16 green beauty picks for spring

Get skin and hair prepped for warm weather with these eco-friendly beauty products

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Green Winners MarApr 2013

Condition skin and hair

Giovanni 2Chic Avocado & Olive Oil Ultra-Moist Deep Deep Moisture Hair Mask

Ramp up the shine-the fatty acids in avocado and olive oils boost moisture and all-round hair health. After shampooing, massage into hair from roots to ends, and leave three to 10 minutes before rinsing. It’s certified cruelty-free through the Leaping Bunny program, and the formula is biodegradable. The bottle is recyclable, too. ($10, 147 mL)

Tata Harper Rebuilding Moisturizer
For years, U.S. beauty editors have been exalting botanical beauty expert Tata Harper’s all-natural and organic skincare products from Vermont. Now available in Canada at beauty boutiques and online. This mattifying moisturizer for oily and combination skin is certified natural by EcoCert and features raw honey from Harper’s farm to give skin a fresh look and feel. ($110, 50 mL)

Pangea Organics Body Polish Brazilian Brown Sugar With Cocoa Butter
This vegan and gluten-free exfoliant energizes the senses with essential oils and boosts skin elasticity with cocoa butter. And, according to the company, the molasses in brown sugar contains antioxidants that help stimulate cell rejuvenation. It’s NSF ANSI 35 certified, which means at least 70 percent of the ingredients are organic. ($22, 226 g)

Tarte Glamazon Pure Performance 12-Hour ?Lipstick

Eco-chic makeup brand Tarte’s emollient-rich lipstick is housed in a sustainably harvested bamboo case. The secret to its long-lasting wear ?is Amazonian clay, which helps colour stay put. Lips stay conditioned thanks to mango, avocado and shea butters. Bright pink Foxy (shown open) is one of 10 pretty shades. ($34, 2 g)

Photo by Tracy Shumate

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Green Winners Summer 2012

Nourish your body

EOS Everyday Hand Lotion
You might know EOS (Evolution of Smooth) for its little egg-shaped lip balms. This 97 percent natural hand lotion has aloe, oat and shea butter to soothe, protect and moisturize, and a refreshing cucumber scent. The flip-top on the pebble-shape container makes it handy to tote around in your purse. ($4, 44 mL)

 

Korres After-Sun Yoghurt Cooling Gel

The lactose in the yogurt included in this face and body soother provides antioxidant benefits. Korres, which uses natural and organic ingredients, suggests keeping it in the fridge for an extra cooling effect. ($31, 150 mL)

Burt’s Bees Mango & Orange Body Butter

Spring and summer skin needs hydration, too. What better than a silky 99 percent natural treat? The light scent will give you a little citrus fix, and the antioxidant-rich mango “butter” and sweet orange oil will leave skin soft and nourished. ($13, 185 g)

 

Dial Naturals Hand Soap
It’s nice to be able to incorporate more natural ingredients into daily personal care. Dial says its tangerine and guava hand soap is “94 percent naturally derived.” It was clinically tested by dermatological research experts at the European Bioskin Institute. Who knew? ($3, 277 mL)

 

Photo by Tracy Shumate

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Green Winners May 2012

Revitalize tired skin

Yes to Cucumbers Soothing Body Lotion
Cucumber extract, aloe vera and green tea soothe and nourish; jojoba oil moisturizes. And the cucumbers offer a little cooling action in this lightweight 98 percent natural formula for sensitive skin. ?A portion of proceeds goes to a Seed Fund for sustainable agriculture. ($9, 170 g)

Kibio Hydratation Intense Nourishing Cream
Certified organic by Ecocert, this face cream has a trifecta of nourishing oils (olive, hazelnut and sunflower) and smoothing shea butter. Star ingredient katafray helps ensure cushiony hydrated skin. ($45, 50 mL)

 

The Body Shop Nutriganics Drops of Youth
Apply a drop or two of this silky concentrate on skin before your regular serum or moisturizer. It’s certified organic by Ecocert, and contains criste-marine plant cells and beech bud extract to “kick-start the cell repair process.” ($30, 30 mL)

 

EcoKid TLC Hypo-allergenic Wash

An Australian hairdresser concerned about products for his children developed EcoKid hair and body treats. The bottle has a “pinky swear” message about organic-certified ingredients in this bio-degrad-able body wash (it doubles as a shampoo). The natural fragrance is sweet, too. ($15, 250 mL)

Photo by Tracy Shumate

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Green Winners MarApr 2012

Restore dry skin and hair

Green Beaver Natural Deodorant in Citrus
Natural citrus enzymes and lichen do the anti-odour job while camomile and aloe soothe sensitive skin in this aluminum-free deodorant. ($6, 50 g)

 

Lavanila Laboratories Forever Fragrance Oil
Roll-on scents are so portable. This one, made of pure essential oils in a sweet almond oil base, is alcohol free and delivers a warm sensual vanilla scent. ($26, 240 mL)

 

Yves Rocher 100% Karité Bio-organic Shea Butter
Restore dry skin to its supple best with this intense repair butter. Its shea comes from a sustainable organic free-trade production in Mali. ?Tip: Emulsify in palms first. ($27, 45 mL)

Hamadi Organics Shea Rice Milk Conditioner
This certified organic blend of essential oils (clary sage and ylang-ylang) and plant extracts is biodegradable. Rice milk proteins fortify hair while shea butter keeps it smooth. ($36, 240 mL)

Photo by My Yen Trung

 

Related:
The ultimate guide to green beauty
Beauty secrets from around the world
10 beauty must haves

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