The Naturalchemyst

More Rulebreakers in 2012, Please!

2012-01-03T10:08:00.008-05:00

Hi everyone, and Happy New Year! In the spirit of resolutions, I couldn’t imagine a better time than the present to get reacquainted with the old Naturalchemyst here. Things are pretty busy these days—what with b-school and a couple other gigantic time commitments on hand—yet I hope to write more in 2012, and felt inspired to begin doing so with a story on an amazing and forward-thinking company that’s breaking rules with the best of them. Right now you might be thinking of an electric car manuf acturer, an airline breaking the space frontier, or maybe those design-driven technology geniuses in Cupertino. I’m thinking of a small skincare company named Dr. Alkaitis.

Last spring (yes, that’s how busy things are) I had the opportunity to meet with the highly energetic, intelligent, and lovely (inside and out) Trish Alkaitis—daughter and right hand woman of the company’s founder. At the meeting, I learned how her Dad, Dr. Alkaitis, is breaking every rule in the beauty business book, and is doing so to call OUR attention to what products could (and should) be.

Broken Rule: The Marketing Mark-Up

Most beauty companies follow a basic formula: 90% packaging; 10% ingredients. They compete with attention-grabbing package design, promotion and marketing, rather than healthy and effective ingredients. Basically, a $5 face lotion may be worth only 50 cents (of ingredients, production, etc.), a $50 product only $5, and so on and so forth. This is great for business, but take a second to think about what the low quality ingredients are doing to our bodies...

Instead of following suit, Dr. Alkaitis spends the big bucks on finding and using the absolute best ingredients possible. The company won’t contribute to the continual demise of our country’s health. In fact, Dr. Alkaitis only uses the healthiest EDIBLE ingredients, which our bodies know how to process, rather than complex chemicals, which our DNA just doesn’t understand.

This minimal focus on packaging is obviously a marketing nightmare, yet I suppose it can’t hurt that the most famous supermodels use their products religiously, and—better yet—aren’t ashamed to tell people about doing so.

Broken Rule: Organic Certification

I’ve already mentioned why we can’t trust seals and certifications on skincare.

Again, Dr. Alkaitis refuses to jump on the bandwagon. Proof that the company’s products are natural, organic and wholesome? Even more than it is in their high quality and (truly) organic ingredients, the proof is in their small lab equipment (basically, blenders and a small filling machine), and their small batches of product.

With mass-produced products, ingredients have to pass through such large machines that they can’t retain any nutrients. Then bring in the cleaning agents used on this large equipment…take a guess at how healthy the chemicals in that stuff is… Dr. Alkaitis uses pure grape alcohol to clean their labs. And—get this—even the alcohol is fermented in-house! Genius.

With this process, they only batch about fifty products at a time, and the products are made to order for retailers the company has researched and confirmed they can support (oh yes, they’ve turned down many a large retailer due to the toxic products lining their shelves). Small batches allow for the use of fresh, high quality, and nutritious ingredients. Pretty good, huh?

Upon meeting one another, Trish and I were both in shock. Me—because of Trish’s honesty. If all companies were this transparent, we’d have A LOT less issues, on a much larger level. Trish—because the majority of bloggers from this space are pregnant mothers, new mothers, illness survivors, beauty industry vets, or some combination thereof. I fall into none of these categories.

It was a great meeting, and if you couldn’t tell, I’m seriously inspired by the Alkaitis company. With everything that is wrong these days with our country's health, economy, you name it--you just know, deep down, that the rule breakers are going to be the ones to make things right. If we want to make things better in 2012, we need more rulebreakers!

So, hopefully you can take the information Trish Alkaitis has provided us to inform your skincare purchases from ANY brand or retailer in the future. Remember: every purchase we make is a vote, and in aggregate our votes can and will demand healthier products for us, and the environment!

Blue Print for the Skin?

