Easy DIY Acne Cleanser

With the holidays upon us, I've noticed that my skin is a little more prone to breakouts - predictably, as I've allowed myself more sugar & alcohol than usual. While I am working harder to manage my diet (see my tips here for how to enjoy the holidays without weight gain), I also turned to one of my favorite beauty resources, Beauty by Nature by Brigitte Mars, for a DIY blemish remedy. Fortunately, I found one that was extremely simple to make, smells fabulous, and seems to work as well as conventional acne treatments.

Witch hazel is anti-inflammatory (it can be used to soothe all sorts of topical inflammation, from poison ivy to hemorrhoids) and lavender is an antiseptic - making these ingredients a great pair to combat topical blemishes.

Enjoy - and good luck keeping your skin clear for all your holiday parties!

DIY Lavender Acne Cleanser/Toner 
1/4 c. witch hazel
20 drops lavender essential oil

Mix ingredients together in a clean bottle. Shake gently to combine before each use. Moisten a cotton ball with the solution & apply to washed skin - especially problem areas. Avoid the eye area.

Supple Apothecary, Arcona & Soulstice

This post is loooong overdue! When I was home on the Cape in August, my mom & I stumbled upon an amazing refuge in Orleans called Supple Apothecary. The name sounded inviting enough, but once we saw the sub-header on their storefront sign ("berkeley ca + orleans ma"), I knew I was going to love this place.

The best part about Supple Apothecary is its proprietor, Alison Supple-Evans. She's friendly & fun - by the time I left we'd exchanged business cards and made plans to 'jam' over Thanksgiving (her husband's a musician). Also impressive are the beautiful and luxurious product lines she carries. She hooked me up with a free sample of Arcona's Basic Five Normal Skin Type package, and I bought 3 bottles of pastel Soulstice Nail Colour polishes.

Arcona's Basic Five Normal Skin Type package

Arcona products get splendid ratings from EWG's Cosmetics Database, so I didn't have to worry about using them on my skin. And they felt soooo gooood ... my skin felt plump and protected after slathering them on. The scents took a little while to get used to, but knowing that the ingredients are cold-processed from natural sources like essential oils and sea vegetables was more important to me than fragrance. According to the company, their products never contain petrochemicals, parabens, sodium lauryl sulphates, perfumes, dyes or any other caustic ingredients. This is a great line for someone who likes a high-class, cosmeceutical-type product but values health & safety and wants to keep their personal care products toxin-free.

So many formaldehyde-free nail polish lines are boring when it comes to the colors they offer. That's why I was thrilled to find a trio of trend-right pastel colors from Soulstice. Their polishes are vegan & free of dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde and toluene (the "big three" when it comes to nail polish toxins). I'm still wearing them as summer winds down, and I know they'll still be fashionable as Easter 2013 rolls around.

Supple is officially my new favorite. They offer facials & gift certificates for long-distance daughters who want to pamper their mamas. I just love that combination of luxury products with down-home friendliness ... the perfect mix of my West Coast city & East Coast townie sensibilities!

Product Line: Welstar Organics

OK, warning: I'm about to gush. I stumbled upon Welstar Organics yesterday while I was running errands on Cape Cod with my mom. I saw the sign out front touting organic body care products and almost grabbed the steering wheel right out of her hands to pull over. Could it be? A place to buy healthy, safe & effective skincare products in Orleans?

Oh yes it could - and even better, they have a website where they sell their products online so you don't have to be on the East Coast to reap the benefits of Welstar's products!

The store is cozy and charming, and the proprietor/founder/herbalist/aromatherapist, Mahara Ashlie, couldn't be sweeter (or more knowledgeable). She walked us through each section of the store in detail and answered all my questions about efficacy and ingredients. Her line is extensive, with products ranging from facial care to topical therapeutics to baby formulations. My favorites (as you might have guessed from my earlier post about sunscreen and bug spray) were her "Outdoor Essentials," which include an insect bite reliever, a bug repellent, and an all-natural non-mineral sunscreen. My mom snapped up the Ruby Glow Lip & Cheek Tint and the Sinus Drops for my dad's neti-pot.

The products are natural, organic, and vegan (no beeswax even!), and some of the prices reflect that level of quality.

My insect bite reliever worked like a charm, and the bug repellent was amazingly effective too - although my friend Phoebe did have to ask whether I was wearing patchouli when we went out for cocktails later that evening. Not a scent with which I like to be associated. But most of the products are scented with much more pleasantly-smelling oils (...and, truth be told, I may have been a little heavy-handed on the bug spray. I've been getting eaten alive, for chrissakes!).

This place is a dream come true for anyone who's searching for non-toxic personal care products. Get thee to their website now! And if you're lucky enough to live on the Cape, stop in and tell Mahara I sent you.

