Great Green Reads!

If you're looking to learn more about green living, there's nothing that can compare to a good, old book. Here are some of my favorites that have found a home on my bookshelf.

The Green Beauty Guide by Julie Gabriel

This was my first eco-friendly book I purchased and it really sparked my passion for natural cosmetics. It starts off with chapters explaining everything you need to know about your skin and cosmetics. It does a wonderful job at exposing the truth about the cosmetic industry. In addition to tons of useful info, this guide has beauty recipes that you can make right at home. This is a wonderful reference for anyone who wants to make a change in their beauty routine.

Gorgeously Green and Do It Gorgeously by Sophie Uliano

     

Sophie Uliano is the eco-friendly goddess of style and fashion. Her books show any woman how to be green without sacrificing glamour or tons of time. Gorgeously Green was the first one I purchased and it covers everything from beauty and travel, to shopping and cleaning. It's a great all around guide for anyone who wants to green their life, whether it be a little or a lot. Do It Gorgeously is Sophie's DIY guide to everything possible. It includes sewing tips and recipes for beauty products, cleaners, and yummy food.

Practically Green by Micaela Preston

This is the newest addition to my book collection. It's another all around green living book, but without a strong beauty or fashion focus, which makes it great for both men and women. Practically Green breaks down sustainable living in simple steps. The buying guides are my favorite. It lists stores, brands, and websites for everything from food and craft supplies, to toys and clothing. It makes eco-friendly living a no brainer.


Have you read any of these? What's your favorite eco-friendly book? I'm always looking for more to read! :)

Eco Tools by Alicia Silverstone

I've been a big fan of Eco Tools for awhile now. Their brushes are so incredibly soft. They're just as good, if not better, than professional make-up tools. And the best part? You can find them at Walgreens, Target, and Wal-Mart. Alicia Silverstone has even designed some beautiful cases for the line. I just scooped this one up from Target today:

For $14.99, this is a fantastic buy. The case is made out of hemp and recycled plastic while the flower design is printed with non-toxic ink. It fits a good amount of stuff inside, along with a compartment for your tools. It includes a finishing brush, blush brush, angled eyeshadow brush, and a brow groomer, all made with bamboo handles, recycled aluminum, and 100% cruelty-free bristles.

What I didn't know until now is that there's a new Spring 2011 line coming out in just a few weeks. Check out the revamped style:

Expect to see the new lavender patterns in stores April 2011!

H&M's Conscious Collection

I really admire H&M for proving that well-priced, eco-friendly fashion is out there. Last year's Garden Collection was absolutely adorable and I'm super psyched about their Conscious Collection, launching April 14th. The color palette is very simple: lots of whites, creams, and blushes. The materials include not only organic cotton, but organic linen, recycled polyester, and Tencel.

Natalie Portman caused a frenzy after wearing a dress from the collection at a Vanity Fair event. With all of the publicity, these clothes are going to fly of the shelves.

Here are some of my favorites that I definitely need to check out.

Check out the entire collection here!

Shame On You, Urban Outfitters

I received some feedback from a friend about my last post featuring an Urban Outfitters t-shirt. In lieu of recent accusations aimed at the store, I regret featuring an item of theirs and have taken it down. Let me explain:

Urban Outfitters pledged to be a fur-free store after protests from PETA many years ago. However, it has been brought to light that they have not been true to their pledge. Urban Outfitters has allegedly sold real fur labeled as "faux fur." Instead of admitting to their mishap, they have continued to deny it. Here's a great video, explaining the whole situation:

"It's T-Shirt Time!" - Organic Tees Under $30

It's not easy to find eco-friendly clothing that is both affordable and fashionable. Luckily, it's not impossible. I searched the web for organic tees and found some super cute picks. Here are my favorites, under $30, of course. Enjoy!

Zara - $25.90 - click here to buy!

(too bad the skirt isn't organic, it's so adorable)

Element (at Tilly's) - $23.99 - click here to buy!

Stevester (at Etsy) - $16.00 - click here to buy!

(this shop is one of my favorites: check out the other organic tees)

Sephora's So Called "Natural Standards"

Apparently, Sephora's Natural Seal has been a highly well-known scam for a few years now. I feel like I've been living under a rock because I only recently have discovered this scam.

I've been a rather big Sephora junkie for some time now. Always asking for their giftcards on holidays, constantly surfing their site for new products, and routinely making it a high priority stop at the mall. I even applied for a job there, hopeful to become apart of this fabulous world of make-up.

Since my passion for natural cosmetics began (only for the past year or so), I've always scanned labels for ingredients, always. However, I never did that with Sephora's natural seal products. Despite my knowledge about greenwashing, I trusted my favorite store. What a mistake that was.

An article on MSNBC writes:

"Turns out dozens of products Sephora considers "naturally beautiful" contain high levels of harmful chemicals and cancer-causing agents, according to the Environmental Working Group's Cosmetics Database."