2011-05-17T23:35:00.032-04:00

Despite the fact that I was outside working in the lavender fields for most of my days in France, the month still managed to leave me a bit chubby and sluggish for my return stateside. I’m gonna go ahead and name macarons, croissants, butter, cheese, and wine as the primary culprits for this quick transformation (oh, it was good...). Once I was home, though, the nasty aftermath settled in, so I decided to embark on a Blue Print Cleanse (“BPC," for short). The BPC, which I’ve done a couple times previously, was a perfect tool to help me begin eating properly again; and although I’ve unfortunately snapped back to a few bad habits since cleansing, I can honestly say that it made me feel absolutely wonderful, and even made my skin glow (which I only realized when my boss, a skincare expert, pointed it out)!

This time around, I decided to take full advantage of the cleanse by following each and every piece of advice on the company’s website. I did it all. I’m talking everything from easing my diet in and out; dry brushing my skin; hot yoga and exercise; drinking detox herbal teas; and so on and so forth. All the while, though, I just couldn’t help but thinking that there was one piece of advice missing…skin care for cleansing, of course!

Here I was, only taking in the good stuff, and getting rid of all the bad; so why on Earth would I ever put anything toxic on my (exfoliated and vulnerable) skin—the biggest organ I have?! While I obviously try to steer clear of toxic skincare products, as their ingredients end up in the same places as the food we eat (or, in this case, the juices we drink), this particular cleanse got me thinking…I wonder what products Zoe Sakoutis and Erica Huss, the genius founders of BPC, use while cleansing, and what skincare lines (if any…) they would recommend to their BPC followers? I can take a few guesses (see below) but I won’t ever really know until I hear it from the Cleanse Queens, themselves. Hopefully (for them) I’m not uncovering the next phase of their expansion plan…because itwould be an excellent one!

1) Homemade

As I've mentioned in the past, the only way to be absolutely certain that you’re not consuming anything toxic through your skincare products is to make them yourself. You’d be surprised how common this is, yet you probably wouldn't be if it ended up that raw foodist Lady of Cleanse Zoe Sakoutis takes this precaution, herself.

2) Dr. Alkaitis

An all-time personal favorite, this line of incredibly wholesome, completely chemical-free products has been formulated as a “raw health food” for the skin, and it seriously works! Many models and celebrities have caught onto this brand (I will discuss it further in a later post) and I could see the Ladies of Cleanse using these products.

3) Tata Harper

Despite never hearing back from requests to speak to Tata (or anyone from her company, even!) I still must say that her line is extremely wholesome and cleanse-friendly. My favorite part: ingredients are grown on her Vermont Farm, Julius Kingdom, where the company’s labs are (apparently…) located.

4) RMS Beauty

For some color, I could see Zoe and Erica using Rose-Marie Swift’s healthy cosmetics line. This is the first line of organic color cosmetics, and while I haven’t tried many of the products, they get rave reviews, to say the least.

Of course, these are only a few educated guesses... Perhaps I’ll have the opportunity to learn about the skincare lines Zoe Sakoutis and Erica Huss use and support sometime down the line. Until then, though, please remember to pay attention to what you're consuming through your skin. They might not be as imminent as those associated with a food cleanse, but the benefits of refreshing your skincare routine are also countless and extremely important.

La Vie en Lavande

2011-03-29T13:15:00.006-04:00

Greetings from the South of France, where I'm living, learning, and WORKING on a small lavender farm.

Have I lost you yet?

This blog has never really been about me, directly (please don’t laugh…) but I thought you might be interested in this mini adventure of mine. I’m learning all about lavender, after all; and lavender is one of the most common (if not THE most common) and oldest (dated back to ancient Egypt) ingredient used in natural skin treatments—medicinal, cosmetic, aromatherapeutic…you name it! Working on the farm, I'm even required to keep a small bottle of lavender oil on my person at all times, in order to treat any bites, stings, or burns. Not only does the oil work to clean a wound, it also soothes it, and smells absolutely lovely!

