It would be grand to just roll out of bed every morning looking glamorous and fresh, but it requires serious maintenance to stay sexy. Here are eight easy and eco-friendly tricks for dealing with some of the most frustrating beauty predicaments.

Tired Eyes
Everybody knows about sliced cucumbers, but I recently discovered a more effective method. Steep a couple of green tea bags, put them in the refrigerator until they’re cool and place them over your eyes.

Blemishes
Apply a touch of toothpaste overnight and dab blemishes with lemon juice before putting on makeup in the morning.

Oily Skin
If you start your morning off with a hot bowl of oatmeal, this one’s a cinch. Let your leftovers cool, mix in a little bit of honey and apply this homemade mask to your face. Leave it on for five minutes and rinse.

Dull Hair
Next time you pop the bubbly, save a glass of champagne to rinse through your hair for brighter locks.

Bad Breath
Add several drops of lemon juice to that reusable water bottle you carry around all day. When your mouth feels stale, just take a swig and swish. Bad breath bacteria don’t stand a chance against the acid present in lemon juice.

Wet Nails
Who has the time to wait for nail polish to dry, especially after a couple of coats? Dipping them into ice cold water will speed up the process.

Chapped Lips
Lip balm may moisturize, but it doesn’t get rid of dead skin cells. Make your own exfoliating scrub by blending a bit of honey with coffee grounds and massage the mixture onto your lips.

Dandruff
Mix several teaspoons of vinegar with water and massage into your scalp. Wrap your hair in a towel and leave it in your hair overnight. Repeat the process weekly for the best results.

For more beauty suggestions, check out Katherine’s picks for the best organic skin toners, shampoos and sunscreens.

Image: clickflashphotos

You know the times you’ve run a fingernail down the side of your face and small bits of face have rolled off with it? The ick factor is huge, right? And most of that ick is dead skin.

Sure, you can moisturize with the best organic lotions out there. (And for the best green lotions to use, click here.) But those dead skin cells have to absorb the lotion before it can penetrate the skin underneath.

No amount of organic skin lotion is going to raise your skin cells from the dead. But before you conduct a green funeral for your face, try sloughing off with your best tool of choice – a scrub.

Bringing out the healthy, alive layers of skin on your face will improve your skin immensely. You’ll be less prone to break outs. Your skin will be smoother and have a healthier glow.

Pick a scrub that can make best friendsies with your skin. It is possible to over-exfoliate so be forewarned! If you over scrub, you can sand paper away the natural, protective barrier of your skin.

For sensitive skin, you’ll want a gentle exfoliating scrub. If your skin can take a sand blasting, go for the deep pore scrub. Depending on age and sensitivity, some people scrub daily, some only once or twice a week.

Best Scrub to Lessen Your Carbon Footprint:

Pangea Organics Facial Scrub ($32.00)
This gentle scrub is organic and, even better, fair trade. It contains Egyptian geranium with adzuki bean and cranberry. The smell is interesting – a combination of mud with bits of fruit buried in it. It’s light enough to use daily but strong enough to feel like you’re getting a good exfoliation. It is free of parabens, sulfates and any synthetic preservatives.

Best Scrub to Brighten Your Face:

John Masters Organics Jojoba and Ginseng Exfoliating Cleanser ($28.00)
This fantastic product contains certified organic jojoba beads (to exfoliate!) and ginseng (to revitalize!). And the best part? It will leave your face noticeably brightened. It seems to contain almost light-reflective properties that sit atop your skin and make it glow.

Best Scrub to Pretend You’re at the Beach:

Juice Beauty Exfoliating Cleanser ($22.00)
This is another gentle cleanser/scrub that has a rich pineapple base. The fresh fruity scent will bring you back to the beachy memories of childhood or that vacation you once went on where you blacked out from pineapple margaritas. It also contains certified organic extracts of white grape and aloe vera.

Best Scrub for Your Buck:

Noah’s Naturals Face Scrub with Jojoba Beads ($7.99)
This is a great, all-around scrub. You’ll feel like you’re getting a good wash while scrubbing out the baddies. It gives off a pleasant, old-school scent that’s almost floral, without being perfumey. It contains no parabens or sodium lauryl sulfate. It’s not organic, but it’s a good choice if you want an affordable, natural cleanser.

