Though I wouldn’t label myself as having dry skin eight months out of the year, it is definitely what I call my skin in winter.  Dry and itchy.  After reading that Rona Berg, author of Fast Beauty: 1000 Quick Fixes, calls sweet almond oil her secret skin “panacea”, I couldn’t resist trying it for myself for the first time this week.  I’m using Aura Cacia’s USDA Certified Organic Sweet Almond Oil as both facial and body oil.  While I smell a mild nutty aroma upon application, it quickly disappears and leaves my skin feeling hydrated.  You won’t find any other ingredients in the bottle, making it also a great solution for those with sensitive skin.  I only use a few drops on my face, so this four ounce bottle is sure to last for months. 

Although I’m not much of a DIYer in terms of skin care, I’ve had my eye on Sophie Uliano’s Gorgeously Green Luxurious Rose Facial Oil since I bought the book many months back; and now that I have one of the ingredients I’m going to give it a try:

 1 oz. apricot or sweet almond oil (for the base)

5 drops of each of your three favorite essential oils (i.e. rose, lavender, geranium)

1 tsp. vitamin E oil (not for oily skin)

 Okay, okay…the title is a stretch, but it caught your attention right?  If you’re already thinking of ways to dodge the calories in a couple weeks (ahem, Valentines Day) but don’t want to ditch chocolate altogether (or you want to honor your friend’s New Year’s resolution diet), check out skinnyskinny’s Organic Chocolate Soap.  I’m thoroughly impressed by this company’s ethos and their pure bars of sudsy goodness.  This particular bar contains a whopping 20% of unrefined cocoa butter, which has been known to soften wrinkles and reduce stretch marks while providing ultra hydration.  It also contains 99% certified organic ingredients. 

The meaning behind the Skinny Skinny Soaps name is two-fold. Since they create products that are for “Skin” and they are located in Brooklyn, “NY” they put the two together and voila…”SkinNY”! The other reason why the name makes such great sense is because their soaps are without all the nasties that conventional soaps contain. And I’m of course happy to report that all of their products contain AT LEAST 96% certified organic ingredients! Not only are their ingredients fabulous, but they buy enough wind-power to cover their electricity usage and purchase carbon offsets for everything else. Even their packaging is 100% recycled, reclaimed and/or sustainable.  Now this is a company I dig!

Last week Samsung introduced their new ultra slim, energy efficient Luxia range of LED based LCD high definition TVs during the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.  Three models will be available (6000, 7000  & 8000), all of which use LED as their primary light source, one of which (LNXXB8000) includes a power indicator menu and is said to consume forty percent less power than any other LCD TV.   At just over an inch thick, each model meets the more stringent Energy Star® v3.0 guidelines by cutting power consumption to significantly new lows.  Unlike the Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamps (CCFL) typically used in LCD TVs, this series uses LED backlights which are free of mercury.  Scheduled to be available for purchase by mid-year, these also include an optimized energy savings mode that adjusts the backlight and picture quality while continuing to produce smoother, more natural images.

[Click here to watch the Samsung Luxia video and read more]

Want to start your morning out right?  The cheery aroma of lemongrass wafting in the shower steam is a great way to start the day.  Quirky and fun Indigo Wild produces a wide variety of wonderfully scented natural bath and body wares and you won’t find a questionable ingredient in the bunch.  Not all their products contain organic ingredients, but this one happens to boast a whopping 95% organic content and is one of my favorite body washes.  Not only am I a huge fan of all things lemongrass, I’m also a huge promonent of body care companies that refuse to add synthetic ingredients and make natural and organic a priority.  This produces a nice lather and won’t leave your skin feeling stripped like some castile soaps and will last for at least a couple months since its highly concentrated and a little goes a long way. 

Find it here: Zum Body Lemongrass Body Wash

This weekend celebs grabbed ECOGREEN gift bags at the DPA’s Pre Awards Golden Globe Lounge at the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills.  Amongst the swag was Planet Botanicals, ECOCERT certified organic skin and body care goods.  Planet Botanicals ingredients are hinged on exotic oils and butters from Africa such as Marula, Kalahari Melon, Moringa and their newest ingredient, Baobab oil.  President of Planet Botanicals, Michele Gilfoil indicates “Our balms are especially nourishing and hydrating because they contain a rare type of shea butter only found in East Africa, highly prized for its light creamy consistency and nourishing properties.  Baobab oil has exceptional moisturizing and skin nourishing benefits and Baobab oil production benefits the local community in South Africa by providing income opportunities for women fruit collectors”. Planet Botanicals partners with local communities, shea butter cooperatives and artisan distillers in Africa and other parts of the world to source its ingredients based on the principles of fair trade and environmentally sustainability. “Together, we are forging a global community network of producers and consumers” says Gilfoil. 

Discover Shea Body Oil with Marula with Organic Rosehips and Ylang Ylang, Organic Shea Balm and Organic Face Balm and find out what its all about.

Although highly convenient, buying clothes online isn’t exactly ideal since you can’t see and touch them in person, but its oftentimes difficult to find organic versions in stores so that’s why I usually end up purchasing online.  While the days of bland and boring organic cotton baby and kids clothing aren’t completely gone , there are some great companies producing high quality, low impact organic cotton clothes for the little hipster in your life.

Enter Postively Organic.  Bright colors combined with fun themes mixed with environmental sensitivity is at the heart of the business.  Whether your child is fond of animals, insects or shapes, you’ll find something for every little one.  I’m not exactly sure why I’m not seeing this brand everywhere, because it deserves to be.  A few weeks ago, I opened the box from PO and was shocked by the thickness, softness and quality of each piece.  This is not your standard tee shirt thickness, its much more thick and a more tightly woven knit. 

 Positively Organic support causes in four areas that are near and dear to their hearts:

 1). Children’s Health & Welfare

2). Environmental Sustainability

3). Economic Justice

4). Artistic Expression

You’ll find their bright & clean factory located on the coast in southern India (with an organic garden right outside) and workers are paid a very fair wage.  Find their long sleeve graphic tee and cordoroy pant set (for boys or girls/shown above) on sale for just $39 (regularly $66). 

Last month Coca Cola announced the rollout of Sprite Green and it made its first appearances in New York and Chicago.  Store shelves will soon hold the new “naturally” sweetened beverage housed in aluminum bottles.  With less than 50% less calories than the original, its aimed at the young, active and health conscious crowd.  Its sweetened with new to the market Truvia (owned by Coca Cola and Cargill), a sweetener derived from the herb Stevia and is anticipated to rival pink and blue packets.  Another Coca Cola brand, Odwalla, contains the new sweetener in some of its juice products and forecasts anticipate a big push from the other leading beverage companies in the months to come.  Back in July PepsiCo, together with Whole Earth Sweeteners developed their own version of stevia sweetener called PureVia, and have added it to their SoBe Life drinks. 

 What do you think?  Green or greenwash?