While I’m not here for the lavender harvest (which doesn’t happen ‘till late summer) this is a rare opportunity for me to learn everything about the plant from a very passionate couple of “artisanal” growers. There’s no better word than artisanal to describe their products, really. No, they're not certified “organic,” “bio,” or “natural"; but they’re better than all the above. The growers put an immense amount of TLC into their lavender; into educating others about the proper growth techniques, uses, and history of lavender; and, last but not least, into each and every one of the lavender products they create and sell.

I've been consuming some absolutely incredible food, wine, and hospitality here at the farm; I’ve also learned to drive a tractor; I've collected and cracked walnuts for pressing; and I've even collected “fresh manure” from the goat farmer down the lane (which was quite fun actually!...but a story for another time); yet my largest and most important duties have involved weeding and caring for the lavender bushes.

When the lavender plants are thrown into the still (where the oils are extracted) during the harvest season, absolutely NOTHING (including, but not limited to weeds) can go in there with them. Rather than spraying their lavender with ANYTHING, these farmers remove the weeds, bugs, etc., by hand. Large-scale, wholesale growers are not so careful; and while it clearly isn’t the end of the world that some fancy lavender soaps, lotions and perfumes contain remnants of other plants and maybe even some chemical sprays, it’s interesting to see the IMMENSE amount of work that goes into growing a truly pure, loved and wholesome ingredient.

The amount of history and knowledge I've picked so far up is incredible, yet above all else, I think my time here is helping me appreciate the amount of thought, time, effort and love that goes into creating a truly pure and healthy personal care product.

Wish me luck!

Scent-Sation

2011-01-17T13:38:00.024-05:00

If you like scented candles, this post is for you. A good candle can be powerful, transforming not only the scent, but the overall feel of any room. But before doling out entirely too much money on a candle for you or your loved one, I’d advise you to take a step back and look at the ways in which that candle can powerfully effect your health and environment, as well.

Usually, candle wax is made from paraffin--yet another petroleum by-product. As if I haven’t said it enough, you DO NOT want to ingest petroleum, through application to your skin, inhalation, or otherwise. In addition to the petroleum by-product wax, many candles also have wicks containing lead, which is harmful (some say poisonous) when inhaled. SO, before purchasing your next candle, please remember to review the ingredients and verify that the candle: 1) burns clean; 2) emits as little soot as possible; and 3) contains no lead or paraffin (soy, vegetable wax and beeswax are all good alternatives). Many candles don't have ingredient lists, so its up to YOU to do the research before buying—or at the very least, to ask me first!

Of course there are droves of healthier candle alternatives available these days, and as much as I’d love to, I cannot review them all. I can offer a few suggestions of brands I've tried and loved. Please find a short assortment below.

Cire Trudon: If It Ain't Broke...

You can imagine how thrilled I was when the oldest and most natural candle company in the world (candlemakers for Napoleon!) recently opened a U.S. boutique (they had only been in France until this Fall) in NYC! Beyond being the healthiest option I've found to date (using vegetal wax and cotton wicks) these candles have the most unique scent and design I’ve ever encountered (design is oftentimes lacking in the natural products world—let’s revisit this topic at a later date), even using labels from the oldest champagne maker in France. The store is also an experience in itself—the friendly and knowledgeable staff will explain the brand’s history and introduce you to intoxicating scents like Dada and Ernesto (my two favorites). Clearly this is the best of the bunch—their price tag is a bit offensive, but if candles are your luxury, Cire Trudon is for you. Period. If you can't make it to the NoHo store, the candles can also be found at Hu’s (D.C.), Gorsuch (Colorado), Barney’s, and various other locations. Looks as if their U.S. presence is on the rise, so look out for them in more stores soon. Did I mention they're supported by Greenpeace? So awesome.

