This Earth Day, It’s Time To Green Light These Green Beauty Products!
This year, Earth Day feels like a more momentous occasion than usual — perhaps because of the bewildering amount of people who continue to be climate change deniers (led by Donald Trump, who seems to have no comprehension of the polar ice caps melting), who have advocated for fracking ventures that could contaminate groundwater, and who root for big oil instead of advocating for green energy sources. Now, more than ever, it seems essential to educate people on just how much peril our ecosystem is in and to talk about simple ways in which we can all make a difference. One simple way to lead a greener life is to seek out beauty products that rely on natural ingredients and to celebrate companies that use biodegradable or recycled materials for their packaging, engage in sustainable sourcing practices, and even invest in greener manufacturing methods like wind-powered factories. Below, check out some of the latest eco-friendly goodies designed to make both us and our planet more beautiful!
The Body Shop Almond Milk & Honey Shower Cream, $10; and The Body Shop Almond Milk & Honey Calming Body Lotion, $13. Available at TheBodyShop.com
We’ve all heard about how Cleopatra treated herself to milk and honey baths to maintain her legendary good looks. Now, you can take a page from her book but give it a modern twist, replacing the animal-derived dairy product with a vegetarian-friendly, lactose- and cholesterol-free alternative: almond milk. The products in The Body Shop’s new Almond Milk & Honey collection, then, feel creamy and comforting — and with good reason as they work to reinforce the skin’s natural barrier function. Made with organic almond milk sourced from Spain and community trade honey from Ethiopia, these body products soothe and nourish the skin. I’m particularly smitten with the Almond Milk & Honey Soothing Caring Shower Cream ($10 at The Body Shop stores and TheBodyShop.com), a soap-free cleanser that doesn’t strip your skin of moisture and leave skin feeling tight and itchy but, instead, restores its suppleness and smoothness. I also adore the Almond Milk & Honey Calming Body Lotion (at the Body Shop stores and TheBodyShop.com), a lightweight, readily absorbed moisturizer that soothes the skin and infuses it with moisture. The sweet honey smell, meanwhile, will have you feeling as giddy as Winnie the Pooh.
Kiehl’s Calendula & Aloe Soothing Hydration Masque, $45. Available at Kiehls.com
A few weeks ago, I endured the worst breakout I’ve had in over a decade. Shocked and appalled by the eruptions all over my chin and jaw, I began a series of overly harsh anti-acne treatments that ended up making my complexion look even worse by adding a beet-red tone to the affected area. Yes, I knew better, but logic doesn’t always triumph over impulse when it comes to how I handle skin woes. So how did I turn things around? Well, for starters, I decided to give my skin some TLC — starting with this new Kiehl’s Calendula & Aloe Soothing Hydration Masque. This gel mask instantly cools and refreshes the complexion, and it helps to diminish inflammation and redness. Since aloe vera helps to increase the water content within skin cells, the mask also does a great job of replenishing the skin. Because it’s so gentle, the mask can be used up to three times a week, and it works wonders to heal irritated, dry, sunburnt, or otherwise aggravated skin.
SpaRitual Passionfruit Agave Vegan Nourishing Sugar Scrub, $50. Available at SpaRitual.com
The holistic self-care beliefs and practices at the core of the Slow Beauty philosophy inform each and every single product launched by organic and vegan brand SpaRitual. Its new Passionfruit Agave body collection, then, features products that nourish and protect the skin, but which also soothe the mind and the spirit via their aromatherapy benefits, their unique textures, and the a multi-sensory experience they help to provide. Each product in the collection contains blue agave nectar, which is known for its anti-aging properties, as well as antioxidant-rich goji berry extract (these berries contains up to 500 times more vitamin C per weight than oranges!), and pomegranate extract, another anti-aging powerhouse. The Passionfruit Agave Vegan Nourishing Sugar Scrub also includes: vitamin E-rich sunflower seed oil, which protects the skin against free radical damage; pineapple fruit extract, which contains alpha hydroxy acids that promote exfoliation and cellular regeneration; grapefruit extract, which helps to brighten the skin tone; apple extract, a great source of flavonoids like quercetin, which have been shown to slow down skin aging processes; and coconut extract, an excellent moisturizer. The scrub, then, gently polishes off dead skin cells, so that it’s a successful physical exfoliant, but it also contains plant-derived ingredients that encourage chemical exfoliation, so that skin is being regenerated thoroughly. The smell, meanwhile, is juicy and succulent, making the experience of massaging the scrub onto damp skin all the more pleasant and relaxing.
Yes To Shower Cocktail Body Washes, $7.99 each at Target stores.
