A Fresh Face for 2010, Part 2 + GIVEAWAY!

First off, I must apologize for being tardy with part 2, I was expecting to have this to you by Sunday! So, I said I'd share what I've found with you... I'm sure by now you've heard about mineral make-up. Its been gaining popularity since the seventies, but growth has been slower here in Canada, so I'm fairly new to it. But I'm hooked. I must warn you though, not all mineral products are created equal. Before you buy, here are a few things to consider:

1. If it's pressed, don't buy it. There are chemicals in it to make it that way.

2. Always, always read the ingredients. Quo, a brand of mineral make-up, for example, has parabens in some of its products. Like I said yesterday, just because it says natural, don't necessarily believe it.

3. Take time to look into the brand of make-up you're interested in. The source of the minerals is important. If they were cheaply purchased, they may have come from a contaminated source. Also, processing of the minerals is important. You don't want all sorts of chemicals added during this process. Talking to the manufacturer is likely the only way to get this information.

4. Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide, typical ingredients in mineral make-up, have been contended over the years. There is some concern that if the particles are too finely ground they are absorbed into your skin. There is also a good deal of contamination and poor quality minerals. Again, make sure you trust your brand. If these two ingredients are of very good quality and pure, they are actually beneficial, as they will protect your skin against the sun.

5. Lastly, price - mineral make-up ranges from under $10 to over $50. Make sure you really research the market well to find the best possible product for you, and find someone really knowledgeable to help you.

I've been really impressed with a particular brand - a small housebrand located here in Canada, called LUVU Beauty - so much research goes into finding the purest possible minerals. The products are affordable (Foundation $15), easy to use, very long-lasting, look amazing, and feel like naked skin. There is a full range of products, from foundations, powders, bronzers/blush, highlighters, concealers and more, plus a zillion amazing shades of eyeshadow. I originally bought some for my wedding this summer, but I liked it so much I brought it into my eco store, Sustain. Please know, however, that I'm bringing you this product as a result of tons of research, not because I happen to sell it. In fact, I've invited Tira Wootton, the CEO of LUVU, onto Pure Green to guest post about her make-up, bringing you all kinds of tips and tricks. Her debut will be an interview with me, telling you all about how she got started. In the meantime, one of my readers will get a lucky sneak peak into the wondrous world of LUVU Beauty by winning this GIVEAWAY! I'm giving one reader a trio of eyeshadow: a base, an accent and a highlighter to enjoy. To enter: simply leave a comment and the winner will be picked at random. Giveaway open until Sunday, January 10th, and is open only to residents of Canada or U.S. Below is a sample of what you'll be receiving. Also, if you're interested in learning more about LUVU or would like to purchase, email me and I'll consult with you to help you pick the perfect products and I'll also give Pure Green readers 10% off. I'll look forward to hearing from you!

A Fresh Face for 2010

Ever wonder what's in your makeup? No? Well you should. No joke. This is serious. For years I've been using a very expensive cosmetic that I had to special order. I trusted them. And then I looked into what was in it, and I was shocked. After digging a little deeper, it turns out that cosmetics is a whole realm of nastiness, and shockingly, people are oblivious, or they don't care. Here's a thought: anything you put on your skin is in your bloodstream in 30 seconds. Knowing that, can you really put just anything on your skin? Here's another one: the average person uses nine cosmetic/personal care products a day, averaging a daily load of 126 chemicals! With that in mind, I set about finding the purest, non-toxic cosmetic. I'll share the fruits of my labour with you, but first, I want to pass on a little of what I now know. And you should pass this along to every woman you know. In fact, writing this post gave me an idea - I'm going to start a buyer's guide on Pure Green, that covers everything and anything, from mattresses and jeans to make-up and cleaners. This is my first crack at it.

First - I'm going to teach you how to read labels. If it says Natural, Biodegradable, Organic or Non-Toxic, don't trust it right away. There are very few rules in the cosmetics industry (in Canada and the U.S. anyway) that govern these terms - a product need have only ONE natural or organic ingredient to be allowed to use the label. In fact, almost 90% of cosmetics are synthetic (and thus harmful), and in the FDA's entire 67 year history, they have only banned 9, I repeat, 9, personal care product ingredients. And don't you believe that chemicals in small doses are ok. Those small doses will accumulate over time and eventually cause problems. Always check for ingredients. If they aren't listed, assume they have something to hide and pass.

