NEW The Body Deli Blueberry Fusion Cleanser

When the weather is humid and the sun is unflinching, this skincare junkie can't help being drawn to brands that use organic juices with names such as Sea Cucumber Gelee—that require refrigeration.

After a few sessions of sticking my head in the freezer to cool off last week (I live on the 18th floor of a pre-war highrise with no central AC), I found myself typing TheBodyDeli.com into my browser.  After discovering the brand last summer, I was instantly enamoured with its fresh cucumber juice toner.

This year, I was excited to discover the just-launched Blueberry Fusion resurfacing cleanser.  From its rich purple hue, description and ingredients, I suspected it would become my new fav face wash.

Pretty factor:  Five percent lactic and malic hydroxy acids offer professional-grade exfoliation while a mild, plant-derived surfactant (decyl glucoside) gently removes oil and makeup.  Acai and blueberry extracts deliver antioxidants and oat flour soothes.

If you have a few extra bucks, try the Sea Cucumber Gelee.  This lightweight gel moisturizer-mask hydrates sun-parched skin, calms redness, and repairs free radical damage.  Its nutrient-rich ingredients include organic aloe, wheatgrass, dandelion leaf and kale juices.  Coolest feature of all (pun unintended): It ships on ice and must be stored in your frig.

Eco factor: Body Deli products contain fresh, organic fruit and vegetable extracts and juices.  No sulfates or other harsh cleansing ingredients, paraben preservatives, petrochemicals, or synthetic dyes and fragrance.

To buy: $38 for the resurfacing cleanser and $45 for the cucumber moisturizer at TheBodyDeli.com 

Josie Maran Bear Naked Makeup Remover Wipes

I've always favored gentle foaming cleansers over makeup-removing clothes to wash my face. But a lot of women love the no-water-required convenience of wipes.  Plus they're ideal for this time of year; they remove sweat and runny foundation in one quick swipe. Model Josie Maran has launched some nice ones: Bear Naked Makeup Remover Wipes.

A portion of every sale benefits the Polar Bear SOS, a Natural Resources Defense Council initiative that aims to have polar bears protected under the Endangered Species Act. One tragic effect of global warming is that rising temperatures have melted large amounts of Arctic ice. As a result, polar bears must swim further to find land and are drowning in the process. There are some heart-breaking images that document their plight....

Pretty factor: These gentle wipes use a soothing blend of cucumber, chamomile, aloe and vitamin E. They're free of artificial fragrance (which can irritate the delicate eye area), instead using a splash of grapefruit oil for a refreshing, zesty scent.

Eco factor: No parabens or artificial dyes or fragrance. A portion of proceeds goes to the Polar Bear SOS, an initiative by the Natural Resources Defense Council to get polar bears protected under the Endangered Species Act.

To buy: $12 at josiemarancosmetics.com and sephora.com

Aventine Hill Bath Emporium Cleansing Grains

A blogging friend recently launched a lovely, affordable natural skin and body care line called Aventine Hill Bath Emporium. (Aventine is one of the seven hills on which Rome was built and the site of a temple to Minerva, goddess of wisdom, medicine, the arts, and crafts). Sheila's homeopathic concoctions include superb cleansing grains that I've been loving the past few weeks.

What are cleansing grains, you may ask? Typically oat or rice-based—and mixed with water—they've been used for centuries as a gentle, nutritional method of removing dead cells, unclogging pores and tightening the skin.

Pretty factor: My favorite among Aventine Hill's three varieties is Grandma's Herbal Cleansing Grains, which contain rice bran and colloidal oatmeal to exfoliate while soothing, and kaolin clay to tighten pores and reduce oil. Additionally, chamomile flowers calm, rose hips provide a lil' antioxidant vitamin C, and caffeine from cocoa perks up the skin.

To use: I've found that the easiest way to use cleansing grains is to sprinkle a bit into your cleanser to instantly transform it to an exfoliator. They also make an effective mask.

Eco factor: Aventine Hill products are free of parabens, sulfates, petrolatum, and synthetic color. No animal testing.

To buy: $9.50 at myaventine.com

The Oil Cleansing Method (OCM) for Face

Two weeks ago, I discovered a skincare secret with such incredible results that I'm still shaking my head in awe—how hadn't I heard of this?? 

While reading The Green Beauty Guide by Julie Gabriel, I came upon a section about double cleansing. Apparently, Asian women have done it for years, and it's been gaining popularity in the States.

Here's how it works: At night, you apply an oil-based cleanser to your dry face to break up and melt away makeup. Rinse thoroughly with warm water. Then, you follow with a gentle gel or foaming cleanser to thoroughly remove grime and gunk from pores.

