NEW Tarte 4-Day Stay Mascara

Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone. Just in time for pool and beach season, Tarte Cosmetics (by far my favorite makeup line at Sephora) has unveiled a long-lasting lash stain, 4 Day Stay Mascara. Part of Tarte's eco-friendly "Health Couture" collection, it's rich in nutrients and claims to last four full days.

Pretty factor: 4-Day Stay contains PolyFlex Technology™ that adheres the formula's mineral pigments to lashes. Vitamin B5 strengthens and softens lashes and a T5 Super Fruit Complex™ of goji, acai, maracuja, acerola and pomegranate provides antioxidant power.

Eco factor: No parabens, mineral oil, phthalates or synthetic dyes or fragrance. Every purchase of a Tarte product with the T5 Super Fruit Complex supports the Sambazon Sustainable Acai Project, a Brazilian organization that provides companies worldwide with organic and fair trade acai berry while re-building the Amazon rain forest via planting of acai trees.

To buy: $18 at Sephora stores and sephora.com

Aveda Green Science Firming Skincare Review

Aveda has launched a new anti-aging, firming skincare line called Green Science that could easily go head-to-head with any "high-tech" department store brand. The line is composed of a firming face and eye cream, a lifting serum, and intensive line-minimizers packaged in cool, tiny tubes. According to the press release, clinical results show a 41% more lifted appearance and a 37% reduction in the appearance of lines and wrinkles.
Pretty factor: After water, the main ingredients in all four products are rosemary leaf extract and spike moss. Rosemary is a potent antioxidant that's also thought to stimulate blood circulation.  Spike moss helps rebuild the skin's barrier while glucosamine, organic argan oil, and peptides renew and plump the skin.

I've been using the Lifting Serum for 2 weeks and love how it tingles on application and gives my face a healthy, rosy flush. 

Ideal for: normal, dry and mature skin

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

To buy: $45 to $85 at Aveda concept salons and spas nationwide

Juice Beauty SPF 8 Lip Moisturizers Review

Hurray for May! Here in NYC, warm days seem to finally be here. I've always been diligent about slapping sunscreen on my face, but have been reading more about the importance of protecting you lips.  (We want youthfully plump, not old-lady puckered, right?)


A fun search brought forth Juice Beauty's SPF 8 Lip Moisturizers.  They whisk you back to the carefree days of a Bonne Bell-wearing youth—but with way healthier ingredients and non-chemical sun protection.

Pretty factor: These fruity-flavored sheers contain certified organic coconut and sunflower seed oils for hydration, real mango and passion fruit extracts for antioxidant protection, and 4% zinc oxide to prevent sun aging.

Eco factor: Juice Beauty products are made with 100% certified organic ingredients. No parabens, synthetic fragrances, petroleum derivatives, artificial dyes, sulfates, phthalates or animal testing. Their facilities are solar-powered, their containers are made from recycled content, and they source many ingredients from small California farmers.

To buy: $15 for 3 at juicebeauty.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