BEAUTY IS SKIN DEEP-LITERALLY

Women in Europe have been doing it for decades and women in Asia, no one can even compete with them! Personally, I think we can all learn a valuable lesson from from French women. They don’t use negative words, thoughts or feelings when associating themselves to their image. They also don’t deprive themselves of indulgences.  J’adore Paris! This is important because how we feel about ourselves reflects how well we take care of ourselves. What the heck happened to women in North America? We can seriously learn a lesson or two from our pretentious sisters on the other side of the world. Parisian women realize everything they put into their bodies will some how some way show on the outside. Beauty is not only head to toe with these women it is literally skin deep. We’re talking about the use of dietary supplements to achieve optimum results in beauty.

Women in North America are a different breed. Until now, our anti-aging/skin care regimens have halted at our decollete. We tend to cover-up rather than correct and that is not cool! We tend to make excuses before attaining solutions. Is it our life style or is something undetected floating around in our water supply?

We’ve got news. In the next few months, you are going to be hearing a lot of the term Cosmeceuticals (the marriage between pharmaceuticals and skin care).  Cosmeceuticals are a skin care ingredient that actually alters the skin and its underlying health. Cosmeceuticals are often combined with cosmetic ingredients in skin care products and are ingested as a dietary supplement.

It is now a fact that women in North America are ready to embrace the idea of beauty from within as early as 2010.

Personally, I am obsessing over Functionalab. President and founder, Eric Geoffrion had knowledge of this movement and simply put: These people get it! They know how to reach out to us and they are doing such a tremendous job that they make me feel like I would be a failure in my own industry if I don’t have their products in my vanity. Most importantly, their entire approach is not one size fits all, it’s all about blending science, holistic beauty and wellness with personalized solutions.

Best of all, they are Canadian! …French Canadian, may I add *wink*

GREENWASHING

GREENWASHING-Greenwashing is the practice of  misleading by making false, unregulated claims about the environmental benefits of a product, service, technology or company practice.

In other words, Greenwashing can make a company appear to be more environmentally friendly than it really is.

We like to believe manufacturers and product developers always have the consumers best interest at heart-wishful thinking. Consumers are annoyed, they are misled and the Greenwashing epidemic has left them confused.

What really pisses me off is when I see the giant beauty brands coming out with “eco-friendly” or “natural” brands overnight. They recognize there is a massive consumer shift taking place and when shoppers start raising eyebrows and questioning their motives, the industry panics. What you as the consumer needs to understand is these products that are claiming to be ‘natural’ are all produced in the same labs as the synthetic products.

As a consumer, there are a few ways you can protect yourself.

1. Know the difference between the terms Organic and Natural

The terms “natural” and “organic” have no relevance at all. The term natural is not regulated with a broad definition. Due to the lack of official regulations, “natural” products may contain Genetically Modified Organisms, endure exposure to pesticides, herbicides and may also contain synthetic and/or artificial ingredients. Natural products often start out natural however, by the time the ingredient(s) have been added to a cosmetic product, chances are they have been mixed with synthetic preservatives and other un-natural ingredients.

Organic products are made with a minimum of 70% organically harvested ingredients that follow stringent production criteria regulated by government and or third party officials. Organic products do not contain any synthetics from start to finish because synthetics and modified ingredients cannot obtain an organic seal of approval. Farmers of organic harvests are not permitted the use of any pesticides, synthetic chemicals and fertilizers.

2. Educate yourself

As a consumer, the most important thing you can do is educate yourself, thoroughly read the labels and be prepared to ask questions.

3. Question the list of ingredients

Products that are authenitic and truly natural will say so on the list of ingredients. You want to look for plant based names that are easy to pronounce and the list of ingredients is not an arms length. When you are scanning the list of ingredints and you come accross the words Frangrance or Parfume, that is automatically an indication of Greenwashing the ingredient list. One fragrance alone has upwards 100’s of synthetic lab made chemicals that you cannot trace.

4. Still not sure

Use the Environmental Working Group’s Cosmetic Database. Here you can type in the product you want to learn more about and the system will rate the level of toxicity from 0-10. www.cosmeticsdatabase.com. Doesn’t get more simple than this!

Don’t mess with a McCartney

Stella McCartney

I love famous people. In fact I adore them. Especially the ones with attitude. They usually are a result of a one night stand or two outrageously good looking people whose only purpose was to procreate. Take for instance the following example, there are celebrities and then there are the McCartney’s. You address them with Sir or Madame and speak only when spoken to.

