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Beauty Byte: Dr. Bronner's Lathers Up Some Litigation

bellasugar — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 16:00:17 -0700

Since the term "organic" is loosely defined within the skincare and cosmetics industry, many brands have taken quite a bit of leeway with the term. And one brand is not too happy about it.

Dr. Bronner's, which has voluntarily adopted the FDA standards of "organic" in its product line, is suing a bevy of brands, including Estée Lauder, Kiss My Face, Stella McCartney, and Juice Beauty. Dr. Bronner's claims that these brands use the term organic to sell products that are anything but. The suit also accuses the OASIS standards, which define the term "organic" for 30 top skincare companies, of being too lenient.

We'll see how it all plays out, but no matter whether Dr. Bronner's wins or loses in the courtroom, the company is winning some free press. Do you think the lawsuit has merit, or is the company in no place to dictate how others should run their businesses?

Doing Drugstore: Physicians Formula New Eco-Friendly Cosmetics

bellasugar — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 07:00:00 -0700

Physicians Formula has gone green! The brand has recently launched a line of eco-conscious, animal-friendly cosmetics called Organic wear. The packaging is made from (mostly) recycled paper as opposed to plastic, the brushes are goat hair, and every product is free of parabens, chemicals, preservatives, and fragrance. This is great news for those of you with sensitive skin.

Organic wear products are made from internationally certified organic ingredients that have been EcoCert-approved. I've tried several of the items and what I love the most is that they are natural-looking, build-able, and mattifying. I say if you have the option to indulge in something that is good for your skin and good for the environment, then why not make a choice that can help preserve our planet?

I also love the goofy model, who reminds me of Cabbage Head. For the scoop on each of the products,

Organic: Not Always A Safe Bet

bellasugar — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 09:00:53 -0700

If you think that by selecting beauty products that are labeled "organic," you're avoiding all potentially toxic, even carcinogenic additives, you might want to check the labels a little more closely next time. A study commissioned by the Organic Consumers Association, found the surprising presence of the compound 1,4-Dioxane in some of the most well-known "organic" and "natural" beauty brands.

So why is this something to be concerned about? The petroleum byproduct is added to some beauty products to provide mildness to harsh ingredients. It has been declared a known carcinogen by the state of California, and it is suspected as a kidney toxicant, neurotoxicant and respiratory toxicant, among others. Yikes!

Popular brands such as JASON Pure Natural & Organic, Kiss My Face, and Nature's Gate Organics did not fare so well in the OCA testing, whereas Dr. Bronner's, Sensibility Soaps, Terressentials, Aubrey Organics, and Dr. Hauschka came up clean. The full results of the study can be found here. To find out how you can avoid this toxic additive,

Get the Facts Behind Organic Beauty

bellasugar — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 10:00:32 -0800

Beauty and skincare lines have been jumping on the organic bandwagon in droves. Last year, sales of organic and natural cosmetics exceeded $7 billion. But does "organic" mean what you think it means? Time reports on a few things you should know about "organic" beauty products:

The USDA is the only organization that can certify something as organic, and they will only do so if all the ingredients, packaging, and production meet the same stringent standards required for organic food.
A USDA certified organic product is still allowed to have 5% non-organic ingredients. If a product is even 70% organic, it can claim to be made with "organic ingredients.
It's important to check labels carefully, and if the USDA seal is missing, it might not actually be organic at all.
Organic products are not necessarily more gentle. In fact, many can irritate sensitive skin because they use pure oils as preservatives.

The bottom line is that while anything organic is better for the environment, organic beauty products are not necessarily better for your skin.

Source

Stella McCartney gets Organic for Night & Day

bellasugar — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 10:00:48 -0800

Since organic food and beauty is so popular these days, I thought I'd tell you more about the most recent product launch from Stella McCartney, Nourishing Night & Day Cream ($80).

This face moisturizer has been developed to help revive all types of dry and dehydrated skin. Made with organic vegetable extracts, cupuacu butter, black-currant buds and brazil nut oil, it creates a mineral- and vitamin-enriched protective layer over your skin. I haven't tried the cream yet, but I'm a sucker for all things vegan, organic, and luxurious—so it's only a matter of time.

Origins Skin Care Goes Green

bellasugar — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 08:00:46 -0800

You'll be green with envy when you see Origins' latest skin care line, Origins Organics. Although the line launched in late fall, the products are intended to soothe dry, winter skin and hair.

All of the products are certified organic by the USDA, which is a huge step for a beauty company. Now, this doesn't mean that the products are 100% organic; it means that a large part of the products are made with certified-organic ingredients. Make sense?

