EARTH DAYS: Tips, Tricks and a Green Giveaway

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. - Lao-tzu (604 BC - 531 BC)

Today is the fortieth anniversary of Earth Day. A day to respect and celebrate this great, big planet of ours. Fortunately eco-awareness has come a long way in the last forty years and for many the respect isn’t relegated to just one day out of 365. Yet there is still much change that needs to come for the health of this planet. And that starts with us. I know that change is hard. But I challenge you to use this day to take a step towards greening your beauty routine by eliminating one product that uses petrochemicals, hormone disrupters and synthetics that aren’t good for you or the earth. Doing so sends a message to the companies that they need to get green and promote those that already have. To take that first step, here are a few of my top picks to get you started. I encourage you to start reading the ingredients in the products you use and look out for the worst offenders. The Environmental Working Group has a great cheat sheet to print up and keep in your bag (click on the “Shopper's Guide to Safe Cosmetics”).


LIPS
lipstick: Jane Iredale PureMoist LipColour ($19) in Julia

lipgloss: KORRES LOVE YOUR LIPS Lip Value Set ($29) - includes three cherry oil glosses in Light Pink, Nude and Beige Pink and a Pomegranatae Body Butter. A $57.00 value.

lipbalm: eos Lip Balm Sphere Honeysuckle Honeydew ($4)

FACE
primer: KORRES SILICONE FREE 99% Natural Face Primer ($28 full sized; $10 travel sized)

tinted moisturizer: tarte smooth operator oil-free tinted moisturizer with SPF 20 ($36)

concealer: Physician's Formula Organic Wear 100% Natural Origin Concealer Stick ($6)

blush: tarte cheek stain ($30)– for spring I’m loving TIPSY, a coral pinky hue

EYES
shadow : tarte individual shadows begin at $10 but I love Tina Turnbow’s Flower Child Natural Eyeshadow Palette ($44 an $182 Value) The refillable palette includes 10 shadows and a double-sided eyeliner, mini eye primer and double-sided eyeshadow brush.

mascara: tarte Lash Hugger Natural Mascara ($18)

NAILS
butter London in Fash Pack ($14) a great gray neutral for hands and on toes, Zoya's springy coral Elodie ($7).

SUNSCREEN
face: California Baby SPF 30 + Sunblock Stick - No Fragrance, .5 oz ($12.31)

body: Burt's Bees Sun Screen SPF 30 ($12.99)

If you're looking to go green but don't know where to start, Sephora carries a variety of natural and organic gift sets, the perfect way to try out new products without making a big investment.


In other Earth Day news, Kiehl’s has created a Limited Edition Label Art series for their 100% natural and ECOCERT-certified organic, Açaí Damage-Protecting Toning Mist ($26). Artwork by Julianne Moore, Jeff Koons, Pharrell Williams and Malia Jones graces the bottles with 100% of proceeds benefiting the Rainforest Alliance. With the goal of raising $200,000 Kiehl’s teamed with the brilliant photographer David LaChapelle to capture the celebs and their creations. Locate a Kiehl’s store near you click here or go to www.kiehls.com to order online.



GREEN GIVEAWAY: In honor of Earth Day tarte is offering Beauty Banter readers the chance to win a fabulous giveaway. tarte lash hugger mascara ($18) is eco-friendly inside and out. Made with natural carnauba wax, mineral pigment for a great black tint, olive esters to nourish and rice bran wax to help lengthen lashes, it is also packaged in recycled aluminum tubes that may be re-recycled after use.

THREE lucky Beauty Banter readers will receive a tube by signing up for our newsletter (if you haven’t already it’s on the left hand side of the screen below) and leaving a comment along with your email. Contest is open to US residents and ends April 29th at 9PM Pacific.

AND DID YOU KNOW tarte also has a customer
recycling program with great perks?

Wishing you a fabulous Earth Day and look forward to learning about the products you discover while going green! xo a.

GREEN GIVEAWAY from KORRES

Every day is Earth Day at KORRES. With their fabulous lotions, potions and cosmetics you can go green without sacrificing variety or luxury. Without parabens, petro-chems and about a dozen of the worst offenders found in most skin and beauty products, KORRES offers eco-conscious beauty for the whole family. I am a huge fan, from their cherry oil infused lip glosses to their shampoos and body butters. Needless to say I was thrilled when they asked if they could bring our readers a giveaway in honor of Earth Day.

To celebrate the greenest of holidays, KORRES is giving one Beauty Banter reader two (yes, two) of their most popular products, Basil Lemon Body Butter ($29.50) and Basil Lemon Shower Gel ($19.50) in their new JUMBO size! The Basil Lemon collection blends fresh citrus with the peppery spice of basil. The body butter is made with super-moisturizing shea butter and a proprietary blend of sunflower, almond and avocado oils. The shower gel is formulated with Active Aloe© to reduce signs of aging, wheat protein for moisture and Vitamins C, E and zinc.

KORRES USA has launched a month full of fabulous tips via their Facebook page. “30 Days, 30 Ways to be Green” offers great tips and tricks for greening your life, one day at a time. Click here to join the group and get a wealth of information.

TO WIN: Please leave a comment with your name and email address below. All entrants must subscribe to the Beauty Banter newsletter. To do so, enter your email address under the subscribe button on the left side of the page. Follow further instructions. YOU ARE ONLY ELIGIBLE TO WIN IF YOU HAVE SUBSCRIBED! US participants only, please.

Offer ends on Friday, April 16, 2010 at 9pm eastern.

Thank you to our friends at KORRES and good luck! xo alex.

Aveda Celebrates Earth Month

April 22, 2010 is Earth Day but as eco-consciousness rises the movement has spread from just one day to an entire month of green. Aveda has long been known for their ongoing commitment to the environment. In 1999 they launched Aveda’s Earth Month Campaign raising over $14.2 million to benefit environmental organizations. The Aveda Earth Month Campaign, calls for “strategic local and global action to protect local waterways, empower communities and help make clean water accessible to everyone—everywhere.”

One in seven people on this planet are without clean drinking water. ONE. IN. SEVEN. In an effort to raise $3.5 million this Earth Month, Aveda is spearheading the Walk for Water campaign and selling the LIGHT THE WAY™ Earth Month candle ($12). 100% of proceeds from these fabulous lavender candles goes to the Global Greengrants Fund.

I was thrilled when Aveda contacted me about this candle and the campaign...I love all things lavender and this candle is no exception. Long known as a stress reliever, this therapeutic blend of organic French lavender, lavendin and clary sage has been approved by Dr. Pierre Franchomme (he wrote the book on modern aromatherapy). The soy wax candle contains zero petro-chemicals and the glass holders are made of 100% reclaimed wine bottles. I love the ingenious eco-packaging: the cartons are made of leftover Aveda boxes that have been repurposed (my box housed an Aveda bath bar in a former life).

The limited edition candle is available in Aveda spas and online here. For more information on the Aveda Walk for Water campaign visit www.avedawalkforwater.com and find out about events taking place in your area during the week of April 22nd (with one mouse click I found a few here in L.A. to look into). Think global, act local. xo alex.