TheMakeupGirl

Green Beauty: Simply Organic Beauty

Thanks to my amazing new hairdresser (and pre-booked appts) I decided to go for the GOLD (literally) and be a blond for the next 7 weeks! BUT we all know what one is in for when they "sign on the bottom-line" for blond hair.  I have never been able to be a blond without that getting "cotton-ball head"...you know, the 18 hour long blow-outs (resulting in spaghetti arms), mounds of frizz...basically a fried mess...until now that is.

Just in the nick of time, I was introduced to Simply Organic Beauty...a new green haircare line that all the stars are using right now to maintain their stellar locks.  Gwyneth Paltrow keeps her blond beautiful with this stuff so why not Josi???

Simply Organic is a sulfate-free  line of products that relies on Olive Leaf Extracts to return our hair back to it's original pre-peroxide beauty...and it works. I have been keeping their Everyday Wash and Rinse right by my faucet outside so right after I get out of the pool I can wash my hair and get it soft again.  Hubby REALLY loves this line..he comments on the smell every time he uses it, AND this has become the perfect shampoo for our entire family! I have been slathering up the kids when they get out of the pool and my daughters hair is actually brushable now.  This stuff smells delicious, manages to get rid of build-up without stripping and delivers a great lather without the drying effects of old-school shampoos...plus I am doing good for the environment every time I use it.  Simply Organic Beauty won't put any harmful ingredients for us or the environment into their products!

Even better, I've found that Everyday Wash makes a great body wash and shave gel. It moisturizes and provides the just the right amount of lube for easy shaving! Nothing better than all-in-one summer beauty, I say!!!

Simply Organic Beauty products can be found at www.SimplyOrganicBeauty.com or at premier salons and spas nationwide.

Be Beautiful!!!

Save the Bees...w/Burt Bee's Lipbalm!!!

Did ya'll ever see that Bee movie? About what would happen to the earth if the bees quit? Scary...do your part and go buy a BB lip balm next time you are in the natural beauty section of your drug or grocery store.  I keep one of these in my purse, by my bed, by the kitchen sink...anywhere there may be a dry-lip emergency.

Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) is the sudden and mysterious die-off of honeybee colonies that has been occurring across the U.S. for the past couple of years. The bee disappearance is so widespread that it was blamed for losses of up to 70% of the managed bee colonies in U.S. beekeeping operations in 2007 and continues to be a problem moving into high pollinating season this year. (my neighbor used to keep them in his backyard and they LOVED my flowers....and then suddenly they were gone...way less blooms this year..so sad).

You might not have given much thought to the role honeybees play in our ecosystem, but the fact is that 30% of the fruit- and vegetable-producing plants we rely on to feed our families need honeybee pollination to thrive, everything from watermelons, cranberries, peppers, almonds and pumpkins. Without honeybees, these crops – our food – is at risk.

June 22 - 28 is National Pollinator Week.. and this year you can personally help save the honeybees just by buying a tube of your favorite lip balm. Burt’s Bees is donating 5% of the proceeds from every purchase of this special edition Beeswax Lip Balm to The North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC) and its Honeybee Health Improvement Project.  In addition, you can take action today to help make the planet a healthy place for bees. Simply sign up on www.burtsbees.com for a free packet of bee-friendly wildflower seeds that you can plant to give bees a healthy place to live in your neighborhood.

Bee Beautiful...

Green Beauty: Happy Earth Day!!!

Hey chickies!!  Unless you have been under a rock - April is Earth Month and TODAY is Earth Day!  Celebrate the earth in all of it's glory and be as "green" as possible.  Use re-usable resources (no plastic bags at the supermarket!!)  AND  I will help you go green by offering you the following  Earth Day discounts and product finds...

• Solessence is offering you a green day discount of 30% off your entire purchase!  Pick up some Xie Xie Lotion or Xie Xie scrub (two of  my all time favorites) Enter the words "green day" in the coupon box at checkout to receive your discount off any order over $20.

• In   honor of Earth Day, Tarte Cosmetics is offering 20% off of all tarte purchases. Their products   are loaded with healthy, natural ingredients and free of mineral oil,  sulfates,   phthalates and synthetic fragrances. Enter EARTH08 at checkout, code is valid through May 2, 2008.

• Origins is offering free standard shipping on any order PLUS a free deluxe size sample of Peace of Mind® On-the-spot-relief.  Perfect to help ease tension after a long day at the office or chasing the kids!  Click here to take advantage of this great offer.
• If you are a Bliss Spa junkie and live nearby one of their locations, you can get 20% off any purchase of Bliss and Laboratoire Remède products when you bring in a recycled Bliss bag to any of their spa locations.
• Total Beauty is having a FANTASTIC contest where you can win BIG!  The Totally Green Sweepstakes is your chance to win the new 2008 Saturn Vue™ Hybrid filled with tons of great green and organic beauty products from Origins, Suki, RAW Natural Beauty, and Sephora.  They are also doing daily prizes as well so get on over there and sign up!

Photo From: Domino Magazine

Green Pretty!!

Green Beauty: Kiehl's Encourages You To Recycle...

April is Earth Month and Earth Day is next week so in an effort to encourage environmental consciousness, Kiehl’s is giving away canvas tote bags in exchange for empty Kiehl’s bottles.