Product Review: Sephora Collection Mineral Foundation Compact

Hunting around for an effective, non-toxic version of an everyday staple can be challenging. There are so many products on the market to consider, and lots of false advertising that requires a closer look. Yes, it's important - especially when it's a product you use on the daily - but it sure ain't easy.

That's why it's so exciting to find something that meets all your critera, or at least comes close. And so it is with joy that I share with you Sephora's Mineral Foundation Compact. With a 2 rating at the Environmental Working Group's Cosmetics Database, it's not completely non-toxic, but it's close enough for me (and seems much safer than the BareMinerals foundation I used to use, which gets a 7). Better still, this product works - it offers a solid coverage that can be layered as needed. It comes with a dual-sided sponge, but I use it with my BareMinerals brushes and I love the effect. It provides the matte finish and superior blend for which mineral makeups are revered. Highly recommend!

Ingredients:
Many of the ingredients in this compact are not researched or regulated, so data related to their safety is limited. I've provided links about each below in case you'd like to read more.
Mica
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Zinc Stearate
Silica
Phenoxyethanol
Sodium Dehydroacetate
(+/-) :
Ci 77491 (Iron Oxides)
Ci 77492 (Iron Oxides)
Ci 77499 (Iron Oxides)

Product Review: Badger Anti-Bug Sunscreen

I'm on vacation! And for me, that always entails heading to my childhood home on Cape Cod. Living in San Francisco, I never have to worry about sunscreen or bugs, but the Cape is an entirely different story. In preparation, I closely perused the Environmental Working Group's Safe Sunscreen Guide and headed over to my local Pharmaca.

I am a big fan of efficiency and multi-tasking, so I picked up this Badger Broad Spectrum SPF 34 Anti-Bug Sunscreen. Scented with citronella and cedar, it may be too fragrant for some but I personally like its light lemony aroma. Its power as a sunscreen is undeniable (I'm still as white as a sheet!) and so far, no bug bites. Score!

The formula uses the mineral zinc oxide as its sunscreen source, which is a safe and effective choice. When applying, the zinc creates a whitish cast that takes a bit longer than most sunscreens to rub in. If you can get past that annoyance (which you'll find in many non-toxic sunscreens), you'll find this to be a worthy contender for your beach bag. Surf's up!

Ingredients
Non-Nano Uncoated Zinc Oxide 20%
Certified Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Certified Organic Beeswax
Certified Organic Castor Oil
Certified Organic Citronella Oil
Certified Organic Lemongrass Oil
Certified Organic Cedar Oil
Certified Organic Rosemary Oil
Certified Organic Geranium Oil

DIY Frizz-Ease Hair Serum

Summer is here, and on the East Coast that means humidity and crazy hair. Even the finest of hair can get frizzy in the summer haze. My mom stumbled upon this easy way to tame flyaways accidentally, and found that it worked better than any product she's tried. Here in San Francisco, we don't get too much humidity, but I've found that this simple serum doubles as a style setting serum - apply a few drops to the ends of your hair, curl away and voila! Your curls will set for DAYS. It's amazing!

Ready for the secret recipe?

Ingredients:
Oil, any type (my mom used Vitamin E oil w/ safflower, I use jojoba or olive or shea butter. Argan oil is all the rage at the moment for hair, but you really don't need to spend a fortune!)

Ummmm - that's it! Just go in your kitchen, take a few drops of oil & apply to the ends of your hair or wherever you need frizz control. Use sparingly - you don't want to be too greasy, and you can always layer it if you need more. If you want it to smell amazing, try using coconut oil or adding 1-2 drops essential oil to the mix.

Enjoy your newfound frizz-free locks!

What's So Bad About Parabens, Anyway?

Lately there has been lots of news about parabens - synthetic chemicals that are used as preservatives in cosmetics and personal care products. They're pretty easy to identify on ingredients labels - just look for the -paraben suffix, e.g., ethylparaben, butylparaben, methylparaben and propylparaben. According to the FDA, preservatives like parabens are "used in cosmetics to protect them against microbial growth, both to protect consumers and to maintain product integrity."

According to the Environmental Working Group, parabens are endocrine disruptors, which means that they can bind to hormone receptor sites in the human body and interfere with normal function. Currently there is a controversy over what constitutes an acceptable level of exposure to these types of chemicals (Dowdle, H., 2012). With parabens implicated in health hazards ranging from breast cancer to fertility to birth defects (EWG), more and more consumers are choosing to avoid them.

Natural preservatives do exist (think about how food has been traditionally preserved: salt, alcohol, pickling, freezing, etc.). And many cosmetic lines are now producing paraben-free products. As with food, reading labels is essential in selecting safe cosmetics.



