This has been a particularly tough year to pick our favorites in each category, because there are now so many fabulous products in the green beauty space. You will find a mixed bag in terms of price, but you absolutely get what you pay for and we tend to favor companies who use nothing but the best…
There aren’t many facial “exercisers” that I would personally recommend (I’ve tried a few), except for this wondrous little machine from Italy. It sends electromagnetic waves through your muscles, contracting and releasing them as you do when you work out. The only thing that needs to be replaced every few months, are the inexpensive little pads, and the only thing you need to make the machine work is water! No gels or creams needed. You get to choose the length of time and intensity you want to work at. My dermatologist recommends only this appliance for tightening facial muscles and said that one elderly client who uses it religiously had such great muscle tone that looks as if she’s had a face-lift (and most certainly has not!).
My only caveat is that you do need to do it at least 3 times a week and it takes at least ten minutes to work through the recommended exercises. I do it in bed, not I may add, when my husband’s around!
I now can’t live without my Mia. It’s taken my cleansing routine to a whole new level. Just when I think I’ve really cleansed well with a great cleansing cream or gel, I do one go-over with my Mia and find that my face is no where near clean. You can use it in the shower and have to charge it a couple of times a week. It also does away with the need for cotton pads or cleansing wipes, which is great.
I love a peel, which really does what it’s supposed to. Having tried a number of different peels, this one came through as the best. It’s also gentle enough that it won’t leave your skin red, dry or itchy.
This scrub stands out from many others because of its micro-fine crystals, which provide a great alternative to an expensive salon microdermabrasion treatment.
Derma e products are right up my alley, as they are crafted in small batches in order to retain freshness.
It’s hard to find a cleanser/exfoliating combo, which is gentle enough to cleanse off daily grime and makeup and yet has that added bit of grit to remove dead skin cells – but the excellent green skin care company Suki, has come up with this great product, which also contains alpha hydroxy acids for extra exfoliation.
Out of all the masks, we just love this dry mask, which is packed with fresh anti-oxidants. The advantage of it being dry is that unlike many natural products, which spoil after a while, this will keep for a good year. You simply spoon a little into the palm of your hand, add a little water to make a paste and apply.
The reason we picked this moisturizer is because of its excellent performance as a daily moisturizer. It’s the perfect consistency for both dry and oily skin. It’s thick/creamy and dense with great ingredients, but absorbs in seconds, providing a great makeup base. It also has an SPF of 25, so no sunscreen required. We’ve also tested it in strong sunlight – and it really works.
I picked this company to win an award because they have an outstanding holistic philosophy towards natural skin care – using only the very finest ingredients, sourced from ethical producers across the globe. This day cream is absolutely divine and you really do feel that you glow after application. It’s contains the precious rose damascene oil and the cream is surprisingly light and fluffy – easily absorbing into your skin. It smells dreamy.
This moisturizer has deservedly won numerous awards in the UK, where Neal’s Yard is based. Now readily available in the US, this is our favorite NYR product. It’s packed with Frankincense, which is known for it’s anti-aging properties. It’s very thick, smells incredible and is a perfect and pretty affordable night cream.
This superb cream is the deluxe anti-aging formula, which produces incredible results due to it’s many patented ingredients, including Chinese Immortal Grass, probiotics, peptides and hyalauronic acid. If you can dig deep for this amazing moisturizer, you’ll fall in love.
There’s something about this bath oil that is hard to duplicate, even with Sophie’s DIY expertise! It’s simply the best indulgence you can buy. A rich, deeply relaxing blend of essential oils in a smooth, silky base makes for the perfect bath oil imaginable. One capful in a hot bath, will send you into a very deep sleep.
I love this affordable body lotion, which is packed with all kinds of nourishing ingredients, including arnica, lavender and vitamin E. It’s the perfect after-shower lotion, as it absorbs quickly, without leaving a residue.
This brand new eye cream by Avalon Organics is our favorite. It’s full of nourishing ocean-derived minerals, which leaves the skin around your eyes feeling soft, plumped and ready for the day.
We love this fake tan. It goes on beautifully over your face & body, doesn’t smell like most of the others do, gives you an evenly glowing tan (not too dark,) and is filled with beautiful & natural ingredients – what more can a sun-deprived girl ask for!
Liz Earle is a recent discovery of ours and we are super impressed. She makes the best travel kits we’ve ever found because they contain tiny bottles of every single little thing you’ll need (from top-to-toe,) also this travel kit is a great introduction to her line.
This is serious sunscreen, which won’t let a single ray through. We love that it’s slightly tinted so won’t give you a ghostly pallor.
We LOVE this amazing daily facial sunscreen serum, which is smooth and creamy when you apply it, yet absorbs really quickly. We also love their sunscreen “swipes”, which are perfect for travel and sport.
Out of all the organic perfumes we’ve ever tried, this tops the list. We love all the scents, particularly the sexy Oriental Blossom. The perfume comes in a huge, beautiful bottle, which will last you at least a year, so although pricey, it’s well worth it. For us to find a heady perfume, which is organic and doesn’t contain phthlates is exciting.
