Marisa Belger TODAYshow.com • E-mail

Having trouble keeping up with our increasingly organic, eco-friendly world? Let me be your guide! From all-natural makeup to the best in eco-conscious jeans, I will test and review the products and treatments that are best for you and the planet.

I’ve been good this year. Really, I have. I paid my bills on time, returned every phone call in under three days and never allowed the dishes to sit in the sink for more than 12 hours. I made the bed almost every morning (Sunday doesn’t count), watered the plants when they looked thirsty and limited my chocolate intake to a respectable daily amount — judged by me, of course. But most importantly, I transitioned from simply thinking about the fate of the environment — as an abstract “what if?” — to actually doing something about it in my everyday life.

It’s all about choices. From the detergent I use in my dishwasher and washing machine (both Energy Star efficient) to the personal care products in my bathroom to the clothes, sheets and towels that keep me dry and warm, I always try (“try” is the operative word when moving toward a more eco-friendly life) to purchase items that are manufactured in a way that respects both the earth and my body.

And it’s getting easier and easier to do good by buying smart. There are so many options for environmentally conscious goods that don’t skimp on style or quality. It’s no longer a matter of choosing the best of the worst. Those of us who want to incorporate eco-savvy, healthy products into our lives are not limited by boring organic cotton T-shirts or all-natural lip gloss that tastes and smells like it was made by a 16-year-old girl. There are numerous luxurious skin care lines that use only the finest organic ingredients and every day it seems as if a new cutting-edge designer has discovered the versatility of sustainable or nontoxic materials like organic cotton, bamboo and hemp.

Five years ago, I would have been truly challenged to come up with a list of holiday must-haves that were utterly desirable and planet protecting. Today, I’m challenged to keep that list to one page. Here are my top picks for an eco-fabulous holiday — boy, would I be thrilled to find any of them under the tree (hint … hint).

Husband-and-wife team Stewart + Brown source all of their cashmere from nomadic Mongolian sheep herders and maintain production in Mongolia, so the herders are able to sustain their way of life. I especially like the Stewart + Brown Mongolian cashmere lace mesh drape neck sweater in light gray heather.

I’ve written about Suki’s products before, but her mascara deserves another mention — it would make quite the stocking stuffer. If you wear contact lenses like me, you know how sensitive our nearsighted (or farsighted, if that’s your thing) eyes can be to many conventional cosmetics. Suki takes care of any possible irritation by replacing the chemicals and synthetic fiber found in most mascaras with an organic, toxic-free blend of essential oils and all-natural waxes.

Peligrosa coat photo by Pete Springer

I like my wool boiled, how about you? If all goes well — i.e., my significant other actually reads this wish list — I may be ringing in the New Year in Peligrosa’s organic boiled wool pea coat in indigo blue. I’m not sure what boiling wool does for one’s pea coat, but the combination of nontoxic processing (the lining is organic cotton, too) and unbeatable styling — plus the best shade of blue — makes this coat truly irresistible.

The holidays are the perfect early-winter stopping point to address dry skin. If you’ve got it bad like I do, just know that it’s only going to get worse as we move into January and February. This year I hope to be armed with Weleda’s Skin Food, a super-concentrated rejuvenating balm that will transport my epidermis back to the land of the living.

Highly stylized, yet completely practical handbags made out of vintage automotive fabrics — it really doesn’t get any cooler than Kim White. After she luckily stumbled upon a significant stock of never-used fabric intended to color the interiors of iconic American cars (like Mustangs and Camaros — oh yeah), White did what most women would do — made a line of trendy yet classic bags. I can see this orange-striped number (above right) brightening up the grayest day. Bring on the snowstorms, there will be no SAD for me this winter.

I like to skip the flu shot and arm myself with a bottle of Buddha Nose Immune Booster Spray instead (another incredible stocking stuffer). One or two strategic sprays of this deliciously fragrant, all-organic potion has always helped to restore my health and vitality. And there’s something distinctively festive about the blend of clove bud, cinnamon bark, lemon and eucalyptus essential oils (among others).

Happy Holidays!

Marisa Belger is a writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience covering health and wellness. She was a founding editor of Lime.com, a multiplatform media company specializing in health, wellness and sustainable living. Marisa also collaborated with Josh Dorfman on “The Lazy Environmentalist” (Stewart, Tabori, and Chang), a comprehensive guide to easy, stylish green living.

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