Organic For Summer

Fellow beauty enthusiast and contributing editor, Alex Asher Seers dishes on her favorite organic picks and beauty tips for Summer.

Read on, ladies, this is need-to-know info!

Alex's beauty cabinet

"As a third generation Angeleno, it’s probably sacrilege to say I hate the heat. But I do. And so does my skin. Growing up with Mlle. Howard, summer was a never-ending pool party. Those were the days when my tan was real and my highlights were a mix of too much sun and pool chlorine. SPF, what?

These days I stay out of the sun, and try to keep my beauty choices eco-conscious and organic whenever possible. As a writer and photographer, some days I’m at home writing without a scrap of makeup and others I’m on a shoot hoping my mascara hasn’t smudge across my entire eye after hours behind the camera. Here’s what’s cluttering my vanity these days:

I’m a Dr. Hauschka devotee. I use Dr. H’s Cleansing Milk, Clarifying Toner and Normalizing Day Oil everyday. Perfect for combo skin but even better when the temperatures rise. If I need an exfoliator, I can’t say enough about Arcona’s Cranberry Gommage. It cleans without feeling as abrasive as some scrubs I’ve used.

I use California Baby Shampoo year-round and Giovanni Organics Tea Tree Conditioner in warm weather when hair feels oily. My hair is naturally wavy if I don’t blow-dry it and in summer I don’t even think about it. I spray in Korres Leave-On Conditioner to defrizz. If I want more texture David Babaii’s Bohemian Beach Spray smells amazing and 10% of profits go to WildAid.


As much as I love finding a discovering a product, some people are a wealth of information. Like my friend Erin Harding (www.yourlastlooks.com). Since the age of twelve I’ve been getting beauty tips from her. Now she’s an Emmy Award-winning makeup artist and she’s always there with expert advice. When I found mineral makeup bothered my skin she explained why.

“Many women come to me asking why mineral makeup irritates their skin when it’s supposed to be better for them. With nearly every cosmetic company trying to ride the green money train it's important to remember that not all mineral makeups are made equal. Many brands cut production costs by including different additives into their products. One of the big culprits appears to be BISMUTH OXYCHLORIDE, a color and texture enhancing product, which can cause redness, itching and dryness.”

Her pick? Jane Iredale mineral cosmetics for, “their quality and sensitivity tested ingredients.”

For makeup, I begin with Erin’s own primer by The Eris Collection. It’s the first primer I found that was paraben free and oil free and it gives everything from tinted moisturizer to foundation serious staying power. For tinted moisturizer, I mix Lancome UV EXPERT with Dr. H’s Translucent Bronze Concentrate. L’Oreal Bare Naturale mascara and a bit of Tarte cheek stain and I’m set.

The last few months left my skin really dry. I use Korres Yoghurt Body Butter every day. I love Weleda Skin Food, too, but Erin turned me on to Egyptian Magic (http://egyptianmagic.com) which she adores. “From my children to my clients, I have relied on this little jar for every skin ailment you can imagine. I'm not quite sure which ingredient is the "magic" that makes it so special, but I'm beginning to think it's the love..."

And speaking of love, for fellow dog-lovers out there, I am a huge fan of SPA DOG by Fleurs de France. They use natural ingredients and lavender essential oils from their native France in their shampoo and dog spray. I use it on Truffaut at home or bring it to the groomer. His coat is amazing and lavender is a natural flea repellent. Since their skin can’t handle washing more than every 3-4 weeks, the spray is like dry shampoo. It smells great and has silicone, which repels dirt. They also have a great line for people, too.

Today almost hit triple digits. While I can’t go back to the summer of ’88, I’m thinking I’ll channel the happy days of childhood with a few highlights, some Lavera organic self tanner and a pedicure in Zoya’s neon pink Ali polish. Ready or not, here comes summer.

So many incredible products, so many summer necessities...

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