We just can’t get over the simple, yet so wonderfully functional design of this sphere, which makes applying lip balm fun and somewhat addictive!
This is so much more of a lip balm. It comes in an oversized tube and just one application with stay on your lips for much longer than most lip balms. So if you’re suffering from dry/chapped lips, this is the best.
If we splash out on a serum, it really needs to make a difference. We can safely say that all of the Arcona serums are so active that you’ll see results in a very short space of time. If you suffer from sun-damaged/mature skin, “The Solution” serum is a product that you will love. You can order tiny sample bottles of Arcona serums and we recommend you do just that!
It’s tough to find a non-prescription re-surfacing product that really does the job. Suffice to say – this is absolutely it.
This is an extraordinary foundation. Originally formulated for plastic surgeon’s offices, so patients who’d just had surgery could cover up with a product, which would allow their skin to breathe, Oxygenetix is a perfect daily moisturizer for everyone. If you don’t like the feel of foundation or the “made-up” look, but want to cover blemishes or provide a more even base for your daily “look” this is the foundation for you.
A little goes a long way with this beautifully color-saturated foundation. I went a shade lighter than I thought I would be, which was perfect for the winter months. I love a cream foundation, which contains organic ingredients, which nourish my skin while helping me to achieve a flawless look. It works beautifully with their finishing powder.
We love the Christopher Drummond mineral make-up system. This organic powder foundation is silkier than most mineral makeup and doesn’t cause the dry,itchy feeling, which is common with some of the better-known brands. You can slowly layer until you get the desired amount of coverage. I love to finish the look with the Saude Pele Radiance Booster, which is a magical finishing powder.
Everyone at Gorgeously Green has a Vapour Stratus Soft Focus Skin Perfector. It’s so each to pop in your gym bag or your cosmetic travel bag and provides a dewy, silky base on which to apply your foundation.
We have to go with the Organic Glam mascara from the organic pharmacy. It was a close call between two or three other brands, but if you want to seriously lengthen your lashes with a product that doesn’t clog in the slightest – this is the baby you need!
This handy palette in a cute reusable case (you can easily refill the individual shadows,) is our favorite and frankly a must-have for every gorgeous girl. The palette is wallet-size so easy for travel, gym or work and the shades are perfect for everyone. You can stick with the neutral colors to create a natural day look and then move to the darker shades for a smoky, evening look.
This is a lip stain and gloss in one handy stick. What I love about it is that it really stays. The gloss cleverly seals in the stain and unlike many separate glosses /stains, won’t disappear after a few minutes.
Okay this is a must-have too! The creamy blush and bronzer come in the signature Hourglass bronze packaging, and this cute little palette has a swivel-top mirror. The blush is a perfect natural shade for most people and it gives the effect of the blush coming from below the skin, rather than sitting on top. I love that you get the bronzer, which you’ll use a bunch come the Spring/Summer.
This was a tough category, as so many fantastic new brands have flooded the market, however for a great all-rounder shampoo, we picked John Masters Zinc & Sage Shampoo because it manages to do what no others can: it helps control a dry/flaky scalp, while completely moisturizing your hair. Filled with only great ingredients, it’s good for color-treated hair too.
We love the Yes To Carrots Nourishing Conditioner. It does a great job as an everyday conditioner without weighing your hair down. We also love that it’s more affordable than many of the “natural” lines and it’s available at many large drugstores.
We love all the Onesta hair care products, but for a daily conditioner this one will leave your hair feeling extraordinary silky. It’s formulated with aloe, nettle and thyme. What makes this hair care line stand out is that all products are formulated with essential fatty acids, which really nourish your hair.
This is the most awesome product and absolutely the best detangler we’ve found. It’s certified organic and unless your hair is really dry, can take the place of a regular conditioner. It also smells amazing.Intelligent Nutrients Certified Organic Spray-On Detangler
We are so happy that there is finally a fantastic professional color line, which meets the Gorgeously Green criteria. The Simply Organic color line is the best (we actually love all their hair care products)!
This is one of the few straightening systems that’s a great alternative to the highly toxic Brazilian Blowout (AKA Keratin Treatments,) out there. It contains a tiny amount of formaldehyde, although it’s less than 30 times less that of average indoor air! http://www.organiccolorsystems.com/keragreen-formaldehyde-results/.
You need to have the treatment done in a salon and the downside is that you will not be able to wash your hair for 3 or 4 days – small price to pay for those who want to eliminate their frizz for good. The Keragreen shampoos and conditioners are also really great.
We love this line for tween/teen girls because all the lovely non-toxic products come in large pump-dispenser bottles, which is perfect for girls who are always in too much of a hurry to fiddle around unscrewing caps. The packaging is also really pretty and all the products a sweet candy-like smell – nothing too overpowering.
This is hands-down the best sunscreen line for girls. The branding is adorable and will make any tween/teen want to tote these yummy smelling sun products around. They have a huge line including a scalp spray, which is so useful as it doesn’t leave a white residue.
This is definitely the most comprehensive, gentle and effective line of products that we’ve found for girls with problem skin.
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