Hello everyone!
Unfortunately, this is my last blog. Don't worry though -- green living is something that will be a future topic for The Cat Scan (which a whole new class of students will be tackling). While writing about green beauty and fashion I was overwhelmed with the amount of information and stories that were related to the topic, so this is definitely not the end of the discussion. For my readers, check out The Cat Scan, and stay tuned for next semester's class of students who will have new blogs formulated to enrich our communities minds on eco-friendly living.
To next semesters students:
The Cat Scan will be one of your favorite classes in the Journalism Department guaranteed! This class is as close as it gets to real-world reporting, and although it is demanding, it is a lot of fun! Class participation is where it counts, so do your part and you will be fine.
The topic of green living was great to work with, and I suspect you will enjoy writing about it as much as I did. Whether your into sports or beauty, it is very likely that there is something green related to it. That is why you will be given the assignment to develop personal blogs. Here you can focus on whatever you love and relate it to eco-friendly living. The possibilities are endless.
Finding stories to write about is easy with green living as a topic. There are so many websites that have plenty of information, like treehugger.com and ecomall.com, to help you generate ideas. Furthermore, green issues are happening everyday, so just keep up with your newspaper and talk to organizations about things going on in the community. Our class came up with more ideas than we could actually write about, so you will have no problem coming up with possible stories.
For those of you who are intimidated by the rumors you might have heard about the capstone classes, here is some advice:
1. The Cat Scan was more fun than hard!
2. grades are based on participation, so take a leadership role and you will be fine
3. if you don't do a leadership role, make sure you write a story once a week and you will receive a good grade
4. Come to class!
5. Be prepared to use all sorts of media like video, audio and more. We used everything and had to learn software that none of us had any experience with
6. Do not procrastinate with the projects! start them at least 2 weeks ahead of time. Working in groups is a lot better than working alone.
Overall, The Cat Scan is fun and will give each person the opportunity to publish their work. It is great for resumes, so take it seriously and write as if it were going into a real newspaper or website. Future employers will want to see your published works, so this is your first opportunity to impress people with your writing and videos.
Good luck and have a great year!
Lauren
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Juice Beauty
A new green product line called Juice Beauty is becoming the new rave for woman into organic beauty products. The line was developed by two women living in California who caught onto the new trend of living green and then decided to relate it to the beauty industry. That lead to the development of Juice Beauty, a completely organic line that is derived from juices made from all around the world. 
Juice Beauty is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. Almost all of the products they sell are made out of organic juices found in our natural environment. The brand is also 95 percent organic certified, which is unheard of when it comes to skincare. Although the products are based on natural juices, other ingredients like aloe Vera, honey, botanicals, plant oils, and raw cane sugar from farms that specialize in organic farming are used.
So what made Juice Beauty use juice? The company says that juice derivatives are hugely effective in helping skin appear healthier, and feel better. They promote their products for those needing to help the look and feel of their skin, but also for those who want to do their part for the enviornment.
"Juice Beauty's pure organic ingredients are packed with age-defying potency...powerful antioxidants and polyphenols, essential vitamins, vital phytonutrients and age-defying hydroxy acids. And..for optimum age-defying results, Juice Beauty's antioxidant technology combines alpha-lipoic acid, coenzyme Q10, DMAE, peptides, fat soluble Vitamin C and essential fatty acids for healthy, radiant skin," according to the Juice Beauty website.
Companies like Sephora have seen the potential in organic beauty, and are promoting Juice Beauty as one of their best-selling environmentally safe products. You can browse Juice Beauty's complete line at Sephora.com. Right now, one of the lines best selling products is the Green Apple Antioxidant Moisturizer, $43. The Green Apple line has everything from face serums to body butter. One of my favorite's is the Green Apple starter kit, which is great as a gift or a introduction system to the brand.
If you want to try the line before you by it, go to your local Sephora. There they will have samples you can try and small samples you can take home. Beware though, the intoxicating smell of Green Apple might make you buy it on the spot!
Talk to you soon,
Lauren
Juice Beauty is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. Almost all of the products they sell are made out of organic juices found in our natural environment. The brand is also 95 percent organic certified, which is unheard of when it comes to skincare. Although the products are based on natural juices, other ingredients like aloe Vera, honey, botanicals, plant oils, and raw cane sugar from farms that specialize in organic farming are used.
