Hollywood’s Egyptian Theater was recently host to the Toxies, a red carpet event honoring the year’s worst chemicals and toxic compounds found in everyday cosmetic and household products.

The annual event was organized by Californians for a Healthy and Green Economy (CHANGE), a coalition of environmental health, policy, labor, environmental justice, interfaith, and other organizations who are working to create a system for regulating toxic chemicals in California.

The initiative was remarkably creative, engaging, and such a unique way to raise awareness. Congratulations to CHANGE and everyone involved for putting it together! Be sure to follow CHANGE on Twitter, and become a fan on Facebook.

Check out the winners and a video of the event below.

Worst Breakthrough Performance and Viewer’s Choice Award for Worst Chemical of 2009: Bisphenol A (BPA), an estrogen impersonator found in polycarbonate plastics used in baby bottles, reusable food and water containers and canned food liners. Linked to breast cancer, prostate cancer and infertility.

Lifetime Achievement in Harm: Lead, used in everything from paint and lunchboxes to candy and children’s toys, can interfere with children’s intellectual and behavioral development.

Worst Viral Media Performance: Triclosan, a pesticide used in hand sanitizer, antiperspirants, household cleaners, and toothpaste that can produce other toxic compounds.

Worst Costume: Perchlorethylene, commonly used in dry cleaning but can cause dizziness, nausea and organ damage.

Worst Stripper Performance: N-methyl pyrrolidone (NMP), an industrial solvent used in chemical processing, paint stripper and graffiti remover.

Worst Special Effects: Perchlorate, an oxidizer used in fireworks, airbags, explosives and rocket fuel that can contaminate drinking water.

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Fashion Week is a semiannual event held in New York City which brings together the best in new fashion and glamor. Helena, from mySkin.com, is out in Bryant Park talking to some of the models and collecting their beauty questions.

How do you keep skin healthy under heavy makeup?
Most important thing is to cleanse your skin twice a day with a gel cleanser to remove makeup and oil. Use hot water to open pores and splash your face with cold water afterward to close them. Also splash your face with cold water before applying makeup to keep it from clogging your pores.

Try using a mist or toner that contains Lavender, it’s very soothing to the skin and reduces irritation and inflammation which can be common with heavy makeup. After cleansing and toning use an appropriate moisturizer and let your skin breath.

Lastly, keep your hair clean and out of your face, and try not to touch your face too often. Both your hair and hands carry oils and bacteria which can break you out.

How do you keep skin moisturized without it feeling too greasy?
If you’re moisturizing and your skin feels greasy then you’re probably not exfoliating. Exfoliation removes accumulation of dead skin cells which will help your moisturizer to penetrate and hydrate your skin. Be sure to exfoliate your skin once to twice a week.

What are your favorite products not tested on animals?
I’m a huge animal lover and I always recommend buying only products that are “not tested on animals” or “cruelty free”. My favourite product line that is animal friendly is 100% Pure – they have a full range of skin care, hair care and cosmetic products with are also natural and organic.

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Go green this Valentine’s Day and give yourself a homemade facial and hair treatment.

What You’ll Need

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp organic yogurt
• 1-2 tbsp honey

Hot Oil Hair Treatment
This treatment will give your hair lots of shine and hydration, and help reduce any split ends. To begin, wet your hair and microwave 2 tbsp of olive oil for 20 seconds. Massage the oil into your hair from scalp to the ends and then tie it back. While this treatment is working let’s start the facial.

Hydrating Facial (Scrub & Mask)
The facial consist of a scrub and a mask that will rehydrate your skin a give it a beautiful glow.

For the scrub, mix 2 tbsp of olive oil and 2 tsp of salt together. Apply this to your face in gentle circular motions concentrating on your cheeks, forehead and chin. After about 1 minute, rinse off the scrub with warm water – this will open our pores and help the mask to fully penetrate.

For the mask, mix 2tbsp of yogurt and 1-2 tbsp of honey, apply to your face and leave on 15 minutes.

The honey acts as a humectant that draws moisture from the air and locks it into your skin. Honey also helps to soothe, repair, and heal skin. The yogurt will even out and brighten your complexion.

After wards, hop in the shower and rinse your hair and face. If you have any olive oil and salt left over, you can scrub any part of your body that feels dry such as your elbows or knees.