Best Scrub to Love Your Sensitive Skin:

Avalon Organics Exfoliating Enzyme Scrub ($16.95)
This product offers up a light, lavender scent. I used it daily for about a week and my skin did feel smoother after a couple of days. It’s free of parabens and preservatives. It is 100% vegetarian, and contains certified organic ingredients.

Best Scrub to Blast Your Skin:

Burt’s Bees Peach and Willowbark Deep Pore Scrub ($7.99)
If you’re looking for a scrub to really tear it up, this is the product for you. It has a fresh, peachy smell but it does leave a bit of a waxy, leftover feeling. It’s made from ground peach stone to exfoliate and also contains willowbark, a natural source of salicylic acid. 98.45% natural, it is free of sodium lauryl/laureth sulfates, parabens and phthalates.

Best Scrub to Use Daily:

Aveda Tourmaline Charged Exfoliating Cleanser ($29.00)
This product works really well as a cleanser, but if you want a vigorous scrub, look elsewhere. It is not organic but it does contain “naturally-derived” exfoliating beads and certified organic lavender and geranium oils. And it’s tourmaline charged. What, pray tell, is tourmaline charged? Tourmaline apparently “acts as a conductor for the plant energy and the crystalline energy, while energizing the skin and boosting it with moisture and vitamins.”

Best Scrub to Simply Wash Your Face:

Exfoliating Wash by Kiss My Face ($15.00)
This scrub…er, wash got high marks for smell. It reminds me of lime and mint, and really makes me want a Mojito. It’s clean and refreshing, but doesn’t feel like a scrub.  It works more like a gel and feels gentle on your face. It’s not organic, but does contain several “certified natural” ingredients.

Since the beginning of time, we’ve been beautifying ourselves with the plant kingdom’s best skin and hair care helpers, and if you buy wholesome, natural cosmetics (like Juara, Pangea, or Angelface Botanicals to name a few), you’ll notice your ingredient list is full of plant names. But let’s face it, these little beauty potions can be pricey. Thankfully it’s not difficult to create your own homemade beauty products using common herbs and essential oils. It doesn’t take a huge expense to ensure you have beautiful, healthy skin and hair.

Rosemary

It’s no secret why many natural brands make rosemary shampoo – a rinse made from this herb adds luster to dark hair and strengthens and smooths damaged hair shafts. Check out EcoSalon’s DIY recipe for rosemary shampoo or make a strong rosemary tea for an after-shampoo rinse.

Chamomile and Thyme

infused into a strong tea make a great and gentle cleanser for oily skin. Pour a liter of this tea into your bath to help clear up body blemishes, not to mention the relaxation…ahhhhh!

Lavender

is a favorite herb of many natural skin care products, but why not make your own? Lavender is soothing and antiseptic, so it’s a great solution for burns, psoriasis, infections and sensitive skin in general. Make a spritzer with strong lavender tea, or a small spray bottle filled with distilled water and a few drops of lavender oil (start with a low dilution, then keep adding drops until you find the strength that’s right for you). And because lavender is a natural mood lifter, using this spray will make you smile and that’s definitely a key to beauty.

Rosewater

You can pick up a bottle of rosewater at a Middle Eastern market, or a rose aromatherapy spray from the natural market (Heritage Products makes my favorite), but if you’ve got a rose garden and the DIY inclination, simply make your own. Since ancient times, rosewater has been used as a gentle astringent and is anti-inflammatory. Use with a cotton swab as a toner or spritz onto your face a few times a day. And don’t forget, you’ll smell great!

Neem

is one of the big guns of the herbal world. Because it’s anti-bacterial, neem oil is used to treat acne, eczema, psoriasis, dandruff, and it has a strong, garlic-type smell, so it may not be part of your daily skin care routine, but it’s good to have around for when you really need the stronger stuff.