So what made Juice Beauty use juice? The company says that juice derivatives are hugely effective in helping skin appear healthier, and feel better. They promote their products for those needing to help the look and feel of their skin, but also for those who want to do their part for the enviornment.
"Juice Beauty's pure organic ingredients are packed with age-defying potency...powerful antioxidants and polyphenols, essential vitamins, vital phytonutrients and age-defying hydroxy acids. And..for optimum age-defying results, Juice Beauty's antioxidant technology combines alpha-lipoic acid, coenzyme Q10, DMAE, peptides, fat soluble Vitamin C and essential fatty acids for healthy, radiant skin," according to the Juice Beauty website.
Companies like Sephora have seen the potential in organic beauty, and are promoting Juice Beauty as one of their best-selling environmentally safe products. You can browse Juice Beauty's complete line at Sephora.com. Right now, one of the lines best selling products is the Green Apple Antioxidant Moisturizer, $43. The Green Apple line has everything from face serums to body butter. One of my favorite's is the Green Apple starter kit, which is great as a gift or a introduction system to the brand.
If you want to try the line before you by it, go to your local Sephora. There they will have samples you can try and small samples you can take home. Beware though, the intoxicating smell of Green Apple might make you buy it on the spot!
Talk to you soon,
Lauren
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Some new "green" designers to look out for
Hi everyone!
Although a lot of your favorite brands have done things to become more "green", you should definitely keep an eye out for new and up and coming brands that have designed their labels on the foundation of eco-friendly fashion from the get go. There are plenty of designers out there needing recognition, and you can give them that by showing support in what they are doing for the enviornment.
Here are a couple:
SANS
Developed by designer Lika Volkova and Alessandro De Vito, SANS has penetrated the "green" market by using eco-friendly materials such as bamboo, tussah silk, and organic cotton and wool. SANS, meaning "without", was named just that for a reason. The brand is "without" pesticides and chemicals that are common to most other fashion lines and textiles. The brand also has a simplistic appeal for "classic" girls who don't want to follow the out-of-ordinary styles that we so often see on the runways.However, SANS has a new age appeal, combining simplistic colors and patterns with unique designs. The brand has received some major recognition from magazines and other designers for its appealing looks and do-good mentality. So where can you find SANS? Barney's New York is a carrier, and if you can get in right now, you might be able to grab one of the companies soy socks, which are on sale.. yes that would be socks made out of soy.
Linda Loudermilk
Although a lot of your favorite brands have done things to become more "green", you should definitely keep an eye out for new and up and coming brands that have designed their labels on the foundation of eco-friendly fashion from the get go. There are plenty of designers out there needing recognition, and you can give them that by showing support in what they are doing for the enviornment.
Here are a couple:
SANS Developed by designer Lika Volkova and Alessandro De Vito, SANS has penetrated the "green" market by using eco-friendly materials such as bamboo, tussah silk, and organic cotton and wool. SANS, meaning "without", was named just that for a reason. The brand is "without" pesticides and chemicals that are common to most other fashion lines and textiles. The brand also has a simplistic appeal for "classic" girls who don't want to follow the out-of-ordinary styles that we so often see on the runways.However, SANS has a new age appeal, combining simplistic colors and patterns with unique designs. The brand has received some major recognition from magazines and other designers for its appealing looks and do-good mentality. So where can you find SANS? Barney's New York is a carrier, and if you can get in right now, you might be able to grab one of the companies soy socks, which are on sale.. yes that would be socks made out of soy.
Linda Loudermilk
Linda Loudermilk, who is a "green" designer based out of Los Angeles, uses textiles that include bamboo wool, wood pulp, Ingeo, hemp, organic cotton fur, Sea Cell, reclaimed textiles, silk and Oeko-Tex fabrications. The designer, oddly enough, has also used human hair in her line.
The designer was honored in W magazine as one of the most innovative and smart designers of the year, she was featured on the Sundance channel for her unique approach on fashion, and was names the lifestyle designer for Lexus hybrid's. She has taken over the "green" market and is recognized as the industry's leader in eco-friendly fashion. She started the trend in 2002.