I decided to try Origins' Clean Energy Cleansing Oil due to its rave reviews on MakeupAlley. Almost 100% natural and mineral oil-free, it uses a base of olive fruit, safflower, sesame, and sunflower seed oils plus an emulsifer (peg-25 glyceryl trioleate), which allows the plant oils to mix with water and rinse completely clean. Amazingly, there's zero oily residue. Origins has added a touch of essential oils (lemon, lavender and grapefruit) to give it an ahh-inducing aroma.

I follow it with a dribble of Evan Healy Tea Tree Gel Cleanser and have had the best cleansing results of the hundreds of cleansers I've tried the last 15 years. My oily skin hasn't been this balanced or even-toned since I was nine!

Wallet-friendly tip: Organic extra virgin olive, coconut oil, or jojoba oil will do the job, too. However, they don't contain the emulsifiers that Origins cleanser does, so you'll likely have an oily residue.

To buy: $21 at origins.com

NEW Aveda Enbrightenment™ Line

Aveda just launched a potently natural skincare line called Enbrightenment™ aimed at evening skin tone and reducing hyperpigmentation without hydroquinone.

I've been using the Enbrightenment cleanser, toner, serum and lotion.  (The thick mask and cream contain too many potentially pore-clogging emollients and thickeners for my comfort.)  In just two weeks, I've noticed an impressive evening of tone and a boost in luminosity.

The line is suited for every age and skin type: older women with sun spots, pregnant women with melasma, younger gals with post-acne hyperpigmentation.

Pretty factor: Enbrightenment's star ingredients are not one, but two, forms of stable vitamin C and mulberry extract, a natural melanin-inhibitor.  Every Enbrightenment™ product also contains antioxidant grape seed and rosemary extracts plus redness-reducing aloe.

My favorite product is the pearlescent, moussy Brightening Cleanser.  Being a rinse-off product, it won't lighten your skin much.  But it does silkily remove all makeup and dead skin cells thanks to gentle surfactants, organic aloe, and salicylic acid.

Eco factor: Aveda has been dedicated to environmental responsibility long before "green" entered the public vernacular and celebrities drove Priuses.  Aveda's manufacturing facility in Minnesota is powered entirely by wind energy.  Its products contain organic, sustainably sourced and fair trade ingredients.  Products come in 80 to 100% post-consumer recycled cartons.  No parabens, phathlates, petro ingredients, or animal testing.

To buy: $35 to $52 at aveda.com and Aveda concept salons and spas nationwide

Soothing Winter Skin and Rosacea: Evan Healy Blue Face Kit

For a while, I've wanted to write a post about the best regime for rosacea, the skin condition characterized by a flushed, ruddy face with visible blood vessels, bumps and/or pimples. (Bill Clinton is a celebrity example.) I don't have it, but a recent move to Chicago, which might as well be Antarctica during the winter—quickly prompted me to research non-comedogenic, moisturizing skin soothers. The recommendation: Evan Healy's Blue Face Kit.

The kit includes Evan Healy's gorgeous Blue Lavender Cleansing Milk, Rosehip Treatment Facial Oil, and Blue Chamomile Day Moisturizer. They contain steam-distilled blue chamomile and lavender essential oils to impressively calm redness and help regenerate damaged tissue and broken capillary veins (and smell exactly like freshly plucked chamomile and lavender flowers).

Ideal for: People with rosacea or ruddy, wind-burned or irritated skin.

Eco factor: Evan Healy products are beautifully pure—they don't contain a single synthetic ingredient, including parabens, petrochemicals, propylene glycol, filler/thickeners, sulfates, or fake colors and fragrances.

To buy: $27.95 for the kit at Whole Foods and evanhealy.com

The Best Non-Drying Foaming Cleansers

It's a widely known fact in the beauty industry that Americans are obsessed with foam: foamy cleansers, foamy shampoos, foamy body washes. European and Asian women traditionally have used cleansing creams and oils, which don't strip skin like our detergent-packed washes. Not us. If it don't lather, it don't work!

I've read the articles that say that lather doesn't equal clean, it just equals lather, and that the best way to combat oil is with oil. I've tried best-selling oil cleansers, like Lavantine's and Shu Uemura's. But the heavy, un-clean feeling I was left with plus break-outs a few days later made me run for my Aveeno Ultra Calming Cleanser (a sudser that I used in my pre-green days).

Luckily, there are now lovely soap-free foaming cleansers that thoroughly remove makeup and dirt without drying. Here are the best natural ones on the market in my opinion.

For Dry/Normal Skin: John Masters Organics Rose Foaming Face Wash. This light latherer employs mild surfactants to gently cleanse, aloe and linden flower (an antioxidant) to soothe, and steam-distilled essential rose oil to rejuvenate. $19 at Whole Foods and beauty.com

For Oily/Acneic: Aveda Outer Peace Foaming Cleanser. InStyle recently named it the best cleanser for acne-prone skin, and I concur. Oat amino acids exfoliate without harshness, salicylic acid treats blemishes, saw palmetto extract reduces DHT-thus-oil production, and tamanu oil moisturizes and heals. Has a refreshing herbal-medicinal scent. $25 at Aveda concept salons and aveda.com
Runner-up: Clinique's Acne Solutions Foaming Cleanser

For Combo Skin: Evan Healy Tea Tree Gel Cleanser (click for review). I've gone through three bottles the past year. It's my all-time favorite cleanser.

