Nourish Yourself With Eco-Friendly Products


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Nourish Yourself With Eco-Friendly Products

As the dialogue on green beauty spills into the mainstream, the conversation often focuses solely on the nature of ingredients. Organic labeling and the absence of chemical additives usually share top billing, and for good reason. But the story of sustainable beauty reaches much further—into the realms of clean water, cultural preservation, recycling, grassroots activism, the removal of harmful synthetics from products, and beyond. While the lists below don't cover every beauty brand out there that's doing good (we kept our focus mainly on professional-grade, results-oriented lines), it's a good place to start.

Spa's Good List

NEXT: Research your current beauty routine »
PREVIOUS: « Know your way around labels

1. Fragrance
2. Makeup
3. Hair
4. Face & Body CERTIFIED ORGANIC
5. Face & Body BIODYNAMIC
6. Face & Body ECOCERT & COSMÉBIO
7. Face & Body FAIR TRADE & LOCAL
8. Face & Body VEGAN
9. Face & Body ORGANIC & NATURAL

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fragrance


AJNE RARE & PRECIOUS Sells customized blends made with organic oils in addition to its ready-to-wear line of natural fragrances.	AROMATHERAPY ASSOCIATES Creates essential oil–based (often organic) fragrances that are free of parabens and packaged sustainably.	RED FLOWER Has a new line of organic perfumes plus natural body products and candles all made with sustainably sourced ingredients.	STRANGE INVISIBLE PERFUMES Crafts sophisticated plant-based blends that feature names such as Moon Garden and Urban Lily.

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makeup


COLORESCIENCE Infuses its mineral-based line with beneficial ingredients, including vitamin E and antioxidants.	JANE IREDALE—THE SKIN CARE MAKEUP Produces a full range of mineral makeup, including a mascara that's one of the least toxic available.	LA BELLA DONNA Offers flawless coverage with natural mineral foundations and provides a splash of color with eyeshadows, lipsticks, and blushes.	LARÉNIM MINERAL Features all-natural products—including primers with organic bentonite, which is fantastic for those with acne.

NVEY ECO, ORGANIC MAKEUP Combines botanicals and minerals for a certified organic line of lip and eye colors, foundations, and concealers.	RAW NATURAL BEAUTY Boosts products with vitamins A, C, and E and steers clear of chemical dyes.	SPARITUAL Features vegan nail polish and other eco-friendly nailcare products, including biodegradable nail files.	SUSAN POSNICK COSMETICS Uses natural ingredients and packaging designed to minimize waste.

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hair


ACCA KAPPA Offers brushes and combs that are made of cotton or wood pulp and biodegrade almost as quickly as an oak leaf.	AVEDA Draws on the power of herbs and botanicals to create its sustainably sourced hair, skin, and body products.	JOHN MASTERS ORGANICS Blends organic herbs and essential oils in popular shampoos and sprays; just launched a complete skincare line.	NUMBER 4 HIGH PERFORMANCE HAIR CARE Features volumizing and moisturizing vegan products that are paraben- and sulfate-free.	PUREOLOGY Uses organic botanicals, natural sunscreens, and no sulfates in its certified vegan shampoos and conditioners.

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face & body certified organic


ERBAVIVA Bases its products (several of which target moms-to-be) on certified organic ingredients and essentail oils.	ILIKE ORGANIC SKIN CARE Makes its masques and scrubs in small batches with fruit pulp and herbs.	INTELLIGENT NUTRIENTS Features products for hair and body as well as supplements; created by Aveda founder Horst Rechelbacher.	JUICE BEAUTY Combines antioxidant-rich juices with food-grade, certified organic ingredients.	MERCOLA HEALTHY SKIN Fights visible signs of aging with botanicals and fruit-derived antioxidants.

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face & body biodynamic


DR. HAUSCHKA SKIN CARE Uses predominantly organic and biodynamic ingredients in its vast line of products.	ÉMINENCE ORGANIC SKIN CARE Uses 88 percent biodynamic and 95 percent certified organic ingredients in its new Biodynamic Collection.	JURLIQUE Advocates biodynamic farming, natural distillation processes, and products that encourage good health.	WELEDA Grows many of its own biodynamic ingredients as close to its production sites as possible for most of its line.