Click here to go to Zoom Zoom where you can watch Linda's runway show.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
5 Easy Ways to Make Your Beauty Routine "Greener"
Hello --
If you are like me, changing your beauty routine is like breaking a lifetime habit. In a world that is going "green", however, some of the beauty habits we women have are just going to have to change if we really want to do our part for the enviornment.
Let's face the facts:
A normal day-to-day beauty routine for some women can include blow drying, curling, soaps and suds, perfumes, bleaches, waxes, sprays, and the hundreds of other types of beauty enhancements. The good news is that all those products we use now have eco-friendly alternatives which have been some of this years biggest trends. Switching to organic beauty products and recycled packaging is definitely a step in the right direction, but there is still more you can do.
Below are five things you can do to revitalize your beauty habits so that they are "green". Don't worry, they are easy and will most likely help your budget!
1. Stop Blow Drying!
Every time you blow dry your hair you use tons of electricity. Instead of using heat to primp your tresses, roll your hair with Velcro rollers and let them air dry. This not only lessens the amount electricity you use, but it is 100 percent better for your hair. For the past month I have limited my blow drying to only one time a week. The results have been great and my hair looks healthier and still styles just as good with the use of rollers.
2. Dispose of your liquids in a safe way
All the chemicals that are used in self tanners, face washes, and foundations are extremely harmful to the enviornment. In in a story done by NBC's WOAI, they found a way to properly dispose of those types of liquids so that they don't end up in our natural enviornment. In their article, Tossing Old Medicines and Cosmetics May Hurt the Environment, they said emptying your liquids into cat litter is the best solution to the problem. After it absorbs into the litter, go ahead and toss it out.
3. Stop the long showers!
In the morning some of us linger in the shower as long as possible savoring the tranquil moments before our hectic day. As relaxing as it is, it is wasting water! Cut down on the water you use by brushing your teeth and washing your face while you shower, and try and keep the shower to 8 minutes or less. Even better, take a bath. You use a lot less water taking a bath than you do taking a shower, and you can lay in the tub as long as you want!
4. Buy Jumbo Size
There are multiple rows in our local stores filled with varieties of shampoos and conditioners. Making your hair routine "green" is easy now that you can buy biodegradable packaging and organic conditioners and shampoos. But let's face it, some of us don't want to change the products we already use, so why not just change how you use it. Instead of buying normal sized packaging, switch to the "family size" or "jumbo size". This will lessen the amount of times you have to buy the product, therefor reducing the amount of chemicals and packaging you are purchasing. You can also, buy products that have the conditioner and shampoo in one. It is an easy way to use the same stuff you love, but still reduce the amount you are using.
5. Use natural light when applying make-up
For some of us, our bathrooms are our only places of seclusion. We can shut ourselves off from the world only to enter the land of beauty. One thing you may not think about it the amount of lighting you use when your in your bathroom. Whether it is morning or night, many women use magnifying lamps or giants overhead lights to get the best light needed for the perfect makeup application. This is definitely one habit in your beauty routine you can easily change. Instead of locking yourself off in an electricity sucking bathroom, go to a room in your home that has great natural light. There you can avoid using electricity and also do a better job at making your make-up look natural. If you don't have another room, change the light bulbs in your bathroom to eco-friendly light bulbs. If you have some spare money, add a skylight or a window to your bathroom to create that natural light.
Hopefully these are some tips that won't throw your day-to-day routines into a beauty frenzy. Moving to a greener world is easy when we take small steps in the right direction, so use these five simple steps as a way to do the right thing! It may not seem like a lot, but when if more and more women make the change, it will definitely make a difference.
Talk to you soon,
Lauren
If you are like me, changing your beauty routine is like breaking a lifetime habit. In a world that is going "green", however, some of the beauty habits we women have are just going to have to change if we really want to do our part for the enviornment.
Let's face the facts:
A normal day-to-day beauty routine for some women can include blow drying, curling, soaps and suds, perfumes, bleaches, waxes, sprays, and the hundreds of other types of beauty enhancements. The good news is that all those products we use now have eco-friendly alternatives which have been some of this years biggest trends. Switching to organic beauty products and recycled packaging is definitely a step in the right direction, but there is still more you can do.
