Feelgood Style

Top celeb NY makeup artist, Rose-Marie Swift works in the fashion industry on photo shoots for VOGUE, W Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar and most recently at LaCoste RTW Spring ‘09 Fashion Show where she used her own, absolutely brand new line of organic cosmetics.  She knows beauty and the dangers of toxic beauty products and how they can greatly effect health.  After years of exposure to conventional products, her health began to drastically decline.  She started to lose her hair and memory and begun having panic attacks.  After having lab tests done she was asked “Do you work in the cosmetics industry?”  She had toxic levels of heavy metals, lead, cadmium, aluminum, barium and mercury; along with high levels of pesticides and other chemicals.  The lab technician said “I can’t believe you’re even walking around!”

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Landing in the U.S. just last month, Antipodes (pronounced an-tip-a-teez) is a high-end certified organic skincare range from New Zealand that’s hailed as “pure New Zealand nature in a bottle”.  It’s coveted in Europe and featured in Harper’s Bazaar, VOGUE and Marie Claire to name a few.  The new Sephora store in Hong Kong that opened last Friday is offering the line amongst their natural/organic selection indicating they are “impressed by the beautifully fragrant range and the exquisite green wallpaper patterning of the packaging”.  Three Antipodes Concept Stores also opened within the last few months in Korea and the company is in talks with some big retailers and spas here, which if any indication means the craze is likely to hit the states soon. 

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Johnny Colt is not your typical musician. Although he was once a member of The Black Crowes and is now a member of both Train and Rockstar Supernova, Johnny is, among other business ventures, the creator and principal partner in two real estate development companies which own over 650K of commercial real estate. Currently, he is working on an adaptive reuse project – which means is that an existing building once used for another purpose will be converted into either homes or another business. For example, one of his projects is a 50,000sf four-sided brick former furniture warehouse that was converted to commercial loft office warehouse/flex space. It’s the perfect green solution – use what’s already there and not being used. The building will include green objectives as well.

I had the chance to ask Johnny a few questions about his endeavor: Read the rest of this entry »

Big bags are in and the bigger the better!  Find yours here:  

1). Thrush Bag by Ashley Watson $345 (Recycled Leather) 

Made of soft, worn leather rescued from leather jackets found in charity thrift shops, celebs have been spotted toting these fab bags.   

2). The Market Bag by Moop $113 (Organic Cotton)

Handmade, sweatshop-free bags made to order.  This company prides themselves on quality craftsmenship to be sure you’re bag will last.  Their newly launched ‘Organics’ line offers a midnight blue bag with more colors promised soon.   Read the rest of this entry »

Along with boosting my personal care regiment with more hydrating products, I have another secret weapon for surviving colder days ahead. As a California girl, I never had to think of these things as it was not long ago that I strolled in flip flops on the Huntington Beach pier on Christmas Day in 70 degree weather watching surfers (with Santa hats) ride the waves. Now, a couple years later, I’m becoming all too familiar with some items that are essential for making it through colder days. One such item is knee highs. I never used to wear them but now they are a must.  Fall is here which means weather, leaves are wardrobes are changing. Read the rest of this entry »

Donning the list of Toronto’s Fashion Heroes, named by NOW Magazine, is Natalie Stephenson whose Heart On Your Sleeve boutique in Toronto, Ontario is filled with labels that are only cruelty-free/vegan, sweatshop-free, recycled and/or organic.  Passionate about supporting local designers, she carries only goods from Canadian labels.  You’ll find great eco-brands like Grace & Cello, Passenger Pigeon, deux fm, Sparrow handbags and more.  And if you live or work in Toronto, they have a bike delivery service that costs the same as shipping (if you’re within their bicycle delivery zone). 

Normally Black Friday (11/28) is a huge day for retailers, but HOYS will be closed as they’re  participating in an international event, Buy Nothing Day as “an opportunity to express their ongoing frusteration with rampant, excessive consumption“. 

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Welcome to April Aromatics where natural aromatherapy and perfumery for people, their homes and offices are offered. These products can rejuvenate moods, emotions and one’s state of mind from inside out. Ingredients are all natural, pure, wild-crafted and certified organic whenever possible.

Founder Tanja Bochnig’s expertise is creating exclusive, all-natural scents and customized intuitive perfumes. Her skills are amplified from experiences, — such as witnessing harvesting and distillation by her essential oil suppliers. And it doesn’t hurt that she seems to have an incredible born-gifted nose that is winning her much-deserved admiration. Read the rest of this entry »

Pictured here are images of gifts offered by Traidcraft, the UK’s leading fair trade organization with a mission to fight poverty through trade, practicing and “promoting approaches to trade that help poor people in developing countries transform their lives.” Traidcraft’s unique structure - a trading company and a development charity working together - gives them a unique how trade can be made to work for the poor. How is fair trade defined?

“Fair trade seeks to transform the lives of poor producers in the developing world by enabling them to use their skills and resources to trade their way out of poverty. It seeks to challenge injustices in trading structures and practices that so often lead to the exploitation and marginalisation of poor people.”

Pictured above from left to right: Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve admired Moop for some time now.  Having discovered them initially on Etsy, I have been following the evolution of the company and their bags wishing that one day they would incorporate organic textiles in their designs.  Well, that day has come and they’ve launched their very popular Market Bag in organic cotton with more on the way!  Based in Massachusetts, the brain-child of Wendy Downs, is a small operation that makes all its bags from start to finish in their studio and prides itself on quality craftsmenship that’s designed to last.  Wendy is not only the owner, designer and seamstress, she is also the model for all her bags.  Most recently VenusZine nominated Moop in their HOTT LIST as one of the Best Indie Businesses of 2008.  (If you’re already a fan, you can nominate them here).   Read the rest of this entry »

You may know him for his Pride & Prejudice role as Mr. Darcy or in Bridget Jones Diary, The English Patient, Shakespeare In Love, Love Actually, Girl With The Pearl Earring and most recently, Momma Mia!, but after opening two fair trade coffee shops in London, Colin Firth opened Eco-Age, a full-service green living store in Chiswick, England.   

Together with his wife, and two partners they’ve created a three story ecologically-renovated shop that provides inspiration, services and products for living a greener life.  In addition, they’ve started a campaign to make Chiswick the first “eco village” in London by encouraging businesses and homeowners to commit to: Read the rest of this entry »