Thank you, Fine Ladies, for the wads 'o' fun we had tonight. Nothing like a party that leaves everyone with glowing skin and smiles.
Can't wait to see those photos! And don't forget to post your results...
(And don't hesitate to give me a hollah if you find yourself in need of beeswax, green clay, essential oils or lanolin.)
: B
Thursday, July 31, 2008
DIY Bitches
With all the skincare revelations this week, my mind went back to Vert and their singular focus on chemical-free products.
I'm not saying that banishing chemicals from our beauty potions isn't important--not with this Hypochondria Black Belt stylishly cinching my waist. (And let's not forget the baby animals--chemicals in cosmetics also run into water bodies, threatening cute sea dwellers and their habitats.) But I guess the thing that really bothers me is the rampant use of "eco" as an implied synonym for "expensive" and "luxury". Yes, many legitimately sustainable products, like local organic produce, are more expensive because their real cost isn't subsidized by industry. But it seems more often than not these days, marketers are making sure our good intentions turn a handsome profit.
Of course, it stings all the more because I fell right into the Greensumption trap with Jurlique. (I'm still clutching those bottles as I dream of an idyllic farm in South Australia.) As much as I love the products, and as much as I believe the company is legitimately committed to sustainability, it's not local, it's too expensive, and what's more, it still contains some itchy-sounding stuff.
So it is with high hopes that I go into tomorrow night's soirée. Using 17 truly natural ingredients (not one of which is patchouli), we're going to cover the entire skincare spectrum, from makeup removal to exfoliation, masks, toning and moisturizer. It might be a disaster. But if we're lucky, it'll be an affordable, empowering eco solution. No matter what, it's going to be fun.
I'm not saying that banishing chemicals from our beauty potions isn't important--not with this Hypochondria Black Belt stylishly cinching my waist. (And let's not forget the baby animals--chemicals in cosmetics also run into water bodies, threatening cute sea dwellers and their habitats.) But I guess the thing that really bothers me is the rampant use of "eco" as an implied synonym for "expensive" and "luxury". Yes, many legitimately sustainable products, like local organic produce, are more expensive because their real cost isn't subsidized by industry. But it seems more often than not these days, marketers are making sure our good intentions turn a handsome profit.
Of course, it stings all the more because I fell right into the Greensumption trap with Jurlique. (I'm still clutching those bottles as I dream of an idyllic farm in South Australia.) As much as I love the products, and as much as I believe the company is legitimately committed to sustainability, it's not local, it's too expensive, and what's more, it still contains some itchy-sounding stuff.
So it is with high hopes that I go into tomorrow night's soirée. Using 17 truly natural ingredients (not one of which is patchouli), we're going to cover the entire skincare spectrum, from makeup removal to exfoliation, masks, toning and moisturizer. It might be a disaster. But if we're lucky, it'll be an affordable, empowering eco solution. No matter what, it's going to be fun.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Hours of Endless Hypochondria
If you really want proof that The Cancer is coming for you, bust out this book:
A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients by Ruth Winter, M.S.
or this website:
Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Database
(which has the added benefit of specific brand and product reviews, so you don't have to type in all those long, scary-sounding ingredients)
Three hours of bleary-eyed database trolling has led me to the following conclusion: if you buy it in a bottle or a tube, it's got some kind of crap in it that doesn't sound like a good idea to put on your face. Even my beloved Jurlique seems to be pushing it, though it's hard to get a clear assessment when so many common ingredients haven't been studied for cosmetic applications. Not to mention the fact that many cosmetics have only recently been tested for toxic ingredients. Like, say lead in lipstick.
I feel itchy.
A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients by Ruth Winter, M.S.
or this website:
Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Database
(which has the added benefit of specific brand and product reviews, so you don't have to type in all those long, scary-sounding ingredients)
Three hours of bleary-eyed database trolling has led me to the following conclusion: if you buy it in a bottle or a tube, it's got some kind of crap in it that doesn't sound like a good idea to put on your face. Even my beloved Jurlique seems to be pushing it, though it's hard to get a clear assessment when so many common ingredients haven't been studied for cosmetic applications. Not to mention the fact that many cosmetics have only recently been tested for toxic ingredients. Like, say lead in lipstick.
I feel itchy.
Monday, July 28, 2008
It's On.
WHEN: This Thursday, July 31, 6:30 pm
WHERE: Ugly Betty
WHAT: You, me, a bunch of scrumptious organic face goo, and HCB
(Because every encounter with a clay mask needs a cameraman.)
ALSO: YumYum House, wine, treats, and a dance mix prominently featuring Janet Jackson
Post your RSVP comment today!
WHERE: Ugly Betty
WHAT: You, me, a bunch of scrumptious organic face goo, and HCB
(Because every encounter with a clay mask needs a cameraman.)
ALSO: YumYum House, wine, treats, and a dance mix prominently featuring Janet Jackson
Post your RSVP comment today!
