Bella Brand

Want to have sexy hair? Who doesn't? Sexy Hair hopes to let you do just that — in an ecologically friendly way.

Perhaps best known for its "big red can," a high-volume hair spray, the original Sexy Hair's vampy, in-your-face Pussycat Dolls-esque advertising was never my thing. But now, I'm taking another look due to the introduction of an organic line of sulfate, petrochemical, and paraben-free hair products aptly named Sexy Hair Organics. See what I thought of these new products when you read more

Talk about lipstick lesbians. Emmy-nominated makeup artist JoAnn Fowler, who works on The L Word, created Sappho Cosmetics after researching the possible health effects of parabens in beauty products. Her mineral-based range is entirely free of "chemical" ingredients, incorporating essential plant oils and juices instead of artificial preservatives.

Actresses Mia Kirshner and Jennifer Beals (Jenny and Bette, respectively, on The L Word) worked with Fowler to come up with eco-friendly cosmetics created without animal testing. The resulting products, some of which are named after the show's actresses, are used on-set. So if these lipsticks make me look anything like the sizzling Kate Moennig, count me in.

Blaire Kessler received news that no woman wants to hear — she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005, at the young age of 31. Today, Kessler's cancer is gone, and she's developed a 100% natural line of products called Pristine Recovery, free from mineral oil, phthalates, and parabens.

A huge fan of old movies and past beauty icons, Kessler chose 1940's inspired packaging for her products, which are intended for use by all, not solely breast cancer patients or survivors. Proceeds from the sale of each item will be given to the Young Survival Coalition and the Cancer Prevention Coalition.

Here's what Kessler had to say about her experience:

Tell me why you chose this concept for your line.
"At first I developed the line in my kitchen for myself after becoming profoundly discouraged that there weren't safe and natural products to help me. . . I felt wonderful, but the treatment made me look like I was not doing well, and that was challenging."

To see the rest of the interview and view a list of Pristine Recovery products, read more

In addition to model, writer, performer, and former member of all-female band The Lunachicks, Theo Kogan can now add "beauty entrepreneur" to her resume (assuming that total rock stars have resumes). Kogan teamed up with another woman of many trades, makeup artist/ accessory designer Allison Burns, to launch Armour Beauty, a 14-piece collection of lip glosses that include natural ingredients like avocado oil and mango butter.

"The thing that's been missing are great colors that are moisturizing and protecting and stay on," she says. "Other natural [beauty] products fall off your face, and the colors are too hippie. We also felt like there was not a line that could sit next to Chanel and Givenchy but had a rock persona."

To find out how she wears her black gloss, read more

If you've already said Yes to Carrots (the line launched internationally in November 2006), get ready to say Yes to Tomatoes and Yes to Cucumbers, as two of the spin-off lines launch in the US this month. The tomato line is formulated with Lycopene, antioxidant red tea, antibacterial red pepper and is best for oily or combination skin. The cucumber line includes healing aloe, green tea, and green pepper to soothe and brighten skin.

At an event to introduce Yes to Cucumbers and Yes to Tomatoes stateside yesterday, CEO Ido Leffler said a major goal of the line is to "bring smiles to people's faces," pointing out that the shampoo bottle instructs you to "shampoo daily on wet hair while singing" (and yes, people have written in to point out that it works whether you are singing or not). To that end, the company has also launched The Seed Fund, which has done everything from set up victims of domestic violence with gardening jobs in Ohio to offering an after-school program for Ethiopian immigrants in Israel. With your cash not only benefiting your looks but also worthwhile causes like these, it's hard to just say no.

I could go for a nice drink of…shampoo!? Yep, you read it correctly. With food grade quality ingredients, Intelligent Nutrients products are so natural, you could even drink them. Well, that might be a bit of a stretch, but it's a possibility.

The creator of this relatively new brand feels that what goes on our bodies should be just as safe as what goes in them. Each hair, skin, and body product developed by the company is certified organic and contains a mega anti-oxidant blend that's packed with a punch, including black cumin, pumpkin, red grape, red raspberry, and cranberry seed oils. This all kinda sounds more like the basic components for a festive Thanksgiving dinner, not a spray-on hair detangler.

Founder Horst Rechelbacher explains on the website,

We’ve merged food science and cosmetic chemistry to create a new paradigm in beauty. We called it Nutritional Chemistry—it’s based on using only certified organic food-derived ingredients—substances the body recognizes and readily assimilates as nutrients in the body.

The company also plans to add more products to the collection, such as: body, skin, pet, baby, and home care brands, as well as my favorite — love therapy. Do you know what other environmentally friendly was founded by Rechelbacher? I'll tell you later in the comments below.

Photos courtesy of Intelligent Nutrients.

British investment banker Sarah Vorbach was in search of products she could use to teach her two daughters about skincare. Her criteria were that the products look good, smell good, feel good, do good (for the environment) and work... well. Unable to find what she was looking for, Sarah founded Face Boutique in October 2007.

Available exclusively through Space.NK (which are about to be in Bloomingdale's stores), the line uses plant-derived ingredients like geranoil and clove oil (and does not use sulfates, parabens, or petrochemicals). If you have specific skin problems, you might want to turn to some bigger guns (or a dermatologist) on the skincare front, but for gentle products that fit into any regimen, Face Boutique is great. And the products have amazing, subtle scents — kind of like fancy herbal teas. How perfectly British.

Despite getting their company's name from the Hindi word for "peacock," the founders of MOR Cosmetics are full-on Aussies. The couple, Deon St. Mor and Dianna Burmas, had an interior design shop in Melbourne and began creating products in 2001. What emerged was a line of candles, soaps, fragrances, and bath products that are delightfully packaged and deliciously scented (kale and watercress, marshmallow, pistachio, kumquat). But these aren't just for show: the 500-item line is created in Australia and has a cult-y following rumored to include two people with cult followings all their own, Oprah and Barbra Streisand. Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott actually requested MOR stock the bathrooms in their bed and breakfast — a request the company happily obliged. Um, gimme MOR!

In 1990, accessory designers Philippe Boigeol and Pascal Bourelly decided to revamp the oversize, olive-based soaps that their beloved Marseille (the second largest city in France) is known for. They called their company La Compagnie de Provence Marseille and brought it stateside in 2006. LCDP, as it's known, has created a cult following for its organic products (certified by Ecocert, which means they comply with Europe's more stringent standards of organic-ness), ultra-chic packaging (confession: I keep the Cherry Blossom Foam Bath in my bathroom but won't use it because it looks too pretty!) and refined scents (Honey Lavender, Orange Spice, Fig of Provence).

The line now includes home items like candles, an organic fruit and vegetable wash, a detergent for delicates, towels and— believe it or not —a snow globe.

Greek cosmetics company Korres is branching out — royally. Its new line of bath and body products, Kings & Queens, has been developed around ingredients favored by monarchs of the past. The packaging is vibrant enough to draw you in, and the prices aren't too crazy (between $9 and $15). Plus, the products are paraben-free, which will please the healthy-livin' crowd. But I know what you're thinking: Yeah, yeah, but is this stuff any good?

Yes, with a couple of reservations. The shimmering body milk adds a subtle glow to skin and would be great with shoulder-baring outfits. The body butter is rich and moisturizing, and it sinks into skin quickly. And I love the shower gels; at $9, they're an affordable luxury, and they lather up beautifully. To find out what isn't as impressive, read more