Second, while there are many, here is a list of the top 12 dangerous, most commonly used ingredients. These are found in everything from soap, lotions, shampoos and hair products, perfumes, make-up, baby products and more.

1. Methyl, Propyl, Butyl and Ethyl Paraben - used as a preservative; mimics estrogen (screws with women's bodies and feminizes male bodies....yikes!); carcinogenic.
2. Propylene Glycol - a cosmetic format of a product found in anti-freeze, brake, transmission and hydraulic fluid; works as a humectant that helps keep moisture in the skin or product (common in lotions, mascaras and deordorant/anti-perspirant; can cause liver/kidney damage.
3. Sodium Lauryl Sulphate - acts as a foaming agent; the potential side-effects are too many to list.
4. Diathanolamine (DEA) - used as an emulsifier (lotions); while this product alone is not a carcinogen, it reacts with nitrates to form very toxic nitrocamines. Best to avoid.
5. Isopropyl Alcohol - petroleum derived; found in lotions and aftershave in particular; causes headache, nausea and more; destroys intestinal flora.
6. Pthalates - most often used as synthetic fragrances; endocrine disrupter; banned in EU.
7. Lead Acetate - reproductive and developmental toxin; found in hair dye, which is why you shouldn't dye your hair while pregnant. I know this is a tough one, but try going natural (I have been for 3 years and I love it), and try a natural hair rinse instead.
8. Tuolene - usually found in nail polish; reproductive and developmental toxin.
9. Petroleum Distillates - carcinogen; found in perfumes, mascara, lipstick and lip balm. Stay away.

10. Petrolatum (mineral oil jelly) - clogs sking from taking in oxygen; I spotted this in my Carmex, but its commonly found in lip balm.

11. Synthetic Fragrances - most often listed as 'fragrance'; wide range of potential side-effects.

12. Talc - lung irritant; carcinogenic.

I know this is scary, but I challenge you to read the labels in your bathroom and see what you find. It's important. To help prove my point, I looked up the top five best selling cosmetic companies (I chose to compare foundation since it goes all over your face) on Skin Deep, a website database by the Environmental Working Group that researches the ingredients in cosmetics. It ranks products on a scale of one to ten based on toxicity. (Please note, these stats must be taken with a grain of salt, because the companies don't divulge all ingredients, and this is taken from only one source - its still useful to know, and legit.)

1.Maybelline Classic Foundation - 8 of 10

2. Mary Kay Dual Coverage - 8 of 10

3. Estee Lauder Polished Performance - 9 of 10

4. L'Oreal Age Perfect - 7 of 10

5. CoverGirl Fresh Complexion - 8 of 10.

Check out the website to see what your favourite product ranks.

Now that I've scared you, I'm going to provide a solution! Check back tomorrow for part 2, in which I divulge my favourite, non-toxic cosmetic, and perhaps score a give-away! In the meantime, I've prepared a handy-dandy buyer's guide short format for your wallet or purse. *I have a longer version of the information provided, along with more available, prepared by Tira Wooton. Email me if you'd like a copy. I hope I didn't scare you too badly, but sometimes you just need your cage rattled! Here's to a healthier body and planet!

Click here to download yours.

I was struck by something the other day....I stopped to get take-out, and I noticed a recycled symbol on the container. Not really unusual.....but...I started to look around, and found that same little unassuming symbol all around me. I realized, in that simple moment, how far we've actually come, and although I don't want to make light of how far we must still go, I want to take a moment on Pure Green and celebrate that change. Its too easy to feel overwhelmed by negativity and despair - surrounded by seemingly insurmountable issues like climate change, drought, food shortages et cetera, I feel the good things tend to slip away, especially in light of the recently past summit at Copenhagen, which seemed a quagmire of indecision led by dispassionate, uncommitted leaders. However, even with such things in mind, by writing on Pure Green I do my best to point out that the smallest action, when repeated by many, goes very far. Let's not forget that. I don't expect change to happen overnight, but I hope I can inspire you to keep putting one foot in front of the other, one small thing at a time. And don't forget to take time to be grateful, every day, for the richness in your life.

