Horst Rechelbacher, founder of Aveda, had something to prove.  As a hair genius, organic farmer and environmentalist - he set out to create one of the most pure luxury skin care lines available, then he took it a step further and created it with all skin types in mind, but especially those concerned about aging (the majority of women over thirty).

For over two months I’ve been using his USDA Certified Organic skin care range, Intelligent Nutrients and I can’t stop raving about it!!  The superstar product for me is the Anti-Aging Serum.  If there’s one question I’m asked the most, its probably if I can recommend a skin care line that will help skin that is both acne-prone and dry and/or acne-prone and anti-aging.  I haven’t been able to answer this with total certainty until I used this range.  The combination of the Cleanser, Mist, Serum and Moisture make my skin feel healthy, rejuvenated, hydrated and refreshed.  I have a healthy glow, haven’t had a breakout since I begun using these products and many fine lines have seemed to vanish.

The serum is something that my skin craves now and I think I might be addicted/obsessed with it.  It smells herbal, sweet and mildly grassy and I need only a drop to cover my entire face and neck after I spritz on the Anti-Aging Mist.  I recommend the entire line, but if there’s one product that is a must-have/worth-the-splurge, its the serum!

If you ask me, Rechelbacher proved exactly what he intended - that there is such a thing as “organic”, “luxury”, and “anti-aging” skin care products, and they’re pretty close to, if not perfect.

Thanks to Twitter, I just learned one of Katy Perry’s big secrets.  Apparently she recently played a concert in her hometown of Santa Barbara, California and backstage the folks who work at Bragg (where Bragg headquarters are) asked her to sign a poster for Patricia Bragg (daughter of the infamous health guru, Paul Bragg).  To their surprise Perry not only signed the poster but wrote “…your apple cider vinegar is my secret among secrets…”:

Katy Perry sips Bragg’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon is the recommended dose) to help her stay healthy, but its not a total shocker.  Patricia Bragg has helped many celebs get healthy by incorporating apple cider vinegar into their diet.  Madonna, Demi Moore, Clint Eastwood, Jack LaLanne and others are apparently fans as well.  So what can apple cider do for you?  Instead of making medical claims the FDA may frown upon, I’ll share my own personal experience with this simple, nature-provide miracle juice:

*Suppresses appetite

*Provides a boost of energy

*Healed a plantar wart on the bottom of my foot (with nightly topical application - no joke)

*Clears acne prone skin

*Cleans hard to remove stains or residue on laundry or in the kitchen

*Great ingredient for a healthy salad dressing

I always keep a bottle of Bragg’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar on hand for a variety of uses.  Have you tried “ACV” and if so, are you a fan?  Please share your story!

Note: Not all Apple Cider Vinegar is created equal.  The kind with the healthy benefits is cloudy and has “the mother” (apple sediment) on the bottom of the bottle, not the clear kind you find in the salad dressing aisle at your grocery store.  If you’ve never tried it, please start slow using only 1 teaspoon in 8 ounces of water and gradually increase to 1 tablespoon.  

Image credit: Bragg’s Blog

Though Summer is approaching its end, it’s definitely not over yet and for many, temps are well up into the hundreds and the sun is beating down while we all try to pack all our remaining to-dos into what’s last of the season.  While many suggest staying out of the sun between prime hours (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) for those of us who enjoy all the outdoor activities that summer brings, that can be difficult - especially with all-day beach trips, fairs, vacation or just yard work.  It’s important to remember to stay protected both from potentially harmful rays and from toxic sunscreens.

Erbaviva recently sent me their SPF 15 to try out and I’ve been using it while on vacation these past few weeks.  It is hands-down one of my favorite sunscreens.  The scent is pleasant, doesn’t turn my skin a pasty white and rubs in nicely.  What’s nice is that this can be used by adults and kids alike so there’s no need to purchase separate products for different family members. Alike conventional sunscreens which use synthetic and toxic ingredients like oxybenzone, Erbaviva uses Titanium Dioxide to coat the sun and shields the suns rays.