When I think of one Eco celebrity you don’t *uck with, the name Stella comes to mind. Even if she wasn’t a talented designer you wear her because she is a McCartney! You support her because if you don’t you are the ultimate sell out. Thankfully, the woman is oozing with talent. Not only has this powerhouse satisfied the appetite of PETA, she has told the fashion industry where to shove it.

Stella McCartney is a force to be reckoned with. After being hailed as the only designer to produce a collection without the use of fur, leather or any other animal parts the Lagers and Kors of the world criticized but definitely took notice. Who knew organic cotton could be sexy? Apparently she did.

After proving herself in the fashion industry, Stella took it a step further and dared to compete with the unregulated beauty industry. Beauty Advisers have an issue with constantly over promising and under delivering. CARE by Stella McCartney was the first true luxury organic brand to flip this industry off its feet.

While the brand has been exploited for packaging issues in the last year there is no denying the efficacy of formulations. Keep your eyes and ears peeled because when Stella re-launches CARE with the new packaging, once again, she will ever so cleverly let the non organic beauty industry (I’ll be a little more gentle this time) know what to do with their spare time.

For more on Stella McCartney products please visit www.kaurashop.com

SOLAR POWER

Keys Solar Rx Broad Spectrum Sunblock

Why do we spend thousands upon thousands during a mid-life crises to look like we were when we were in our 20’s? Simple: Because we did not wear sun protection on a daily basis. This is true ladies and gentlemen. 90% of aging is caused by over sun exposure and permanent damage. More than drinking 4 bottles of wine on any given night, more than smoking like a chimney and probably both combined! You get the picture. Now before I go off sounding like a dermatologist here are the ABC’s:

1. UVA=Aging Ray

2. UVB=Burning Ray

Simple enough? I would say so. Unfortunately, too many of us are misinformed. Did you know there is only a 1.8% difference of protection between SPF 30 and SPF 50? and most of the cosmetic companies offering this “powerful dose of protection” don’t even rate the UVA. When investing in a quality and true BROAD SPECTRUM protection make sure to check the UVA rating in addition to the UVB. After all it is damage caused by UVA that will cost you.

Our favorite: SOLAR RX by Keys. 18.5% concentration of uncoated nano-zinc oxide provides a physical UVA and UVB blocking to protect against UV triggered Melanoma and Skin Cancer. Keys nano-zinc oxide (ZnO) is uncoated to provide healing therapies associated with zinc oxide that have been proven to be anti-bacterial and antimicrobial and can reduce redness, rosacea, age spots and melasma. Solar Rx carries a EWG Skin Deep Rating of 0 (0 to 10 scale where 0 is best). In other words, it will not clog pores, helps reduce skin irritations, won’t sting the eyes, and is completely invisible under makeup.

We love it because it’s clean, green, vegan, gluten-free, non-toxic and made with over 80% organic ingredients.

Some common misconceptions about SPF

1. If the sales person tells you that sunscreen in your make-up or daily moisturizer is more than enough protection, make sure you march out and never come back! Your Sunblock has only ONE purpose to serve and protect your complexion! This is one product the words “convenient and product” should ever be together in a sentence.

2. You have an inch of sun protection on your face, clearly the hottest babe on the beach. You fall asleep and wake up a few hours later completely burnt and red. That’s because you didn’t reapply every two hours (at least)!

3. “I only need sunscreen in the warmer months.” Seriously, think about this one and try to remember who convinced  you of this false claim. Think of it this way, you would not leave your house without your underwear any time of year would you? Put your SPF in your lingerie drawer if you have to for a friendly reminder!

Now that you’re an expert, make sure to spread the word. Remember: friends don’t let friends show their true age!

For more information or to purchase this product please visit www.kaurashop.com

SAVE FACE

Olio Lusso

When I was first told to moisturize my over-producing oily skin with an oil, I gave the woman on the other end a glare as if she just told me she was visiting from another planet. On the contrary, secretly, I was a little curious to hear her theory. “It’s simple” she told me. “Oily skin slows down the oil production when you use natural essential oils.” Okay, so maybe what she said made a little sense and I may possibly have even let her demo on the back of my hand. I left the department store with a quest.