So I checked out some product's ingredients for myself. I was heartbroken. All of those beautiful eyeshadows by Tarte and Josie Maran? Filled with Dimethicone and Phenoxyethanol. The famous lip butter by Korres? Polybutene is the first ingredient. The list goes on. Although the vast majority of these natural seal products are phonies, there might be a few that are the real thing. To my knowledge, Pangea Organics is one of these.

As disappointing as this was for me, it certainly taught me a very valuable lesson: do your research. Never trust a company's word without sifting through the fine print.

Read the rest of MSNBC's article: The four biggest 'green' marketing scams. 

Eco-Chic iPhones

If you're an iPhone lover like myself, there are tons of ways to personalize your device and make it eco-chic. My favorite thing to do is download applications. Here's my list of some great apps for the green lovers out there.

1. The Good Guide (free) - This app is a great resource for finding sustainable and safe products. It allows you to scan barcodes of items (personal care products, groceries, toys, and much more) to see how they rate on environmental, health, and society levels. Their database is constantly being updated so don't be discouraged if an item doesn't show up.

2.  The Gorgeously Green Survival Guide ($0.99) - Another wonderful reference tool, the GG survival guide is based off of the book by Sophie Uliano (awesome read!). It has a portable checklist of ingredients to avoid in beauty products, eco and money saving tips, as well as nutritional guidelines.

3. VegOut ($2.99) - For the vegetarian that loves eating out: this is the app for you! Powered by HappyCow.net, this guide shows all of the vegan, vegetarian, and vegetarian-friendly restaurants and health food stores in your area.

4. Ecoki (free) - Ecoki is one of my favorite blogs and I love being able to read it on the go. It features great news articles on sustainable living, recipes, tips and much more.

5. iGreen ($0.99) - iGreen is the ultimate app for green news. It keeps you up to date with several different sites such as About My Planet and Hybrid Car Blog. There's always tons to read!

I recently cracked my 3GS and shelled out almost 500 bucks for the newer iPhone 4 (I know, I'm not proud). Needless to say, I'm on the hunt for a new case and came across these adorable ones made out of plant materials.

I usually find eco-friendly cases to be rather boring or just flat out ugly so these are absolutely delightful. I plan on ordering one soon. You can buy yours at Bioserie for $34.95.

Online Store Spotlight: Skin Botanica

Hello there! Just did some late night online shopping at Skin Botanica and I just had to do a post about this site.

I'm in love with Suki and Dr. Hauschka skincare products. They have done wonders for my acne-prone skin. However, they are a bit pricey for my standards. Even though they are absolutely worth the money, the bargain-hunter in me needs to get them for the lowest price possible. That's where Skin Botanica comes in.

Not only do they always have coupon codes listed on retailmenot.com and other coupon sites, but they also have a reward points system. Every time you make a purchase from SkinBotanica.com, Apothica.com, or SkinCareRx.com, you receive points for future purchases (1 reward point = 10 cents, 10 reward points = $1.00, and 100 reward points = $10.00). They really do add up! You can save tons on amazing organic and natural products.

So how much did I save tonight?

Well, my original total came out to $92.70. I used the coupon code SKIN20 for 20% off my entire order. With my qualified free shipping and reward points, my final total came to $59.66.

That's $33.04 that I saved tonight. The bargain-hunter in me is very pleased.

Affordable Eco Beauty Buys

Finding good, eco-friendly make-up always seems to be a bit of struggle for me. Although I love a good splurge here or there, I have trouble shelling out twenty bucks for a single eyeshadow, no matter how wonderful it may be. Without skimping on quality, here's a few of my favorites that didn't break the bank.

Organic Wear 100% Natural Origin Jumbo Lash Mascara - $9.95 (drugstores)

Many have raved about the original Organic Wear mascara and it's ability to lengthen and define lashes without chemicals or synthetics. Now meet it's bolder cousin. Jumbo Lash has a bigger brush, very similar to the original. It's great for layering and creating lots of drama. My lashes stayed soft and flexible, yet very defined. For those who are fans of the original, give this one a try!

Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm - $6.99 (drugstores)

I am a self-declared Burt's Bees fanatic, especially after the release of these tinted balms. They're a perfect fresh slick of color and a nice switch up from plain old chapstick. Rose has become a staple in my make-up bag. The simple packaging and light scent are wonderful. The only downside is their lasting power, but they are most definitely worth reapplying.


Cargo PlantLove Green Glamour Kit - $29.00 (dermstore.com)


I was seriously craving a good eyeshadow palette when I came across this item. Filled with 18 shadows, this palette is a wonderful collection of brights and neutrals with mainly shimmering finishes and a few mattes. Considering a single eyeshadow from PlantLove is $18.00, this is an incredible bargain (granted, they are smaller, but not at all tiny).

I couldn't find many solid reviews on this product so I was reluctant to buy it, but I'm glad I did. The shades are really beautiful. They look much better in person than they do on the computer. With the exception of 'Loon', all of the shadows are silky and blendable. 'Loon' was a bit gritty for some reason. However, when used wet, the texture was much easier to work with. I definitely recommend this for those who like to play up their eyes.