HotmailSpa-tacular! Organic beauty goes virtual
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 EPA FBI releases files on Michael Jackson Dec. 23: Documents released by the FBI detail its 1993 investigation of a man who threatened to kill Jackson, as well as various forms of assistance to California authorities in two cases involving allegations that Jackson had abused children. |
Q: In what other ways does Spirit Beauty Lounge reflect a green ethic? How are your products shipped, etc.?
A: I set out to build a green business first, a beauty business second. All of our facilities and services are powered by 100 percent wind, hydro and solar energy. All of our shipping materials are Cradle to Cradle certified, made with recycled materials, or are biodegradable. We purchase carbon offsets for all of our incoming shipping from vendors and our personal travel and offer easy carbon offsetting for the shipping of your purchase at checkout. We also donate 1 percent of sales to 1% for the Planet and another 5 percent of profits from special items every month to other nonprofit organizations. This month we are donating to Global Green to help rebuild green in New Orleans.
Q: What are your favorite products?
A: Organic Apoteke’s Rasayana Rejuvenating Serum has worked wonders in evening out my skin tone. Acquarella is the only nail polish that I can leave on for a week without drying out my nails, and skinnyskinny soaps are my go-to gift for any occasion. They are so adorable as well as beautifully scented. They never disappoint.
Q: Where do you see the organic beauty industry going in five or 10 years?
A: “Organic” has become more appealing to consumers both in a cultural sense and in a practical one. A rapidly growing number of consumers are buying organic products to avoid exposure to the toxins they read about in the news. What they don’t realize is how loosely the term “organic” is being used on these labels and that it doesn’t guarantee, by any means, that a product is free of the offending ingredients at all. Some of us are becoming aware, for the first time, that currently the FDA does not actually regulate personal care products to protect us from carcinogens and other health hazards that we are exposed to every day in our soap, our shampoo, etc.
Organizations like the Organic Consumers Association, Teens for Safe Cosmetics and the Natural Products Association are helping to spread the word and inform consumers that there is a lot of greenwashing going on in the beauty business and that ultimately, you have to turn that bottle around and read those ingredients if you want to know what you’re really getting. That is quite a consumer burden.
There are at least 30 ingredients, the “Dirty Thirty,” that Teens for Safe Cosmetics has found in a large number of everyday personal care products, that are suspected and known carcinogens or health hazards. Some of them even pop up in so-called “organic” products. Can you remember all 30 toxic ingredients every time you run to the drugstore for shampoo? Probably not. These groups believe you shouldn’t have to, and they’re making great progress in getting manufacturers to commit to ending the confusion by signing the Compact for Safe Cosmetics, by filing lawsuits against allegedly lax organic certifiers and by getting lawmakers to vote for FDA regulation. Whatever happens with currently pending legislation and lawsuits, I think we will eventually see stricter labeling standards and a ban on many of these toxic ingredients like those that have already been banned in the EU.
While the negative aspect of the growth of the industry has been corruption and greenwashing, perhaps one of the most positive aspects has been the advancement of research into natural alternatives to chemical ingredients. Jurlique, for example, has developed a completely natural preservative system and just launched a line of biodynamic anti-aging skin care with ingredients that act like phyto-retinols in fighting fine lines and wrinkles. Ingredients like pomegranate seed oil and argan oil have incredible active antioxidant and hydrating properties that surpass any synthetic counterpart. Even if the green fad dies, we are going to see more and more safe, natural beauty options going into the future.
Q: Do you have any tips for navigating the world of natural and organic beauty?
A: There are so many choices and there is so much information out there — I know it can be overwhelming. You don’t have to use 100 percent organic products 100 percent of the time. Baby steps are bigger than you think, and if you have started to look into it or to learn about ingredients, you’re already doing a good thing for your health and for the environment. I hope that our shop and those like ours can take some of the anxiety out of shopping safe and green.
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.
Please note: Neither Marisa Belger nor TODAYshow.com has been compensated by the manufacturers or their representatives for her comments or selection of products reviewed in this column.
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