TURN OFF THE TAP: Waterless Facial Cleansers

Cold is a relative term. Here in Los Angeles what we consider winter weather would make my friends in Aspen laugh. Yet no matter where you live, when the weather changes so does your skin. And while we change the way we dress throughout the year, sometimes we forget that our skin might need a wardrobe change, too. In the new issue of Allure I read that in winter “skin loses about 25% of its ability to hold moisture.” So when it comes to cleansing, the less you strip your skin, the better. Ideally that means cleansers that require little to no water. It may sound crazy but it works. I love Care by Stella McCartney Gentle Cleansing Milk (which is no longer easy to find). You apply it like a face wash and simply remove with a cotton ball.

As the temps drop, put away anything that foams (foam=dry, dry, dry) and turn to cream and oil-based options. For every skin type there is something that works (trust me, oil and oily/combo/sensitive skin make very good friends) and here are some great choices at every price.

SENSITIVE SKIN

Baby Face Cleanser by LUSH ($9.35) looks like a bar of soap carved to resemble the man in the moon. But the solid bar is actually made with shea, cocoa and avocado butters. It removes makeup, cleanses and softens skin and can be removed with a toner on a cotton pad or damp washcloth. Also great for dry skin, too.

La Roche Posay has created a line specifically for very sensitive skin, including those with eczema and rosacea as part of their skincare collection. Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser Gentle Wipe-Off Formula ($19.95) is designed to cleanse the most allergy-prone skin types gently and safely. The lotion is non-comedogenic, fragrance and preservative free.

L’Occitane’s Shea and Organic Cotton line is formulated for sensitive skin, using minimal ingredients and zero fragrance, dyes, preservatives or alcohol. The Ultra Comfort Cleansing Milk ($22) cleanses and tones without parabens, synthetics or water. Made with cotton, rosemary and shea butter simply massage into skin and wipe away dirt and makeup.

MOST SKIN TYPES

Naked Bee Tissue-Off Facial Cleanser ($8.95) does exactly what the name says. This paraben and sulfate-free cleanser is 70% organic and includes SPF. Infused with antioxidant Vitamin C because it helps build skin elasticity. Perfect for daily use on all skin types.

sukiface® created their moisture-rich cleansing lotion ($26.95) with organic lemon, sage and lavender to cleanse and hydrate while maintaining the skin’s natural moisture. Great for normal, combination, dry and mature skin, apply and massage into skin and gently remove using toner soaked cotton pads. Also available at Whole Foods.

Laura Mercier Purifying Oil ($40) comes in two formulas, Light for normal to oily skin and Rich for dry and dehydrated skin. The cleanser and makeup removers are formulated with deep sea water and a formula that “gently removes impurities and provide a truly deep clean without stripping the skin.” Non-comedogenic, you massage the oil into skin and remove with a warm washcloth.

The shu uemera cleansing oils are truly iconic. Using botanical oils to gently cleanse, shu umera offers six formulas to fit every skin type (and season). Using avocado and jojoba oil the cleansing oils are beloved by makeup artists as much as consumers. The High Performance Balanced Cleansing Oil Advanced Formula is the most popular for all skin types but there are formulas for combo/oily, dry, dull/uneven, mature and sensitive skins. Ranging from $32-$72, check out the combo kit for $35 at Barneys.

DRY SKIN

Since 1963, the British brand Beauty Without Cruelty has been making skincare products with eco-consciousness. The Facial Cleansing Milk - Extra Gentle ($11) is a cleanser and makeup remover, made with organic, aroma-therapeutic oils and herbal extracts including lavender, chamomile, calendula and Vitamin E. Can be rinsed off or removed with a cotton pad.


What’s your secret for battling winter dry skin? Feel free to share in comments. A little beauty banter can teach us all a thing or two. xo alex.

ECO-FINDS FROM FRIENDS: suki® organic cystic acne treatment

I’m not sure what I like most about this site: the beauty or the banter. What I love is when the two intersect and comments introduce me to new ways to use hair products or when someone recommends a lip gloss I’d seen but was on the fence about trying. While going green has meant rethinking what products I use, it certainly hasn’t reduced my options. And with so many products removing synthetics, petrochemicals and other toxins, the variety grows larger every year. And I am always looking for something new. So, when my friend Becky told me about an organic skincare line she loved, the beauty banter began.

Becky is a gifted dog trainer and spends a ton of time outdoors. She grew up in the beauty business (her talented hairstylist parents have created looks for Chanel, Dior and Versace, amongst others) and tried everything for her sensitive, cystic acne prone skin. Yet she found many products hurt more than they helped because her skin became so sensitive in the sun. Recently, something at Whole Foods caught her eye: an organic cystic acne system from suki® advanced. organic. science™. I couldn’t believe it. Over the counter, organic care for cystic acne? The only way I knew to deal with cystic acne was a trip to my derm. Becky filled me in on the line.