Below are five things you can do to revitalize your beauty habits so that they are "green". Don't worry, they are easy and will most likely help your budget!
1. Stop Blow Drying!
Every time you blow dry your hair you use tons of electricity. Instead of using heat to primp your tresses, roll your hair with Velcro rollers and let them air dry. This not only lessens the amount electricity you use, but it is 100 percent better for your hair. For the past month I have limited my blow drying to only one time a week. The results have been great and my hair looks healthier and still styles just as good with the use of rollers.
2. Dispose of your liquids in a safe way
All the chemicals that are used in self tanners, face washes, and foundations are extremely harmful to the enviornment. In in a story done by NBC's WOAI, they found a way to properly dispose of those types of liquids so that they don't end up in our natural enviornment. In their article, Tossing Old Medicines and Cosmetics May Hurt the Environment, they said emptying your liquids into cat litter is the best solution to the problem. After it absorbs into the litter, go ahead and toss it out.
3. Stop the long showers!
In the morning some of us linger in the shower as long as possible savoring the tranquil moments before our hectic day. As relaxing as it is, it is wasting water! Cut down on the water you use by brushing your teeth and washing your face while you shower, and try and keep the shower to 8 minutes or less. Even better, take a bath. You use a lot less water taking a bath than you do taking a shower, and you can lay in the tub as long as you want!
4. Buy Jumbo Size
There are multiple rows in our local stores filled with varieties of shampoos and conditioners. Making your hair routine "green" is easy now that you can buy biodegradable packaging and organic conditioners and shampoos. But let's face it, some of us don't want to change the products we already use, so why not just change how you use it. Instead of buying normal sized packaging, switch to the "family size" or "jumbo size". This will lessen the amount of times you have to buy the product, therefor reducing the amount of chemicals and packaging you are purchasing. You can also, buy products that have the conditioner and shampoo in one. It is an easy way to use the same stuff you love, but still reduce the amount you are using.
5. Use natural light when applying make-up
For some of us, our bathrooms are our only places of seclusion. We can shut ourselves off from the world only to enter the land of beauty. One thing you may not think about it the amount of lighting you use when your in your bathroom. Whether it is morning or night, many women use magnifying lamps or giants overhead lights to get the best light needed for the perfect makeup application. This is definitely one habit in your beauty routine you can easily change. Instead of locking yourself off in an electricity sucking bathroom, go to a room in your home that has great natural light. There you can avoid using electricity and also do a better job at making your make-up look natural. If you don't have another room, change the light bulbs in your bathroom to eco-friendly light bulbs. If you have some spare money, add a skylight or a window to your bathroom to create that natural light.
Hopefully these are some tips that won't throw your day-to-day routines into a beauty frenzy. Moving to a greener world is easy when we take small steps in the right direction, so use these five simple steps as a way to do the right thing! It may not seem like a lot, but when if more and more women make the change, it will definitely make a difference.
Talk to you soon,
Lauren
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Back to M.A.C
Hello!
If you're a M.A.C lover, like many makeup wearers are, don't throw away your old lipsticks and eye shadows!
You may already know, or you may not, but M.A.C cosmetics wants your old M.A.C containers back. According to Tucson M.A.C manager, Janelle Marquez, for the past ten years MAC has been recycling old containers to build new playgrounds in underprivileged areas.
" We will take everything back except for pencils, bags, and brushes," said Marquez. "We will send them into corporate where they melt them down and turn the old containers into playgrounds."
The recycling program is called "Back to M.A.C". All you need is 6 old M.A.C. containers, bring them into your local store, and you can get any lipstick of your choice for free (lipsticks cost $14).
If you bring your containers into a M.A.C counter at a department store, you can pick any lipstick you want. But, if your bring your containers into a M.A.C. store you can pick any lipstick, eye shadow, or blush that you want!
So far, the program has been a success, said Marquez.
"It has really given people an incentive to shop with us," she said.
