also try...

John Masters Organics Sea Mist sea salt spray with lavender for "perfectly pieced" beach hair. A must when you have to show your face at the office while wishing you were on the beach.

beautifuly exotic hibiscus...

Photo by Erika McConnell.
I tend to think tropical in the Summer months so I've rounded up a few fun products containing hints of hibiscus flower.
Indulge in scented coconut oil with Hibiscus Monoi body oil by Nude skincare (one of my personal favorites). This rich body oil is perfect for giving your arms and legs a luscious glow after a long day at the beach.


Alba offers a refreshing hibiscus toner and let John Masters Organics honey and hibiscus reconstructor work wonders on your hair.

restore moisture and add shine...

Bella Sugar posted a great hot oil treatment for your hair. This is great for hair that feels dry and looks dull. I love the idea of adding fresh avocado. Just remember, your hair will feel a bit heavier until you wash it a couple times. This recipe is best to to when your going to wear your hair up for a couple days. Click here to view the full recipe.

An Interview with Lulu Organics creative, Linda Aldredge...

Today's post is a great interview that I think many of you will find very inspiring. Linda Aldredge, founder of Lulu Organics shares with us her creative side, tips for living a healthy life and her motivation behind Lulu Organics. Lulu Organics are the makers of the beautifully packaged Talc-free hair powder.

FB: Can you tell me a little bit about your creative side and that amazing treehouse I saw featured in Domino Magazine?
Linda A.: A little about me... I grew up all over. I've worked as a graphic designer and illustrator for close to 15 years. Most of my inspiration comes from my family and friends. And music. Music is everything to me and I'm a big nerd about it.
I spend a lot of time in upstate New York where I have a treehouse that I built with two friends. It's a tiny, sustainable house that sits 15ft up in a tree. My ideal evening would be a handful of friends, a warm still night upstate, a dinner we cooked over the fire made with only things we grew or bought in town, a bottle of wine and a great tune playing on my makeshift sound system. Simple is best.

FB: What influenced and or inspired you to start Lulu Organics?
Linda A.:It's funny how I came into this venture. Clearly, I was a graphics person by day so the packaging aspect was a no brainer, I've always loved an antiquated boudoir aesthetic. But by night I was starting to get really into herbs and herbal healing. I was raised in a home where holistic and nutritional healing is important. I woke up one day with the notion that I would teach myself how to make every single thing I used in my home [product-wise]. Some things were a disaster [laundry detergent] but most things came out amazing and I was completely hooked. I started to make things for friends as gifts and eventually I decided to sell something. Hence our first product, the hair powder. I love powders—body and hair—and I had never seen a really nice smelling one that didn't have talc—an ingredient I like to avoid—so I thought, why not?

FB: Can you talk a little bit about your philosophy behind your company?
Linda A.: Thus far just simplicity. I don't like things when they get too tricky. I like single notes, I like products that have simple yet healing properties. Ingredients that harken back to a time where things were simpler and we were more connected to all the things we used, grew, ate, etc.

FB: What are a few of your favorite beauty products of choice?
Linda A.: My beauty regiment is really simple as I have one of those complexions that can't tolerate anything. I probably couldn't live with out rose-hip oil, which I apply to fine lines on my skin before bed. And lip balm. And funnily enough—black eyeliner. Try finding that organic! I use the Korres brand currently though I'd like the come up with one of my own.

FB: Do you have any beauty tips or secrets that you are willing to share with flawless beauty readers?
Linda A.: Just one. And it might sound strange. I hate using 'regular' deodorant because of aluminum, anti-perspirants, etc. Buuuut I'm sicilian and I don't, after a long sweaty day, smell like an angelic pile of rose petals. And natural deodorants, while they mean well, don't always work. My friend Marc once shared with me a little tip that to this day totally saves me! If you cut a small sliver of fresh lemon and rub it under the arms, voila! I know it sounds crazy, but seriously... it REALLY works.

FB: Starting your own company and dealing with the day to day duties takes a lot of energy I'm sure. What do you do to insure your body and mind receives the attention needed to maintain a healthy and creative lifestyle?
Linda A.: I typically heal through food and herbs. If I'm feeling run down I take herbs for vitality and I'll eat really well. If I feel bloated I'll try and incorporate at high percentage of raw into my diet for the day, it also helps the mid-day sluggishness. And if I'm at the top of my game, I'll wake to a morning shake of berries, banana, kale or spinach with udo oil, hemp seed and spirilina. Hormonally, I try to keep the caffeine to a minimum and regulate with vitex [chaste berry]. I find that if my hormones are balanced the rest tends to fall in line.

Where to buy? Online: US www.luluorganicsnyc.com, UK www.puresha.com
Visit luluorganicsnyc.com for a full list of retailers.