After much researching and searching I learned the many incredible benefits associated with applying oil directly to cleansed and slightly damp skin. First off, your skin absorbs it like a sponge as the composition of an essential oil is simular to that of our own body. If the oil sits on your face and collects dust, you know it’s a mineral oil and you might as well give everyone a heads up on your Facebook that you will be a social outcast for the next couple of days while you painfully watch the white heads come and go.

I was on a serious mission to find the best of the best facial oil that is beneficial for all skin types. Of course it has to be luxurious and of course it has to be beautifully packaged, smell good and show visible results after one application. OF COURSE I found it: Let me introduce to you OLIO LUSSO. The ultimate luxurious facial oil packed with anti-aging, anti-oxidant and moisturizing benefits like you’ve never seen before. Some women have reported to replace all of their magic potions with this one multi-tasking oil. It looks thick, but I promise you-coming from a woman with too much oil-it really is as fantastic as it claims to be.

Linda Rodin, is the creative genius behind this beautiful product. Her experience in the fashion and beauty industry sparked her curiosity of claims made by cookie-cutter beauty brands and surely enough she became disillusioned. Linda was working with some of the most famous faces and wanted a product that was much more simple and delivered results without delay. She composed this elixir and handed it to make-up artists, celebrities and stylists. The rest was history.

Packed with some of the most effective oils such as Sweet Almond, Jasmine, Jojoba, and Arnica to name a afew, Olio Lusso leaves the skin with a quench of hydration for a beautiful, dewy complexion no matter what the season. Linda recently launched Olio Lusso for the Body which is equally fantastic used directly on damp skin after a shower or relaxing bath.

For more information Olio Lusso or to purchase products please visit www.kaurashop.com

Nature’s Fantasy

Honore Des Pres

We all know that I will stand on top of a mountain and share new product discoveries to anyone whom is willing to listen.  A few months ago  I came across a buzz that caught my attention instantaneously.

A company in France, was getting ready to launch one of the first Eco Cert organic certified fragrances on the market.  Yes, this is a very big deal! Until now, no fragrance company in the industry has earned the right to own that claim. The perfume beauty industry has been over looked substantially. In recent year’s, as fragrances were being laced with synthetic lab-made “fake” ingredients (a single bottle of perfume can have upwards of 5000 ingredients), a respected woman named Olivia Giacobetti, was working her magic to help develop recently launched, Parfums Honore des Pres which literally translates to, “Pure Extracts of Nature.”  These unique perfumes are tailor made for urbanites in search of simplicity and nature without sacrificing luxury. We love that!

Honore fragrances consist of five beautifully hand crafted scents (four of which were created by Giacobetti) made from 100% botanical ingredients sourced from organic farms all over the world. Ingredients reminiscing of tree houses, designer hotels and fields of sunflowers are used to entice the body, heart and soul.

Honore fragrances were launched in November last year at the sought after La Scent Room at Printemps, Paris.

These five little creative geniuses have revolutionized the french fragrance industry forever. We  have been converted and will never go back to our J-Lo in a bottle.

For more on Honore Des Pres or to purchase please visit www.kaurashop.com

Word count: 183 Last edited by ramansekhon on March 11, 2009 at 5:00 p

Eco and Fabulous

I’ve been a product junkie for as long as I can remember. I used to run away to shops instead of throwing temper tantrums as a kid. Couldn’t grasp my mum telling me I had to wear the same outfit twice (in elementary school, are you kidding me?). Clearly, those habits have stuck with me and now I’m addicted, obsessed and get insanely excited when I walk into a store. Especially the beauty department…ahhhh. My husband might as well have me on a leash as I hound every square inch. Of course, not just any beauty department will do. I’m talking about my boys: Neiman, Henry and the other stud, Barney. I swear the bottles talk to me. Crazy? I know! Believe me.

I’m Aquarius. A natural born tree-hugger. As much as I loved my Creme de la Mer and the platinum infused potions, they often failed to impress. I knew there were products out there that were available without parabens and all that un-regualted junk. Since we weren’t willing to compromise luxury or results, my quest led me to discover a world of sophisticated products. Now, I’m dying to share them with you!

I’m Raman Sekhon. This blog is created for everyone who is sick of carbon copy beauty advisors, is seeking true honest advice, tips, suggestions and share passion for all things true, natural and beautiful.

The Eco Chic Beauty Blog is your haven for head to toe beauty. Finally!

Stay tuned!

Yours Truly