Estee Lauder, which owns M.A.C, has really taken a step in the right direction when it comes to saving the environment. They also own Aveda which is known for its organic and natural products.
Right now Aveda is selling products like their reusable organic cotton tote bag which you can bring with you every time you shop. Their hair care products are also all-natural, which is better than buying all those other chemical-filled products out there.
"The Aveda Hair Color line contains up to 99% naturally derived formulas, resulting in longer lasting color that leaves the hair incredibly glossy and shiny."—David Adams,
Technical Artistic Director
Well, the list is started to get pretty long of all the beauty companies that provide Eco-friendly services. Until next time, do your part for the environment by recycling your old stuff, and buying the new "green" products out there!
Talk to you soon,
Lauren Browder
If you're a M.A.C lover, like many makeup wearers are, don't throw away your old lipsticks and eye shadows!
You may already know, or you may not, but M.A.C cosmetics wants your old M.A.C containers back. According to Tucson M.A.C manager, Janelle Marquez, for the past ten years MAC has been recycling old containers to build new playgrounds in underprivileged areas.
" We will take everything back except for pencils, bags, and brushes," said Marquez. "We will send them into corporate where they melt them down and turn the old containers into playgrounds."
The recycling program is called "Back to M.A.C". All you need is 6 old M.A.C. containers, bring them into your local store, and you can get any lipstick of your choice for free (lipsticks cost $14).
If you bring your containers into a M.A.C counter at a department store, you can pick any lipstick you want. But, if your bring your containers into a M.A.C. store you can pick any lipstick, eye shadow, or blush that you want!
So far, the program has been a success, said Marquez.
"It has really given people an incentive to shop with us," she said.
Estee Lauder, which owns M.A.C, has really taken a step in the right direction when it comes to saving the environment. They also own Aveda which is known for its organic and natural products.
Right now Aveda is selling products like their reusable organic cotton tote bag which you can bring with you every time you shop. Their hair care products are also all-natural, which is better than buying all those other chemical-filled products out there.
"The Aveda Hair Color line contains up to 99% naturally derived formulas, resulting in longer lasting color that leaves the hair incredibly glossy and shiny."—David Adams,
Technical Artistic Director
Well, the list is started to get pretty long of all the beauty companies that provide Eco-friendly services. Until next time, do your part for the environment by recycling your old stuff, and buying the new "green" products out there!
Talk to you soon,
Lauren Browder
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Home Remedies
Hi everyone!
Homemade beauty remedies are the new way to keep yourself beautiful without hurting the enviroment. It is usually cheaper and healthier for your body and there are so many recipes out there that use ingredients found right in your kitchen! Instead of going out and spending money on products that use harsh chemicals, stay home and look in your pantry for ingredients that can do the same thing without chemicals or the high price tag.
Treehugger.com named homemade beauty treatments as their "hard core" way to "go green" for women's personal care. At there website they provide a list of links to the best homemade remedies around.
There are also tons of books that provide advice on how to make your own products. Beauty by Rona Berg is a great example and it has a whole section on homemade ideas! The book focuses on skin treatments and shows what ingredients you should avoid if you have sensitive skin or if you are prone to acne. I bought the book to test out some of the ideas they gave, and here is my favorite recipe:
(hint: yogurt kills bacteria and helps soften the skin, according to Berg)
Curds and Clay
4 tablespoons clay
2 teaspoons plain yogurt
4 teaspoons water
2 drops tea tree or geranium oil
( or boil fresh thyme in water and replace the water above with 4 teaspoons thyme water)
1. mix ingredients to form a paste
2. apply to your face with clean fingers
3. leave on face for 15 minutes
4. rinse off with warm water
The recipe helped my skin look more radiant and feel softer. I had everything in my kitchen except for the tree tea oil, which cost me about $2.00 at the grocery store. (Hint: Tea Tree Oil is great for on the spot acne). It also only took me 5 minutes to make!
When making your own skin remedies, Berg says there are some major ingredients you should always avoid.
"They clog pores and can cause blackheads, pimples, or cosmetics-related acne," Blog said in her book.
