GET SMART: Eco-Beauty with EarthSmart's Kim Carlson

I love sharing my eco-beauty finds and helping people understand why it’s so important to green your beauty routine. But I am definitely not alone in this and continue to be inspired by those who were championing the cause way before me, like Sophie Uliano over at Gorgeously Green and Kim Carlson of EarthSmart Consumer. Kim founded five green companies, has a national radio show “Livin The Green Life” and is NBC’s “EarthSmart Expert.”

At EarthSmartConsumer.com you can learn more about eco-conscious living and, if you like quizzes like I do, take her Green Quiz to find out how green your lifestyle is. And remember, going green doesn't mean sacrificing your sense of style. Kim “has one foot in earth-friendly idealism and the other in style-conscious living. And she’s wearing stiletto heels.” She shared her favorite beauty picks with Beauty Banter for morning and night.

Kim’s morning routine:

- Tom’s of Maine Whole Care Toothpaste
- Kiss My Face bar soap for the shower (because bar soap have little to no packaging)
- Belegenza shampoo and condition (free of parabens and sodium lauryl sulfates)
- Alba Very Emollient Body Lotion
- Makeup by Dr. Hauschka, including eye shadow (containing black tea leaf which is rich in antioxidants and skin soothing), Dr. H’s mascara (with anti-microbial, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory Neem leaf) and Dr. H’s lipstick (with Rose Hip Fruit extract to protect and soothe chapped lips).

Kim’s bedtime ritual:

-Remove makeup with an Aveda Shammy Cloth and water
-Soak in Avalon Organics Lavender Bath & Shower Gel
-Replenish moisture to face and hands with Organic Shea Butter from L’Occitane

Kim believes, “one thing at a time is the best way to green your beauty routine.” And I agree. Same goes for clothing (Kim’s eco-friendly picks include jeans by Karmel & Alden and earth-friendly frocks like the Chitin dress by Linda Loudermilk). What I love about Kim’s philosophy is that she knows that a) change is hard, and b) you don’t have to suffer to look and feel good. With that in mind, her advice is “starting with small changes can make a big difference and impact.” Switch out one or two beauty products with eco-friendly counterparts and you’re on your way! Kim’s new book Green Your Work: Boost Your Bottom Line While Reducing Your Eco-Footprint, is in stores now. And check out her website for great articles and videos as well. I love all the recipes for homemade scrubs and masks. xo alex.

UN-PETROLEUM JELLY

Vaseline is a fabulous multi-purpose product for skin and beauty. Sarah recently wrote about how versatile it is and I agree. But I try to stay away from mineral oils and petrochemicals and well, petroleum jelly is exactly what is says it is. What's a girl to do? Fortunately, Avalon Organics has created a greener version of the classic standby with Alba Un-Petroleum Jelly.

Instead of a crude oil, Un-Petroleum Jelly uses castor and coconut oil, along with beeswax and vitamin E to create a moisturizing, soothing and non-comedogenic alternative. Traditional petroleum jellies don’t absorb into the skin they simply coat it. So your skin can’t breathe and pores get clogged. Not good. Plus, the petrochemical factor is hardly eco-friendly. The health concerns are still debatable but the European Union has banned them from most cosmetics.

Un-Petroleum Jelly does the work of its predecessor to sooth rough or chapped skin. I always apply it before self-tanner to elbows, ankles, and heels to keep color even. It’s great for removing heavy eye makeup, and to moisturize lips. The older petro-bases can actually dry lips over time because they protect the skin but don’t actually hydrate. Un-Petroleum has now released a trio of lip balms in vanilla, cherry and tangerine. Made with jojoba and olive oil, they’re SPF 18 and free of artificial color, parabens and phalates.

A few words from the company:

“We founded Avalon Natural Products in 1989 on the principles of quality, innovation, integrity, and leadership. As such, we offer a unique collection of quality personal care products for caring consumers seeking natural, organic and cruelty-free ingredient alternatives. All of our products are 100% vegetarian and are never tested on animals.”

So, say goodbye to that old jar and pick up a tube of Un-Petroleum Jelly at Whole Foods, Wild Oats or online at here and here. xo alex.

The Secret to Keeping Cool During Summer

I've found the secret to keeping cool during this terrible, sweltering heat - peppermint!!! I know it sounds strange, but hear me out. Minty products have long been used to awaken, energize and invigorate - they use some form of mint in many aromatherapy bath products because the "cooling" sensation is said to awaken the senses (think Aveda's Rosemary MINT shampoo...).

Anyway, I've had Bliss's Super Minty Soap N Scrub in my shower for years now. It's funny, I can never use this product during the winter. It leaves me too cold. But this summer has been extremely hot and, once again, I've found refuge in the scrub. Only this time around, the scrubs cooling abilities are my favorite part! I exit the shower feeling energized and... cooled off (dare I say, even cold)! The best part, the scrub is actually good! It exfoliates leaving you super clean, dry skin banished - - and it has a flip-top for convenient shower use! $30.00



Bliss also makes the matching lotion: Minty Moisture Milk. It's very light, milky, fluid, super minty. Again, it cools the body so I like it in the sense that it's great to use when I'm sweating my thighs off in my apartment... but to be honest, the milky aspect is a little too light for my liking. It doesn't moisturize enough for me to DIE over the product. Although, if you prefer less moisture, you'll probably love this - I love butters and balms. But it definitely works to cool down your body temp during the icky hot and humid months of summer! $30.00


Something a tad thicker, just as minty and cooling and ALL organic, is Avalon Organics Hand & Body Lotion in Peppermint. I literally sleep with a bottle next to my bed... and I apply several times throughout the night - hands, feet (tons between the toes - somehow this really does cool me off), arms, legs, stomach, back. I'm not a huge fan of the peppermint smell but I am a huge fan of no sweat in my bed so I deal with the smell to lessen the perspiration. Avalon Organics doesn't use any synthetic fragrances and all of their products are paraben free. At $6.47, you really can't beat the price!



Splurge on the Bliss minty scrub, then act a bit more frugal and purchase the Avalon Organics lotion instead (we like it better, anyway!).

So, that's my tip for staying cool in these record-breaking temperatures.... you have a tip? We'd love to know!