What’s the big deal about oxybenzone you ask?  Last year The Center For Disease Control released a study citing the potentially harmful effects of this chemical.  Just check out a portion of the statement here:

CDC: Americans Carry ‘Body Burden’ of Toxic Sunscreen Chemical
CONTACT: EWG Public Affairs, (202) 667-6982
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, March 25, 2008

WASHINGTON, March 25 – The bodies of nearly all Americans are contaminated with a sunscreen chemical that has been linked to allergies, hormone disruption, and cell damage, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). A companion study from the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine found that the same chemical is linked to low birth weight in baby girls whose mothers are exposed during pregnancy.  The chemical, oxybenzone, is widely used in sunscreens. Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) analysis of ingredient labels found that nearly 600 sunscreens sold in the U.S. contain oxybenzone, including products by Hawaiian Tropic, Coppertone, and Banana Boat. Although oxybenzone is most common in sunscreen, companies also use the toxic chemical in at least 567 other personal care products, including lip balm, lipstick, moisturizers and fragrance for women.
Oxybenzone was last reviewed for safety in the 1970’s but since then significant new evidence has been published on its toxicity and pervasive exposure. A recent review by the European Union found insufficient data to determine whether oxybenzone in sunscreen is safe for consumers.

“These studies are the latest in a long list of reasons the Food and Drug Administration must thoroughly review the safety of all chemicals used in sunscreens Americans use every day,” said Rebecca Sutton, a scientist with EWG. “FDA must do what it promised 30 years ago: Enact permanent, enforceable federal safety standards for sunscreens so consumers can get the best and safest sun protection.”

EWG research shows that 84 percent of 910 name-brand sunscreen products offer inadequate protection from the sun, or contain ingredients, like oxybenzone, with significant safety concerns. These products are on the market because FDA has failed to finalize sunscreen safety standards that have been under development since 1979, but has instead issued a series of delays and revisions at the request of the personal care product industry. FDA issued a new draft of the standards last October under pressure from EWG, but continues to delay finalizing the standards at the behest of the regulated industry.

EWG is a nonprofit research organization based in Washington, DC that uses the power of information to protect human health and the environment. The group’s research on oxybenzone is available online at http://www.ewg.org/node/26212.

I came home to find these delicious granola bars in the cupboard and they. are. so. good!  I’m a big fan of almond butter - most mornings I spread a nice amount of it on sprouted grain toast and it sustains me for hours, but these bars are a nice mid-afternoon snack when I need something that’s sweet, but has substance.  They would also be perfect for packing in your kid’s lunch.  They’re not without sugar, but are a good substitute for a high-refined sugary treat and have a good amount of fiber which is lacking in most diets.  Cascadian Farm’s Almond Butter Crunchy Granola Bars are USDA Certified Organic, which means at least 95% of the ingredients have been grown without the use of pesticides.  It does not mean that you won’t any weight if you consume a whole box in one sitting (which may be very easy to do).

Cascadian Farms has been around since 1972 and the company was founded in Skagit Valley, Washington.

I just saw this trailer yesterday and I have to see this!  This looks to be sort of an eco-version of the Super Size Me documentary, yet more funny and entertaining.  (I was mostly just grossed out and horrified by the latter).  “No Impact Man” is an extreme one year project by Colin Beavan and his family, in research of his book.  I love his wife in this trailer - so real and honest and how I’m sure the majority of us would feel if our man came to us and asked us to do such a thing.  It seems a little unbelievable that anyone could have absolutely “no impact” (on the planet) in one year, but I’m sure willing to watch and find out how this family tries to do so.

Colin can be found on his blog, or at Crazy Sexy Life (founded by Kris Carr, subject of the medical journey documentary, Crazy Sexy Cancer). 

I have a little confession.  I fell off my self-imposed no sugar wagon.  Several months ago.  Before vacation.

I suppose if there’s anytime to splurge, it’s while on vacation.  So I did.  Since returning home after almost a month of being away I’ve decided I need to begin a “vacation detox” which means cutting out a lot of food, exercising, eating clean food and drinking lots of water.   I haven’t started yet, but am crafting my master plan.

