>> Get a reusable bag already. Burbank and Laguna Beach are the next cities expected to ban the disposable plastic bag. Earlier: Styrofoam and the City: The fate of plastic bags and polystyrene in LA.

>> Ditch the blowdry. The girls at No More Dirty Looks are throwing down The Summer Hair Challenge: “Some time in the next week, when you get up in the morning, shower, shampoo and condition your hair using nontoxic natural products, comb it when you get out of the shower, and that’s it. No leave-ins, no heat. Once it’s dry, send us a pic.” That’s pretty much how I “do” my hair every day, so I’ll just need to snap a pic and send it in by Aug. 21. Yes, there’s a prize involved. Earlier: Book review: No More Dirty Looks — Get pretty by ditching ugly chemicals.

>> Milk the raw food debate. In case you haven’t heard, Rawesome — the Venice food club that hooks locals up with raw milk and other raw goodies — is in big trouble with the government. In Grist, David Gumpert writes “last week’s multi-agency assault on Rawesome Food Club in Venice, Calif., marked the first time individuals associated with a food club or a small farm had actually been thrown into jail, in this case charged with 13 felonies and misdemeanors, and held on high bail (requested between $60,000 and $130,000).” Read the whole article to see how the foodies are fighting back. Earlier: Farmageddon: Raw cheese (and other eco-foodie) debates hit the big screen.

Photo by Kate Ter Harr

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When eco-aesthetician Diana Ralys soothed my skin with argan oil at my last facial, I was convinced to start using the luxurious skin saver every day. Calming and hydrating with a gentle smooth, silky feel and mild nutty scent, pure argan oil’s a great natural moisturizer that can be used as a simple serum — no additives, preservatives, or fragrances required.

That’s why I was ecstatic to try out La Bella Figura‘s beauty line. This boutique all-organic, chemical-free beauty company uses pure, organic, fair trade argan oil — sustainably and ethically sourced from Morocco — as the base in all its eco-luxe products.

Its signature product: Moroccan Face Gold — which is simply 100 percent organic argan oil. This pure beauty product’s about as clean and healing as you can get — especially for those with sensitive skin. The luxurious oil’s super gentle, but powerfully moisturizing and soothing.

Though super sensitive types might just want to stick with pure argan oil, your skin can get a bigger beauty boost by adding a few other natural ingredients. Diana says though argan oil does a lot, she still recommends a few extras “Regardless of the skin’s type or condition antioxidants, like Vitamin C are essential,” she told me. “Antioxidants help to decrease skin’s stress and support overall skin’s health.”

Want that Vitamin C with your argan oil? Then get La Bella Figura’s Tesoro Mediterranean Blend. This serum also has argan oil as its base but also boasts bergamot fruit, lemon, neroli flower, and grapefruit oils — which give it both an antioxidant kick and a fragrant citrusy scent. “It’s got an extra boost of Vitamin C, even more antioxidants and polyphenols to help hydrate the skin, regenerate skin cells,and smooth out fine lines,” says Karen King, co-founder of La Bella Figura. “The added essential oils help tone and detoxify the skin. The chamomile and bergamot act as anti-inflammatories, helping to calm breakouts and skin redness.”

I often let my face serums double as my eye moisturizer too — since the products are gentle enough for the most sensitive skin spots — but La Bella Figura also offers a special eye serum, dubbed Découverte Under Eye Repair Serum. This potent potion combines organic argan oil with barbary fig oil for anti inflammatory power, coffee bean oil for moisture retention, and wild-crafted tomato seed oil to heal dry skin. Karen credits it with helping diminish dark circles and puffiness around the eyes. I’ve noticed that putting on Découverte every night before going to sleep really deep-moisturizes the skin around my eyes — an area that easily get dry from putting on and taking off eye makeup everyday. Now, the skin there feels healthier and plumper!

Want to treat your skin to argan oil? La Bella Figura’s eco-luxe beauty line’s available at its online store. For a half ounce in a glass pump bottle, Morrocan Face Gold and Tesoro Mediterranean Blend cost $27.50 and $40, respectively. Try both plus the company’s lip balm without breaking the bank with La Bella Figura’s The Perfect Traveler Kit, which gives you trial sizes of all three products for $20. Découverte isn’t included in that travel pack though — and costs an eye popping $115 for a third ounce.

Earlier:
>> Odacité: Gentle green skin care for sensitive eco-beauty seekers
>> Tata Harper: Skin care that’s uber green — and costs a lot of green
>> Golden Path Alchemy: Pure green beauty line with a truly natural scent

Photo via La Bella Figura

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Do you carry both lip balm and lipstick in your purse — because lipstick alone’s too drying? Me too — Lipstick on chapped lips looks strange. But last week, I found a new eco-friendly lip color that’s letting me leave my organic lip balm at home: Ilia Lip Conditioner.