Treehouse in upstate New York, via Domino Magazine.

tame your locks...

Another wonderful product from Nature Girl, Groovy Locks Plant Shampoo. Previously I posted about not being able to find fabulous organic shampoos, problem solved thanks to Nature Girl and Cattier! Nature Girl shampoos are available for normal, dry, or oily hair in all natural and organic fragrances from wildcrafted essential oils. I suggest making sure you get the correct one for your hair type otherwise your hair can feel kind of heavy.

full of shine...

I've been doing a lot of haircare posts in search of the perfect all natural shampoo. Well, I think I've finally found it! Yogurt shampoo from the French brand Cattier. My hair is soft and full on shine! This shampoo works well for frequent hair washers also. Another fun fact, Cattier is know for making fabulous baby products. Available exclusively in the US on Beautorium.com. For conditioning I used my favorite Dr. Hauschka conditioner, available on Beautorium.com as well. Cattier products are available at Naturalia stores in France.

David Babaii for wildaid...

Here's the promised follow up post for the haircare line Kate Hudson is working on with her hairdresser David Babaii. They have combined their passion for nature and beauty to create David Babaii for Wildaid, an innovative brand of haircare products and styling tools, with a percentage of the revenue from the line being donated to the global wildlife conservation organization, WildAid.

for those days of "unwash"...

I am a huge fan of only washing your hair only once a week. The natural oils condition the hair and there is less wear and tear in general. I also have very dark hair and wear it up a lot so oil production does not interfere with my hairstyles. A lot of people find washing their hair only once or twice a week daunting because of their hair type or the way oil weighs hair down. This is where organic hair powder by Lulu Organics steps in. Sprinkle a small amount at the roots and rub in, perfect for those days of "unwash". Lightly scented with essential oils and no talc included!

Naturalia's standalone organic beauty stores...

While spending time in Paris, one of my favorite health food stores was Naturalia. Naturalia also has a great selection of organic beauty products. Naturalia has now opened three bio boutiques dedicated to natural beauty. They are located in the Marais, Saint Germain and the 9th arrondissement. French beauty products are also nice because a lot have great shelf appeal and are just naturally more appealing to me because I'm not used to seeing them. I'm sure I'm not the only one whose gone into a basic pharmacy and been caught up for an hour! Naturalia also is pointing out that most materials used in the store design are organic, cleaning is done with ecologically-friendly products, and the lighting is designed to consume as little energy as possible. When in fabulous Paris, be sure to stop by...

Naturalia Beaute Bio
54 rue Lamartine
75009 Paris

126 boulevard Raspail
75006 Paris

52 rue Saint Antonie
75004 Paris

Target embraces "going green"...

Target, which is widely viewed as the hippest mass market retailer in the country is making a commitment in 2008 to stock shelves with organic beauty products. Nine product lines, including Kiss My Face, Burt's Bees, Juice Organics, Jason Naturals, Alba, Avalon Organics, Dr. Bronner's, Giovanni and Weleda are the brands included in Target's natural care set rolling out in the next several weeks. I think this is wonderful news. The more accessible organic products are the more likely it is that people will adopt them into their lifestyle. View full article on WWD.com.

news for '08...

Kate Hudson and son Ryder pictured above in Vogue.
I was excited to read that actress Kate Hudson is developing a range of natural hair products with her hairdresser David Babaii. She has paid special attention to the ongoing debate with links between additives in beauty products and disease. I think this is a great concept for her to take on. I know I have a hard time finding all natural hair products that I really love. I do think the Dr. Hauschka conditioner is great though. I'd love to hear about any others that people love. Anyway, will keep you posted when I hear more about Kate's venture into the world of natural products!

beauty on the go...

With all the holiday travel that is going on, I thought now would be a good time to post about my favorite express skincare masks by the Greek company Apivita. I love the product line and they seem to have skin and haircare masks for just about every need. Apivita express products are available in single dose, travel-friendly packaging which allows you to mix and match different creams and masks to create your own personal skin "diet". These are small enough to throw in your purse and perfect to add onto any gift! A few of my tried and true favorites are the firming face mask with grape, the age management face mask with green tea and the eye zone mask with ginkgo biloba. I am very interested in trying the instant lifting mask with red wine...Click here to order online, also available at CO Bigelows in NYC.


All images from Apivita.com.

Marsh Mallow and Jojoba...

• Natural conditioners marsh mallow and larch extracts soften and detangle
• Macadamia nut and jojoba oils nourish and moisturize
• Burdock root, neem, nettle and rosemary extracts renew and invigorate hair follicles and scalp
• Apple cider vinegar restores shine and prevents build-up

Find more info on the Dr.Hauschka website.