In the meantime, I indulged in one of my favorite chocolate bars ever - Green & Black’s Organic Dark Chocolate Bar. Green & Black’s makes some of the best organic chocolate around and don’t just take my word for it - apparently Martha Stewart is also a fan of this chocolatey goodness.  Watch Micah Carr-Hill, the “Head of Taste” at Green & Black’s on The Martha Stewart Show as he samples their various chocolates with Martha.  Just try to watch it without getting a craving!

Photo source: About.com

Are you getting ready for guests to land upon you, for the upcoming Labor Day weekend?  I am, and this past weekend I had a major yard cleanup day at my house.  Luckily, I had family who pitched in to help, because its no easy feat tackling a half acre.  Trim trees.  Check.  Pull weeds. Check.  Mow lawn.  Check.  And the list went on. Plant flowers in pots.  Check.  So after a long day in the sun, I sat on my steps (glad to be sitting) and grabbed a bag of Organic Miracle Gro Potting soil that I had picked up earlier in the day at my local home improvement store.  According to the bag its made of 100% organic material including compost, peat moss and manure and I feel better about using it than the conventional potting soil. It contains natural fertilizers that provide quick~release and slow~release feeding for up to 3 months.  Have you used it, and if so, what do you think??

I’m still living out of my suitcase after three and a half weeks of traveling and about a week ago the Preserve Toothbrush made it’s way into my shopping basket just before I landed in a checkout line.  This toothbrush is simple, but I like it.  The forty-five degree ergonomic handle is perfect for getting to those hard to reach places.  Available in seven colors - I picked the green color.  The handle is 100% recycled  and made party of Stonyfield Farms yogurt cups.  The cool part is that when it’s time to retire the brush (after about three months of use), it can be sent back using this postage-paid label, and it will be recycled into plastic lumber for picnic tables, boardwalks and decks.

Love a sale?  I sure do and I bought mine for a killer deal - find your own Preserve Toothbrush now for 57% off here!

Have you checked out the organic cotton homewares from Pottery Barn?  They’ve got some comfy and casual organic cotton alternatives that proves you don’t have to give up style to go organic.  These bath mats are thick, reversible and made of pure organic cotton loops.  Designed to coordinate with PB Organic Towels, if you’re in need of upgrading your bathroom why not take a look at some organic options?!

These plush towels have received rave reviews and its no wonder since they’re made of 600-gram weight organic cotton.  A perfect way to welcome and pamper your overnight guests!

I’ve been traveling for the past couple weeks and recently checked-out of the the newly renovated Elan Hotel located near Beverly Hills and West Hollywood.  This boutique hotel is conveniently located near The Beverly Center and The Grove, is comparably affordable, modern, yet comfortable.  i stay green, a site that allows travels to rate and review “green hotels” gives Elan Hotel 3 stars and as a certified member of the California Green Lodging Association, they engage in best practices for energy conservation and environmental sustainability.

My stay lasted three nights which was a good amount of time to experience the amenities.  The zen-like lobby is an oasis in a sea of hustle and bustle that awaits outside and since it is a small hotel, my room was only a short walk from the lobby.  I was pleased to find a comfy bed (wish the sheets were organic cotton) and bathroom amenities housed in recycled paper packaging (wish they used organic products sans artificial fragrance), but the stay was more or just as comfortable as my past stays in mega-hotel chains.  A note card on the bathroom counter encourages guests to leave paper and plastic out of the trash cans, indicating the cleaning crew would recycle them and as many hotels do these days, they encouraged guests to only have sheets changed and bath linens exchanged when necessary.

I enjoyed my time at Elan Hotel, happy with my room (and the cozy bed!) and the accommodating staff, pleased about the price and location, but if you’re looking for a “dark green” or 5-leaf green hotel, this may not be entirely green enough for you.  On the other hand, if you’re in search of a property that is making changing towards reducing their environmental impact, then Elan Hotel definitely fits that bill.