{eco beauty} super natural: a green + cruelty-free morning routine

50 natural, vegan + cruelty-free beauty products

self-acceptance, well, i believe there's a secret to it all. and this is what i know about it:

i've been a busy gal for most of my life {with the biggest portion of my life devoted to volunteering to promote literacy + working in the field of education with inner city youth}, and with that, i've often felt that i haven't had time to dwell on any possible physical flaws that might exist. and to be honest, i don't subscribe to the idea of flaws: i believe we're all born innately beautiful, exactly the way we were supposed to come together. because god doesn't make mistakes.

i came to understand long ago that confidence can be equated with beauty. and when we compare ourselves to others, we forget to focus on our own innumerable strengths + all of the beauty we each possess.

in truth, i feel most confident when i'm healthy + happy. and i'm usually feeling most joyous when i'm contributing to the happiness + well-being of those around me. as for my health, this starts from the inside out, and is reflected in my skin. as a plant advocate, i like to eat the plants, and i like to wear the plants.

i love to use products that promote clear + dewy skin. our skin is host to myriad species including bacteria, yeast + fungi. good bacteria informs our skin cells to create our own antibiotics that kill off harmful bacteria, however an imbalance in our skin's microbiome, due to harsh chemicals found in commercial products or an overly sanitized way of life, can disrupt our bodies natural acid mantle + lead to break outs, acne, ecsema or rosacea.

my morning routine consists of the bare minimum: toner {does everyone know about the magic of toners?}, lip balm, plant oils as moisturizers + a little mascara. 

voilà! 

if i'm feeling fancy, i'll put a little bronzer + eyeliner on. for me, confidence comes from feeling good about the way i'm presenting myself to me. i've put together this list of fave products that support your natural beauty + long-term health. i've test driven some great, plant-based brands. each product listed here is made sans fillers, additives, petrochemicals + preservatives, instead each is made with love from active ingredients including fruits, nuts, vegetables, seeds, flowers + berries.

without further ado, these are my top natural beauty brands {50 distinct eco brands in all} + my fave vegan products from each cruelty-free company: 

{soap bars} s/he studio // scratch goods // dr. bronner's // osmia organics

{facial cleansers + exfoliators} root science // precious skin elixirs // shamanuti // aster + bay

{toner} poppy + someday // herbivore botanicals // french girl organics // kani

{facial oils + moisturizers} kahina // pelle beauty // my skin + bones // mun // rms // vintner’s daughter

{mascara} pacifica // w3ll people // lily lolo // jane iredale 

{eyeliner} w3ll people // bwc 

{blush + bronzer} antonym // devita // dr. haushka

{lip gloss} juice beauty // 100% pure // emani

{lip balm} unearth malee // ellovi // hurraw // mi me

{body moisturizers} this list of 4 fab lotions will keep your skin super nourished + moisturized!

{make up brushes} eco tools // alima pure 

{dry shampoo} lulu organics is tops. here's a list of my 4 fave dry shampoos + how to apply so you don't look like someone threw a snowball at your head. i just tried this dry shampoo by mullein + sparrow from trunk collective; it has a dark hue for the brunettes of the world + is chocolate scented for the cocoa lovers of the world {comes in a teeny tiny container for travelers packing light}.

{wet shampoo + bar shampoo} here's a list of 6 amazing eco shampoos to keep your tresses shiny + strong. 

{leave-in conditioner + hair texturizer} yarok // acure // eco sevi // captain blankenship

{don't forget the tip} when it comes to choosing bath + beauty products that are made with pure, safe + organic ingredients, i turn to my favorite experts {these gals will never lead you astray, from lipstick to foundations, they're the real deal}: ethical elephant; andrea at organic beauty lover; yenny at eco chic beauty; and amanda at organic bunny.

petit vour remains my numero uno for clean + cruelty-free beauty where you can find most of the goods listed here, yes, all in one place. and don't forget that knowledge is power, so get some of that good info + learn the truth about conventional beauty products by reading no more dirty looks or not just a pretty face. until next time, stay green dear hearts!

