Feelgood Style

Last week, I had my wallet stolen for the second time in two months. This most recent wallet was a really cute one from Vy & Elle (at left), but now it’s gone, and I’ve decided that it’s just too depressing to purchase the same one again. Instead, I’m viewing this as an opportunity to do a comprehensive search for another fabulous eco-friendlier wallet; pretending, if you will, that this is just part of my job, rather than a huge hassle on top of all of the other hassles that come with having one’s wallet stolen.

After spending hours narrowing down my choices to 6 very cute, very functional options, I thought I would turn the decision part over to you. Below, in alphabetical order, are the finalists. If you find them all thoroughly underwhelming, please post any recommendations and I will certainly take a look! Who knows - by my calculations, I’m due for another pickpocketing event in early January, so I’ll need some good ideas for the next one, too. Read the rest of this entry »

Here’s the problem: 80,000 tons of flexible plastic packaging are manufactured each year in Indonesia and for every one ton of manufacturing, there’s thirty tons of waste. The average timespan of a single-use drink container packaged in flexible plastic is only 4 seconds. Because there are no safe disposal methods for flexible plastic, it may accumulate and then sit in a landfill forever. And because there are no traditional recycling techniques for this type of plastic it has little resale market value. Rather than allow this flexible plastic to become potential toxic waste by clogging landfills and waterways, The XSProject Foundation acquires the plastic from trash pickers before it piles up in toxic landfills. Read the rest of this entry »

Hardly as obssessive as the Japanese or Michael Jackson when it comes to lightening skin, I am definitely a sucker for anything that promises to ‘brighten’ and even the tone of my not bright, and definitely not even, skin tone.  It may sound like a genius marketing ploy but here’s where that old adage that ‘if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is’, actually doesn’t apply. Nature holds a vast treasure trove of spectacularly potent ingredients from plants & fruits that are being discovered and isolated every day. One of the newest to hit the market is the Amla Fruit in the form of a new Skin Brightening Lotion by Anokha. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s long been known that Alicia Silverstone is one of our most eco-savvy Hollywood Stars from her vegetarian stance to her green nuptials, so it comes as no surprise that her latest venture shows her walking the talk yet again. Inspired and designed by the natural beauty herself, Ecotools by Alicia Silverstone is a collection featuring environmentally-friendly makeup bags & brushes. The cosmetic bags are made with natural hemp and the floral designs on the bags are printed with non-toxic inks, as are the hangtags which are also printed on tree-free stone paper. The interior is made from a recycled PET lining and the brushes are compiled of earth-friendly materials such as bamboo, recycled plastic, soybean oil and crushed walnuts – with cruelty-free, non-animal bristles. Read the rest of this entry »

You may be wondering what chocolate has to do with beauty and fashion. It’s simple: Even the most gorgeous makeover and hottest fashion-forward ensemble won’t look right if you’re all frowny. You’ll also get those pesky little lines between your eyebrows. So what better to turn that frown upside down than an adorable little tin jam packed with adorable, dark chocolate-covered cacao niblets?! Read the rest of this entry »

Here’s another budget and eco-friendly stocking stuffer: Scandle Body Candles. These amazing candles burn and melt at low temperatures and the candle “wax” can be poured onto the body and used as an oil for massages, spa treatments, manicures and pedicures or just for pure enjoyment at home. And the candles are less than $25 and will fit perfectly in a holiday stocking.

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I’ve sung the praises (and done the homework if you must know), on Yes Organic Personal Lubricants before, but the UK company have just turned your intimate forays into an easier slide & glide! With the launch of the new Yes Organic Personal Lubricant Applicator Pack, our favorite natural lubricant now comes in a box of six pre-filled applicators for single use, providing realistic lubrication that is almost nature identical. The discreet & convenient way to deliver deep lubrication and hydration in just the right amount, to the right place! With 70% market share dominated by petro-chem filled KY Jelly, Yes is the only sensible choice for between the sheets. Read the rest of this entry »

PHOTO BY PR PHOTOS

This season, if you’re going to try Angelina’s signature leather look, only in an eco-conscious kind of way, like we covered in Part I, you have got to pair it with the right pieces. A boyish $5 tee, like the one Angelina is wearing from her more rebellious days, is NOT going to do it. If you want to crash and burn in leather, the fastest way to do it is by teaming it up with grungy accents that make the entire look just plain gaudy. Doing this ensures a drab, ultra masculine get-up that is anything but flattering. The key to pulling off an edgy leather-anchored ensemble is to balance it with feminine tones and cuts.

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The cold and flu season is upon us, and when it hits home, it’s hard to imagine anything that makes a girl feel less attractive than puffy eyes and…ok, I’ll just say it…snot dripping down her face. So when I was attacked by a particularly kleenex-intensive virus, I was desperate for a little luxury, something to soothe the sinuses and provide a bit of pampering. In the midst of my misery, I reached for my Kaeline Hammam Savon Noir exfoliating paste while in the shower. It contains only a few ingredients, of which Eucalyptus Globulus is a big one. I figured if Eucalyptus was good enough for the vapour rub my mom rubbed on my chest when I was a kid, this 100% natural body soap may do more than exfoliate, soothe, and refresh my skin.    Read the rest of this entry »

Call me a magpie if you must but I’m a big fan of shine & shimmer. Sure, I’ve long given up those eighties skintight silver leggings worn with a matching silver & gold headband (which I proudly – at the time – made), but whether it’s sequins, glitter or a simple sheen, I’m often overheard oooing and ahhhing over just about anything with luminosity. Kind of unusual then that I’m newly smitten with the new Matte Velvet Nail Polish from Zoya, but they seem just right for the winter/fall season ahead. All the color, none of the shine and a deep, velvet finish that’s completely new (and fashionable) – what’s not to love! We’ve featured Zoya Nail Polish here before but in case you haven’t heard, this non-toxic and natural nail polish allows you to go a little more green with your nail care products, without giving up your glam. Read the rest of this entry »