I keep at least two or three lip balms in my bag, you can never have too many delicious flavors.

Burt’s Bees lip balm with Mango Butter has it all; nourishing, antioxidants, vitamins, natural sweeteners and comes in a 30% post-consumer recycled tube. For a company that has been in the earth-friendly beauty business for over 25 years they just keep getting better.

A another favorite is a natural lip balm MoistStic, even better if you chose their healing Tea Tree Oil flavor.

I fell in love with this little tube of herbal recovery eye cream from the natural beauty experts Jurlique. It provides high performance for your tired eyes anytime and anyplace, but no need to worry because the formal is made to be long lasting. Ingredients include; Arnica, Eyebright, Cucumber and Safflower Oleosomes. This is everything you desire from an eye cream – puffiness and dark circles be gone.

There was a point in my life when I thought plastic bottles were taking over my recycling bin. If you do not use one there will not be anything to recycle and that is the best eco conscious effort you can make. On the go is a different story, using plastic can seem unavoidable at times but one eco bottle purchase can change that. Art + Water = Life = Amazing Results for an eco bottle. U-TURN 2 TAP pride themselves on being conservationists and art lovers. It was their love of art and respect for the Pacific Ocean that has created the company that would give us these very stylish and functional stainless steel bottles. The art and the mission of U-TURN 2 TAP is one to be admired. Take a U turn and replenish your body the right way. To read up on the artists go here.

To fight the summer hair frizz I keep Head Organics hair serum on hand. It is clean, non-grease and above else natural. What are some of the ingredients? They include; green and white tea leaf, pomegranate fruit, ginger root and aloe vera. There are many hair serums out there, however the reason this one is worth the space in my bag is because it can be easily combined with other products. This means my hair is not greasy at the end of the day.

To read more about organic beauty go to the Organic Spa Magazine.

The market in eco jewelry has expanded providing us with choices. Beautiful eco jewelry is available and it is up to you to make the final decision.

As someone who loves to be creative in art and fashion design I have been creating pieces of jewelry/art myself. I hope to share them with you soon. For now marvel at this gorgeous & fun feather vintage hair piece by Noaki Jewelry and read more about her work here http://www.noakijewelry.com. I absolutely love the Great Gatsby theme, mainly because the designer resurrects vintage and broken pieces from the more interesting past.

Levis

Local Celebrity Respect your Mother T-shirt in collaboration with Global Green USA, 100% organic cotton of course

90210 Organics Bambino Land Cinnamon Swirls (2 pack muslin swaddle blankets), made from 100% certified organic cotton

Bottled Up Designs Blue Willow Rectangle Pendant, Recycled from antique glass & bottles reclaimed from bottle dumps

Eco-Me Dog Leash Tote with Poo Poo Bags, made from 100% pure ingredients

Eco-Cup Single-Wall Porcelain Mug, 100% lead-free, nontoxic & reusable

If I happened to be a Manhattan lunching lady and wanted to meet the girls for a yummy treat I would head to the privately owned Joanna Vargas Skin Cares spa. There you can “feed your face” with delicious antioxidant vegetables. This seems to be the most creative Fall facial and it would go perfectly with my pumpkin and cinnamon infused hair. Take a peek at the specials:

Appetizer: Diamond peel microdermabrasion to remove surface dirt and dead skin cells.

Entree: Pumpkin and Yam Natural Enzyme Peel. Rich in Beta-Carotene, Vitamin A and C, antioxidants. Encourages healthy cell turnover. Brightens hyper pigmented areas. Raises hydration levels. Willowbark extract keeps pores clear.

Just Desserts: LED Light Therapy and Soothing Pure Oxygen Treatment

The salon prides itself on top customer service and making you feel like the Manhattan, or out of town, princess that you are. Their professionals use non invasive techniques to provide you with anti aging and natural ways to a perfectly fresh new you. Did I mention they represent the green lifestyle as well as sell all organic products?

This salon is owned by an an esthetician Joanna Vargas, well know among celebrities. Joanna is on a constant search for organic and gentle products that will provide her clients with a pleasant experience. The Joanna Vargas Skin Cares spa & boutique sounds like a perfectly private place to rejuvenate and improve on the already fabulous you. Since it was my birthday last week I am feeling a need to treat myself to glowing skin. When booking in October use a secret password “BOO!” for a discount.