"On April 22nd, the first 50 patrons to return empty Kiehl’s bottles to one of their free-standing stores for recycling will receive a complimentary Kiehl’s reusable canvas tote bag that they may use to help reduce their consumption of disposable shopping bags."

I am addicted to the reusable bags!  I must buy one every time I am at the grocery store so the more the merrier I say!!  I got a chance to sample the new line of restorative products when I was at the flagship store in NYC and they are mahhhhvelous.  PLUS they all feature 100% Organic, fairly traded Argan Oil, and recycled plastic bottles, which really addresses Kiehl’s commitment to the environment and social responsibility

Kiehls.com to find the Kiehl’s free-standing store or Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom stores near you

Green Beauty: Ojon Celebrates Earth Month...

Happy Earth Month!!  If you didn't know, April is Earth Month and a perfect time for you to jump on the "green bandwagon" if you are still one of those that is bagging their groceries in the dreaded plastic bags that never "die".

There are tons of alternatives these days in the cosmetics and beauty industry (certainly infinitely more than even a year ago) and one company that is working hard on addressing environmental issues is Ojon.  During the month of April, Ojon is donating 10% of their online sales to MOPAWI, which is a non-profit group dedicated to promoting sustainable agricultural development in the native Miskito and Garifuna populations in La Mosquitia, a rainforest in eastern Honduras.

If you haven't tried Ojon products yet...this is the perfect excuse to do so.  Why not get a Try Me Kit...save your  poor damaged hair and give back at the same time!!  I have been using the Ojon Restorative Treatment regularly for the past year and my hair is so much softer PLUS I have less breakage.  That is a very good thing people considering how often I use heat on my hair.

Give Pretty!!

Green Beauty: Smashbox Luminizing Primer...

Green beauty is popping up everywhere!  It's nice to see cosmetic companies taking an interest in the environment and how outside influences affect our skin and the world around us.  You may have seen my post on Smashbox's 2-in-1 color gloss from their Green Room line.  The Green Room line is one of the first major cosmetic lines that is environmentally-friendly and the packaging is recyclable.

The Hybrid 2-in1 Luminizing Primer is an absolute delight!  I am already a huge fan of the Smashbox primer and this one takes it a step further by putting a pinkish bronzey luminizer in the special 2-in-one tube surrounded by the primer.  So with every squeeze, you get luminizer and primer.  This can be worn alone for a really nice natural glow or under foundation/powder.  The primer will increase the longevity of your foundation if you choose to use it that way.

In addition to all this luminizing beauty, Smashbox is doing something amazing, With the purchase of every GREEN ROOM product, a Moringa tree will be planted in a developing country by Trees for the Future. The Moringa or “Miracle Tree” is a powerhouse of nutritional value and provides a self-renewing food source for people in need. More trees also mean less soil erosion and cleaner air and water for a greener future.  Simply smashing...

Green Pretty!

Green Beauty: Aveda Lip Color Concentrate...

More green things are happening on the beauty landscape!  Remember the Rag & Bone show I covered from fashion week??  Well all of the makeup used was from Aveda, a company who has been synonymous for natural and green living long before it was fashionable to do so.  Aveda™, The Art and Science of Pure Flower and Plant Essences™, was founded in 1978 with the goal of providing beauty industry professionals with high performance, botanically based products that would be better for service providers and their guests, as well as for the planet.  Pretty forward thinking huh??

While I have never really used their makeup some of the new items in their collection have me doing a double take.  One such items is the Lip Color Concentrate.  This unique lipstick is like a stain which I LOVVVVE!  It stays on, doesn't feather and comes in an array of shades (24 to be exact) and the ingredients are just as impressive as well.  This little tube is full of anti-oxidants, plant emollients and a certified organic yummy peppermint flavor/scent.  The lipstick also is SPF 15 and comes encased in a tube of 88% post-consumer recycled resin; housed in a 100% recycled newsprint shell.  Whew!  Say that 5 times fast!!

Bottom line, a lovely lip color that is friendly for the earth and does not sacrifice pretty looks and long wear to have a pretty earth.

Green Pretty!!

Green Beauty: Smashbox Green Room Hybrid 2-in-1 Color & Shine Gloss...

Such a great idea...I love the idea of these new breeds of glosses popping up!  Smashbox has a whole new line called "Green Room" and this 2-in-1 Color & Shine Gloss is the standout for me so far.  It feels great, looks great and smells like a yummy calorie laden coffee drink.  Aside from all that Smashbox is doing something amazing, With the purchase of every GREEN ROOM product, a Moringa tree will be planted in a developing country by Trees for the Future. The Moringa or “Miracle Tree” is a powerhouse of nutritional value and provides a self-renewing food source for people in need. More trees also mean less soil erosion and cleaner air and water for a greener future.

This gloss is environmentally-friendly and is packed in the tube with color in the middle and super shiny gloss surrounding it.  You can get a natural or more sophisticated look with each squeeze. The special 2 in 1 tube is recyclable (as is of the Green Room packaging) so it's beauty you can feel good about!  Comes in three wearable shades and retails for $19.

Gloss Pretty!!  (and green!)