As you read this, think back over the year and you'll see that things are slowly getting moving. Being green is moving from a fad to a way of life. Our children won't recycle out of duty, they'll do it because they won't know of an alternative. Innovation will lead us, and I will live to drive a solar powered car. Celebrate yourself and the changes you've already made, even if the gesture is small, like not forgetting your re-usable bags or remembering your reusable water bottle. Take a moment, open your eyes and appreciate the changes that you see, from the recycled content symbols all around you, or the sea of green and blue boxes down your street on "garbage day", to the abundance of organic produce in your local supermarket, to the number of bicycles in front of your office building, to the solar panels on your neighbours house, or to the fairtrade, certified biodynamic cuppa joe you're enjoying while you're reading this final post of 2009 on Pure Green. I'll be back in 2010 - Happy New Years and thanks to all of you for making my world a little bit better in 2009. If any of you have anything to add, please leave a comment and do so!

May 2010 be a good one, and thanks for reading Pure Green.

Celine

{maybe you've seen this before, but I thought I'd show you this dress, designed by Danish design group Diffus. the dress is made with hundreds of tiny LED lights that glow in the presence of CO2. While the streets of New York aren't packed with them, I think it shows a collective change in consciousness that's now aware of the challenges we face. a keychain or bag version would be sweet.}

What I Got for Christmas...

You have no idea....I've been admiring and pining for card catalogs for soooo long! Many trips into antique stores, just to see if they have one. I love books, I love carefully considered vintage modern...I've often imagined how perfect one would look in my own home. So...you can't imagine my surprise when, for Christmas I unwrapped a single, lonely, beautiful drawer, along with the recipe for the 'perfect man' (lol!) written on a recipe card. I jumped with excitement, afraid to suspect that perhaps this drawer had brothers and sisters. Lo and behold, it does.....! I have my own library catalogue!!! No more pining.....no more wishing.....now I just have to figure out what to do with it! I never really gave it serious thought, because until now it was simply a fantasy! And so, with the task of putting it to good use, I looked up a few photos to see if I felt inspired. Here are my favourites....

{Carefully staged and pretty....from Poetic Home}


{utilitarian - see below. this lovely specimen has been used to categorize and organize odds and ends. Away with you, junk drawer! The owner of this piece has everything from tape, ribbon and batteries in hers (see below), carefully arranged, lovingly labelled, safely stowed. Definitely a possibility for mine, however the romantic in me thinks perhaps not. We'll see. from Small Notebook}

{serenely beautiful...this photo kind of reminds me of my house, so finding a home for the catalogue in the dining room might be a possibility. I don't have much space though...although organizing napkins, accessories, candles and tealights and so on might be nice...right now they're all in a mess. p.s. this photo is from Emily Anderson's home, which I really love. Her love for vintage makes it a light shade of green...so perhaps you'll see more soon. from Design Sponge}

{wacky and wonderful...this funtion wouldn't work in my house I don't think. I just liked how bohemian the arrangement is. A type of organized chaos. source unknown - its been kicking around my 'like it' folder too long. sorry.}

So, what do you think? If any of you have any ideas, or if you're lucky enough to have one too and would like to share, please do! Leave a comment or email your photos to

puregreendesign{at}gmail.com

I hope you had a Merry One!

Last Minute Holiday Goodies (DIY)

Looking for an eco friendly decor idea? How about these....I made them for my store. How to: make a cone out of heavy paper...wrap natural twine (hemp pictured here) and use a non-toxic, water based glue to adhere it as you go along. The result is deliciously rustic and organic.

this is a smaller one in progress.

Second, how 'bout a well wishing place holder? Fold an origami crane (a symbol of peace) and slip a card in its wing as a place holder. Scroll down for instructions on how to fold them. Save them and re-use them year after year.

Happy Holidays!

I wish you all a happy day...I've been admiring these cards for a year now - from Night Owl Paper Goods, an eco-chic company.

Coming After Christmas:

-A complete guide to reading labels in personal care products; you'll be shocked.

-A complete guide to non-toxic make-up for the ladies; application tips, product reviews, a give-away and an interview with Canada's leading lady in mineral organic make-up, CEO of LUVU Beauty Tira Wootton.

-I'm bringing a guy's view on sustainability to Pure Green - keep posted for a new eco-dude column!

-And of course, more from Pure Living, The Organic Kitchen, Style me Green and the Green Traveller.

See you Then!

Prezzies!

Adding to my gift wrapping ideas from yesterday, these are the fruits of mine and Jonathan's labour! Always a favourite part of Christmas.

