PlantLove by Cargo

Hi everyone!

Let's get back to "green" make-up.

Most make-up brands out there are made from a variety of harsh products, and it's close to impossible to find make-up that is completely organic. However, there are new innovative products coming out that are as close as you're going to get to environmentally-friendly make-up.

Let me introduce you to the brand Cargo -- the only make-up brand to create a line of lipstick completely packaged in 100 percent organic tubes. The line is called PlantLove, and when I say organic, what I actually mean is that the tubes are made entirely from corn! Yes, the tube you roll the lipstick out of is technically made from food you eat! Cargo is the first make-up brand to do this, and so far their attempt to save the enviornment has been a success. Sephora, the well-known and very popular beauty boutique, has named the PlantLove line one of their best products of 2007 which you can read more about on their website, sephora.com.

What makes PlantLove so great is that it is so much more than just organic. The lipsticks also come in a box that when planted can grow wildflowers. Who would have thought! The box, as you can see in the picture, looks rugged and worn, but that is done purposely so that the wildflowers can grow from inside. My sister, Lindsy Browder, bought the cargo lip gloss and tested the company's claim that if you plant their box, you can grow flowers. And guess what, like they said, Lindsay had wildflowers sitting in a pot on her window in just a couple weeks.

Photograph taken by Lauren Browder

Aside from being packaged in plant growing cardboard, and tubed in plastic made of corn, what else could be so special about this lipstick? Well, the women who designed it are all famous! There are 15 different shades to choose from in the PlantLove line, and six of those shades were designed by celebrities Lindsay Lohan, Mariska Hargitay, Maria Menounos, Evangeline Lilly, Courtney Cox, and Sarah Chalke. The colors the celebrities picked are supposed to be the best shades to compliment their skin tones, which makes it easier for buyers to find one of the celebrity skin tones that best match them.

Hold on, I'm not done just yet raving about this lipstick.

Cargo Cosmetics is donating $2 from each purchase of the PlantLove line to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, according to their website. Not only does this lipstick support a healthy enviornment, but it also supports research for the health of our own society. This is the epitome of do-good make-up!

If you're living in Tucson like myself, there is only one place to buy Cargo's PlantLove.

Product by Maria Martin, 2905 E Skyline Dr. Suite 237 (520-615-1200), is a beauty boutique at La Encantada and is selling the lipsticks for $20 each. If you're anywhere else in the world, you can find the brand at Sephora stores, or order from Sephora.com.

If you decide to stop by Product at La Encantada, there are some other "green" beauty buys you should check out.

Mario Bedesku is an all-natural skin care line that fights aging, acne, and rosacea. Because it is all-natural, it is gentle on the skin and does not use harsh chemicals that normally dry out the skin, according to their website.

Ole Henrikson is another line that is organic and handmade. It has made a splash into Hollywood and is one of Products most popular lines.

Check out the sideshow below for pictures of Cargo's Plant Love, the boutique Product, and the lines Mario Bedesku and Ole Henrikson.