To find out the highlights and prices of each of the nine products,

New Details on the Josie Maran Cosmetics Line

bellasugar — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 11:16:37 -0700

Remember when I told you that model Josie Maran is launching a natural cosmetics line this fall? Well, I've found some more information, and now I'm looking forward to trying it even more than I already was. According to WWD, the 70-piece line will range in price from $16 to $42, and every product is free of parabens, toxins and petrochemicals:

"As a result, the final ingredients list reads almost like a baking recipe. Products contain various combinations of corn starch, cocoa butter, pomegranate oil, jojoba, avocado oil, olive oil, coconut and soybean, to name a few."

Now, I know a few of you are thinking, "That's all fine, Bella, but will I actually want to buy the stuff?" Fair enough! To find out about the color cosmetics, just

Are You Absorbing Five Pounds of Makeup This Year?

bellasugar — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 13:21:17 -0700

FabSugar just sent me a news article claiming that the body absorbs almost five pounds of makeup per year. Yikes! Here's more from the story:

Many [women] use more than 20 different beauty products a day striving to look their best while nine out of 10 apply make-up which is past its use by date.

Dependence on cosmetics and toiletries means that a cocktail of 4lb 6oz of chemicals a year is absorbed into the body through the skin.

I can't wrap my head around the notion of absorbing five pounds' worth of cosmetics. My medicine cabinet is overflowing with products, but I'm trying to figure out if it's even possible that I apply five pounds of makeup each year. It seems like a lot, doesn't it? For more about this statistic—and to find out why I'm not entirely convinced of its accuracy—

Fragrance Review: L'Eau de Jatamansi

bellasugar — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 09:00:00 -0700

If you think eating organic is good, wait until you smell it. French fragrance house L'Artisan Parfumeur has released Jatamansi, a light and summery scent. Named after the Sanskrit word for Himalayan nard (a flowering plant), the certified-organic fragrance includes grapefruit, ylang ylang, rose, cardamom and other unusual plants.

The official description of L'Eau de Jatamansi ($145) says that it smells like iced tea. In a way it does, but the scent is far more complex than a simple Lipton blend. The relaxing notes of Jatamansi evoke a leisurely summer day, so it's perfect for warm weather. I generally can't stand the taste of iced tea, but after smelling this light, clean fragrance, I may have to rethink that! To find out the only drawback about this scent,

New Product Alert: 100% Pure Organic Pomegranate Antioxidant Hydration

bellasugar — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 15:48:29 -0700

I love it when ingredient lists have recognizable words, because then you know exactly what you're putting on your skin. 100% Pure is one company whose formulas are 100% easy to understand. The all-vegan, organic line uses fresh fruits and extracts to create natural, highly concentrated products for your body.

The latest addition to the collection is Organic Pomegranate Antioxidant Hydration ($26), a lightweight moisturizer with SPF 15. Here's what's inside:

Organic white tea, organic pomegranate oil, vitamin E, chamomile and lavender wax, extracts of rosemary, oregano, thyme, grapefruit seed, golden seal and cinnamon.

Pretty simple stuff, right? There's nothing there that would give me pause, though I'd still probably use an additional sunscreen if I were going to be in the sun. What about you—do you have faith in all-natural products, or are you more likely to go for a clinically tested product that has chemicals in it?

Aubrey Organics All Natural Six Scents

bellasugar — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 16:02:22 -0700

Here's one for all of you organic beauty fans! I've just heard about this awesome new line of organic perfumes called Aubrey Organics Natural Essential Oils Eau de Parfum, $21.50.

They make six different scents and totally make me think of something that would look and smell great in a guest bathroom at a beach house. All of the fragrances are created from 100% essential oils and they are free of synthetics, preservatives and fixatives.

The bottles all come in two ounce sizes. They are made from frosted glass and each have their own bright color and trademark design on them. This company has been around since 1967 as one of the world’s leading natural body care manufacturers and a prominent involvement in the natural cosmetics industry.

This is a new discovery for me, and I am really excited about them! Since their products can be purchased online or in any Whole Foods Market, I am psyched that the next time I'm food shopping I can check out more of their goodies.

To read more about each of the scents,

New Makeup Alert: The Organic Makeup Company

bellasugar — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 10:55:55 -0800

The Organic Makeup Company is a brand that has been brought to my attention by none other than FitSugar! This brand is comprised of all natural products that contain no synthetic, petroleum or animal based ingredients.

All items are made from earthly ingredients, they are fairly priced and they won't harm your liver. I've learned that almost 60% of what goes onto your skin absorbs into your blood vessels where it is processed by the liver...Ew, who knew!

The cosmetics line consists of: concealer, face powder, eye shadow, foundation, lipstick, lip gloss, makeup remover and mascara.

They also produce a complete line of amazing skin care products. Check out this post written by FitSugar which goes into further detail about the heath benefits of using organic makeup.

To read more makeup wellness facts,