Clinque Acne Solutions Cleansing Foam: No Sulfates or Parabens Plus Botanicals!

Well, the cows have come home:  This eco gal is using and loving a Clinique product.

I've been anti-Clinique for years. I've watched girlfriends stick with the line despite it doing nada for them—or causing more break outs.   That puke yellow "Dramatically Different" Moisturizing Lotion?  It's an outdated formulation of petrolatum, mineral oil and yellow dye.  Might as well slather Vaseline-brand lotion on your face!

However, there's always room for redemption. During a recent visit to Chicago, I noticed Clinique's Acne Solutions Cleansing Foam in my friend's shower. It belonged to her roommate, who has flawless skin. I skimmed its ingredient list, ready to shake my head.  Instead, I did a double-take: no harsh detergents or paraben preservatives, 2% salicylic acid plus tons of botanicals.

Due to job and relationship stress the past two months, I was breaking out around my chin.  So, in a moment weakness, I decided to "bring in the big guns" and headed to Sephora to buy this cleanser. 

I've been using it every night for 2 weeks—and my skin has completely cleared with no dryness.  As a result, I have vowed to use a cleanser or moisturizer with salicylic acid until I'm 40.  And to Clinique: congrats on a great product.

Pretty factor: 2% salicylic acid thoroughly cleans oil and grim from pores to prevent and clear zits. Peppermint extract further purifies while algae extract provides nutrients to the skin. Caffeine perks up skin and reduces inflammation, and glycerin and sodium hyaluronate inject light moisture.

Eco factor: No sulfates, parabens, or petrolatum.  Lots of skin-friendly botanical extracts.

To buy: $17.50 at department stores and Sephora (It's about 6 bucks cheaper than the Whole Foods cleansers I've been using!)

The Benefits of Sticking with a Skincare Regime?

The past week, I'd been thinking about hunkering down and sticking to a skin care regime when I spotted this amusing post on Lucky's beauty blog about...hunkering down and sticking to a skincare regime.

I’m constantly hunting for and trying the new, best product. I’ve been especially Swap Central lately—this scrub one day, another one the next—and am wondering if it’s the reason for a little increase in ruddiness and breakouts. Dermatologists say that you need to allow time for your skin to adjust to a new product, then for it to do its job.

So, it’s going to be like me fighting myself, but I’m going to stick to a basic regime for the next two months—no changing! My regime will consist of:

Evan Healy Tea Tree Gel Cleanser. Best. Cleanser. Ever. I’ve been using this daily for two entire months and love it. It's soap-free and foaming with gentle surfactants, bacteria-killing tea tree and lavender oils, and soothing chamomile and calendula blossom extracts. Evan Healy products are super pure and high-quality (though not well publicized) and are available at some Whole Foods.

DDF Pumice Acne Scrub (twice weekly). This stuff is the skincare equivalent of Suave’s best-selling Daily Clarifying Shampoo—it's not natural but, used once or twice a week, it thoroughly removes grit and leaves skin smooth and clear.

Juice Beauty Green Apple SPF 15 Moisturizer. I love the purifying, exfoliating properties and uplifting scent of the organic lemon juice in this moisturizer. It also contains AHA in the form of organic apple juice, plus skin-nutritious ingredients like green tea, aloe, and rosehip seed oil.

I've been on the regime for just 5 days but already notice a reduction in ruddiness. Have you found that your skin looks best when you stick to a regime?

Suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser

I recently bought Suki's Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser due to its rave reviews on Makeup.com—where it's 5-star rated and the No. 1-selling skin care product on the entire site. But I didn't buy confidently: Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser contains saponified olive oil (soap), and soap is often drying.

But not this cleanser. Like many reviewers, it left my face surprisingly soft and fresh-looking, and the pores on my nose were visibly smaller.  In the two weeks I've used this cleanser-scrub, my skin has been smoother, more even-toned and blemish-free. Here's why:

Pretty factor: Suki products are 100% natural—there isn't one synthetic ingredient in them. As a result, there is a decreased risk of irritation/reaction.  Rice flour and cane sugar, a natural alpha hydroxy acid, gently remove dead skin cells and increase cellular turnover to reduce zits, fine lines and acne scars.  Fresh herbs like soothing chamomile and pure, steam-distilled essential oils help to rejuvenate and heal the skin.