{header image + artwork by ev // made in the usa zip pouch by talented designer + artist

chotnelle}

green crush: meet yenny of eco chic beauty

yenny dang is known as an upbeat, approachable + authentic critic of organic skincare + beauty products. she is to the world of natural + nontoxic beauty what roger ebert + gene siskel were to the world of film critique. 

over 4 years ago i decided to make the switch to clean beauty products. i walked confidently into a corner pharmacy in america, determined to pluck a healthy alternative off the shelves. no petrochemicals or phthalates for me, thank you. these ingredients may be good enough for vinyl flooring + building materials, but they are not good enough for our faces + bodies. i found a lotion with the letters "organic" scrawled across the top of the bottle in bold letters. i paid + went home with product in hand only to find out that there wasn't a single organic or natural ingredient inside. 

this life lesson is called reading the labels.

i scratched my head. this wasn't as easy as i thought it was going to be. fast forward to 2015; i have finally amassed an array of truly organic + cruelty-free products. but there are experts that exist in our universe: people with knowledge. people with moisturizing lip glosses in their purses that taste like fresh fruit salads + remarkably effective lotions lying resplendent across their nightstands. 

these experts devote their time + energy to spraying, slathering + soaking in myriad green products, then they reveal the results. do you know who benefits? you + i do, my friends.

where are all these experts you may ask? well, right this way. 

yenny caught the attention of the ig community with her pithy posts delivering the things skincare, hair care + beauty. she gives her honest opinion about everything from label design to the efficacy of each product she reviews. she is warm, genuine + so easy to talk to. 

i had the opportunity to ask yenny a few questions about what exactly drives her passion for the perfect green product + what makes this beauty happy. dive in to learn about the one product she thinks every eco girl should own, who she admires most + what book she believe is the "green beauty bible". this is yenny:

f+d: what is one small action you might encourage others to take to live a more sustainable lifestyle {beyond recycling}?

yd: i would encourage people to think for a minute about how every purchase, decision or action they make affects the environment, animals or people.

f+d: what is your favorite eco online retailer or brick + mortar shop? 

yd: ahh, i can only choose one? ;) i love beau.tea.bar and the detox market for both their online retail stores and their brick and mortar shops. i also love follain and cap beauty for their brick and mortar stores. as for the online retailers, integrity botanicals, eco diva beauty and safe + chic are great! 

f+d: was there a book/movie/aha! moment which put you on the path to clean beauty/green living? 

yd: yes! no more dirty looks! it's like the green beauty bible!

f+d: what is one personal quality about yourself that you would never change? 

yd: i would have to say my loyalty and my big-heart. i am fiercely loyal, and i genuinely care about people, animals, and the environment. i try to help out wherever, whenever, as much as i can. i'd very much rather give than receive - i'm a huge giver! seeing a smile on someone's face, making someone's day, or doing something impactful in a positive way, means the world to me.

f+d: share four things that make you really happy. 

yd: only 4? lol. i would have to say: my furbabies {i have 2 little chihuahuas}, sunny/beachy weather {that vitamin d though!}, travelling, green beauty, good food, good music, my family and friends... i could go on and on. :)

f+d: it takes a lot of time + dedication to post regularly + create a community around that which inspires you. what motivates you to do so? 

yd: the sense of community and being able to share my passion with like-minded individuals. the admiration, inspiration and respect we have for one another is unreal. i've made so many great friendships through the green beauty + clean living community, some of whom are very close friends of mine now!

f+d: which person do you most admire and why?

yd: wow, this is a hard one, because i truly admire a lot of people, especially in green beauty. since i can't choose just one person, i'll tell you who i admire in the realm of sustainability. i would have to say elon musk and stella mccartney. elon is an innovative + creative genius; and stella makes these gorgeous pret-a-porter / runway-ready clothes. they are proof that you can make ethical, conscious, sustainable products that are both luxurious and good for the environment. conscious, eco-friendly, sustainable products don't always have to be boring or too "granola."