Dowdle, H. (2012). Outside Job. Whole Living, 67. 103-107.

DIY Yoga Mat Cleaner

Maybe it's just me, but I have to admit that I don't always clean my yoga mat after every practice. Those classes at Yoga Tree kill me, and after walking up 3 flights of stairs, I will often throw my yoga mat at the door only to pick it up the next day on my way out to my next class. Gross, I know.

Luckily, I found a great recipe for a yoga mat cleaner online and had an empty spray bottle lying around. I made a few tweaks to the recipe - I used eucalyptus instead of tea tree oil because eucalyptus is also antimicrobial. Now I have an easy, delicious-smelling way to clean my mat after every class!

Ingredients
A few drops eucalyptus essential oil
A few drops lavender essential oil
Filtered water

Mix in a spray bottle and voila! You're on your way to being a cleaner yogi. Namaste!

Product Review: Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild Liquid Soap

I love making my own personal care products on the weekends. It's so fun to go into the kitchen and whip up a new deodorant, lotion or facial oil. But let's face it: like you, I'm a busy girl. As much as I enjoy it, I don't always have time to play amateur chemist in the kitchen. Purchasing products is a lot easier & more efficient. It's just figuring out whether they're non-toxic that can be annoying. One of the reasons I started this blog was to identify really good non-toxic products that actually work.

So I'm happy to report that Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild Liquid Soap fits the bill. I love this stuff. It's all-natural and organic, contains very few ingredients, scores a 1 over at the Cosmetics Database, and best of all, it works. It has a nice lather when you use it with a loofah, and a little goes a long way. It's $16.99 for a 32-oz bottle - super affordable when comparing to somewhere like L'Occitane.

Dr. Bronner's also makes great scented liquid soaps - if fragrance doesn't bother you, I highly recommend those as well.

INGREDIENTS:
Water
Organic Coconut Oil*
Potassium Hydroxide** (lye)
Organic Olive Oil*
Organic Hemp Oil
Organic Jojoba Oil
Citric Acid
Tocopherol (Vitamin E)
*CERTIFIED FAIR TRADE INGREDIENTS
**None remains after saponifying oils into soap and glycerin

Product Review: Blûm Naturals Daily Cleansing & Makeup Remover Towelettes

I have a confession. I don't always do the right thing when it comes to non-toxic makeup. I try my best, but when I'm getting home at 2 in the morning after a rockin' gig, it's all I can do to remember to actually take off my makeup before I crash.

So, instead of using my awesome eye makeup remover, I usually reach for a towelette. I know, I know ... The waste! The parabens! Ugh! So when I ran across Blûm Naturals Daily Cleansing & Makeup Remover Towelettes at Pharmaca, I was excited at the prospect of ruling out at least one of those problems.

The towelettes score a 1 at EWG's Skin Deep Cosmetics Database - not too shabby. And the ingredient list reads more like a spa menu than a beauty product. But would they work?

Sadly, not so much. They smell good, and they do an OK job of taking off blush & base, but eye makeup? Forget it. Even after scrubbing until my eyes were red, I was left with big black raccoon eyes (and this was a light makeup night for me). Boo!

The good news? Looks like I'll be taking the extra 3 minutes to use my eye makeup remover before I go to bed - that'll eliminate the paraben problem AND the waste.

Ingredients
Aqua (Water)
Decyl Glucoside (sugar-derived)
Organic Chomomile Extract
Organic Aloe Vera Extract
Lavender Oil
Vanilla Oil
Patchouli Oil
Gluconolactone
Sodium Benzoate (naturally-derived; salt preservative)
Glycerin

DIY Eye Makeup Remover

One of my favorite times of year is May, when InStyle releases their Best Beauty Buys. Each year, I pore over the issue, ripping out the shopping list, pinning wish-list beauty items to my Pinterest boards, and otherwise drooling over the editors' picks.

Until recently, the issue didn't contain an Eco-Friendly section (mad props to the pub for adding that in 2012!). And before my eco-makeup craze began, I frequently referenced their regular ol' picks for every beauty purchase I made. One of the consistent contenders year after year was Lancome's Bi-Facil Eye Makeup Remover. I tried it, I loved it. Eventually I began noticing an imposter on the drugstore shelf: Neutrogena's Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover. Similar blue packaging, similar mysterious separation between the compounds within. I tried it, I loved it (especially for its lower price).

Nowadays, as you know, I'm trying to use products that are as close to nature as possible. No preservatives, parabens, nasty additives, etc. Lancome's 2007 formulation of this eye makeup remover scored a 5 over at EWG's Skin Deep Cosmetics Database, and Neutrogena's scored a 4. Not bad, but I'd like a 0, so I made this simple, super-effective eye makeup remover at home myself.