Comfrey

with it’s big, soft leaves beckons us to use it. It is a well known herb for healing blemishes and repairing damaged skin. To make your own comfrey oil, stuff a jar of olive oil with comfrey leaves and let sit for 6 weeks. You can then use this oil on dry hands, chapped lips, scrapes and burns, or even eczema. If you’re really DIY, melt some beeswax or cocoa butter with the comfrey oil to make a salve of thicker consistency.

Sage

Got oily skin? Then listen up. Sage (yup, the kind you grow for cooking) is astringent, so a strong tea made of sage and mixed with a bit of witch hazel or apple cider vinegar serves as a great daily toner. Or if you want, simply use the plain tea as a daily facial rinse.

Evening Primrose

You can find the oil in bottles or capsules at any natural market. Evening primrose oil contains linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid that is unfortunately not produced by your body, but which promotes healthy, rejuvenated skin. Take the oil both internally and use topically on your skin to firm and hydrate your skin, help heal blemishes and reduce signs of lines and wrinkles.

Henna

Well known as a natural way to become a little more of a redhead, henna powder is a great way to add shine and protection to your hair.  If you’re looking for the shine without the reddish tint, go for “neutral henna,” which is actually the plant Cassia obovata, but conditions and nourishes the hair just the same.

Basil

is particularly useful if you live in a polluted area and your skin has lost its luster, crush a handful of basil leaves and pour a cup of hot water over them to make a strong tea. Once this brew has cooled, splash your face with it as a detoxifying, circulation-promoting toner. Without drying off, apply moisturizer.

Turmeric

is a tricky one, simply because it will temporary tinge your skin yellow, but it is a great cleanser and adds a lot of moisture to your skin. Read more about turmeric here.

Seaweed

You can bypass the expensive seaweed wraps at the spa and give yourself a simple facial at home. Sea vegetables are not only nutritious for the body, but because of their high mineral content and softening properties, are very nourishing for the skin. Buy some nori sheets (the same kind you’d use for making sushi), quickly dampen them with water and place them on your face for a moisturizing mask. You may want to keep spritzing to prevent the nori from drying out. Remove after 15-20 minutes and voila, you’re a mermaid!

Aloe Vera

Aloe is well known for treating burns and scrapes, but you can use it on any irritated skin. A face mask made of aloe, honey and kelp will greatly soothe and moisturize your skin. You can buy the gel in stores but it’s always best if you have a plant to ensure purity. At the very least, read the ingredients and make sure your aloe gel doesn’t contain any of these common cosmetic toxins.

Geranium

The essential oil of this common garden flower is used in many cosmetic products for balancing skin and hair. If your skin is oily, simply add 2-3 drops of geranium oil to a bowl of water and splash your face. For dry, sensitive skin make a healing oatmeal-geranium mask out of oatmeal, water, a teaspoon of melted honey, and 4-5 drops of geranium oil.

Burdock root oil

(shown at top)

is an ancient healer for dry, itchy scalp. It can help get rid of dandruff and keep the skin on your scalp healthy. For best results, rub a little bit into your scalp after you wash your hair and while your hair is still damp. Modern studies have shown that burdock root oil contains essential fatty acids and phytosterols, which promote hair growth and a healthy scalp.

Take charge of your beauty with nature’s finest ingredients – the plants! And don’t forget, beauty does radiate from the inside out and a healthy diet and lifestyle is essential. Enjoy – and be beautiful!

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Someone famous once said, “A good organic facial cleanser can solve any problem.” (I can’t remember who said it, but that has Eleanor Roosevelt all over it, no?) But why is going organic in your cleanser important?

First, it can improve your skin tone, and this is essential for greenies who don’t like to wear too much makeup. It’s the first thing you’ll put on your face in the morning, so you’ll want it to be pure. Furthermore, organic ingredients have been known reduce free radical damage. Free radicals are pollution, sun, and all the rest of the bad stuff that ages your skin. And finally, if you go organic, you can also be sure your ingredients are purer, harvested with a lower eco-footprint, don’t contain harmful petroleum chemicals, and are cruelty-free. So check out our look at some of the best organic cleansers out there.