f+d: i'm so curious as to your fave beauty brands. what is one beauty product you would recommend that every woman should have in her purse or medicine cabinet?

yd: oh, this is too hard! there are SO many green beauty products that i absolutely love! but if i were to recommend one product, it would have to be may lindstrom's the problem solver. it was one of the first green beauty products i ever tried and it hasn't let me down since. if you've had a stressful day or have an important day coming up, this mask does wonders for your face and for your psyche! it really is like magic, it makes all of your problems go away! ;)

f+d: one last question, do you have a favorite quote or motto?

yd: do all things with love. :)

follow yenny's eco beauty adventures on instagram!

{header image + center image c/o jen jar photography// skincare imges c/o eco chic beauty // elon musk c/o nbc // artwork by ev}

{eco beauty} oui shave: the eco way to shave

i can remember the exact day i switched to non-disposable razors. it was a warm + sunny day ten years ago. i walked into my friend's bathroom + saw a metal razor on his counter. i picked it up, handling it with the same curiosity + tentativeness of a child, turning it around in my hand + feeling the weight of it. and a light went on in my head.

you see, there were two concerns nagging me about those bubblegum-pink, throw-away razors i'd been using since i first started shaving back in high school. first: the fact that this product was not made to last was a glaring reminder that grooming was far from a sustainable practice. each time i tossed one into the trash bin, the short lifespan {aka planned obsolescence} of this product seemed grotesquely obvious.

every year, americans alone throw away two billion disposable razors, according to the epa. these razors are not as innocuous as one might think: plastic is a petroleum-based material made from a nonrenewable resource with a heavy environmental footprint. biodegradable it is not. that's a lot of pink plastic in our landfills, my friends.

the second concern was that the companies that produce conventional, throw-away razors test on animals. and this was not something i was willing to contribute to as a conscientious consumer. so on this day, my friend gifted me his razor, and i skipped home happily with my new, sustainable answer to shaving. i've only had to replace the blade four times. that was ten years ago.

it's finally time to welcome a new razor into my life. today, ladies, we have beautiful, eco options.

oui shave is a woman-owned business founded by eco entrepreneur karen young. karen thought her ingrown hairs + irritated skin were caused by her own sensitive skin, but a little sleuthing uncovered a host of answers. and karen, a savvy problem-solver, decided to create a sustainable solution with green, clean products that are gentle on the planet + oh-so-good for the skin.

from founder, karen young, at oui shave:

i took a closer look at labels. shaving creams are laden with hormone disruptors (triethanolamine or TEA), foaming ingredients (sulfates), and skin irritants (isopentane, butylated hydroxytoluene), as well as synthetic fragrances. i came upon the first razor that women began shaving with - the safety razor: a beautifully crafted, single blade razor that provided an effortless shave. in fact, the multi blade razors we've come to know do more harm than good by cutting our hairs below the skin's surface. hello ingrowns.

at oui shave, we pair beautifully crafted safety razors, made by a centuries old german manufacturer, with rich shave oils, and all natural products created for women, by women. our mission? to make shaving not only luxurious, but a safe skincare option. our products are natural, plant derived, and free of synthetic fragrances. 

to top it off, your new razor lasts over ten years, and yes, you can use it everywhere you shave. 

alright friends, it's time to do the safety dance: dive in to the loveliest natural oils that will leave your skin feeling velvety soft + the most eco way to shave. 

{don't forget the tip} remember, most conventional beauty products + personal care products test on animals + use toxic ingredients. if you're interested in learning more, pop on over here or take action by signing a petition to eliminate harmful ingredients like this one. ready to come clean + go green? hop on over to the right side bar of finny + dill for a list of eco apothecaries carrying all of the best natural products for you + your family. here are five more easy ways to green your bathroom. tarry not, boys + girls!

until next time, stay green, dear hearts!

{image via spring}