Here is a list of the ingredients to always SAY NO to:
1. Cocoa Butter
2.Paraffin
3. Petrolatum
4. Mineral Oil
5.Coconut Oil
6. PABA
7. D&C red dyes
8.FD&C red dyes
Some good alternative to this bad ingredients are:
1. Plant oils (except coconut)
2.Kalaya oils
3.vegetable glycerin
4.caramel
5. iron oxide
6.beeswax
7.jojoba wax
8. titanium dioxide
Till' next time, have fun making some new homemade beauty products!
~Lauren~
Homemade beauty remedies are the new way to keep yourself beautiful without hurting the enviroment. It is usually cheaper and healthier for your body and there are so many recipes out there that use ingredients found right in your kitchen! Instead of going out and spending money on products that use harsh chemicals, stay home and look in your pantry for ingredients that can do the same thing without chemicals or the high price tag.
Treehugger.com named homemade beauty treatments as their "hard core" way to "go green" for women's personal care. At there website they provide a list of links to the best homemade remedies around.
There are also tons of books that provide advice on how to make your own products. Beauty by Rona Berg is a great example and it has a whole section on homemade ideas! The book focuses on skin treatments and shows what ingredients you should avoid if you have sensitive skin or if you are prone to acne. I bought the book to test out some of the ideas they gave, and here is my favorite recipe:(hint: yogurt kills bacteria and helps soften the skin, according to Berg)
Curds and Clay
4 tablespoons clay
2 teaspoons plain yogurt
4 teaspoons water
2 drops tea tree or geranium oil
( or boil fresh thyme in water and replace the water above with 4 teaspoons thyme water)
1. mix ingredients to form a paste
2. apply to your face with clean fingers
3. leave on face for 15 minutes
4. rinse off with warm water
The recipe helped my skin look more radiant and feel softer. I had everything in my kitchen except for the tree tea oil, which cost me about $2.00 at the grocery store. (Hint: Tea Tree Oil is great for on the spot acne). It also only took me 5 minutes to make!
When making your own skin remedies, Berg says there are some major ingredients you should always avoid.
Photograph courtesy of Lotus Head
"They clog pores and can cause blackheads, pimples, or cosmetics-related acne," Blog said in her book.
Here is a list of the ingredients to always SAY NO to:
1. Cocoa Butter
2.Paraffin
3. Petrolatum
4. Mineral Oil
5.Coconut Oil
6. PABA
7. D&C red dyes
8.FD&C red dyes
Some good alternative to this bad ingredients are:
1. Plant oils (except coconut)
2.Kalaya oils
3.vegetable glycerin
4.caramel
5. iron oxide
6.beeswax
7.jojoba wax
8. titanium dioxide
Till' next time, have fun making some new homemade beauty products!
~Lauren~
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Perfect Organics
Hi Everyone,
This past weekend I was in Washington D.C. and attended the Green Festival put on by Global Exchange and Co-op America. There was over 300 vendors that came to educate the public on how to "live green" and it attracted hundreds of people from the surrounding areas. While I was making my way around the festival, I was amazed at the variety of ways people can live eco-friendly lives, and one of the most popular ways for females was "green" fashion and beauty.
There was a whole section of the festival dedicated to "green" fashion and beauty -- from clothing companies using only organic fabrics to plastic surgeons using all "green" technology in their buildings. I had no idea so many companies in the beauty industry had taken such a stand on helping the enviornment, but what better way then to provide products woman use everyday in a "green" alternative.
For example, the company Perfect Organics. is a company that provides organic T-shirts and beauty products sold at your local Whole Foods Market. The owner, Deborah Claire, said her goal was to have a company that provides more of a lifestyle for those that want to live "green". She started off with only skin products but has revolved the company into one that provides skin products, make-up, and clothing.
"Our mission is simple: to create wholesome organic, vegan, multi-use products unrivaled in perfection, purity and effectiveness for men, women, and children," it says on their website. "We know that what you put on your skin has to be perfect because it can be easily absorbed directly into your body –that’s why you will never find chemical additives, artificial ingredients, fillers or synthetic preservatives of any kind in Perfect Organics.™"
Claire says her most popular products right now are her "karma" organic t-shirt and her "Perfect Organics" classic t-shirt.