Rose Foaming Face Wash from John Masters Organics

Light, subtle, and simple, this face wash was fantastic. Out of all the cleansers I tried, this product best combined everything you want in a face wash. First, the scent was lovely. It had a subtle rose fragrance that didn’t overpower. Second, it passed the squeaky clean test. Meaning, it left my face feeling tight and clean. Third, it softened my skin. It is made from steam-distilled essential rose oil, and it is best for those with normal to dry skin. And finally, it is certified by the National Organic Program, meaning it is made from organic ingredients and contains no parabens, petro-chemicals, and artificial or synthetic materials.

Light Cleansing Lotion from Kimberly Sayer

This is another great cleanser, offering up a pleasant, lemony smell.  It also scored high on the fresh factor – it left my face feeling crisp and tight. Why am I speaking like faces should be treated as salads in the crisper? Because at minimum, most of us apply a moisturizer (with SPF!) after washing our faces, and most of us don’t want our face to feel like we’re excavating through layers of silt by the time we apply our makeup. This soy-based product is best for combination, oily and blemish-prone skin. And it is made with certified organic ingredients.

Linden Blossom Face Crème Cleanser from John Masters Organics

Again, John Masters Organics scores with another fantastic cleanser. With a light floral scent, it leaves you with the feeling you’ve just bathed your face in blossoms – and who hasn’t fantasized about some ancient Roman-style floral bath every morning? Okay, maybe it’s just me. This product is great for dry skin, as it is more moisturizing than the other cleansers. But it still leaves your face feeling fresh. Due to the higher moisturizing factor, this NOP-certified product is great for winter or for those with dry skin.

Organic Face Wash from Juice Beauty

This was a bit thicker than other cleansers, so a little goes a long way. It could leave your skin a little waxy if you use too much, so heed the warning. The scent was a bit medicinal, but it wasn’t overpowering or offensive. More important, it left my skin feeling hydrated, soft and moisturized. For all skin types, this product is 95% organic.

Creamy Face Cleanser from Kiss My Face

If you have dry skin – or live in the Arctic – this is a great cleanser for you.  It is very thick and felt a bit like washing with a moisturizer. I had to scrub to get it all off. (And then scrub an hour later when I discovered it caked around my ears.) But if you have dry skin, this could be a positive. The scent was a bit intense. It was supposed to be vanilla and tangerine, but it smelled more like vitamins to me. It contains natural and certified organic ingredients and no artificial colors or unnecessary chemicals.

If you live in a place where water likes to go icy, your skin is probably suffering.  Trust me, I know your pain.  You feel like you’re going to fall into a snow drift, freeze for the next thousand years, and wake up to alien scientists commenting on just how dry your face is.  But worry no more!  Whether your winter involves wind chill or lows in the 50s, we have the moisturizer for you.  So treat your face to our review of these great, green moisturizers.

Mandarin Maximum Moisture by John Masters Organics

This fragrant, concentrated moisturizer is, in a word, outstanding.  (Did I say outstanding?  I meant amazing.)  It absorbs quickly and doesn’t leave you with the greased-out feeling that you could cook bacon on your forehead.  It also contains glycoproteins which “stimulate cell growth for long-term reversal of damage.”  (Take that, sunspots!)  And you can rest easy with John Masters Organics exacting standards.  It contains strictly organic botanical ingredients. And no artificial products are ever used.

Nutrient Moisturizer by Juice Beauty

This product from Juice Beauty is excellent if you want deep, rich moisturizing results.  It has a sort of neutral scent ““ the kind of smell that makes you think there’s something powerful and vitamin-y in the mixture.  For dry, sensitive, or mature skin, this moisture contains replenishing organic grape juice, vitamin-rich carrot juice and essential fatty-acids.

Infuse Nourishing Multi-Vitamin Moisturizer by Pure and True

This was the most intense of the moisturizers that I sampled.  In fact, if you’re suffering from razor cheeks (a loving term for when you get those winter dry patches), this is the moisturizer for you. I just traveled back east to 20-degree weather and got razor cheeks in what felt like a matter of minutes.  (It was more like two days.)  One application of this intense moisturizer cleared it right up.  This product is free of artificial color, fragrances, parabens, petroleum products and toxic synthetics.

