Eco Beauty in the Nude

The quest for perfect skin. A continual journey that has gained some new eco-friendly exits worthy of a stop. Let the beauty contest begin.

Nude: First up is the new Nude skin care line from Bono and Ali Hewson, the powerhouses behind the Edun eco-clothing line. Note that Nude is Edun spelled backwards, and vice versa.

Nude is happily devoid of the following ugly ingredients: parabens, sulphates, PEGs, propylene glycol, TEA, DEA, phthalates, mineral oil and silicones. Less is truly more.

Nude's packaging is green too. Bottles and jars are crafted from 40% post-industrial recycled plastic with rounded corners for high shipping efficiency. Products are encased in biodegradable cornstarch sleeves with natural inks. Gorgeous!  Available at Barneys for starters. www.nudeskincare.com

Why care about going buff? The average woman in the U.S. applies up to 168 different ingredients to her skin every day. I have certainly been guilty of that of many occasions. Only 11% of the 10,500 ingredients in personal care products have been tested and approved by the FDA. Outrageous. The remaining 89% have never been tested for safety and could be hazardous to our health. 

And we already know about the endocrine disrupting perils of the prevalent parabens and phthalates. Our skin absorbs what we put on it. Would we willing to eat our skin cream?  If not, then read on.

Care by Stella McCartney: If you care what you put on your skin, then Stella McCartney’s new premium Care line of certified organic skincare could be just what the dermatologist ordered. Care is formulated with 100% certified organic active ingredients with no petrochemicals or silicones. Everything your skin needs and nothing it doesn't. Available at Sephora and Nordstroms. www.stellamccartneycare.com

Eco-celebrity and vegetarian Stella McCartney also designs a fabulous line of eco-fashion and vegan purses in keeping with her sustainable lifestyle philosophy. You won’t find any fur or leather here.  www.stellamccartney.com

Farmaesthetics: Newsflash - I think I have found a new miracle cream. It is the Nourishing Herbal Cream by Farmaesthetics. I highly recommend it for moisturizing in the winter time. Its short list of ingredients includes sweet almond oil, calendula, witch hazel, and essential oils. And a whole lot of results.  www.farmaesthetics.com

Jurlique: If you haven't seen the new Jurlique green stores, run don't walk. They are a beautiful bucolic sight to behold.  I can't get enough of Jurlique's beyond organic, biodynamic skin care wonders like their Herbal Recovery Gel, masks, and hand creams. All new eco-friendly packaging too.  www.jurlique.com

Grateful Body: Pure organic botanical skincare from a certified green business in planet-friendly packaging. No synthetics or genetically-engineered ingredients or pesticides allowed. Divine. I was excited, and grateful, to discover this family-owned business.  www.gratefulbody.com

Note: After much experimentation, I believe that organic skincare without all of the impossible-to-pronounce suspicious chemicals is the healthier and safer way to go. That said, there are certain active ingredients like pure Vitamin C and Retin-A that are proven to be anti-aging. My working hypothesis is that combining these active ingredients with the organic skin care lines above is the magic formula. And a healthy diet, sleep, exercise, and lots of water help significantly too. But this is a working hypothesis, and I will continue to report on any new miracle creams, lotions, and potions discovered. Pure ones of course.

Expert Resources

Teens For Safe Cosmetics: Started by super teen Jessica Assaf, Teens for Safe Cosmetics is doing an incredible job spreading the eco-beauty gospel to young girls and their parents everywhere. They are holding their popular National Summit this weekend in Marin. Don't miss their Green Spa. Teens for Safe Cosmetics

Environmental Working Group: The authority on chemicals in today's beauty products, the EWG’s Skin Deep database lets you look up any product, see its ingredients, and find healthy alternatives. Beauty is truly skin deep.