True to its name this ultra pure organic & biodynamic facial moisturizer is just what my skin craves. It hydrates & moistens, while making you look fresh, not shiny. Your skin will drink this up, while it nourishes, purifies & protects! A great choice for your summer skin care regiment. My very picky, combo skin loves the Rosemary Verbenone blend for Most Skin types and I love its fresh herbal aroma (from organic and/or biodynamic essential oils only). I can’t help but taking a deep breath after I’ve massaged it into my dewy-with-toner face. They also offer Neroli for Sensitive Skin and Ylang Ylang for Oilier Skin versions. Considering it’s very concentrated, it’s highly affordable yet packed full of the purest ingredients sourced from around the world offering the best of the best ingredients. The 100% post consumer recycled amber glass bottles are imported from Germany and the French pump top has a locking system to keep the air out to keep contents fresh longer.

If you were on a tight budget and asked me to prioritize organic skin care in order of importance, I would list facial moisturizer at the top. That’s not to say that I think cleanser & toner aren’t extremely important, but moisturizer stays on the skin for a long amount of time and is most definitely absorbed. So, in my opinion your moisturizer should be of the utmost quality (totally pure & organic); it should work well and make your skin feel fantastic! This is one of those products.

Benedetta Fresh Aromatherapeutics is located in Petaluma, California and was created by Julia Faller in 1996. Handcrafted in small batches using Certified Organic, Biodynamic, wildcrafted and/or ecologically harvested ingredients, Benedetta’s commitment is to produce holistic, vibrant & fresh products that not only meet a conscious standard for purity, but also deliver remarkable results. With their “From Seed To Bottle” approach, they take good care to ensure their ingredients are top notch and is evident throughout their entire line.

Why not pamper Mom with something thoroughly pure and ultra-nourishing; something she may not buy for herself? 

Made especially for children, Traditional Medicinals Tummy Ache Tea is formulated using European herbal combinations of chamomile, lemon balm and peppermint.  Safe and effective for tummy aches, this tea can be found for less than $5. 

Parents: It’s important to follow the brewing instructions carefully so that the tea is most effective:

1) Pour 8oz. freshly boiled water over a tea bag in a cup.
2) Cover the cup and let the tea steep for 5-10 minutes. Why so long? Because medicinal herbs need time to release their healthful components. The longer the tea steeps, the more good stuff gets into the cup.
3) Children 4 to 8 years: Drink ½ cup 3 to 5 times daily, diluted with water or juice if desired. Children 2 to 4: Mix 1/3 to ½ cup of tea with warm, or room temperature, juice or water in a sippy cup at story time.
If your children like honey, add some to sweeten the taste.

Contraindications: Do not use if your child has known allergies to plants of the Asteraceae (daisy) family such as calendula, chamomile, echinacea, or yarrow. Consult a pediatrician prior to use if your child has gallstones, gallbladder or bile-duct obstruction, hiatal hernia, or acid reflux.

Ingredient Panel:

If you’re struggling with the embarrasment of acne and want to avoid over or under the counter pharmaceuticals to treats a case of the bumps, look no further than your health food store.  Two foods that have garnished some big praise when it comes to blemish-busting includes:

1). Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar:

There is a good chance you won’t find this in your conventional grocery store and don’t be fooled by the apple cider vinegar next to the white vinegar in the dressing aisle.  The type you are looking for is organic and unfiltered and the kind that contains “mother” (cloudy, spiderweb looking particles at the bottom of it - I know, how appetizing - but it’s totally natural, a part of the fermentation process made from apples).  Apple cider vinegar or ACV is in my opinion, a miracle food.  The ailments it can heal never cease to amaze me.  ACV acts sort of like vacuum and has the ability to pull toxins out and flush them out of the body.  It is highly cleansing, both inside and out.  You can use it to make your own household cleaners and you can drink it to clean your insides.  If you are looking for more energy and clearer skin, start by mixing 1 teaspoon per day in 8 ounces of water (with up to 1 teaspoon of organic honey if you are unable to take it alone) and gradually work your way up to 1 tablespoon per day.  You’ll likely be surprised at no only how clear your skin is looking, but how much more energy you have. 

 2). Barlean’s Flax Seeds and Flax Seed Oil:

Barlean’s makes my favorite brand of flax seed oil.  I use it in fruit smoothies or to drizzle on sprouted grain bread before I sprinkle with cinnamon.  Flax seeds come with a wealth of health benefits including hormone-balancing, skin-clearing and mood-regulating properties.  Barlean’s 100% USDA certified organic flax seed are fresh-pressed and air shipped to ensure you are getting the most benefit and it’s also the only flax seed oil to contain a “freshness dated” stamp on the label.  Many users have reported a significant difference in facial acne and blemishes after consuming flax seeds after approximately two weeks. 

For the past couple years, Amy’s Organic Lentil Vegetable Soup has been one of my favorite lunch options when I’m too busy or lazy to make something.  Packed with thoroughly healthy ingredients, this lunch-in-a-can is totally filling and you won’t feel one ounce of guilt or one ounce added to your hips.  It’s chocked full of vegetables like organic green beans, tomatoes and spinach that are mixed with hearty lentils in a vegetable broth.  You won’t find trans fat, GMOs, MSG or preservatives in any of Amy’s products.  And if you’re watching your salt intake, they also make a “Light In Sodium” version that contains 50% less sodium than other regular soups. 

And I love the way the company began - Rachel and Andy Berliner started on a “shoestring” budget using their house and barn as the headquarters.  The founding meetings were held in the same room the founders were married and where there daughter Amy was born in 1987 well before the idea “organic” was well-known and when there were very few convenient food options for vegetarians in health food stores or grocery stores.  Their first product, a vegetable pot pie was an instant success and now years later the company makes over 88 frozen and packaged meals.   