Joya: Natural Candle 101

Joya candles have been around New York for a while—they even served as my introduction to the “natural candle.” The wax is made from palm oil and the wick is cotton (hopefully organic cotton—although I'm not certain), so clearly they get the NA seal of approval. The scents are on the warmer, cozier side than many others and the unique pours of wax give the candles a crystal-y look. Joya candles are great to pick up at the last minute, as you’re bound to find one on your walk home—they’re stocked everywhere in NYC—from grocery stores to salons, boutiques, and even hotels. And if you’re already paying for scented candles, Joya’s price point doesn't shock the system quite as much as Cire...

Patch NYC: Go Local

Patch candles are crafted in unison with the Soap & Paper Factory, in New York. Their candles are 100% soy wax, plus, you know how I like supporting local artisans! On top of all that, their (very cool) packaging is made from recycled materials. You can find these candles at all sorts of retailers, including ABC Home and Bird; there are even a few on sale right now at Barneys. I’d love to take a look at the S&P ladies’ factory one day soon. Field trip?

Lisa Hoffman: Award-Winning

Lisa Hoffman makes another great soy candle. The best part about these award-winning candles are their wooden wicks, which are nice to look at, and make a crackling sound when lit.

There are tons of great natural candles out there, but it is incredibly important to do your research before buying any. A great resource for small-batch, artisanal candles is Etsy (where I found the incredibly cool, bottle-shaped beeswax designs by PollenArts seen above). You can also always make your own candles with wax, essential oils, and a lead-free wick popped in the top. If you have the time, this could make for a great handmade gift for friends and family…but again, who really has the time?

Who makes your favorite natural candle?

Best When Fresh

2010-12-07T20:49:00.019-05:00

Do You Know Where Your Skincare Has Been?

Walk into the grocery store and what do you find? Apples from Argentina...conventional carrots from California...organic onions from Oslo... I apologize for butchering those examples, but you get my drift. These days many people want to know where their food comes from. Whatever the reason - be it limiting carbon foot print, supporting local economies, or just keeping it FRESH - if you're interested in local food, you should probably begin taking note of local skincare and cosmetics as well.

Although the hunt for local skincare might be difficult at times (see below for some advice on the matter), it might also be worth the trouble. Here's why:

Just Plain Better. Imagine the difference in taste between a piece of fresh, ripe fruit and that of canned fruit thats been sitting on the grocery store shelf for a terrifyingly long time. Now think of your skincare. The more local the skincare, the less need for preservatives and weird chemicals to extend shelf life. Just like that nasty canned fruit, skincare with unknown chemicals will eventually make us look and feel grey. Check out natural skincare labels, and you'll find that many blends are "best when fresh".

Peace of Mind (Removes the Need for Certifications). How many certifications and labels have you seen on skincare products lately? Its insane. They make me crazy. One way to know for certain that your products have been crafted naturally, with high quality ingredients, is to get to know the people who make them. On a recent visit to Boulder, Colorado, I met many owners of local skincare brands. They were happy to tell me about the farms on which their botanics are grown. I even learned about the processes used to make the skincare, and I can guarantee there was no room for synthetic chemicals! This guarantee is much more valuable than any of the current certifications out there today.

Home Team Advantage. What harm is there in supporting local farmers and small businesses? Of course some ingredients need to be sourced from different parts of the world (most small natural lines will only use fair trade sources abroad), but if Wal-Mart can commit to selling produce that is sourced from farms no more than an overnight drive from stores, I certainly think we can begin making similar strides with our skincare. This brings me to my next point...

Sustainability. I'm talking less transportation of the products...less packaging...less marketing. Need I say more? If you're interested in having healthful skincare (or healthful for that matter) for years to come, try and keep the environment intact by small steps like keeping it fresh.

If you've gotten this far, chances are you're wondering how to get your hands on this local skincare in which I'm reveling. Well, you're in luck. Here are a few options.

Markets. Green Markets, Flea Markets, Flower Markets...you know the ones...
Whole Foods, etc. Ah yes, the nifty "local" signs can also be found in the Whole Body section of the stores. Its nice to know that the store is doing all that they can to get local brands in their stores.
Do It Yourself. That's right. Find a skincare cookbook, as they're called, and begin mixing ingredients (oils, aloes, honeys, whatever your heart desires), until you find the best concoctions for you.