Efficacy was important for me - I'm a performer, and I wear some serious eye makeup at my shows. When I come home, I need something that will remove it swiftly without scrubbing or tugging at my eye area. This one's pretty perfect. Try it, you'll love it!

Ingredients:
1 part sweet almond oil (or jojoba oil) - these are non-comedogenic and won't clog pores
1 part filtered or distilled water

Combine ingredients. Shake well before each application. Apply with a cotton ball and watch as even the heaviest eye makeup disappears.

Oh! And throw it in an old container ... I'm all for re-using bottles! :)

DIY Facial Toner

What do you do when your favorite skincare products are toxic? Lately, I've been trying to make my own. It's been sort of a science experiment in my kitchen these days, but some of my creations are good enough that I'm not missing the fancy department store counter as much. Like this one.

This is the easiest DIY ever. Seriously. And it totally works! It feels great on the skin and rivals even my most beloved toners of the past in terms of cleansing and that great tightening feeling. The only thing I'm not loving about my first batch is the smell ... but I can fix that in my next batch by adding a few drops of essential oil.

The star ingredient in this toner is raw apple cider vinegar. Raw apple cider vinegar is a pretty impressive health tonic - it naturally has antiseptic, antioxidant, antifungal, and antibacterial qualities, in addition to many other health benefits. Seriously - nutritionists around the world go wild for this stuff. For external use, it's particularly great for oily or acne-prone skin.

Enjoy!

1 part raw apple cider vinegar - I like Bragg's
1-2 parts filtered or distilled water - make sure your filter is appropriate for your water! Check out EWG's Tap Water Database to find out what's in yours and which filters work best for your water.
A few drops essential oil - be choosy about which essential oils you use for your face, as not all are safe for facial use. Rosemary or lavender would be good choices.

Combine ingredients. Shake before use. Apply gently with a cotton ball to clean skin before moisturizing.

Safe Sunscreen

The Environmental Working Group just released its 2012 Sunscreen Guide, a super-helpful tool to find safe and effective sunscreens. They analyzed over 800 sunscreens and found that only 25% met their standards. Find out how yours stacks up against the competition!

Product Review: ZuZu Luxe Oil-Free Liquid Foundation

On the hunt to replace my L'Oreal TrueMatch Super Blendable Makeup with a less toxic alternative, I decided to give Gabriel Cosmetics' ZuZu Luxe Oil-Free Liquid Foundation a whirl.

Powdered or mineral foundations can dry out my skin, and I like the "dewy" look of liquid foundation - especially with summer approaching - so it was important to me to find a good non-toxic liquid option.

I tried the R-6 color, and it is an absolutely perfect match for my skin tone. In terms of coverage, the ZuZu Luxe liquid foundation is extremely light - much more like a tinted moisturizer than a foundation. It's also quite streaky when applied with a foundation brush. It looks much better when applied with fingertips.

Bottom line:
The ZuZu Luxe Oil-Free Liquid Foundation doesn't stand up to other foundations in terms of coverage and blendability. As a tinted moisturizer, however, it's ideal for light coverage and daily use.

Price:
I bought it at my local Pharmaca for $29.99, but a Google search revealed that I probably could have found it for less online.

I should also clarify that, while the data is extremely limited, the L'Oreal TrueMatch foundation has a pretty low toxicity score of 4 over at EWG's Cosmetics Database. So it's not necessarily terrible in the first place. I may keep it around for those few times when I need heavy coverage.

Ingredient List:
Aqua (Infusion of Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice)
Glycerin
Cetearyl Alcohol
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Tocopheryl Acetate
Limonene
Cellulose Gum
Lecithin
Silica
Mica
Xanthan Gum
Cetyl Alcohol
Kaolin
Iron Oxides
Ultra Marines
Titanium Dioxide
Potassium Sorbate

After 30 years, cosmetics safety

Any lead in there?

For the first time in 30 years, Congress met last month about cosmetics safety. They're dusting off an important issue. According to PhD and toxicologist Michael DiBartolomeis, over 17,000 common personal care products contain carcinogens or reproductive toxicants.

(Why do we even wonder where cancer & infertility come from?)

The next hurdle for the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is preventing the industry from creating its own legislation and allowing itself to continue poisoning consumers. 

It's nearly impossible to sound apolitical when discussing this. But why would anyone want toxins in their cosmetics? There are alternatives that are safe and inexpensive. There's no reason for my favorite lipstick to contain lead.

In the words of today's youth: WTF?

Anyway, my intent is not to bitch & moan. I wanted to pass along a positive action we can all take to stop the madness. It's super easy to make your voice heard - click here to tell Congress to stop this new industry-created bill that will make things even worse.