You're beautiful.
Parabens are groups of chemicals used as preservatives in a wide variety of beauty products (up to 90 percent of them, from shampoo to toothpaste to self-tanner) and sometimes as food additives. Some parabens are found in nature, like the antimicrobal fruit of the blueberry shrub, but all commercial types are synthetic. Despite many years of seemingly safe use, studies have begun to suggest Read more
With Spring well under way and Summer not too far off in the horizon, it's time to shelf the heavy moisturizers and foundations, all while being cognizant of the importance of SPF. Cover FX's Skintint Treatment and Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 ($42) is the perfect warm-weather makeup trifecta. Not only does it block away both UVA and UVB rays, but special lipid-captors help give skin suppleness, and Read more
When a product makes you feel good not only because of the skin-enhancing benefits it provides, you know you've hit the so-called beauty jackpot. Such is the case with celebrity makeup artist Lina Hanson's new Global Face Serum ($85). The feel-good part? Several of the ingredients used in the oil blend are harvested by women all over the world to help support their economies. Free of parabens, Read more
It's already difficult enough to shop responsibly, given how widely words like "organic" and "natural" are misused. To make things even more complicated, though, there are also tons of ecological certifications products can get. They're designed to tell consumers that a product is more ecologically friendly, but not all certifications are the same, and some are much more strict than others. Read more
In honor of Earth Month, Josie Maran (pictured left) is rereleasing her eponymous brand's cult favorite argan oil with an added charitable element. The beauty entrepreneur even recruited some of her model pals, Petra Nemcova (pictured right) and Angela Lindvall, to design the limited-edition bottles ($52 each) for the line's Model Citizen campaign. Available at Sephora, through QVC, or on Read more
Moms want what's best for their lil ones, so is it possible that baby's using healthier products than mama? Today's New York Times looks at the skyrocketing growth in the sale of premium skin care products (including organic and natural products) — showing that sales have jumped 68 percent over the past five years, while baby care product sales have only increased 16 percent. Needless to say, Read more
When buying products, reading labels may be one of the best ways to figure out if something contains chemicals that you'd rather not be exposed to. But a study released today found chemicals that may increase your risk of developing cancer or disrupt reproduction in many products, and many of those chemicals weren't listed on product labels. The study, partly funded by the US Centers for Disease Read more
Ever have days when you feel like you're going nonstop? The kind of days where coffee and/or bathroom breaks are activities for which you can only dream? Forget makeup touchups, because those aren't happening, either. These are the times when you'll want to be sure to have Wet n' Wild Natural Blend Pressed Powder ($5) in your beauty stash. The paraben-free powder, especially when applied with a Read more
Dried-out skin under your eyes isn't pretty, but it's a reality for a lot of us. The only thing that really helps is a moisture-trapping hydrator, which is why we've been using KTO Vitality Rose & Cucumber eye cream ($30). The primary ingredient is pure vegetable glycerin, which packs a hydrating punch and helps keep the moisture around, too, and the cream also has aloe, shea butter, jojoba, Read more
If you're trying to make your personal care routine more natural, it might seem like you have to skip scent entirely or stick to single essential oils, but that's not the case. There are a number of organically derived fragrances popping up, and some are quite affordable. Most recently, I tried Infusion Organique's Açaí Rain fragrance ($35), which is made with organic sugarcane-derived Read more