Please let me know of your favorite local skincare retailers, markets or brands!

Story of Stuff: Cosmetics Edition

2010-07-23T13:40:00.003-04:00

There's little I can add to Ann Leonard's awesome new Story of Stuff video. Please take a few minutes to watch her video, which sums up just about everything I've been writing for the past year. Thank you...thank you...THANK YOU, Ann!

"Making Green from Green"

2010-04-13T00:13:00.012-04:00

Jeffrey Hollender is the man. Period. After the audience at the “Making Green From Green: Corporate Environmental Sustainability” panel listened captively to the Chief Sustainability Officers from Pepsico and CA speak about all of the wonderfully sustainable measures their companies have been taking, Mr. Hollender, the “Chief Inspired Protagonist” at Seventh Generation, stood up and confessed that “Seventh Generation doesn’t have a sustainability program”…and then audaciously proclaimed that he’d like to speak, instead, about his company’s various sustainability FAILURES because much to the host committee (Columbia Business School Alumni Club)’s dismay, “business is the biggest sustainability problem.” Wow.

That was a pretty bold entrance, but the real beauty of this discussion was that each of the “expert” sustainability panelists had such different perspectives on the topic itself . This is what makes corporate sustainability so interesting and so...elusive, all at once. At CA, the information technology powerhouse, sustainability is spearheaded by a strategist, who aims to reduce both the cost of the company’s technology and the environmental impact of their operations. At Pepsico, the CSO (an ecologist by training) works to reduce the company’s waste and impact. Both had very impressive statistics in their powerpoint presentations, illustrating their company’s numerous feats in the sustainability realm. But then the final panelist, Jeff Hollender, approached the podium. Hollender, a career entrepreneur, apologized that his CSO wouldn’t be at the evening’s discussion… Why? Well he doesn’t have one, of course! Every SINGLE one of his employees fills that role. Every single employee strives to ideate and create in the most sustainable way possible. So, instead of focusing on Seventh Generation’s many sustainability feats, like the panelists before him, Hollender accounted for all of Seventh Generation’s sustainability failures.Seventh Generation’s “failures” also interest and concern me most. They’re many of the same issues I’ve covered in past posts. For instance, people see the value in non-toxic products for their kids, but still aren’t grasping the immense value for themselves... It’s been difficult to encourage people to see the short and long term health value in becoming an educated consumer. And of course, the current lack of uniform certification and regulation of products in the U.S. doesn’t help things at all. There are probably over a hundred certification labels used in this country, and this causes both confusion among consumers and aggravation among marketers of truly healthy selections. In order to deal with this issue, Seventh Generation has forgone using any labeling certification whatsoever, and has focused time and resources instead on education…education…education. Given the relatively small size of the company, it's already implemented a whole lot of GOOD by doing this.For obvious reasons, people don’t generally trust the "education" they receive from businesses. But Seventh Generation is taking a unique approach - an education on values, not products - and they have had a large (“Seventh Generation Nation” is over 350,000 people) and successful (profits have grown 30% a year for the past ten years) outcome already. Remember the Million Baby Crawl to Washington? That was certainly the most unique consumer education I’ve ever witnessed! The company has also paired with Kaplan, and established the Sustainability Institute, a training program that teaches their specific values to companies. They are instrumental with the American Sustainable Business Council in DC, where they try to help small and medium sized sustainable businesses develop a presence in Washington. Finally, they (well, Hollender and Bill Breen) have even written a book on the next generation of business, called The Responsibility Revolution. Not surprisingly, these are only a few examples of their GOOD! Yet, Seventh Generation’s products are still really only popular among fairly affluent and educated consumers. The real failure is not being able to reach EVERYONE.