A product called “lip conditioner” makes me think of lip balm, but Ilia Lip Conditioner’s actually more like a balm and lipstick in one. Put Ilia on, and you’ll get a smooth coat of color — that’s less opaque than a lipstick but more intense and matte than a tinted gloss, Plus, Ilia’s got organic moisturizing power — and a sleek, chic recycled aluminum case to hold it all together.

I discovered Ilia at eco-boutique Evolue’s party for Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep cosmetic safety database — so unsurprisingly, this lip color scores a relatively safe 3 on Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep cosmetic safety database. Made with 85 percent organic ingredients, Ilia’s full of moisturizing ingredients found in many organic lip balms — like jojoba oil, cocoa butter, and beeswax — as well as botanicals like pomegranate and grape seed extract. My favorite part: The comforting, mellow smell of cocoa butter, vanilla, and other delicious ingredients combine to give Ilia a delicious caramel-like scent.

Ilia offers six shades — from the pale pink Nobody’s Baby to the bright red Bang Bang. I got the darkest of the lot — Arabian Knights — though the hue isn’t quite as dramatically dark as it looks on Ilia’s website. The stick itself is a fairly deep burgundy-violet — but the color goes on light, thanks to the balm-meets-lipstick formula.

Arabian Knights is now my go-to lip color. I like how a light swipe gives me just enough color — no mixing or blending with other lipsticks and balms required — while keeping my lips moisturized under the summer sun. The box warns that the lip conditioner could melt when exposed to heat — but so far my Ilia has held up just fine in sunny L.A. weather.

Want some summer color of your own? Find your best shade of Ilia at Evolue — or shop on Ilia’s web store. A tube costs $24.95.

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Green beauty seekers already know to avoid the ingredient “fragrance” in products — since that one word can mask a whole slew of scary chemicals like phthalates and musks. That’s why, if you look at the ingredient lists of many eco-friendly beauty companies, you’ll see “fragrance” followed by a note that the scent is created with only essential oils. In fact, a growing number of products have gotten rid of the word “fragrance” altogether, instead detailing every single sweet-smelling ingredient in tiny print for full disclosure.

And a few brave companies not only don’t list the word fragrance — but also omit all scent-specific ingredients — organic or otherwise — altogether. I’ve discovered one growing eco-friendly company that’s going down this fragrance free path: Golden Path Alchemy.

Golden Path Alchemy, started by two green gals in Los Angeles, simply don’t seem to add ingredients to improve scent — instead opting to let the natural smell of the beauty potions shine through. Here’s one truly green beauty company serious about beauty. Golden Path Alchemy combines only natural ingredients like therapeutic grade essential oils, Chinese and Western medicinals and botanicals, and organic herbs and flower essences grown locally in Montecito, Calif., at Golden Path Alchemy’s own farm.

Those raw ingredients are crafted fresh in small batches, bottled in glass, and sold box-free to prevent unnecessary waste. All that eco-work not only makes for potent beauty products — but also a fantastic safety score on Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep cosmetic safety database.

I actually consider myself rather sensitive to fragrances and so was curious to experience this unscented beauty line. What I didn’t expect, though, was that my nose would get a pretty pungent surprise! (more…)

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If you’re like me, you refer to Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep cosmetic safety database before you buy any beauty or personal care product. The easy-to-search database provides quick safety scores for thousands of products, warning you if the mascara you’re considering’s full of toxic chemicals — and pointing you to safer, greener options.

And if you’re like me, you get emails from Environmental Working Group all the time — asking for money. Each time I delete one of these I feel a small pang of guilt — because I use the Skin Deep database a lot more often than I give money to support the nonprofit that makes it.

Well — Tonight’s a good night to both assuage guilt and get pretty if you live in the Los Angeles area. The Skin Deep database recently relaunched after a cosmetic makeover, making searching for and self-education about beauty products a lot easier. And to celebrate the new do, Environmental Working Group’s teamed up with green beauty boutique Evolue in Beverly Hills to throw a celebratory relaunch party.

When: Wed., June 29, 7 pm to 9 pm

Where: Evolue, 357 1/2 S. Robertson Blvd., Beverly Hills

Cost: $20 donation at the door to Environmental Working Group

For your generosity in supporting Environmental Working Group, you’ll be rewarded with organic cocktails, snacks, and music from a live DJ. Plus, Alexandra Spunt, author of “No More Dirty Looks,” will introduce Skin Deep and stick around to sign books and answer your pressing green beauty questions.

Hope to see you there!

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