Every time I look at these Yes To body washes, packaged in cheeky bottles that resemble cocktail shakers, I think of Jane Fonda’s character, Grace Hanson, in the hilarious Netflix series Grace and Frankie. Grace, a fabulous and ultra stylish 70-something, has a martini in hand almost every episode, so she’d certainly appreciate the clever packaging of these fruity body washes (plus her background in cosmetics and marketing would only heighten her admiration). Presentation aside, these body washes smell zesty and energizing, and each one offers unique skin benefits. The Yes To Hydrating Shower Cocktail Body Wash (my personal favorite) contains moisturizing coconut extract; mango extract, a great source of vitamins A and C; and papaya extract, which contains alpha hydroxy acids that gently exfoliate the skin, keeping it smooth and radiant. The Yes To Revitalizing Shower Cocktail Body Wash, meanwhile, contains vitamin C-rich grapefruit and mandarin orange that work to brighten the skin tone and boost collagen production, resulting in more radiant and firmer-looking skin.
Kérastase Paris Aura Botanica Collection, $43-$58. Available at Kerastase-USA.com
Luxury haircare brand Kérastase Paris has forayed into the natural haircare realm with its new Aura Botanica collection, which features eco-friendly ingredients with high biodegradability. All the products in this collection, then, are free of sulfates, parabens, and silicones, and they contain at least 96% natural ingredients — among these responsibly sourced Samoan coconut oil, which contains short chain lipids that penetrate deep into hair fibers to strengthen and nourish strands from the inside out, and Moroccan argan oil, which is rich on Omega 6 and Omega 9 fatty acids that moisturize even the driest of strands, keep frizz at bay, and boost shine. The Kérastase Paris Aura Botanica Bain Micellaire ($43 at Kerastase-USA.com) relies on micelles (clusters of surfactants which, in this case, are extremely gentle and non-abrasive) that cling to the dirt and impurities in hair and which wash right off when you rinse your mane, thereby cleansing the hair without stripping it of its natural oils or moisture. The Kérastase Aura Botanica Soin Fondamental ($45 at Kerastase-USA.com), meanwhile, practically melts onto damp strands, conditioning hair while gently detangling it (a major plus for those of us with dry, damaged, and knot-prone hair). The Kérastase Aura Botanica Essence d’Éclat ($43 at Kerastase-USA.com) is a bi-phase mist that features four powerhouse oils (avocado, jojoba, argan, and coconut) at the bottom portion of the formula and an aqueous solution at the top. When the formula is mixed together and the mist is spritzed onto hair, it instantly moisturizes and softens strands, while protecting it against frizz and fly-aways.
Pacifica Quinoa Sensitive Super Gentle Face Wash, $10. Available at Ulta.com and Target.com
Move over, kale! There’s a new superfood in town: quinoa. The fiber-rich grain has been popping up in salad bowls everywhere, as nutritionists have touted its high protein content and suggested it as an excellent alternative to rice. Quinoa, which was considered sacred by the ancient Incas, is now popping up in beauty products like the delightful Pacifica Quinoa Sensitive Super Gentle Wash. Designed for those with sensitive skin, this soothing face wash gently removes dirt and impurities while calming the skin thanks to the aloe and calendula extracts in the formula. The quinoa extract mentioned in the product’s name, meanwhile, helps to brighten the complexion by inhibiting the enzyme responsible for producing dark spots, and it improves the appearance of fine lines by inhibiting the activity of MMPs (matrix metalloporteinases) that degrade collagen. The non-drying face wash, then, leaves the skin feeling refreshed and yet it doesn’t trigger any inflammation.
Indie Lee Jasmine Ylang Ylang Nutrient Oil, $40. Available at IndieLee.com
Who can’t appreciate an excellent multi-tasker? This all-purpose nutrient oil can be applied to damp skin or hair to gently for head-to-toe hydration. This clever concoction features jojoba oil, which has a similar composition to that of the human sebum, thereby allowing it to penetrate the skin and scalp deeper than many other botanical extracts, providing deep hydration without any greasy residue. It also contains avocado oil, which is rich in essential fatty acids, phytosterols, and vitamin E, and which is known to replenish the skin, improve its overall texture, and enhance softness. The olive oil in the formula, meanwhile, serves as the source of squalane, a substance that’s manufactured within our own skin to offer protection and hydration (but which our bodies produce at a slower rate as we age). Squalane is essential in regulating a number of skin-related processes: it intercepts free radicals before they can damage cells and lead to premature aging signs, controls oil production and prevents acne flare-ups, helps to achieve an ideal moisture balance, and promotes cellular reproduction. Sunflower oil, an excellent source of vitamin E, rounds out the fantastic foursome of botanical extracts. These are then complemented by jasmine and ylang ylang oils that smell feminine and romantic but tender and calming and which, moreover, feature antioxidant benefits of their very own.