“I started with the suki® balancing mini skin kit that lasted about two weeks. It’s very concentrated so you don’t need a lot.” Now she uses products from the entire sukiface® line and even her derm sees the difference. The cystic acne treatment was developed by suki® “with immune system boosters, skin clearing anti-inflammatory & anti-bacterial agents, formulated to treat the underlying causes of acne.”

Becky’s sukiface® favorites:
To soothe and clean skin, “I really like transformative cleansing clay,” a multitasking cleanser/mask/targeted spot treatment that reduces breakouts, redness and inflammation and bacteria production. Made with zinc, white willow bark for natural salicylic acid, and kaolin.
“I use pure facial moisture – balancing. (But) I was a little freaked out about the oil.” Instead of a typical lotion, suki® moisturizes with an oil concentrate which is actually the best way to combat oil imbalance in skin. “As soon as I put it on it sinks in as opposed to moisturizer which felt like plastic on my face. It was like my pores couldn’t breathe.” Made from organic echinacea, organic chamomile & organic borage oil, it balances oil production, soothes irritation, clogged pored and boosts immunity.“My absolute favorite product, the one I heard phenomenal reviews about, was
exfoliate foaming cleanser.” This cleanser is not part of the cystic acne regimen but works for Becky’s skin and flakiness caused by prescription topicals (check with your derm if you’re taking any meds). The foaming formula made with organic lemongrass, organic non-GMO rice flour & natural sugar exfoliates without harshness. “You’re in control. The more you rub your hands together the more the sugar crystals dissolve, the less gritty the scrub.”

As a bonus, now through November, suki® is donating 100% of sales from this and their sensitive cleansing bar to Think Before You Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness.

Get your own suki® skin prescription by taking a short Q and A here. And find suki® products for face, body and hair at Whole Foods or online here and here. Thanks for the intro to suki® Beck, and girls, let's keep the banter going! xo alex.

BCA Think Pink - Pt. 4

October is not quite halfway over but the opportunities to shop in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month keep coming. There are so many ways to shop pink (I’ve even stocked up on my favorite pink Sharpies for the cause) and I am thrilled to find that with each year there are more and more eco-friendly beauty brands on store shelves and joining the crusade.

The green beauty mavens over at tarte have created the Think Pink natural collection to benefit the Young Survival Coalition working “to increase the quality and quantity of life for women diagnosed with breast cancer ages 40 and under.”

The 18-item collection includes such favorites as emphasEYES brow pencil, natural cheekstains in dollface and blissful, and 24/7 natural lip sheer with SPF 15 in summer fling. 20% of proceeds will be donated to the YSC. As a bonus, spend $40 or more and you will get an adorable baby pink clutch purse (retailing for $22), perfect for makeup or going out. Use promo code PinkOct09 when checking out.

Through October AND November, suki® advanced. organic. science™ is donating 100% of proceeds from the purchase of Sukiface exfoliate foaming cleanser ($29.95) and Sukibody sensitive cleansing bar ($10.95) to Think Before You Pink. Both products are vegan and adhere to the Suki© standards of organic beauty made without cruelty or synthetics and a minimal carbon footprint. Think Before You Pink is a campaign of Breast Cancer Action, seeking “transparency and accountability by companies that take part in breast cancer fundraising, and encourages consumers to ask critical questions about pink ribbon promotions.” In the sea of items sporting that pink ribbon, it’s important to know who is truly benefiting.

Mineral makeup revolutionary jane iredale has created a new lipstick shade, Christina ($19), in honor of actress and breast cancer survivor Christina Applegate. Part of the PureMoist Lipcolour collection, the SPF 18 lipstick is antioxidant rich and paraben free. For every tube sold, Iredale Mineral Cosmetics will donate $2 to Living Beyond Breast Cancer. Another $2 will be donated to LBBC for the purchase of each tube of In The Pink PureGloss for Lips ($19). The paraben free gloss is made with mineral-based pigments and no petrochemicals, keeping lips hydrated and protected. jane iredale has committed to donating a minimum of $25,000 from this event to LBBC, an organization working to help breast cancer patients and their families.


CONTEST: This month jane iredale launched it’s first ever UGC contest, Makeover Your Makeup Bag. Share photos, videos and/or blogs to express why you deserve the grand prize: a trip for two to New York City, an in-person Makeup Bag Makeover, session with a jane iredale artist and $1,000 in product. Other chances to win include six weekly scavenger hunts as well as a prize for the most viral entry. The contest runs October 5th through November 16th. Click here to find out more. Good luck!