The company has also been featured on Wendy Reiger's segment, Going Green, for NBC 4 in Washington D.C. as a great place to buy "green" gifts.
Other company's like, the first organic medical spa owned by Honi Borden, are taking on the industry of "green" plastic surgery and beauty enhancements. Her company not only sells natural skin care called Ah Shayh, but she has built her company in a way that promotes natural beauty enhancements. She says this eliminates lots of chemicals and electricity that are normally used in the process, yet still providing the same results.
There is also a local Washington D.C. spa that is promoting "green" beauty. The Nusta Spa on L street, is the first spa in America to receive the leadership in energy and environmental design award for being a green building. Everything from the bamboo floors to the products they use are "green".
Basically, "green" beauty is not just a trend anymore. It is a lifestyle that people are determined to live. Allure magazine, for example, has just published a whole section in their October issue on how to change your beauty routines to better the enviornment. Some of the easiest ones that I plan on doing are:
1. Air drying my hair instead of blow-drying everyday
2. Asking my hair stylist to use recycled foils in my hair when I am getting a highlight
3. using natural light during the day to put my make-up on instead of staying in the bathroom and turning on the light.
4. Buy jumbo size shampoo and conditioner bottles instead of smaller ones so that I don't have to restock so often.
Let's be honest -- it doesn't get any simpler than that.
See you next week with more on Green beauty and fashion!
Lauren
This past weekend I was in Washington D.C. and attended the Green Festival put on by Global Exchange and Co-op America. There was over 300 vendors that came to educate the public on how to "live green" and it attracted hundreds of people from the surrounding areas. While I was making my way around the festival, I was amazed at the variety of ways people can live eco-friendly lives, and one of the most popular ways for females was "green" fashion and beauty.
There was a whole section of the festival dedicated to "green" fashion and beauty -- from clothing companies using only organic fabrics to plastic surgeons using all "green" technology in their buildings. I had no idea so many companies in the beauty industry had taken such a stand on helping the enviornment, but what better way then to provide products woman use everyday in a "green" alternative.
For example, the company Perfect Organics. is a company that provides organic T-shirts and beauty products sold at your local Whole Foods Market. The owner, Deborah Claire, said her goal was to have a company that provides more of a lifestyle for those that want to live "green". She started off with only skin products but has revolved the company into one that provides skin products, make-up, and clothing.
"Our mission is simple: to create wholesome organic, vegan, multi-use products unrivaled in perfection, purity and effectiveness for men, women, and children," it says on their website. "We know that what you put on your skin has to be perfect because it can be easily absorbed directly into your body –that’s why you will never find chemical additives, artificial ingredients, fillers or synthetic preservatives of any kind in Perfect Organics.™"
Claire says her most popular products right now are her "karma" organic t-shirt and her "Perfect Organics" classic t-shirt.
The company has also been featured on Wendy Reiger's segment, Going Green, for NBC 4 in Washington D.C. as a great place to buy "green" gifts.
Other company's like, the first organic medical spa owned by Honi Borden, are taking on the industry of "green" plastic surgery and beauty enhancements. Her company not only sells natural skin care called Ah Shayh, but she has built her company in a way that promotes natural beauty enhancements. She says this eliminates lots of chemicals and electricity that are normally used in the process, yet still providing the same results.
There is also a local Washington D.C. spa that is promoting "green" beauty. The Nusta Spa on L street, is the first spa in America to receive the leadership in energy and environmental design award for being a green building. Everything from the bamboo floors to the products they use are "green".
Basically, "green" beauty is not just a trend anymore. It is a lifestyle that people are determined to live. Allure magazine, for example, has just published a whole section in their October issue on how to change your beauty routines to better the enviornment. Some of the easiest ones that I plan on doing are:
1. Air drying my hair instead of blow-drying everyday
2. Asking my hair stylist to use recycled foils in my hair when I am getting a highlight
3. using natural light during the day to put my make-up on instead of staying in the bathroom and turning on the light.
4. Buy jumbo size shampoo and conditioner bottles instead of smaller ones so that I don't have to restock so often.
Let's be honest -- it doesn't get any simpler than that.
See you next week with more on Green beauty and fashion!
Lauren
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
