NEW REN Moroccan Rose Otto Sugar Body Polish

Those of you with jobs or enviable inheritances during this recession may be interested to know that REN Skincare has debuted a luxe companion for its popular Moroccan Rose Otto line: Moroccan Rose Otto Sugar Body Polish—a pampered way to exfoliate before applying self-tanner or simply smoothing off dry summer skin cells.

Pretty factor: Paraguayan cane sugar smooths skin, while almond oil silkily nourishes. Caffeine from kola nut helps to temporarily reduce cellulite. A pinch of rose otto and palmarosa essential oils soothe the psyche. (We recommend saving some for winter, when you'll really need the mental escape.)

Eco factor: No petrochemicals, sulfates, parabens, phthalates, synthetic fragrance or colors, T.E.A., D.E.A., propylene glycol, silicones, PEGS, animal ingredients or animal testing. U.K.-based Ren donates 2.5% of its profits to environmental organizations.

To buy: $60 at renskincare.com

Wallet-friendly option: 100% Pure's fresh fruit scrubs ($22)

Collective Wellbeing Pumice/Peppermint Buffing Bar for Feet

An easy-on-the-pocketbook, perfect-for-everyone product for your Monday morning: Collective Wellbeing's Pumice/Peppermint Buffing Bar. This baby has completely smoothed (summer-prepped) my dry, tough feet, and it leaves an irresistibly invigorating minty scent. Plus, check out the company's commendable environmentalism down in "Eco factor."

Pretty factor: Volcanic pumice, ground walnut shell, and buckwheat hulls, set in a grime-removing base of palm oil soap, thoroughly cleanse and polish the toughest calluses. Sage, juniper and lemongrass extracts help purify and organic peppermint and spearmint essential oils give dirty summer feet a refreshing, clean tingle.

Ideal for: Women and men, who will love the scent and grittiness

Eco factor: Collective Wellbeing uses organic botanicals and no sulfate detergents, parabens, or synthetic fragrance or colors. They give to organizations that work to improve our environment and are active members of 1% For the Planet. They're also the first consumer product to join The Chicago Climate Exchange, through which they completely eliminate their carbon footprint.

To buy: $6 at Whole Foods and collectivewellbeing.com

NEW MD Skincare® by Dr. Dennis Gross Natural Beauty In Toxins Out Review

Lately, it's seemed that the green bandwagon must be so full of folks that it's busting at the seams, wheels flying off. 

Like most members of the organic community, I flip-flop between being happy that more companies are becoming nature-focused and leery of greenwashing.

So when I received a press release about a new natural line by renowned Manhattan dermatologist Dr. Dennis Gross, I was prepared to be underwhelmed.  Instead, I discovered luxurious, thoughtfully formulated, and highly performing products.  My two favorites from the line, Called Beauty In Toxins Out, are the following.

Purifying Bath Crystals with Himalayan Salt:  There are umpteen natural bath soaks on the market that are perfectly lovely.  Smell is the deciding factor.  These salts are mixed with a warm, completely intoxicating blend of grapefruit, lemon, mandarin, anise, and lavender essential oils—plus shea butter and aloe to moisturize.  After a soak one night, I slept like a baby and remained blissed out until late the next afternoon.

Antioxidant Enzyme Buff:  Sea salt, almond shell, and blueberry and cranberry seeds polish away dead skin cells, while plentiful plant oils (grape seed, sweet almond and evening primrose to name a few) give supple skin.  Lavender and bitter orange essential oils provide an enticing fragrance that's both floral and fruity.

Eco factor: Dr. Dennis Gross' natural line is 100% vegan with no sulfate detergents, parabens, petrolatum derivatives, mineral oil, or synthetic dyes or fragrance.  Packaging for some of the products is made from 100% post-consumer recycled content.

To buy: $57 for the Antioxidant Enzyme Buff and $42 for the Purifying Bath Crystals. Or, you can buy a value set of slightly smaller sizes of both for $55. At mdskincare.com and dermstore.com

Malie Organic Coffee Macadamia Body Polish

Because I'm on a coffee kick and because swimsuit season will be here in a few short weeks, I couldn't think of a better product to review this week than Malie Kauai's Organic Coffee Macadamia Body Polish.

As I've said, topically applied caffeine stimulates circulation and enlivens the skin, making it a beneficial ingredient in eye creams, moisturizers and cellulite products. Check out this article from CNN Money about coffee's ability to treat cellulite.

Pretty factor: A large serving of coffee—it's the first ingredient listed!—helps diminish those unsightly, fatty indentations. Sugar, which is a natural source of alpha hydroxy acids, exfoliates the body, while coconut oil, organic cocoa butter, and mango butter provide decadently rich moisturization.

Eco factor: Malie Kauai products are made from organic and wild-crafted plants that are harvested in a sustainable manner. No petroleum, sulfates, synthetic colors or fragrances or parabens.

To buy: $45 at malie.com and futurenatural.com

Ingredients

Giovanni Hot Chocolate Sugar Scrub with Crushed Cocoa Beans

During the gray winter doldrums, when everything in New York seems especially steel- and cement-hued, Netflix movies and mugs of hot cocoa help make the time 'til Spring a little less depressing for me. A third weapon against the blah's, as well as dry, dead skin? Giovanni's Hot Chocolate Sugar Scrub.

Pretty factor: Crystals of organic sugar, a natural exfoliator, sweep away dry, dead cells, while safflower seed oil, shea butter and honey soften and hydrate the skin. Flavonoids in real cocoa beans (a cellulite reducer) pack an antioxidant punch.

Eco factor: Giovanni products contain 100% natural, organic ingredients. No petroleum derivatives, artificial fragrance or animal byproducts or testing.

To buy: $13.99 at Whole Foods and drugstore.com

Ingredients