It’s Earth Day this week, so what are you doing to make a difference for yourself and your environment? You might want to start with all those chemical-infested products you’re clogging your pores with.
Your skin is your largest organ. Instead of dousing it with toxic products, try these green alternatives. Not only are they good for you, many of them actually give back in the most magnificent green ways.
PLANTABLE PANGEA: When it comes to making things green, Pangea Organics has its roots planted deep. The brand’s facial mask not only detoxifies, deep-cleans, exfoliates, tones, moisturizes and fights wrinkles, it also yields a delicious herb. All you have to do is plant the box it comes in to get edible sweet basil. How cool is that? Just soak the box for one minute, dig a hole, toss it in and wait for your herb garden to grow. Available in Miami Beach at Whole Foods.
THE ONE: One With Nature is a soap company that makes all of its products using minerals from the Dead Sea. The soaps are 100 percent veggie-based, contain essential oils, are wrapped in biodegradable packaging and never tested on animals. Plus, the Vanilla Oatmeal Soap smells so good, you could eat it. (Where was this stuff back when you were getting a mouthful of Dial for trying out swear words?) Plus, the company gives a portion of its proceeds to Friends of the Earth Middle East, an organization dedicated to saving the Dead Sea. Available in Miami at Whole Foods.
REDUCE, REUSE, REAPPLY: EcoTools are just that, eco-friendly tools to help you get your makeup on. Try the Recycled Retractable Kabuki Brush. The brush comes housed in a recycled aluminum holder, so the next time you apply your mineral foundation, know you’re saving energy and reducing waste. Available in Miami Beach at Ulta.
SAY YOU’RE WELCOME TO WELEDA: Meet a company who got a head start on being environmentally sound way back in 1921. Weleda’s Sea Buckthorn Hand Cream, as well as the rest of its products, comes from a brand with a fair trade agreement all over the world, uses organic ingredients, is housed in recyclable packaging, is NaTrue Certified, remains chemical-free and isn’t tested on bunnies, kitties or any other cute, fluffy animal. Plus, the products are thick, rich and really give you moisture when you need it most. Available in Miami Beach at Whole Foods.
BRING IT BACK: Bond No. 9 is known for more than just its luxurious fragrances, like China Town. The company is also the first perfumery to ask its customers to bring their empty bottles back for a little recycling action. The next time you pop into Saks, simply bring your empty Bond No. 9 bottle—yes, even the chi-chi crystal-covered ones your hubby paid a mint for last Christmas—as well as empty perfume bottles from other companies, so they can house your favorite fragrance again. Once you return your bottle, it gets inspected, sanitized, refurbished and refilled. Then you can buy it back and start all over again.
BE ORIGINAL: Origins is going all out for Earth Day. On top of having a host of organic products, this month it launched “Return to Origins,” a recycling program that encourages you to bring in your old cosmetic packaging and then rewards you for doing so with a free sample of A Perfect World Collection. The company also launched Origins Earth Initiative, which plants a tree every time you buy A Perfect World Antioxidant Moisturizer with White Tea throughout the month of April. Planting trees, recycling stuff, free products, looks like both you and the Earth are benefiting from this deal. Available at Origins in Aventura Mall.
BE A LUSH: Beauty product company LUSH has always been big on green. Take, for instance, its Shave the Planet Shaving Cream with Fair Trade shea butter, housed in 100 percent post consumer recycled material and packed with antioxidants. But the company takes its efforts a step further this Earth Day with its Guerilla Gardening campaign. Stop by any LUSH store April 13 though 26 and make a seed bomb. Then, as you’re passing by an empty lot, planter or alley, drop your bomb and hope it grows. Who knew bombs could be so beautiful? Available at Macy’s in Dadeland Mall.
SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS SOIREE: Van Michael Miami Salon wants to give back to those who so graciously give to the environment. On April 27, the Miami Beach salon reveals its “Beauty for Real” campaign, featuring the top green givers in Miami. Each April, Van Michael and Aveda join together to promote local and global water causes. This year’s goal is $3 million toward clean water. Help them meet that mark with 20 percent off all Aveda products when you book your appointment and future appointments on the 27th. Ten percent of sales from all Aveda products will go the company’s clean water projects. Looks like that’s the day to replenish your Be Curly supply.
