The Story of Cosmetics

Check out this great short video on the troubles with the body care and cosmetics industries, and also, to easily check whether or not you talk too much with your hands. [If you move your arms and hands as much as this narrator, the answer is yes.]

But seriously, it's a good look at what you may be putting into your body -- your family members, too -- every day, every week, every year.

"Hydroponic" Means ...

Britta and Rebecca with the first window farm, May 2009. Photo by Julia Makarova.

To be labeled under "Going Green:"

How cool are these "hydroponic edible gardens for urban windows" from Window Farms?

The term "hydroponic" refers to the growing of plants in a nutrient solution, rather than in something more like, say, dirt.

This would be a mighty awesome project. And so much better for your bank account and the environment, too, if you could make it work!

To be labeled under "Going Super Duper Seriously Hardcore Green Green:"

And just think ... If you get really good at the window farms, you could always graduate to something along the lines of this kit (also by Britta and Rebecca). And although their lawyer has asked them to stop selling the kits, they've made the instructions public on "How to Do the Reaction Yourself."

How. Did they. Come up. With this. Nevermind, I don't want to know.

But hooray for helping the environment! (?)

The Uniform Project

The Uniform Project kind of fascinates me.

Sheena Matheiken began the project in May 2009 to raise money for the Akansha Foundation, a non-profit that supports education in the slums of Mumbai. As the central part of the project, she has pledged to wear the same dress every day for 365.

Well, it's sort of the same dress.

Actually, to be fair, she has seven identical dresses. Seven black, short-sleeved, hang-just-above-the-knee, button-down tunic dresses, one for each day of the week.

But just because Matheiken is wearing the same thing every day doesn't mean her outfits all look the same. See for yourself.

She says the project was inspired by the uniforms she wore each day to school while growing up in Mumbai. She remembers how she and the other students were forced to be creative with accessories, etc., in order to project their individual personalities beyond their uniforms.

I find this concept interesting because it proves that you don't have to wear something radically different each day to let your tastes and uniqueness shine through. In fact, I think this project might prove that you can actually get a better idea of what another individual's personality is like by observing how he or she circumvents restrictions to deliver a distinct, personal brand of flair.

Ah, darn. I knew I couldn't do a post like this without using the word "flair" ...

To Be Added to the List of Things That Make You Go: "Mmm...kaaaay..."

8 Weird (and Somehow Cool) Things from Reclaimed Puma Trainers, served up via Treehugger.com.

While the blender makes me think "wtf?" the flower pots actually got a brief "aww," even if it was inaudible.

Beautiful, Glowing ... Fruit?

Here's an interesting post on how to make a candle from a clementine orange. Perhaps someday I shall try this as a neat party trick. Or you know, just when I'm home alone and bored. Whichever opportunity comes first. In that case, it will probably be the latter.

All Made Up

I put in another order at Alima Pure last week and look at all the goodies that arrived.


I pretty much swear by this brand of makeup. And here's why:

(Because you know how I am, and how I can can never pass up the opportunity to create a list...)

1. All the products are mineral-based and free of chemicals, so it's light and I don't feel like I have a ton of crap all over my face.

2. They have an almost overwhelming number of color choices.

3. They ship fast. (I ordered last Wednesday morning and received everything on Friday.) And even though this seems kind of silly, I thought it was cool that there was a handwritten "Thank you, Sway!" written on the receipt included with my order. They're an online shop that still tries to give customers some kind of personal touch, which I appreciate.

4. A little bit goes a looong way. I think the technical explanation is that the minerals have such a high concentration of pigment, but the point is -- a little jar of the stuff can last forever.

5. And to me, this is the best part: In addition to full-size jars of their products, they also sell smaller trial sizes for $1-$1.50 each, which is awesome, because who can really accurately determine their color of foundation via photos on the internet? Not me.

And, like I said, the stuff lasts forever, so sometimes all I really want or need is a trial size. It cuts down on a lot of wasted product. Because honestly, show me a woman who always finishes her makeup products before moving on to the next one. (I know you have that basket under the sink filled with random polishes and lipsticks and old eyeliners and blushes. Don't pretend like you don't. We all do.)