Once your done in the shower – you’ll have an instant healthy glow and shine for Valentine’s Day.

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It may surprise you that the average adult is exposed to over 168 synthetic chemicals each day from cosmetic products. Many of these chemicals are known to be toxic and can cause serious health problems like cancer, infertility, birth defects, and skin conditions like acne, eczema, and rosacea.

Choosing natural cosmetics are a great choice for both the environment and your skin. Read the rest of this entry »

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There are few things more frustrating than trying to find the right products that work for your skin. There is simply too many options available and too much misleading and inaccurate product advertising. But fret not, your quest for the perfect skin care routine just got a little easier.

mySkin.com is a beauty database which gathers product reviews and ratings from real people with similar skin concerns. The website allows you to discover products that work well for your skin type. You start by entering information about your skin’s unique profile and then you are presented with a list of recommended products. There’s also a great user forum where you can ask skin care questions and discuss product experiences.

In addition to recommendations, you also get a personalized skin assessment report which outlines detailed information about your specific skin type, what sorts of ingredients to avoid and other useful bits of information.

What I would really like to see added to mySkin is a method to exclude products based on hazardous ingredients like parabens or fragrance and a method to sort by characteristics such as eco-friendly packaging or vegan.

I liked that in addition to conventional beauty products, the database also contains organic and natural products from some of my favorite companies like 100% Pure and Eminence Organics.

mySkin is invite-only at the moment but you can register with the special code “glamology“.

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In Summer our skin looks great but in Winter it feels dry, uncomfortably, and itchy. Here’s 10 tips to help you have healthy skin all Winter long.

1. Drink lots of water
Don’t let you skin go thirsty, hydrate it by drinking lots of water. Try carrying a metal bottle (BPA free) with you at all times. Drinking herbal teas are also great, especially when it’s really cold outside.

2. Use a humidifier
Put moisture back into the air with a humidifier which will help your skin remain supple instead of cracked and dry. Look for a cold mist humidifier and fill it with distilled water, as this will help reduce bacteria from forming.

3. Exfoliate face and body
Don’t forget to exfoliate your face and body at least once a week. Scrubs help to remove old dry skin cells and allow the body to breath and better absorb moisture.

4. Use an oil based moisturizer
This will help nourish your skin and protect it from moisture loss. I like using an oil serum at night, in particular Argan oil since it it light, very moisturizing and great for all skin types including oily and acne prone skin.

5. Wear sunscreen
Remember to wear sunscreen all year round as it will protect your skin from aging. UVA rays are strong from summer to winter, but UV rays are actually more intense in the winter due to the glare from the snow. Protect your skin from the elements by applying an SPF-30 every morning.

6. Wear gloves
Don’t expose your hands to the cold. Wear a good quality pair of gloves that doesn’t irritate the skin to keep your hands dry and warm.

7. Eat flaxseed oil
Flaxseed oil can is great to moisturize your body from the inside. It’s rich in fatty acids and can do a lot for your overall health. I like adding it to my morning smoothies – yum!

8. Take an oil bath
Add a little jojoba oil or sweet almond to your bath water to nourish you skin. You can also add some dry milk powder with a few drops of essential oils as an alternative.

9. Lower the blow dryer setting
Hot air dries out your scalp and can irritate your skin. Lower the setting on your blow dryer and hot iron or try the tousled wavy style for the winter.

10. Don’t lick your lips
Saliva is acidic and will dry out and chap your lips. Remember to keep an organic lip balm in your pocket or purse and apply it regularly. Use only lip products that don’t contain petrolatum (petroleum jelly) or other petroleum based ingredients as these nasty chemicals will actually dry your lips even more! Learn how to make organic lip balm at home with only a few ingredients.

Have a happy, safe, and hydrated Winter season!

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Many conventional beauty products contain dozens of toxic chemicals. Lip Balms often have petroleum-based ingredients such as Petrolatum, also known as petroleum jelly. It has no nutrient value for the skin and can interfere with the body’s own natural moisturizing mechanism, leading to dryness and chapping. It often creates the very conditions it claims to alleviate. Manufacturers use petrolatum because it is unbelievably cheap.

This DIY organic lip balm is free of any toxic ingredients or preservatives, is very inexpensive to make, and keeps your lips well moisturized.

