Feelgood Style

I like to think I’m not the only woman who kept an eye and ear on constant alert for the various Bonus Time events at the cosmetic department of Macy’s (and Nordstrom’s, Bloomingdale’s, you get the idea). Like a July mosquito to the bug zapper, I was drawn in each and every time to the big sign displaying the funky little cosmetic bag next to little tubes of lipstick and other novelties. It didn’t matter that I already had 42 bags containing half-used eye makeup remover from previous Bonus Time affairs; if it was happening, I immediately felt compelled to participate.

So it’s really no surprise that I created one for The Nature of Beauty. As they say, once an addict….But I wanted to make this one a bit more meaningful, to give me and you a legitimate excuse to get excited about this particular Bonus Time. Read the rest of this entry »

It is that time of year again when we all want to banish bumps, spots, imperfections and even (gasp!) cellulite.  You just get your facial care system down for the warmer weather months and it seems that the skin on our bodies goes into shock.  Or at least the first time we have to put on a bathing suit, that is.  Let’s face it, it has been all covered up for months now, getting ignored and neglected.  It is time for a little pampering.

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While the debate rages on as to whether or not you can get the same “performance” from organic and natural makeup as you can from synthetics, the jury has rendered their verdict when it comes to hair care: Long gone are the days when natural shampoos left hair feeling stringy, and their conditioning counterparts produced dry, heavy locks. Top brands are using organic ingredients that nourish and heal the hair, rather than relying on silicones to coat strands and create false shine. In other words, when using the best natural and organic hair care products, your hair not only looks healthier, it actually is healthier.

Our panelists received a long list of natural serums, shampoos, and conditioners to choose from. Most are composed primarily of organic ingredients, and all are absent of harsh detergenets, synthetic fragrance, parabens, silicones, and petrochemicals. Although it was clear many hair care brands have won the hearts of our green beauty experts, a few managed to rise to the top.

Behold, the Emerald Awards for best natural hair treatment, shampoo, and conditioner: Read the rest of this entry »

Clove, a brand new salon in midtown Atlanta, strives to have more than the best products and service in town. Owner Tomeca Kanu and manager Carla Kootsillas are dedicated to giving back to the community and running the greenest business they possibly can!

Tomeca bought the salon while in the middle of what turned out to be sort of a rough year. A car accident meant she had to be on bed rest just as the business was getting going. She wasn’t able to take care of the day-to-day operations for a while, which is when Carla came on board to help out.

After Tomeca’s recovery, Carla says the two of them, “took a hard look at the business and what [they] could do with it.” They wanted it to be more than your run-of-the-mill salon. They wanted to “do something [they] felt good about.” The result is a beautiful salon with great service, a mellow atmosphere, and, the best part, a conscience.
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Before presenting the Emeral Awards for Best Natural Shampoo, Conditioner, and Hair Treatment tomorrow, I would like to deliver a brief public service announcement.

As you may have noticed, few of the products mentioned in the Emerald Awards series have also won best of green awards in the major newsstand magazines. Those products are primarily sold at Sephora and carry this retailer’s own “natural seal.” Go to the website, and they will acknowledge that no universal standard exists, leading them to create their own seal because “we felt we had to take the initiative to define what natural means in terms of our environment. What is natural beauty? We have defined the term as it relates to Sephora, and products must live up to that definition to be considered natural.”

This definition of natural is, at best, a broad one. In fact, it earned Sephora the honor of being named one of the four “biggest ‘green marketing’ scams” by TerraChoice, the group behind sinsofgreenwashing.org. Beyond that, however, I found much greater concerns than their lax standards. Read the rest of this entry »

Well, it finally feels like summer has really begun.  With bathing suits, bare feet and less clothing a typical part of our daily lives, even the mind set changes.  We crave cool fruity drinks, a quiet moment in the sun (or shade, whichever you prefer) and a sultry, musky scent.  Ok, as for that last one, it may not be exactly what comes to mind when you conjure up a summer’s day.  But Lavanila Pure Vanilla Healthy Fragrance ($56) is the perfect match for warm skin and relaxed living.

A blend of Madagascar vanilla, freesia petal, patchouli and heliotrope, the frangrance is made of pure essential oils.  This delicious, slightly-spicy scent mellows when it soaks into the skin.  Leaves you with a lovely, warm, natural fragrance that lasts all day. Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome back to The Emerald Awards! I’m your host, Terri Bly, presenting you with the top truly natural beauty products as voted on by our panel of green beauty experts. Today’s category: Best Natural Foundation. 

Foundation. Just the word speaks volumes. Before we enhance our skin’s natural glow with bronzer or brighten it up with some blush, most of us choose to even out our skin tone with a base, be it liquid, cream, or powder. Unless your foundation looks good, and by that I mean whatever you choose to do or not do to your skin, everything else you put on it won’t look great, either. When it comes to natural and organic formulas, there are numerous high-performing and long-lasting options to choose from. For that reason, I divided the category of Best Natural Foundation into three subcategories: Liquid/Cream, Tinted Moisturizer, and Loose/Pressed.

And the Emerald Award for Best Natural Liquid Foundation goes to: Read the rest of this entry »

I have a bit of an obsession with lip balms. Lip glosses are too sticky {unless going out at night; then it’s appropriate}, lipsticks reminds me of my mother, but lip balms are not only moisturizing but has the added perk of giving you just a bit of a sheen for that elusive perfect pout. It’s an effortless beauty product that doesn’t look like you are trying too hard. With the perfect moisturizer and a lip balm, you are ready to start the day.

One of my absolute favorites is the Weleda Everon Lip Balm. As the lip balm queen who has tried every jar, tube, and stick imaginable, this is the creme de la creme of lip moisturizers without the hefty price tag. Weleda Everon is ultra nourishing with ingredients like Jojoba oil, Shea Butter, and precious Rose wax. Should I mention that it’s also 100% natural and all Organic?

• It’s also Petroleum-free. Did you know most lip creams still use a petroleum base.
• Contain no artificial preservatives, colors or fragrances
• Cruelty-free

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Greening Hollywood: Guild by Guild panelists: L-R Nikoletta Skarlatos, Make Up Artist, Pirates of The Caribbean; Robert Hallowell, Hair Stylist, Dancing With The Stars; Christina Marcaccini, founder, Raw Natural Beauty; Rachelle Carson Begley, Co-Star, Living With Ed; Lisa Archer, Campaign for Safe Cosmetics; Paige Donner, Founder, Greening Hollywood.

There’s more to bringing the beauty industry and green scientists together, all at one table, then might first meet the eye. By the time I presented our panel of beauty experts, moderated by Rachelle Carson Begley, last weekend in my Greening Hollywood: Guild by Guild seminar and workshop, I had learned a lot. I had learned more than just that Tarte has come out with a game-changing mascara called Lights, Camera, Lashes! and that O.P.I. had removed all three of the most harmful chemicals in their nail polish, and that Suki Pure has re-defined how to be profitable and committed to pure ingredients in the cosmetic industry. Read the rest of this entry »

I love “best of beauty” awards. For years, I saved every issue of InStyle’s Best Beauty Buys, relying on their picks to guide me through the overwhelming selection of pretty shiny things at Sephora. Now that the big mags have added green beauty awards, I scoop those up without hesitation, but am always disappointed at the choices. While each winner is certainly more natural than its mainstream counterpart, it often contains far more synthetics than I’m comfortable with. So what is an eco-girl to do when she wants to find the best chem-free cosmetics?

She contacts a bunch of natural beauty experts and creates Feelgood Style’s first annual Emerald Awards. Read the rest of this entry »