As Hollender mentioned, many businesses have the mentality that they “can be bad because they’re good”. This is where a sustainability department might come into play. Think of an uber-conglomerate, for instance, that includes cheap preservatives and chemicals in their products which are PROVEN carcinogens, and have been banned in the European Union and elsewhere. Chances are, this company also gives money to health research....but does that make what they are doing okay? Is it okay to improperly dispose of your company's waste, and then give money to a conservation fund? It just doesn’t make sense.

Regardless, as you could probably already tell, I found this discussion incredibly interesting. If you're intrested too, be sure to check out one of the three seminars left, which are hosted in New York by the Sustainability Committee of the Columbia Business School Alumni Club. The series is called Making Green from Green, and the next event, “Is Investing in Green Truly Profitable?” will be TONIGHT!

Natural Alchemy in New York

2010-03-04T22:30:00.019-05:00

Over the past couple years, I've discovered that there are many people interested in trying natural personal care products, who also find the search for these products inconvenient and time-consuming. These people (are you one?) generally continue to frequent the same department stores and uber-pharmacies...and I want to change this! For a while now, I've been visiting natural alchemy retailers in New York. Believe it or not, this concrete jungle has droves of healthier options for us, and for the environment. I'm sure there are even more than those on this list!

While each of these retailers might not carry ONLY natural products, a great majority of their products are free of the bad stuff (sulfates, parabens, pthalates, chemical fragrance, etc.). My goal is to help you find a retailer or salon that is convenient and within your price range. I've created a list, divided into three categories: Salon, Luxe, and Organic Grocer. If you usually shop for products at department stores or Sephora, try the Luxe list, and if you're more of a pharmacy or grocery store product shopper, try the final (grocer) list. If something is missing, please let me know. Hopefully in the future I'll be able to delve into further detail and coverage of these retailers, but for now, without further ado, I give you the New York Natural Alchemy List!!!

SALONS and SPAS

Erbe Spa

Soho; 196 Prince Street @ MacDougal
A highly knowledgeable and experienced staff performs the totally herbal and aromatherapeutic treatments with the Erbe line of products imported from Italy

Georgia
Nolita; 89A East Houston St, between Elizabeth & Bowery
Funky and unique beauty boutique and old-school hair salon that carries brands such as Duchess Marden and Butter London

Great Jones Spa
Noho; 29 Great Jones Street @ Lafayette
Salon, spa, water lounge and juice bar that uses and sells natural and biodynamic brands such as Jurlique, Dr. Alkaitis and Naturopathica, where you can relax in the "water lounge" before, after and between treatments

Ion Studio
Soho; 41 Wooster Street, between Broome and Grand

High design, eco-friendly hair salon that uses organic Davines products, hosts art openings, and

styles for magazines and Fashion Week events

John Masters Organics

Soho; 77 Sullivan Street, between Spring & Broome
New York's only clean air salon that is home-y, peaceful, and where the owner, John Masters, can be found with his beautiful dog Maya on weekdays; exclusively uses John Masters Organics product

Sakura
Upper East Side & East Village; 1709 2nd Ave. @ 88th St. & 35 East 1st St. @ 2nd Ave.
Inexpensive yet relaxing natural nail salon and basic spa that uses all organic products, including Pangea Organics, EO Organics, and Priti Organics polish

Sweet Lily
Tribeca; 222 West Broadway @ White Street
Shabby chic, spacious and luxurious upscale nail salon and basic spa that uses and sells only organic products and 3-free polishes

Valley
Nolita; 198 Elizabeth Street, between Prince and Spring
Kitschy and fun nail salon and basic spa that uses and sells only holistic and vegan products, and is known for their waxing

LUXE RETAIL and CHEMISTS

ABC Carpet & Home
Union Square; 888 Broadway @ 19th Street
Beautiful upscale apothecary that carries highly researched, natural luxe lines such as Amala, Kahina and Hamadi, inside the entrance of the city's interior design mecca

Arcadia
Chelsea; 228 8th Avenue @ 22nd Street
Traditional natural brands such as Dr. Hauschka and Ahava sold inside this day spa and curiosity shop, which also carries candles, oils, greeting cards, and small gifts for nature lovers