Friday, July 25, 2008
Antipodean Desire
No, it's not the title of my soon-to-be-published Harlequin Romance novel about the unlikely love affair between a lonely New Zealand bungee jumper and a beautiful American goat herder passing through Christchurch for an artisan cheesemaker's seminar.
Here's the whole truth and nothing but: I have gotten hot and heavy with Jurlique, a ridiculously expensive biodynamic Australian skincare line. We started flirting when, as an extension of my eco-nerd obsession, I decided to give up the ridiculously expensive caustic chemical/petroleum-based skincare I was using previously. It's gotten serious way faster than I expected. Like, 5-oz purchase serious.
Of course, it's a bit like buying organic Chilean blueberries in February. Which is to say that my luscious, creamy, heaven-scented biodynamic tinctures aren't cutting any carbon. The boys at Wired would give it two thumbs way down.
But I think I've found a quasi-solution much closer to home.
I've been to the library, consulted with my dermatologist and the skintastic Sue Upton, and I believe I've narrowed in on the most promising almond scrub, rose water toner and clay mask recipes in history.
So in homage to those convivial Jafra pyramid scheme parties I witnessed as a child, I'm inviting you over to rub stuff all over your face, imbibe wine spritzers and kvetch about men. I will provide all ingredients, as organic and local as I can get them.
All you have to do is:
a) post a comment saying you want to attend
b) be prepared to be seen without makeup by the entire Internet
and
c) show up on the appointed day, which will likely be a weeknight next week.
Who's with me?
Here's the whole truth and nothing but: I have gotten hot and heavy with Jurlique, a ridiculously expensive biodynamic Australian skincare line. We started flirting when, as an extension of my eco-nerd obsession, I decided to give up the ridiculously expensive caustic chemical/petroleum-based skincare I was using previously. It's gotten serious way faster than I expected. Like, 5-oz purchase serious.
Of course, it's a bit like buying organic Chilean blueberries in February. Which is to say that my luscious, creamy, heaven-scented biodynamic tinctures aren't cutting any carbon. The boys at Wired would give it two thumbs way down.
But I think I've found a quasi-solution much closer to home.
I've been to the library, consulted with my dermatologist and the skintastic Sue Upton, and I believe I've narrowed in on the most promising almond scrub, rose water toner and clay mask recipes in history.
So in homage to those convivial Jafra pyramid scheme parties I witnessed as a child, I'm inviting you over to rub stuff all over your face, imbibe wine spritzers and kvetch about men. I will provide all ingredients, as organic and local as I can get them.
All you have to do is:
a) post a comment saying you want to attend
b) be prepared to be seen without makeup by the entire Internet
and
c) show up on the appointed day, which will likely be a weeknight next week.
Who's with me?
Friday, July 18, 2008
Out With The Old, In With The (Not) New
Anybody have advice on what to do with discarded bras and the like? Just throwing them away feels wrong, but Goodwill-ing them feels worse. Grandma Elaine would probably fashion them into a quilt or use them to insulate bird nests, but sadly, I don't have the skillz. And I didn't see a Lingerie section at SCRAP.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Giving Back
Sometimes acting sustainably requires sacrifice.
Like, for instance, throwing oneself upon the altar of the local consignment shop priestess. No pants crotch, collar ring, or armpit hole goes unscrutinized. Cheap label frocks elicit a dismissive turn of the head, regardless of cuteness. Nostrils flare at $250 jeans with even slightly frayed hems. And don't even THINK about trying to sell your shoes. None of them are good enough. Unless either a) they have never, EVER been worn or b) your feet are made from an impermeable membrane.
Thankfully, there are things you can do to preempt public sartorial mortification. I suggest intense self-scrutiny of garments in the privacy of your own well-lit laundromat, selling with the seasons (no wool in March, no linen in September), and making sure all garments were manufactured in this decade.
I was 10 for 15 yesterday at Goodbye's, and yet I still feel like a dirty whore. (Currently soaking shirts 11-14 in OXO Brite to try for a resell.)
When I feel really rejected, I take solace in imagining how Courtney Love would fare.
Like, for instance, throwing oneself upon the altar of the local consignment shop priestess. No pants crotch, collar ring, or armpit hole goes unscrutinized. Cheap label frocks elicit a dismissive turn of the head, regardless of cuteness. Nostrils flare at $250 jeans with even slightly frayed hems. And don't even THINK about trying to sell your shoes. None of them are good enough. Unless either a) they have never, EVER been worn or b) your feet are made from an impermeable membrane.
Thankfully, there are things you can do to preempt public sartorial mortification. I suggest intense self-scrutiny of garments in the privacy of your own well-lit laundromat, selling with the seasons (no wool in March, no linen in September), and making sure all garments were manufactured in this decade.
I was 10 for 15 yesterday at Goodbye's, and yet I still feel like a dirty whore. (Currently soaking shirts 11-14 in OXO Brite to try for a resell.)
When I feel really rejected, I take solace in imagining how Courtney Love would fare.
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