Green Apple Antioxidant Moisturizer by Juice Beauty

This moisturizer lives up to its green apple moniker by being amazingly fruity and sweet-smelling.  If you are into natural fragrances, then this is the product for you.  It is very creamy – use it sparingly, because a little goes a long way.  It contains antioxidant-rich organic apple and grape juices.  And it combines these organic nutrients with enzymes to even your complexion.

It’s truly a wonder to me what comes from the rainforest. I suppose it’s because I grew up in more temperate regions, but the products of the tropics very much intrigue me. Take these oils: babassu, buriti and cupuassu. Never heard of them before? Neither had I. But my skin yearned to be fed by their deliciousness.

Tropical Organic Bodycare ““ such is the tagline of Joia Botanicals. They use only natural ingredients (and all the ingredients are conveniently listed on the website, so you can see for yourself) featuring the above-mentioned exotic rainforest oils, plus many others. Best of all, Joia Botanicals promotes sustainable harvesting for the rainforest communities of Brazil by only using wild-harvested ingredients ““ which is an incentive for the local residents to maintain the integrity of their forests while making a fair living from their products. That sounds like a win-win situation to me. Thanks for the happiness and harmony, Joia.

Winter can be rough, and nowhere is it rougher than on your skin.  It’s cold, it’s dry, and you’re more concerned with keeping your legs warm than silky smooth. When you’re rushing out of the warm shower and hurrying to get into your clothes, it can be hard to take that beat to lather up dry skin. And before you know it you wake up, and your body is drier than a Halloween pumpkin in November.

But not to worry! I was lucky enough to test a slew of eco-friendly moisturizers, and I put them through my rigorous list of highly-scientific questions. How well did they moisturize?  How quickly did they moisturize?  And how do you smell, moisturized?  Check out these great, green solutions to keep your skin hydrated.

Open Your Eyes Organic Moisturizing Lotion by Spa Ritual

Of all the products I lathered up with, this is my favorite. 83% organic, vegan, and paraben-free, this moisture is topped off with light eucalyptus essential oils. Spa Ritual has a fantastic smell ““ you feel like you’re visiting a spa, which I suppose is the point. This moisturizer is thick, hydrating and fresh. And best of all?  It absorbs quickly, so you won’t feel like your outfit is taking in more of your lotion that your body.

Pacifica Body Butter

If you like perfume and deep moisture, this product combines the best of both worlds. These moisturizers are thick, creamy, and definitely leave you with a scented, lasting silkiness.  They are available in florals, fruits, herbs and spices, woods and resins. I sampled the Hawaiian Ruby Guava and trailed around a light, fruity scent for hours after. Pacifica products are free of parabens, propylene glycol, phthalates and lead wicks. The company is working towards carbon neutrality and uses no animal ingredients, including beeswax.

Blood Orange and Vanilla Body Milk by John Masters Organics

This is another highly-scented moisturizer with a light, subtly sweet scent.  It has a great consistency and absorbs very quickly ““ you don’t have to spend a lot of time airing your skin after application. Made with certified organic ingredients, the blood orange detoxifies and promotes collagen, while milk thistle extracts provide an antioxidant to smooth and nourish your skin.  John Masters Organics are free of sodium lauryl sulfate and parabens. They are cold-pressed and fair-trade.

Kiss My Face Ultra Moisturizer

Kiss My Face has been doing natural longer than most companies, so it’s no surprise they got body moisture right. While I couldn’t find any direct evidence that this product is organic, these moisturizers are paraben-free and contain no animal ingredients, artificial colors or unnecessary chemicals. I sampled the lavender shea moisture, which was light and silky. More importantly, they have an easy scent that is in no way overwhelming. You can apply it and not feel like you’ve jumped in neck-deep to a pool of lavender oils.  On second thought, that sounds kind of appealing. Next article, a look at pools of lavender oils!

Editor’s note: Please welcome Katherine Butler, our new organic beauty product review writer. Katherine will be testing and reporting on everything from the least sticky lip gloss to the best conditioner for unruly hair, so stay tuned for her biweekly column.

