6 Earth-Friendly Beauty Brands to Get Behind

From sustainably farmed body butters to sulfate-free shampoos, this fresh crop of brands won't leave you hanging in the results department.
By Maureen Choi/ Marie Claire magazine

BOOTS

The Buys: With the new Extracts Bath and Body Care collection (hitting Target shelves this month), Brit pharmacy brand Boots goes green without getting full-on granola. Think sophisticated, yummy-smelling cleansers, scrubs, and creams (above) made with sustainable raw materials like organic cocoa and shea butters, and spiked with fragrant bergamot and rose hip essential oils. We're obsessed with the wonderfully foamy Cocoa Butter Body Wash ($7) — it leaves the driest limbs smooth.

The Source: Conacado cooperative, the Dominican Republic — based purveyor of cocoa to major chocolatiers like Nestlé and Green & Black's, has recently signed on to supply community-traded beans to Boots for cocoa butter.

Feel-Good Factor: Earth-friendly manufacturing practices — like rain-watering methods, solar crop drying, and the use of fuel derived from dried coconut shells — make the Conacado co-op sustainably sound. The company also guarantees its farmers a fair market price and safe working conditions while funding a microloan program for local entrepreneurs and building community learning centers for children.

L'OCCITANE

The Buys: L'Occitane's Immortelle Precious Night Cream ($68) and Eye Balm ($38) boast a powerful antiaging cocktail of organic immortelle cell extracts and circulation-boosting vitamin E.

The Source: A fully sustainable organic farm on the island of Corsica grows immortelle, a robust wildflower that never wilts.

Feel-Good Factor: As a brand known for its old-school, nature-based Mediterranean beauty secrets, L'Occitane forgoes chemical treatments and fertilizers. The hardy immortelle relies solely on rain showers (not wasteful irrigation systems), and is distilled organically on-site within hours of being hand-harvested.

THE BODY SHOP

The Buys: The Body Shop's Shower Gels for Earth Lovers ($12) doesn't skimp on performance for sustainability — an infusion of aloe and watermelon extract douses skin with moisture and an uplifting (not sickly sweet) scent.

The Source: Organic fair-trade aloe vera is hand-harvested by local farmers in El Progreso, Guatemala, then processed within 12 hours to preserve its freshness and efficacy.

Feel-Good Factor: This first-ever 100 percent biodegradable shower gel (free of parabens, colorants, and sulfates) is housed in recycled plastic, nixing the carbon footprint created in manufacturing the packaging from scratch.

SIBU BEAUTY

The Buys: Antioxidant- and essential-fatty-acid-rich sea buckthorn berry oil makes the Hydrating Serum ($40) and Cleanse and Detox Facial Soap ($6) heavy hitters against wrinkles and sun damage.

The Source: Organic sea buckthorn berries (believed by Buddhist monks to have sacred healing powers ) indigenous to the Himalayan Mountains are handpicked and sorted by native farmers.

Feel-Good Factor: The Dalai Lama has given his blessing to the fair-trade pact between Sibu Beauty and the sea buckthorn farmers in Tibet — mostly women who earn enough in one season to support their families for a year.

FREE YOUR MANE

The Buys: Free Your Mane's Restorative Hair Oil ($25) tames frizz with a base of baobab and sweet almond oils; a blend of aloe, sunflower-seed extract, and avocado in the Sulfate-Free Hydrating Shampoo ($16) leaves tresses silky smooth.

The Source: Grown wild in the dry regions of Tambacounda, Senegal, certified organic baobab fruit (a white pulpy crop with a hard shell, high in vitamin C and omega-6) is collected by local farm cooperatives.

Feel-Good Factor: On top of paying the Senegalese farmers a fair-trade price, Free Your Mane donates 7 percent of all profits to fund numerous children's charities in the U.S.

JURLIQUE

The Buys: Jurlique's Purely White Skin Brightening line, which includes a Day Cream ($45) and a Night Treatment ($48), zaps spots and pigmentation with Kakadu plum extract and citrus unshiu peel extract.

The Source: The company's 153-acre certified biodynamic farm in South Australia's Adelaide Hills grows organic rose, chamomile, and lavender, which are blended into a base for all the brand's products. Marquee ingredients not grown on-site — like Kakadu plum — come from nearby growers, purchased at a fair market price.

Feel-Good Factor: Composting and a revegetation project make the Jurlique farm an eco all-star. We also love how organic garlic planted between rose bushes fends off pests.



Warm regards and love -
Erin

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT SPREAD: IS IT HEALTHY?

Article by Dana Angelo White in Is It Healthy?

Clever marketing has attempted to convince consumers that chocolate-hazelnut spreads, such as Nutella, make a nutritious breakfast. Can this chocolaty delight be a healthy part of any meal?
Yes?
Manufacturers tout that this creamy spread contains wholesome ingredients like hazelnuts and skim milk — and it does. There’s actually not much else to it, only a couple of other ingredients make up the recipe — but that’s where things start to get messy.
No?
The first 2 ingredients listed on the label of chocolate-hazelnut spreads are sugar, followed by palm oil, which means these ingredients out-weigh all others. When you break down the numbers you’ll find it contains 100 calories per tablespoon and more than 50-percent of that comes from fat. While there are some heart-healthy fats from nuts, one-third is the artery-clogging saturated kind. As for the sugar, it’s not looking much better – nearly 5 teaspoons per serving!
Most brands also include thickeners such as soy lecithin. While this food additive is considered safe, folks with soy allergies should be aware.
The Verdict
Just a smidge is all you need! While magically delicious, this choco-nutty spread isn’t to be confused with straight up health food (like natural peanut butter for instance). Use this product sparingly and preferably along with nutrient-dense foods like fresh fruit and whole grains.
Furthermore, don’t believe everything you see on food advertisements, they’ll always push the limits to make food look as nutritious as possible. Read ingredient labels carefully to get the real facts.
Tell Us: What’s your take on chocolate hazelnut spreads?

Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC, is a registered dietitian, certified athletic trainer and owner of Dana White Nutrition, Inc., which specializes in culinary and sports nutrition.


Warm regards and love -

Erin

Natural Remedies for Coping With Depression

I find at this time of year I sometimes get a bit blue. It could be because of light depravation which is also known as SAD or seasonal affective disorder, could be the hype of the holidays and then it all comes to a complete stop on December 26th, it could be because I have lost so many family and friends that this time of year I tend to think of them the most and miss them. Not sure what it is but something usually gets me down this time of year. I am not alone it seems because depression effects about 20 million adults in the US every year.

I will state that if your depression is severe or if it lasts more than a few days to a week it is time to seek a medical professional for help. Please keep that in mind. If you cannot shake this depressed feeling please get the correct help you need in order to feel better. There is no shame in admitting you need some help.

With that said here are a few of my natural remedies for very minor cases of the winter blues.

1 ) St. John’s Wort – The herb St. John’s Wort ( Hypericum Perforatum ) has long been used in folk medicine for sadness, worry, nervousness, and poor sleep. Studies suggest that St. John’s Wort is not effective for major depression. It is usually found in health food stores, drug stores, and online in many different forms such as capsules, tablets, liquid and teas.

This herb may take about 4-6 weeks to notice the full effects. There are some side effects that you should consider before taking this supplement; may include dizziness, dry mouth, and fatigue. It can also interfere with the effectiveness of some over the counter drugs like antidepressants, drugs to treat HIV and AIDS, and oral contraceptives.

2 ) Folic Acid – or also called folate is found to be deficient in people who are depressed. Folic Acid is a member of the “B” vitamins and can be sourced from green leafy vegetables, fruits, beans and fortified grains.

Poor diet can lead to a B vitamin deficiency but also chronic conditions and some medication such as aspirin and birth control pills can also lead to a Folate deficiency.

I will also include the Vitamin B6 in this section. B6 is needed to produce a mood-enhancing neurotransmitter called serotonin and dopamine. Borderline deficiencies may occur in people taking oral contraceptives, hormone replacement therapy, and drugs for tuberculosis. Talk to your doctor before taking any supplements to see if they are right for you.


3) Magnesium – Most people do not get enough magnesium in their diets. A good source of magnesium is legumes, nuts, whole grains and green vegetables. Like B6, magnesium is needed for serotonin production. Stress depletes magnesium.

4 ) Light therapy – I touched on this in my opening paragraph that this time of year we tend to become light deprived. It is something that affects a majority of people in the winter and is called SAD or seasonal affective disorder. In order to combat the winter blues feeling, it is best to get out doors more when the sun is out. You could get out in the morning and take a walk or in the afternoon during lunch hour. There are also special lights made to mimic natural daylight and can be found on line.






5) Clear out the clutter for clearer thinking – It may be a good idea to get up and do something like spring cleaning or winter cleaning in this case. It will help you get organized and feel like you have accomplished something great. This feeling will give you a sense of control over your environment and help you create peace and happiness. So get up and get started!






6) Talk about it – Confide in your partner, roommate, or friend about how you are feeling. Sometimes just getting it off of your chest can help.






7) Find time to laugh – This is a vital component of feeling better and shaking those blues away. Find a funny show on TV in the evening instead of the true crime, serious dramas that will just put your mood deeper into depression. Try just smiling. It helps to set the mood for the day or smile just before picking up the phone or smile when you make eye contact with someone on the street you are passing. It does make a difference. You can also set a date with a girlfriend or family member to get out of the house for a while for some coffee or lunch to just relax and have a good time together.


You will find that laughter sometimes is the best medicine.













And remember there are only two more months of winter left to go and the sun will shine again.






Warm regards and love –

Erin

How to fight off a cold.

'Tis that time of the year for the Flu. Here are a few natural ways to help fight off a cold.


Start your day with a yogurt. Yogurt contains probiotics or live cultures ( or available in a pill form )  which are proven to help keep your intestinal tract free of disease causing germs.

Eat some garlic. Garlic contains an active ingredient called allicin which helps fight off infection and bacteria. Researchers gave 146 people either a placebo or garlic extract for 12 weeks: the garlic takers were two thirds less likely to catch a cold. Other research suggests if you eat more garlic you may have a 30% lower risk of colorectal cancer and 50% less risk of stomach cancer. WOW- -I am eating Italian tonight!

A bowl of chicken soup. That’s right;  the old wives tale of chicken soup being good for colds is actually true.  Chicken soup blocks the migration of inflammatory white cells. The amino acid cysteine, released from chicken during cooking, chemically resembles the bronchitis drug acetylcystine. This fact along with the soups salty broth helps keep mucus thin the same way cough medicine will do and any added spices like garlic and onions can increase immune boosting power.

Drink a cup of tea. The amino acid in tea,  L-theanine,  is known to boost the immune system and is abundantly found in both black and green tea. Of course you will need to drink up to 5 cups daily to get the super antioxidant power of tea.  But if you are feeling sick,  a few cups a day will feel soothing and calming.

Stay well!

Warm regards and love,

Erin