provide the skin with all the essentials to impart an illuminated, healthy skin tone. Plus it’s vegan—you can’t get greener than that. Make sure to combine it with your favorite organic or natural sunscreen because it doesn’t contain skin protection.

organic and natural bronzers for sun in a hurry

Don’t want to wait for your organic sunless tanner to work? Do want a quick, sunny pick-me-up? Try a bronzer for that fresh-faced glow. Just apply where the sun would hit by sweeping it along your hairline, onto your cheeks and over your jawline. Then dap a small amount on your brow bones and down your nose. Et voila! You’re soleil-soaked.

Physicians Formula Organic wear® 100% Natural Origin Bronzer. These little bronzers are packed Italian powders that you can blend to get a natural tan glow. The different tones just beg you to play with them. Try different combinations until you get the tan you want. They’re 100% natural origin bronzers, formulated with 15% certified organic ingredients, including jojoba seed oil and corn starch to moisturize the skin and even out the texture.

Beauty Wise Bronzing Powders add sun-bronzed color to your cheeks with pure minerals. Just a touch is all you need to wake up a tired or pale complexion. They can also double as face powders and highlighters. You’ll love the soft, warm glow you get with just a gentle brush of the bronzer on cheeks, cheekbones, and anywhere else you want to add warm tones. The best part—these babies are totally vegan. They’re even gluten-free.

Last but not least, here are a few tricks to fake a tan the fast way.

• Give peach a chance. Try Revolution Organics Beauty Balm in Sunkissed, an eco-friendly peachy-toned stick that gives lips, cheeks and eyes a natural glow.

• Colors of the sun: To fake a bake, go with a blush/bronzer/eye shadow combo that has three tones: a light tan, rosy pink, and warm brown. Swirl them together and apply to forehead, across cheeks and nose and onto jawline. Next, apply the lightest shade to your lids, up to the brow bone. Use the rosy shade on the lids and blend the darkest shade on the crease. This creates a natural, just-tan look. Try the Organic Glam Nude Eyeshadow Palette with Organic Glam Blush in Peach or Pink.

• Sun-kissed smackers. Get the look of sunned lips with a bright pink-toned gloss, such as Organic Girls Vegan Lip Glosses in Strawberry or Bubble Gum.

So there you have it. A lot of great ways to get sun-fresh looks without getting sun damage. And without damaging the environment. Summer, here we come!

don't leave your lips lacking when you step into the sun

When you go out in the sun all covered in your favorite organic or natural sunscreen, don’t forget to look after your lips. Often overlooked, the lips are a very sensitive area and will punish you by burning and flaking just like the rest of you. Aka, the dreaded chapped lips. We’ve all had them. And, since mine are always in need of extra moisture, I’m super-careful when it comes to sun damage. That’s why I looked around when choosing an organic lip balm.

Speaking of which, here’s a little tip for your lips. When picking an organic or natural lip balm, not only do you want to avoid petroleum-based products to go green, you want to avoid them because petroleum actually dries your skin! All natural or organic lip balms give you protection from the sun and hydrate your lips instead. That’s Mother Nature: 2, Harsh Chemical: 0.


Organic and natural lip balms

Juice Beauty SPF 8 lip moisturizers. If you’re looking for a bit of color, Juice Beauty SPF 8 lip moisturizers do the trick. They come in a three-pack with nude, pink and clear lip balms. They’re a great way to look good in the great outdoors. These little gems are certified organic and provide mineral sun protection. And their plant oils and honey, mango and passionfruit essences provide that extra-fresh moisturizing feeling that you’ll love.

Jane Iredale Lipdrink SPF 15. I’m not sure what hit me first, the super emollient feel or the wonderful scent and taste of lemon and orange oils. Instead of icky petroleum, this product uses macadamia nut oil and then adds an SPF 15 from zinc oxide in a colorless lip balm. Vitamins E, C and green tea extract combine to give you that wonderful antioxidant richness that your lips are thirsty for. In fact, it feels even moister than traditional lips balms. You’ll love it morning, day and night. I know I do.

Burt’s Bees Sun Protecting Lip Balm SPF 8 uses the naturally occurring mineral titanium dioxide to protect your lips. Meanwhile, passionfruit extract soothes, nourishes and rejuvenates lips so they're soft, healthy and more hydrated. This is a great one to keep in your pocket to have on the go. Awesome for the little ones as well. And like many of Burt’s Bees products, it is 100% natural. We like that.

So now that sun protection is top of mind, make sure it’s tip of lips, too.