So the photo above is of 10 samples I ordered. Grand total = $12 + shipping = $16. The three packets came complimentary and are two eyeshadows and a finishing powder. My summer tan is gone now, so I need a lighter foundation color, plus I wanted some darker blushes and eye shadows for fall and winter. And even though they're small, these samples will probably get me through the end of the year.

Very awesome.

Photo: Sway Sovay

Hey You. Green Face.

The first month I worked at my current magazine we put out the "green" issue.

Because the topics of recycling, environment-friendly products and sustainability were everywhere I turned for 30 days straight, I couldn't help but get bit by the "green bug."

There are a few things that I was already doing that might fall into these categories, such as buying organic produce and recycling paper and magazines, but I decided there were more changes I could make.

Some others I've added this year: Cutting down my commute to work by 18 miles, carrying my own shopping bag to some stores, buying music online (means one less plastic CD case to eventually throw out); replacing all the bulbs in my apartment with LED and/or compact fluorescent bulbs; using a drying rack more often than the dryer; and replacing as many of my toiletries as possible with chemical-free ones.

My shopping bag is from Envirosax, but if I had to do it over again, I kind of like the snarky sayings on the bags at BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag) ...

My soaps and my lip balm now come from Lush. (I am completely addicted, in fact, to the Honey Trap lip balm and the Cocktail, Ice Blue, Honey I Washed the Kids and Icon soaps, among many, many other products ... Yes, I admit that I have a problem ... Do they have a rehab for soap?)

And I'm trying to phase out my chemical-filled cosmetics by purchasing purer, "cleaner" ones as the need arises. By now there are dozens of chemical free makeup lines on the market, but two inexpensive ones I really like are Alima and Physician's Formula.

Alima is particularly awesome because they have like, a gazillion gorgeous colors to choose from, and you can get little sample jars for only $1.50! (I can never seem to choose the right foundation color on the first try, so I thought this was great! Thankfully, they also have a page on their site that walks shoppers through the process of finding the right shade.)

And also, good ol' Target now carries a surprisingly high number of chemical-free cleaning products, cosmetics, soaps and bath and body products, such as the Green by Nature line.

If you, too, feel like you're putting too much "gunk" on your face these days and want to make a change but don't know where to start, I can recommend a few sites.

Ecostiletto.com offers tips, advice and information on products in the areas of green beauty and fashion, among others.

Click here to download a PDF from the Teens for Safe Cosmetics site, which lists companies offering greener alternatives. (Regardless of whether or not you're in your teen years, this site has some good info!)

There's also Ecofabulous.com for sexy, sustainable style.

And Vital Juice Daily is pretty much the motherload.

I know that I'm not going to save the world by buying "green" cosmetics, but the number of cleaner, safer products will never go up  unless we start increasing the demand for them, and we have to start somewhere, right?

Where are you going to start? Do you already know what your carbon footprint is? Do you want to find out? Click here.

Walk Score

I've found a website that will calculate a "Walk Score" for any address you provide. The score is supposed to help users determine how walkable their current or future neighborhood is based upon what businesses and services are within (obviously) walking distance.

From the Walk Score website:

Your Walk Score is a number between 0 and 100. The walkability of an address depends on how far you are comfortable walking—after all, everything is within walking distance if you have the time. Here are general guidelines for interpreting your score:

* 90 - 100 = Walkers' Paradise: Most errands can be accomplished on foot and many people get by without owning a car.

* 70 - 90 = Very Walkable: It's possible to get by without owning a car.

* 50 - 70 = Some Walkable Locations: Some stores and amenities are within walking distance, but many everyday trips still require a bike, public transportation, or car.

* 25 - 50 = Not Walkable: Only a few destinations are within easy walking range. For most errands, driving or public transportation is a must.

* 0 - 25 = Driving Only: Virtually no neighborhood destinations within walking range. You can walk from your house to your car!

Image: WalkScore.com