You do know about hemp, right? Not just as a fashionable fabric for clothing, or as a super-nutritious food, or even as a medicinal plant that ought to be legalized ““ but hemp for healthy skin. Eat your hemp seeds, drink your hemp milk, and moisturize with hemp oil, and do it all to feed your skin from the inside out.

Hemp seeds contain the perfect balance of Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs), with just the right ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 that most people eating a typical North American diet just don’t get. EFAs build healthy cell membranes that hold moisture in your skin, keeping it soft and supple. Skin conditions like psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema, and acne are all associated with a lack of EFAs.

The moral of the story is: healthy, beautiful skin always begins with a healthy, nutritious diet. So eat your hemp ““ no excuses. (Manitoba Harvest is a good source of hemp products, if you don’t know where to start.)

Image: ssh

If you’ve combed the selection of perfumes lining the sparkling counters at Macy’s or Nordstrom and have yet to find “your” scent, why not make your own instead? Making your own perfume is easy, and this way, you can create a fragrance that is unique to your personality – and organic. Before you set out on your hunt for essential oils, let’s explore the meaning behind popular aromas to determine your perfect match.

The bright and fresh fragrance of sandalwood signifies spiritual harmony, perfect for aligning those chakras to achieve the blissful state of nirvana.

If you seek invigoration, citrus aromas like lemon, orange and lime awaken your senses and energize your spirit.

To evoke a serene presence, both rose and chamomile are known for their soothing effects.

The floral scent of lavender denotes well-being and is a fabulous aroma therapeutic way to eliminate stress.

For nights out on the town, sensual aromas like jasmine and vanilla are exotic and intoxicating.

These aromas are just a sample of what the diverse fragrance wheel has to offer, and you can find a vast assortment of organic essential oils at Mountain Rose Herbs, Florapathics and Young Living. Once you’ve chosen the right fragrance for you, all you need is some organic vodka and a pretty glass storage jar to formulate your very own essential oil perfume. Concoct a mixture of approximately 85% vodka and 15% oil, cover the jar and let it stand for several days.

Don’t hesitate to combine different scents in your effort to compose an original fragrance; trial and error is half of the fun. Next, pour in a tablespoon of filtered water for each ounce of vodka, stir, allow this formula to sit for a few more days and, voila! You have natural, DIY, personalized perfume that sure beats the expensive designer alternatives.

Image: tanakawho

Here we are, in the holidays again! This time brings many celebrations. I acknowledge December as a month of gatherings, sharing warmth and connecting to the winter season. It is a time that crosses over from the social glow to the inner warmth of reflection – the deep stillness that rests just beneath the buzz of parties and gifts.

And tipping us into January is New Year’s and our flurry of resolutions. May I recommend you give yourself plenty of time and start on something now? Choose a habit that doesn’t suit your well-being. Set a gentle and consistent pace with yourself to release a habit that isn’t working and to start a new one that does! How brilliant will you feel doing that?

It takes 90 days, they say, to establish a new habit.  That time marker varies – some say 45.  Just know, no one expects you to dial in a whole new life in 48 hours or less.

The real beauty of starting with something now is that you get a chance to practice! Start small. Just the practice of taking notice of your habits and choosing one each week to play with can bring vibrancy to your winter months.

Here’s one habit I realized I can change really easily: I notice I drink more tea and coffee than water to beat the lack of sunlight and to give my hands that cup o’ warm when it is colder outside. What happens is my body feels more dehydrated, my face looks more drawn and my skin seems to age. So, my habit to shed is substituting tea for water. Here’s my habit to adopt: next time I order a warm drink, I’ll order a warm spring water with fresh lemon slices and maybe a sprig of mint. The next time I go to market, I’ll remember to buy a few blissfully bright fragrant organic lemons to keep on hand for around the house. I’ll turn my warm lemon water tea time into a sweet ritual. And when I am feeling brave, I’ll ask those people who run the cafes I patron if they use organic produce and if they know the benefits to their local economy of buying organic.

Even while you are traveling, you can use this habit shedding and habit adoption process to stay connected to yourself and your ongoing commitment to your well-being. Others learn from our examples of self love.

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