GREENCulture blog We put the “green” in greenyness!

Just about everyone has seen neurotic hairstylist Jonathan Antin’s show, “Blow Out”, on Bravo. The third season, premiering March 21, 2006, revolved around the launch Jonathan’s 100% Vegan self-titled “Jonathan Product®” hair product line, and his growing popularity in the piranha-like fashion industry. The following he and his products acquired was bigger than anyone had anticipated. The Jonathan Product® Line has items such as a Beauty Water Purification System, Dirt Texturizing Paste, and Create Straight Straightening Serum; but the one product  that has received just as much attention as Dirt, and I happen to adore, is the Create Motion Shaping Crème Gel. The Create Motion Shaping Crème Gel is awesome! It is a 100% vegan, creamy hair gel that won’t leave your hair feeling sticky, crunchy, or stiff; and it washes out with one shampoo. It gives curly hair beautiful, defined curls that look sleek, shiny, and healthy. It’s also great for giving straight hair just a little bit of wave or short hair some texture without having to use a heavy balm or wax that takes forever to wash out. The best part is, since all of the Jonathan Products® are 100% vegan, there is nothing in there to pollute your hair! In fact, the more you use Jonathan Products®, the condition of your hair will improve. So go ahead, blow it out!

There are many things I adore about the outdoors: crisp mountain air, the mixture of sunshine and ocean salt tickling my skin. I do not, however, like the world of insects in the outdoors. I absolutely and resolutely am scared and grossed out by them. And of all the creepy crawlies in the wilderness, I am most likely to run screaming into a picturesque sunset because I encountered the simple honeybee. Don’t ask why—all I know is the only contact I want with bees is from bottled honey. So it comes as a mild surprise that I would enjoy a beauty product involving bees wax. Burt’s Bees has been a longtime eco-friendly company, using as few chemicals as possible and sticking to the natural stuff, using bees wax in most of their products. I myself am partial to the lip balms. Similarly addictive, the Radiance Body Lotion is over 99% natural and is made from completely recyclable packing and leaves a faint shimmer on your skin, courtesy of mica minerals. It’s also paraben and phtlalate-free, using a specially formulated Royal Jelly replacement and sunflower oil for moisturizing goodness. Maybe those busy buzzing creatures have something more to offer than honey after all.

Growing a garden is a tricky task. It requires patience, nurturing, and carefully keeping track of how your plant is fairing. Every time I’ve tried to keep a plant alive, it ends up in the trash, withered and brown and certainly not producing oxygen. So I greatly admire the people at Dr. Hauschka, who grow their own plant materials to create their wholly organic holistic skin care line. With the help of biodynamics (sustainable agriculture), Dr. Hauschka is able to take into account all of the environmental processes it takes to make its gardens flourish. And that is why the Macadamia and Orange Shampoo, which is 100% certified natural by the BDIH and comes complete with a certified cosmetic seal, is such a great product. It combines self-sustaining, all-natural ingredients with natural essential oils of orange and macadamia nut oil, with the result being an excellent regular shampoo that leaves hair softer and silkier. Which leaves me thinking: maybe it’s time to try watering another peony again.

Summer heat, like so many things, is an equal blessing and curse. It’s great when you’re chilling poolside, sipping an iced tea (or a margarita, if you prefer) and basking in the warm rays. It is not, however, good for keeping lips moisturized. Just like how the sun can wreck havoc on your skin without proper sunscreen coverage, it can also damage your lips, leaving them as dehydrated as Italian soccer players during the fourth quarter. To avoid chapping, try the certified organic Origins Smileage Plus Liptint. Made from an organic beeswax base, this lip balm is packed with a variety of organic ingredients, including coconut, sunflower oil, aloe extract, jojoba oil and cocoa butter that soothe even the driest of lips. Plus, the faint citrusy scent is the perfect summer complement, and the sheer tint is just so pretty.

I hate cleaning my house. For starters, scrubbing on hands and knees never put anyone in a good mood. Moreover, the scent of chemicals permeates through my clothes, leaving me smelling like a walking Pine Sol bottle. Tired of pungent ammonias, I switched my cleaning supplies to products made by the environmentally conscious Method. They use only biodegradable, non-toxic ingredients and all of their products clean amazingly well while leaving rooms with the most flowery, fresh aromas. Now they’ve expanded their line to include body products specifically designed to make you and your shower eco-friendly and squeaky clean. I’m partial to the body wash, which promises to be 100% naturally derived with no parabens, SLS or animal testing. Best of all, it contains natural exfoliants and moisturizers that let me wash away other new-found stenches in my life (gym sweat, curry, and so forth). Check out the lotions, soaps and shaving cream, as well as the four fun, fresh scents they come in.

Seaweed has long been known for its ability to tangle itself around one’s leg while casually swimming; it’s also had extremely beneficial nutritional values. It’s found in everything, from toothpaste to ice cream to sticks of salty sea goodness at Asian supermarkets. In this case, the 100% Pure Purifying Seaweed Facial Mask uses seaweed’s antioxidants and vitamin C to help repair damaged skin and detoxify pores, as well as generally make everything feel cleaner and fresher. It also contains green clay and peppermint leaves for a refreshing boost, and it’s entirely natural and vegan. Move over, California rolls—this seaweed is going on my face.

As an oily-skinned twentysomething, I find the task of eliminating acne from my face a daunting task. One would think pimples would stop growing past the college years, but they persist on showing up, ugly and red and swollen, like Joan Rivers at the Oscars. However, I was able to find my new obsession: Nelson’s Acne Gel. This Brit-based homeopathic company uses organically grown plants in their products; this gel contains no petroleum or animal products, and the tea tree oil and sulfur help pack a punch in this powerful acne treatment. Use all over or on stubborn spots to naturally watch those nasty zits fade away. Best of all is the price: for less than $6, this is an eco-friendly hit you can’t miss.

Healthy skin comes from within, but also with a little help. For those with a slightly more “Crayola Red” complexion that they would like, try the Juice Beauty Soothing Serum. This certified organic treatment comes packed with antioxidants like raspberry juice, licorice, grape seed oil and bearberry botanicals to help soothe irritated skin. Apply all over your face and neck, and let nature work its magic by alleviating redness and softening your skin. Plus, it works with sensitive skin and works overtime to add more protection to your sunscreen.

Stella McCartney has long been committed to environmental issues, so it’s no surprise that her skincare line is made with completely organic active ingredients. Both luxurious and eco-conscious, all of her concoctions follow vegan principles while effectively nurturing your skin. Try the Purifying Foam Cleanser, which takes off everything while leaving skin as soft as five hundred count Egyptian cotton sheets. Or opt for the lush 5 Benefits Moisturising Fluid, with five organic extracts concentrated into one lightweight yet fully firming cream.

These sheer botanical lipsticks range from glam to just a hint of pretty, with five colors designed by celebrities like Evangeline Lilly and Lindsay Lohan. But the best part is what the product is made of. Orchids, meadowfoam seed oil, jojoba and shea butter provide moisture and feel silky, with no petroleum or mineral oils involved; the tube is made entirely out of corn, a renewable resource that helps cut down on greenhouse gases. Even better, the adorable packaging is embedded with flower seeds, so you can plant the case in your garden. Both your lips and your flower pot will be able to show off gorgeous color. And if you didn’t feel good enough already, Cargo is donating two dollars from the sale of every shade of lip color to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, so you give back to Mother Nature and someone’s real mother.