Feelgood Style

In a country where regulations of beauty products are non-existent, the Skin Deep Database was a revolutionary undertaking, providing access to safety information few others have the time or knowledge to decode.

The Skin Deep database, if you are unfamiliar with this resource, provides safety scores for an extensive range of personal care products and the ingredients found in them. Using a complex algorithm, ingredients for each product are entered into a database and, using the available research from around the world, a number from 0 to 10 is given for the product, based on the ratings for each of the ingredients.

As impressive and ambitious as the database is, the system is not perfect. Many reasons exist for this, perhaps none more important than the dearth of research on cosmetic ingredients, particularly regarding their long-term impact on health. The reality is that the Environmental Working Group has taken on what is essentially an impossible task, and they are doing the best they can.

My role as head of a natural beauty retailer has required me to become intimately familiar with the Skin Deep database. Through numerous experiences and conversations, I have come up with a system I believe makes the most of this resource. This Guide to the Skin Deep database is my attempt to help you make the most of the information the database provides, by outlining what to look for, what to ignore, and how to determine whether your favorite products are deserving of your hard-earned dollars. Read the rest of this entry »

Dance is a good antidepressant! Studies show dance boosts happiness and benefits overall health by:

• stimulating the hippocampus, the brain area that regulates moods.
• sparking new nerve growth in the brain with body coordination.
• building repeated mental patterns and creating new pathways with each new move learned.
• relieving and preventing depression with endorphins and releasing several other happy hormones.
• increasing neural transmission especially when combined with singing and music, in fact, new scientific studies show that any live drumming builds neuroreceptors for folks with ADHD. Wow.
• doubling the brain’s blood and oxygen levels when done aerobically, circulating neurotransmitters.
• building muscles and helping to prevent heart disease.
• offering hope in the battle of Alzheimer’s since dance helps increase the temporal and prefrontal activity to improve communication skills, memory, and attention.
• helping kids of all ages work and think faster, and form new interconnections in their minds.

The intangible aspects of dance, the magic we feel inside when dancing, help us realize the non-physical benefits of this ancient healing art. Read the rest of this entry »

Last week, Elizabeth reminded you how much fun you can have reacquainting yourself with eye shadow. Eye shadow is the first area of makeup application that captured my interest (well, that and the teal mascara I wore when I was 11 – it was, like, totally rad), because I truly felt like an artist, working with various colors to create wildly different looks with the same face. Call it experimenting with optical illusion.

When I first got my grubby little hands on a handful of Couleur Caramel eye shadows, I knew I had found a new playground, one the likes of which I hadn’t seen since my MAC-lovin’ days. The more shades I added to my collection, the giddier I got. Rich pigments, a variety of finishes (matte, pearly, and downright glittery), and a ridiculously extensive selection of colors (eighty, to be exact) give you free reign to create any look you can imagine. These long-lasting, 100% natural shadows run the gamut from natural taupes, greys, and beiges, to bright pinks, blues, and purples.

Some tips for making the most out of your shadow play: Read the rest of this entry »

Desert Essence is one of my favorite organic brands, mainly because I love their coconut and vanilla chai scented products.

Now in addition to their body lotions and other wonderful bath and body products they now have something simple for your sink – organic hand wash that comes in Coconut, Vanilla Chair, Lavender, and Grapefruit scents. Read the rest of this entry »

Solar power potential is active in many minds these days. It really makes sense for the yurt lifestyle, but creativity is required since you can’t rest solar panels on a fabric/vinyl yurt roof.

Here stands John M. Brown on his yurt site in Glenville, West Virginia. He is so kind to share his knowledge on a yurt blog that dates from August 2005 to March 2008. Not only are the pics, info and floor plans great, but see dear John’s solar electric block diagram from his FAQ page. Read the rest of this entry »

Tired of boring reusable shopping bags that have no style, no glitz, no glamor?

Well, its-laS-tik has the solution- fun, fashionable and brightly colored bags made in New Orleans. Read the rest of this entry »

The balancing series by Jaimeearl is a life saver for those with oilier skin like mine. The Balancing Gel Cleanser ($35) is a rich-feeling cleanser that leaves skin feeling clean without over-drying it or leaving an oily residue. The company uses moisturizing blends that help lift impurities and get rid of oil slicks without stripping the skin (an action that can lead to an increase in production of oil.

The organic beauty products offered by this line all sound decadent and fabulous, but they are all backed by a sensible approach to selecting the right ingredients – even if it sounds counter-intuitive to moisturize oily skin – and made with organic ingredients. Read the rest of this entry »

Daniella and Ricardo Calmet manage their company Ecotintes in Lima, Peru. They provide unique natural dye services to benefit environmentally conscious designers and businesses.

That includes dyes for finished garments and skeins of yarn. Additionally, silkscreen and shibori methods are offered. Shibori is a technique that blocks some areas of material to prevent it from being dyed. The materials they dye are alpaca, cotton, wool, and other organic fibers. Read the rest of this entry »

TashiLingerie.com is a new online boutique that offers lingerie, lounge-wear, sleepwear and accessories from the lingerie brands Eberjey, Huit and OnGossamer and new labels on the rise including Clo Fortuna and Luva Huva.

Tashi features some great eco-friendly lounge pieces from Eberjey’s Eco Dream line made from 100% Organic Bamboo Jersey  and some items from Luva Huva made from Anglaise Cotton. Read the rest of this entry »

What? An International Eco Fashion Marathon

Where? Magazin in der Heeresbäckerei, Köpenickerstr. 16/17, 10997 Berlin Germany

When? January 20-23, 2010 Press: from 12am – 9pm
Open to the public: from 12am – 7pm

Website? http://thekey.to

What else? They offer workshops too. Details on the next page.

Our wonderful fellow writer Frans Prins writes in today for all our Berlin readers:

“You might have heard of our event THEKEY.TO, the new international event for green fashion and sustainable lifestyle in Berlin, taking place the coming week from 20th to 23rd of January 2010 during the Berlin Fashion Week. We are presenting a selection of over 50 gorgeous green fashion designers all in a Berlin-like artistic atmosphere, with sustainable architecture and a boosting workshop & party program.

I would be delighted if you would spread the word about our amazing project! Off course you are very welcome to come over and visit us. More info you can find on our website: http://thekey.to.

I am looking forward hearing from you and thank you for your support!

All the best, Frans”

This event represents the first in the city of Berlin that is exclusively focused on sustainable fashion. Read on for details. Read the rest of this entry »