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face & body ecocert & cosmébio


BABOR Uses herbs and botanicals to target aging in its Ecocert-certified Baborganic line.	CATTIER PARIS COSMÉTIQUE ET NATURE Is certified by Ecocert and was one of the first lines to sign the Cosmébio charter.	EQUAVIE Creates supplements and topical anti-aging products certified by Ecocert and labeled with the Cosmébio seal.

HUILES & BAUMES Sports both the Ecocert and Cosmébio labels on its plant oil-based skincare and supplements.	MÁDARA Harnesses the power of flowers in its Ecocert-certified body, skincare, and makeup lines.	SOTHYS Includes a complete Ecocert-certified body and skin regimen as part of its Beauty Garden line.

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face & body fair trade & local


AFRICOLOGY Sources from local villages and preserves and promotes indigenous South African ingredients and traditions.	AMALA Uses a combination of fair trade, organic, and wildcrafted ingredients in all of its lines.	GIVING BEAUTY Sources key ingredients from women's cooperatives around the world and donates a percentage of profits to the co-ops.	PATYKA Is certified organic by Ecocert, sourced according to fair trade principles, and packaged in glass bottles.	PURE FIJI Purchases cold-pressed nut oil for products and handcrafted paper for packaging from rural villagers (predominantly women).

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face & body vegan


BODY BISTRO Bases its certified vegan, results-oriented skincare on Ayurveda.	DOSHACARE Sources fair trade, natural, and certified vegan ingredients for its line, which is based on Ayurveda.	MD SKINCARE Uses organic ingredients in its new vegan, paraben-free line: Beauty In, Toxins Out Natural Beauty Collection.	SOPHYTO ORGANICS Makes fair trade, certified organic, and vegan products in a pharmaceutical-grade lab in England.	VON NATUR Features bath salts, skincare, and makeup that are paraben-free and vegan.

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face & body organic & natural


AGEBEST BASICS Uses wildcrafted ingredients, features sustainable packaging, and is produced by a registered B Corporation (see Support Eco-Minded Companies).	ANAKIRI BIOENERGETIC SKIN CARE Harnesses the positive energy of natural and organic ingredients to give your skin and mood a boost.	G.M. COLLIN Incorporates organic ingredients in its new Anti-Aging Body Care Line, which is alcohol- and paraben-free.	IMAGE SKINCARE Features potent antioxidants free of chemicals and parabens in its Ormedic anti-aging line.

JUNE JACOBS Uses botanical oils and extracts in its potent skincare and body products, leaving out parabens and preservatives	OSEA Mixes all of its rich cleansers and moisturizers with sustainably harvested, 100 percent–natural sea algae.	PEVONIA BOTANICA Incorporates organic ingredients in many of its lines and recently removed parabens from all of its products.	SUKI Uses food-grade, organic ingredients and packages its products in recycled cardboard.

TARA SPA THERAPY Bases its products on essential oils, features sustainable packaging, and purchases renewable energy credits.	YON-KA PARIS Has very low toxicity ratings for its entire botanically based line (see Research Your Current Beauty Routine).	ARCONA Hand blends its highly effective, paraben-free skincare products using natural ingredients.	PURE & TRUE Donates a percentage of profits to charity and uses more than 70 percent certified organic ingredients

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Spa's Good List TABLE OF CONTENTS

GOOD & GORGEOUS A comprehensive roundup of skincare and body care products that are good for you and the earth, plus how to spa while living the smallest footprint.
1. Find a green spa »
2. Book a treatment that's earth-friendly »
3. Know your way around labels »
4. Nourish yourself with eco-friendly products »
5. Research your current beauty routine »

GOOD GETAWAYS A look at properties that respect the earth in all they do—from the way they build to their interactions with the locals.
6. Look for LEEDers »
7. Leave a small footprint »
8. Seek out eco-innovators »
9. Give back to the locals »
10. Support responsible brands »

GOOD LIVING Small, simple steps you can take to be more green in your daily life.
11. Exercise more naturally »
12. Rethink what you eat »
13. Clean up your laundry habits »
14. Relight your life »
15. BYOC (Bring Your Own Cup) »
16. Harness the sun »
17. Eat sustainable seafood »
18. Keep your home free of chemicals »
19. Cut down on car time »
20. Embrace composting »
21. Support eco-minded companies »
22. Tune up your takeout »
23. Get into gardening »
24. Win the water war »
25. Start from the ground up »