The company’s namesake is now in her Junior year at Stanford University and is very much apart of the business and often present at decision-making discussions.  During the summer she likes to go back to the plant and work on the burrito and packaging lines. 

Did you know many conventional fabric softeners coat clothes in softening agents made from animal fat?  I didn’t either but I stopped using conventional fabric detergents long ago due to the overwhelming synthetic fabric that trails whoever wear clothes washed with it.  Seventh Generation uses a plant-derived softening agent instead and this softener is scented with only 100% whole essential oils and botanical extracts - no knock-your-socks-off perfume cloud here.  I also truly appreciate that Seventh Generation has adapted a full-disclosure ingredient policy so that you can see for yourself what is in their products, which is much more than can be said for most laundry products. 

I’m using Seventh Generation Blue Eucalyptus + Lavender Fabric Softener for all my laundry right now and I really like it.  It’s my first time using it and I like the results - clothes come out smelling fresh, not perfumed, and they feel soft.  The other good news is that it’s really affordable - I didn’t buy my bottle on sale, but I just found it here for $3.95.  One bottle should get you through 40 loads if your using a conventional dryer and longer if you have a high efficient version.  This product is also formulated to work well with cold water so you can save money by saving energy! 

The bottle itself is made of at least 25% post-consumer recycled plastic and the contents does not include any animal ingredients and is not tested on animals, as noted by the Leaping Bunny seal. 

“John Masters Organics grew out of my desire to create a luxuy beauty line that treats the earth with respect.  The result is the culmination of the hard work performed by people all over the world.  Their dedication to growing and harvesting organic and wild-crafted ingredients is honored at John Masters Organics.”

-John Masters, part basement alchemist, part organic innovator

Over 20 years ago, John Masters began mixing essential oils and herbs in his kitchen.  Today his salon caters to some of the most green celebs in the first and only clean air salon in New York City.  His product lineup consists of 30 luxury organic products for hair and skin for human and even pets and most recently Treehugger nominated his haircare in their first annual ‘Best Of Green’ Awards. 

Some of my personal favorites include John Masters Organic Rosemary + Peppermint Shampoo; it has a gentle foam and invigorating aroma. My hair is left feeling clean and scalp a bit tingly.  Follow up with the Rosemary + Peppermint Detangler for smooth strands and easy styling. 

Have you checked out Allure’s Beauty Reporter in their April ‘09 issue?  Flip to page 64 and you’ll spot some green beauty finds including where you can recycle all your old beauty product containers.  Makeup artist Cristanne Davis gives her take on some low-key finds for Spring: 

Burt’s Bees Super Shiny Lip Glosses

“The neutral shades really deliver a lot of shine, and the formula stays put.”

Lavera Eye Liner Pencils

“They’re creamy enough to wear as a shadow or as a liner” says Davis and according to US Weekly Magazine, Eva Mendez is a fan of the line.

Recycling Beauty:

Drop off your old beauty product containers (from any brand) to any of the 130 Origins stores or any of the 420 department-store counters and they’ll turn them into recycled packaging or convert them into energy by waste centers. 

My husband owns this 100% ring-spun organic cotton jersey tee in Earth (color shown above), a delicious chocolatey brown and loves it.  It is softer and thinner than a standard t-shirt which he loves, but better yet - it’s affordable and made by a great company.

econscious is a trusted supplier of organic cotton apparel and accessories to international clothing companies and it’s founders are amongst the pioneers of the organic cotton apparel industy.  President Dale Denkensohn, helped Patagonia’s conversion to organic cotton in the 1990’s.  According to Denkensohn:

“A seismic shift is occuring towards sustainable practices.  We’re now offering organic cotton products so that individuals can be a part of this movement, make a positive statement and at the same time reduce their environmental impact on the planet”.

econscious is honored to be the first U.S. promotional product suppliers certified by Oregon Tilth, to the Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS).  They are also partners with 1% For The Planet.  According to VP of Marketing and Business Development for 1% For The Planet, Melody Grote:

“econscious is a valued 1% member company and partner.  We admire econscious for their high-standards in certified sustainable and organic products, their recent GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certification, and general dedication to giving back to the community.”

Weekend wear is about comfort and taking a break from your work week wardrobe.  This unstuffy outfit is lowkey - perfect for meeting a friend at the corner cafe for coffee (or green tea) or strolling through farmer’s market.  I’m an advocate of saving on tops and splurging on bottoms.  A good well-designed, high quality pant can make all the difference.  This 100% bamboo Jezebelle pant from deux FM has a metallic sheen that dresses up a look in an instant.  Pair these with an inexpensive tee and strappy sandals for a J.Crew-esque look or dress them up with ballet flats and a tailored top for the office. 

 Dear Frito-Lay, 

I had to write and let you know that I really like your new SunChips commercial.  You know, the one that you hired Apple or Target’s marketing firm for.  It’s quite good and it makes me happy.  And I think it’s great you are going to launch the very first totally compostable chip bag by Earth Day 2010 (that is if no one beats you to it now that the cat is out of the bag); but why not give us the whole package and fill these biodegradable bags with chips made from organic ingredients? 

I really like your catchy tagline “you eat the chips. the earth eats the bag. and we all live in a cleaner world” - although it seems to me that our world would be even more clean if it wasn’t polluted by all the pesticides that are sprayed on conventional crops, especially corn.  You make a lot of chips, think of the impact you could have?!  And I would be willing to bet people would pay a little more for them.  

I hope you’ll at least consider it, afterall you have enough time to make the switch - a whole year! 

Happy Earth Day!

Sincerely,

Organic Fanatic

P.S. To watch the new SunChips commercial click here.