The cleanser comes in solid form.  To get it to foam up nicely, rub a quarter-size amount between your palms with a little warm water. Then gently massage it onto your face.  It's smells like fresh-squeezed lemonade and will leave your bathroom reminiscent of an organic juice bar!

Eco factor: Suki products are packaged in eco-friendly materials like recycled stock, vegetable ink and glass (never plastic). Suki supports fair trade, organic and biodynamic processing and local suppliers. Suki is also a member of numerous organizations including the Organic Consumer's Association, Breast Cancer Action and the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics for Responsible Medicine. All products are free of these these ingredients. No animal testing.

To buy: $24.50 at Whole Foods and sukipure.com

Ingredients

Perianne Skin care: Fall/Winter line

I'm giddy about this new line—it combines two of my favorite things: beauty products and seasonal food! Perianne Skin care, the brainchild of a Brooklyn-based woman named Cora Michael, is inspired by the changing seasons and their effects on the skin.

There are two lines: Fall/Winter, composed of a milky cleanser, gentle toner and a rich face cream, and Spring/Summer, composed of a foaming cleanser, more purifying toner and a light facial lotion. Women with dry or mature skin can use the Fall/Winter line year-round and those with exceptionally oily or acneic skin can use the Spring/Summer line year-round. Or, of course, you can combine items. Creamy cleansers aren't cleansing enough for my oily skin, but I've been using the Fall/Winter toner and rich face cream with MyChelle's White Cranberry Cleanser and have had impressively softer, more supple skin.

Pretty factor: Perianne Skin Care products are loaded with herbs, essential oils, botanical extracts, including amazing-smelling seasonal ingredients. For example, the Fall/Winter line contains pumpkin seed oil (rich in skin-plumping omega-3 and -6 fatty acids), cranberry seed oil (high in vitamin A, which promotes cellular turnover), and fennel essential oil (reduces inflammation and detoxifies).

Eco factor: Organic ingredients and no parabens, petrochemicals, harsh surfactants (sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate), or synthetic colors and fragrances.

To buy: $20 for the cleanser and toner and $40 for the cream at perianneskincare.com

Care by Stella McCartney Gentle Cleansing Milk

In many parts of the country, winter has gusted in mercilessly. In addition to upgrading your moisturizer from a lotion to cream (or using one if you don't the rest of the year!), it's time to switch from a foaming to a creamy cleanser if you have combo, normal or, especially, dry skin. This season, every other beauty editor has been gushing about designer Stella McCartney's Care Gentle Cleansing Milk.

Pretty factor: This creamy wash soothes and conditions the skin while thoroughly removing grime and makeup. Apricot kernel oil, rich in vitamins A and E, revitalizes the skin, while sesame seed oil, full of fatty acids, protects and plumps. The result is a smooth, hydrated face as fresh as first-fallen snow. Ideal for normal, dry and mature skin

Eco factor: Care by Stella McCartney contains organic, bio-active ingredients certified by ECOCERT® and zero petrochemicals, silicones or parabens—"everything your skin needs and nothing it doesn't."

To buy: $35 at sephora.com

MyChelle White Cranberry Cleanser

Updated 5/15/2008: MyChelle Dermaceuticals is an extraordinary yet reasonably priced skin care line, and if you have oily or acneic skin, you must try its recently re-formulated and renamed White Cranberry Cleanser. I'm a product switch-a-holic and have gone through three bottles. Here's why:

Pretty factor: This nicely foaming, sulfate-free cleanser contains gentle surfactants and an anti-acne combo of

• .5% salicylic acid, an exfoliator that can penetrate oil
• 5% azelaic acid, an exfoliator and skin lightener that helps reduce annoying post-zit red marks.
• Bacteria-killing cranberry fruit juice, tea tree oil, and totarol, which is even more potent than tea tree oil.

Eco factor: MyChelle products contains organic ingredients and are toxin-free, lacking phthalates, parabens, propylene glycol, ureas, EDTA, and artificial fragrances and colors. The company is actively involved with local animal rescue programs.

To buy: $10 for 2.1 oz and $17 for a 4.4 oz. at mychelleusa.com and Whole Foods

Ingredients

JASON Super-C Cleanser™ Gentle Facial Wash

When I decided to "green" my beauty, like my lifestyle, a few months ago, my first purchase was JASON's Super-C Gentle Face Wash. Its ingredients were nearly identical to Ole Henriksen's On the Go Cleanser, a best-selling wash when I worked at Sephora—but JASON's was half the price.

Pretty factor: Gentle surfactants—no drying sulfates—remove makeup and grime without stripping the skin. A 10% vitamin C concentration perks up skin and orange essential oil lends an amazing, fresh-sliced oranges scent, making it a perfect a.m. cleanser for those with combo, oily or acne-prone skin.

Eco factor: No parabens, petroleum, animal ingredients or animal testing

To buy: $10 at drugstore.com and Whole Foods