I made little birch bark 'buttons' this year.

Always a classic for me.

An example of Jonathan's famous bows - see the comment from yesterday for the how to.

Merry Christmas!

Pure Green & The Homies

Guess What?!!!! Pure Green's been nominated - well long listed - in Apartment Therapy's THE HOMIES, under Green Homes!!! I'm so excited, this has been a personal goal of mine! If you feel so inclined, help me get short listed by clicking here! Good luck to all...its amazing to celebrate each other. Thanks for your support.

{xo celine}

How to Wrap Sustainably

So, Christmas is almost here! I can't quite believe it, it just kind of crept up on me! Yikes! Well, I'm looking forward to it. This year, my family decided to pick names, as we are getting, well, numerous, so we decided to make it easier on all of us, to cut down a little. I think its awesome, cause you can really put some thought into the few gifts you need. Anyway, as I'm thinking of all my wrapping, I thought I'd include some ideas on PGD to inspire you to wrap eco. I really don't mean to get scary, but here is some food for thought ( a not so gentle push! lol): (from the recycling council)


- Half the paper consumed in America during the year are used to wrap and decorate gifts! Over Christmas, we throw out an additional 1 million tonnes of paper waste per week! eek!
-If every family re-used just 2 feet of ribbon, the 38,000 miles of ribbon saved could tie a bow around the entire planet!

So, with this in mind, here are a few easy, less expensive, more creative and equally attractive ideas!

1. This is a classic, and surely there is one savy penny pincher in the family that does this already. The trick is to use interesting pages, ones with nice typeface, a crossword, comic and so on. The next crucial thing to ensure they look pretty under the tree is to accessorize. Use recycled ribbon, twine, leftover Christmas ornaments or a handcrafted gift tag to make it nice. Or, slip a twig or pine sprig under the ribbon for a festive touch!

2. From Scoutie Girl comes this idea. A pretty, handcrafted gift tag is slipped under some coordinating baker's twine to dress up this unassuming paper bag. Really! (Just make sure the bag is made with recycled content.) To me this conjures up images of packages and parcels from yesteryear. I'm liking it.

3. If you just can't forgo the thought of wrapping paper, make a sustainable choice and pick the recycled kind, with water-based inks. Just a note: this is not for the budget shopper, these babies can cost as much as $4.00 a sheet! These retro mod papers are by WhimsyPress.

4. Another idea for dressing up the brown paper package is using scrap fabrics or felt. Cut out a petal (fold the fabric in half and cut a scalloped edge) in three sizes. Cut a hole in the center, loop a longish peice of ribbon and feed though the hole; tie a knot and use the rest to tie around the gift. I bought some felt made from recycled pop bottles that I want to try this with, which would save having to stitch the raw edge of the fabric.

5. Another idea using scavenged or recycled materials for personalizing and dressing up the quintessential brown paper package. From threadbanger.

Finally, from my own personal arsenal of wrapping supplies.

-Recycled brown paper
-Twine (for a natural look), wrapped around two or three times so it doesn't look too flimsy
-A homemade bow (this is my husband's contribution, he's been doing this for years). Click here for instructions.
-A homemade gift tag - this year I'm thinking of slicing birch branches into thin 'coins' and using a wood burner to personalize. I like the chalkboard paint idea pictured above though, this ensures they will get reused year after year.

-Finally, I like a little adornment. Red balls are my favourite (for contrast), but you could use anything!

Merry Christmas & Get Wrapping!

P.S. If you're wrapping late at night treat yourself to delicious cocktail! This one looks good.....

for more ideas click here.

To Make:

1 oz. campari

1 oz. lime juice

3/4 oz. cointreau

1/4 oz. maple syrup

dash of grenadine

yum!

Alternative Gift Ideas

While yesterday I included some Etsy holiday gift and decor ideas, I came across this today on World Changing and thought it was worth sharing with you. Recently for my wedding, a great gift we got was a gift certificate from JustGive, which allows you to donate the money to whichever organization you choose. We chose to donate to CPAWS, a Canadian organization that protects fragile/valuable land by turning them into parkland. Their latest triumph was hugely expanding the wondrous and fragile Nahani River National Park. Anyway, I just think maybe this is another approach, and while not for everybody it may ring really true with someone on your list. Read on for a few other really good, non-materialistic ideas!

Thank You World Changing and Andy Lubershane