Ingredients
2 oz Beeswax
1 oz Organic Coconut Oil (or Olive Oil)
5-10 drop Essential Oil (ex: Peppermint)

Directions
Grate beeswax into a large Pyrex cup and add coconut oil. Fill a large pot with a small amount of water and heat at medium/low. Place Pyrex cup into water and stir to melt fully. Carefully remove cup from water and let cool a minute. Poor into a small glass container and add essential oil and stir. Let cool for an hour or so.

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This is a new series of videos where I answer your beauty related questions submitted on my website, Twitter, and YouTube. If you have a question you would like answered, leave a comment below!

Question: What is the right amount of exfoliation per week?
Answer: At least once a week, if you have a thicker skin you can exfoliate twice per week.

Question: What type of mask would you recommend for a normal skin type?
Answer: I would recommend a gel hydration mask, or a cream mask if you want more hydration.

Question: Is it bad to wash your face with bar soap?
Answer: Bar soap strips your skin of its natural oils, an may cause breakouts and premature aging. Try to use an organic cleanser – which is balanced to cleanse your skin with out damaging it.

Question: What is your skin care routine?
Answer: Cleanse and moisturize your skin day/night, scrub and apply a mask at least once per week at night.

Question: Will tanning cure acne?
Answer: No, sun exposure and tanning is only a temporary fix as it hides the redness. In the long term, it will dry out your skin which will lead to premature aging and skin cancer.

Question: Will shaving/waxing cause hair to be darker/thicker?
Answer: No, however, hair will become darker and thicker with age.

Question: Is a higher SPF rating better?
Answer: Not necessarily, the most important factor is which regards to how much it protects you against UVB and UVA rays. A higher SPF may only give you an extra 20 minutes in the sun. Remember to re-apply sunscreen every hour.

Question: Is acne caused by poor hygiene?
Answer: No, acne is caused by genetics, environmental stress, and hormones. However, maintaining a skin care routine can help reduce the severity of acne.

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Golden Moor is line of skin care products made of out natural mud. The mud they use is extracted from a Canadian bog which has high levels of humic acids, vitamins, minerals and natural antibiotics that prevents many diseases and ailments, and provides a general feeling of well-being.

The Golden Moor source is one of the rarest of the world that has not been tampered by men or contaminated by modern day pollution. Furthermore it is preserved by Canadian government laws.

I’ve used Golden Moor products for several years, both the mud bath soaks and the facial masks – and I absolutely love they them!

Mud Bath Soak
Helps to hydrate and soften dry skin, relaxes tense muscle, and relieves body pains and stress. The soak will not stain your tub, jacuzzi or towels. This is great after a good workout.

Natural Mud Mask
This is one of my little beauty secrets! It detoxifies and purifies the skin, removes excess oils and clarifies impure properties. It also helps heal acne-prone skin, tones and reduces signs of aging. I recommend using this after a facial scrub.

Body Polish Scrubs
Made with a blend of mud, hemp, essential oils, and pure pumice, these scrubs exfoliate and hydrate without leaving your skin oily.

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Pomega5 is a line of therapeutic skin care and nutritional supplements made with organic, biodynamic, cold-pressed pomegranate seed oil. Pomega5 products are all-natural, preservative-free, dermatologist tested and contain no synthetics or fillers.

Pomegranate fruit is rich in many powerful antioxidants such as polyphenols, tannins and anthocyanins. Pomegranate seed oil also stimulates the production of collagen and helps to prevent the signs of aging.

Pomegranate Cleansing Bar
An olive oil-based, all-natural facial cleanser that gently exfoliates, nourishes and calms the skin. This is a great cleanser that you can use on your face and body and won’t strip your skin like soap.

Revitalizing Treatment for Skin
Ampoules made with organic pomegranate seed oil, calendula oil and rosehip oil to restore nourishment to skin. I found the treatment soothing and very hydrating. This is would be particularly ideal for dry or mature skin types, it absorbs readily into skin, leaving it supple and nourished. I use this in the evening after cleansing, 2-3 times per week.

Healing Cream
An all-natural moisturizer made with pomegranate seed oil to restore suppleness and moisture to dry or damaged skin. As with the Revitalizing Treatment, I’ve also added the Healing Cream to my beauty routine. It has really helped to reduce redness, repair and renes cells, and re-balance my skin.

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