The intricate stitching Alabama Chanin demands is done by hand directly from the homes of the artisans. They all live in the same area of Florence, Alabama and believe in the making quality products that can be passed on for generations. The organic materials used go hand in hand with the brand’s belief.  That is believing in community effort and preserving the American culture as well as the planet.

Natalie is proud of her Southern roots and has originally come back to her home to create a documentary.  She has produced a short film that focuses on traditional quilt making and salvages quilts. Quilting has a rich American history and is a direct source of family stories from generation to generation.  There is something so tranquil about this brand, the concept and I image the materials feel like home.

To find out more about Alabama Chanin and Natalie go to http://alabamachanin.com

Images via style.com & alabamachanin.com

Songbirds from Jessica Turner on Vimeo.

le la Moda Interviews

Visit us tomorrow to read my interview with Yotam Solomon

The youngest ready to wear and Eco caring designer to show at LA’s Fashion Week.  His work has recently appeared on America’s Next Top Model, but there is more to be found out about this young designer. Yotam was very pleasant and accommodating to doing an interview with me.  I have to say the most pleasant thing I found out about him is that he uses Eco friendly materials and partners up with charities.  Find out more than just the superficial you see on TV or runway.

Stylish Bamboo Straws, sustainable and reusable

Men’s cufflinks, made of computer keyboards.  You can buy any letters you chose, how cool is that?

Bamboo Flash Drive.  I am always looking for a stylish flash drive and this one is simply appealing.

Recycled dominos into coasters.  So modern

Maggie Bags made of unused but discarded seat belts that have been given a second chance at life.  I am loving the bright colors.

The resources on how to are endless, everyone is joining the green movement and I am glad to be working with a magazine that cares so much about the planet and your wellness.  

http://www.projectgreendorm.com is also a great resource and an example on how to live a green dorm life. They are a national movement to educate students on how to not only live green but help students to become advocates in their community. 

Here are some tips on how to make your dorm room a bit more eco:

The first thing to do when walking into an empty dorm room is to clean it the green way.  Do not use harsh chemicals that will stick around and could be toxic.  Simple soap and water or green cleaning products, such as Green Works, will do the job just the same and you will be able to breathe afterwards.

Second, check what kind of lights the room is using.  If you have no power over what kind of lights have been installed conserve energy as much as you can.  Living on your own now means being conscious of turning off those lights or unplugging appliances that are not in use.  The responsibility falls on you.

When doing laundry in your dorm try using cold water as much as possible.  Heated water takes up a lot more energy than you realize, when all you can do is simply switch it to cold instead. 

Do you really need to use the drier for everything?  A clothing rack is not the most attractive thing standing up in your room, but it does say, I care about the planet.  You clothes might thank you as well.

Living on your own means paying for bills.  Even if it is something simple like a phone bill, most companies now offer a go paperless option.  I pay all my bills online, there is no point in receiving a bulky bill in the mail that you will probably never open anyway.  All it will do is accumulate clutter and that is never a good thing. 

Now that you are set up and your room is clean you are ready to move in and decorate.  Dorm rooms tend to become stuffy over time and one way to fix that is by decorating with a plant.  Plants take away the pollutants in your living space, plus look nice.

When buying groceries for your little refrigerator try to buy locally and organically.  The same goes for being careful on the items you purchase for your room.  Everything from a blow drier to your comforter.  You want to be good to yourself, and when you will spend the money you might as well spend it on something that is worth while. 

Now on to your wardrobe.  New clothing is always nice, wonderful actually.  So are vintage or special thrift store items.  I am not saying only shop at a vintage or thrift store, however looking into is not a bad idea.  Not only is this good for your wallet, but the unique items you might find will help you stand out from the crowd of jeans and sweatshirts.

Now look around the building, do they reuse, reduce and recycle?  Make sure to follow those rules and you will be living eco in no time. You obviously do not want to be annoying, but reminding others to do the same is doing your part for the planet as well.  Sometimes people forget or are not aware of these options.  Gently, become an active voice for living green. 

Many universities are now implementing programs to educate and remind their students to do their part for the planet and their own well being by going green.

Images via project green dorm room and planet flops.  http://www.planetflops.com