Feelgood Style

No slouches in the eco department and certainly no strangers to adopting new, eco friendly trends ahead of the curve, savvy girls all over LA are flocking to the new, eco-chic Recess LA for pretty, polished, organic and non-toxic nail treatments. Priti Organic Spa in New York led the pack three years ago and is already a well established fixture with beauty editors, models & fashionista alike. This latest addition to LA’s beauty scene however fills a large void on the West Coast. Designed by owner Nidhi Lal, the salon boasts pending LEED certification and takes into consideration everything from sustainablewood floors, recycled art deco chairs, to organic bamboo towels. Housing their own custom signature scent bar, you can choose your own blend of organic, paraben free, moisturizing lotions, soaking salts, scrubs and essential oils in fragrances like Sugar Cookie, Lavender Frost, Sweet Pink Lemonade, Summer Guave and more. All about pampering in eco-luxury and fun, you can even come here for a Happy Hour and sip organic libations while getting your healthy treatments! With prices from $15 - $75, can you afford not to go & check it out?

A few weeks ago, Feelgoodstyle.com writer Stancie Wilson told you about Organic Beauty Magazine, the latest and greatest newsstand magazine featuring organic and natural beauty products, fashion finds, and advice on everything from choosing the best products to eco-friendly travel to creating your own at-home spa experience. I caught wind of the plans for this new magazine in the fall and, as you might imagine, I was thrilled beyond measure. About a month later, I had the extreme good fortune of meeting up with editor-in-chief Rona Berg to learn more about the magazine and her plans for its future (and what a smart, inspirational woman she is). The more I heard, the more excited I became, to say the very least. When my copy arrived right before the holidays, I tossed aside whatever I was working on at the time, giddily scanning every page and admiring every photograph, including Christy Coleman’s masterful artisty on the cover (featuring House actress Olivia Wildes). Read the rest of this entry »

One of the biggest challenges most people face is staying organized.  It’s also one of the biggest new year’s resolutions for those who resolve to start their new year off clutter-free.  But, for many, it’s an elusive process that either starts off strong and fizzles out, or seems so daunting a task that they don’t know where to begin.

Enter Krista Colvin, lifestyle expert, Founder of Organize in Style LLC and creator of The Shebang, The Smart Woman’s Guide to Doing It All, who sees your clutter as a canvas for crafting a well organized masterpiece that’s as eco-friendly as it is stylish.  Best of all, she offers practical solutions that are easy to implement — and maintain — and will save you precious hours to boot.  With Krista’s help, the only thing you’ll need to think about is what to do with all that extra time!

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If the snow never fell and the temperature never dropped below forty in New England, I could happily wear ballet flats every work day and flip-flops every day between. But inevitably the first snowy morning arrives to find me ankle-deep in powder, melted ice trickling down my arches as I attempt to clear the snow from my windshield. I realize if I’m going to make it to May pneumonia-free I’m going to need something a lot more substantial–some winter boots.

A slick pair of boots looks current with a knee length a-line skirt, smart under dress pants and fierce over your dark wash skinny jeans. They’re the ticket to keeping your feet warm and protected without looking unprofessional or, worse, like you’ve given up. But who makes a cool-looking, leather-free sustainable pair?

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This past spring, Christy Coleman - makeup artist to stars like Sheryl Crow and Emmy Rossum - decided to throw out all of her top-tier conventional products, replacing them with nothing but naturals. Unlike many of the experts who complain that “compromises” still have to be made to get great lip color, Coleman has found some jewels that require no compromising whatsoever. So without further adieu, and in no particular order, here are her picks for the best all-natural lipsticks of 2008 (because you never know what’s around the corner here in the new year):

Peacekeeper: in Paint me intuitive, and Paint me content ($14, drugstore.com).

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Recently we’ve discussed how the Project Runway folks are working to make the world a better place. Now, let’s add Nigel Barker (a judge on ANTM) to the list of good guys in showbiz as he is utilizing his stardom to help raise funds to end the hunger crisis in Haiti.

This January 8th from 7:30-10pm, Nigel Barker and the Milk gallery in NYC will present Haiti: Hunger & Hope, which is an exhibition of photos and film taken during the food riots.

The cost to attend is a $25 donation and the goal of the event is to raise funds for Edeyo, an organization working in Haiti to educate and feed the poor children suffering there. Read the rest of this entry »

Nothing softens the chill of cold weather like wrapping up in a warm, wooly scarf. This season’s best eco picks are cleverly embellished with flora-inspired prints, natural buttons and exquisite lacy detail. Organic cotton is a choice material as well as ultra-soft light weight organic alpaca.

1. Alena Hennessy
Organic cotton adorned with queen anne’s lace using earth friendly ink, $34 at  www.alenahennessy.com Read the rest of this entry »

Congratulations Naia Rico, who received the winning contest announcement for Chíc Eco’s Best Eco-Creative Men’s Fashion Designer Poll while in India doing what she said she does best, ‒ designing and prototyping garments with intentions to make heads turn and to improve buying behaviors towards organic fair trade next summer. Read the rest of this entry »

With blizzards and airport delays, there’s no doubt about it - winter has arrived.

Fortunately, the new vanilla coconut moisturizing body balm ($25) from LaVanila combines luscious coconut, creamy sandalwood and madagascar vanilla to creates a scent that preserves the feeling of a so cal summer. It also comes packed with vitamins to nourish your skin.

Check out their healthy fragrances too - they are a yummy way to channel Fiji and Tahiti while you are all bundled up.

Looking for something fun, sexy and sophisticated to tote around in the New Year? Oh - but it also has to be environmentally responsible? This may be your lucky year. With the success of the Twilight series, it doesn’t get much sexier than Vamp Bags.

I met the Vamp girls, Deanna and Tara, in Boulder, CO (home town of English Retreads) this fall and got to take a sneak peek at their upcoming 2009 collection (see Frenchie below in red) as well as bags from the signature line that are still fan favorites.

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