Aedes de Venustas
West Village; 9 Christopher Street @ Greenwich Avenue
You're transported to another world and blown away by the scents in this teeny, gilt and mirrored shop that carries a few unique European brands such as Susanne Kaufmann and Found

Avignone
Greenwich Village; 281 6th Avenue, between Carmine & Downing
Very professional and friendly staff in this pharmacy that has been around since 1932 and carries traditional natural lines such as Dr.Hauschka and Ahava

Bigelow's
Greenwich Village; 414 Sixth Avenue @ West 9th StreetOld-school apothecary whose eponymous products are now owned by the Limited, but who've managed to stay cool, carrying many natural lines such as Clark's Botanicals and Weleda, but also many non-natural brands - so be sure to ask a salesperson!

Blue Mercury
Upper West Side; 2305 Broadway, between 83rd & 84th
One of the first of it's kind outside of NYC, the Upper West Side outlet of this Washington, DC-based high-end apothecary carries lines such as Caudalie and REN, which are thoroughly researched by the talented female CEO

Clyde's
Upper East Side; 926 Madison Ave., between 73rd & 74th
Feels like you've been transported to a foreign city, in this large upscale beauty retailer with a huge selection of high end products, many of which are European and some of which are great natural brands

Honey in the Rough
Lower East Side; 161 Rivington, between Suffolk & Clinton
Small apothecary inside of a very intimate downtown chic clothing boutique, which carries amazing lines such as SCO, Tracie Martyn and Lulu Organics

LAFCO
Soho; 285 Lafayette @ Jersey St.
The city's clubby-feeling upscale apothecary and exclusive dealer of Santa Maria Novella products, which are still handcrafted by monks in a Florentine church (have been so since the 1200's!)

New London
Chelsea; 246 8th Avenue, between 22nd & 23rd
Regular-looking neighborhood pharmacy until you take a closer look at the extremely extensive natural product lines from all over the world, such as Amazon Beauty, Kama Ayurveda, and Aesop, which will come by recommendation from the attentive and friendly staff

Space NK
Soho; 99 Greene Street, between Prince and Spring
Cult beauty apothecary from London that carries many European upscale natural lines like Nuxe, Elemental Herbology and Lubatti, and which also has locations in most metro area Bloomingdales stores and offers facials with any of the products carried in store

Willner
Murray Hill & FiDi; 100 Park Ave. South & 253 Broadway
Known for their extensive selection of vitamins and health books, this pharmacy focuses on nutrition and homeopathy, has a friendly and knowledgeable staff, and carries many of the organic grocer brands, such as Kiss My Face, Burt's Bees and Borlind

NATURAL GROCERS & GENERAL STORES

Most of these natural food markets carry the same reasonably-priced brands, such as Burt's Bees, Alba, Jason, Dr. Bronner's and Kiss My Face. Some carry higher end brands such as Weleda and Borlind, and almost all of the stores have at least one knowledgeable employee to assist you with the product lines. Integral Yoga, Live Live, and Organic Avenue will all help you lean toward the rawest skin care available (as they will with their food).

A Matter of Health
Upper East Side; 1478 1st Avenue @ 77th Street

Commodities Natural Market
East Village; 165 1st Ave, between 10th and 11th

Earthmatters
Lower East Side; 177 Ludlow, between Stanton & E. Houston

Elm Health
Upper East Side; 1695 1st Avenue @ 88th Street

Food for Health
Upper East Side; 1653 3rd Avenue @ 93rd Street

Health and Harmony
West Village; 470 Hudson Street, between Grove and Barrow

Health Nuts
Upper West Side; Midtown East; Upper East Side
2611 Broadway @ W. 99th; 835 2nd Avenue @ 45th St.; 1208 2nd Avenue @ E. 64th St.

Healthfully Organic
East Village, 98 East 4th Street, between 1st and 2nd Avenues

High Vibe Health and Healing
East Village; 138 East 3rd Street @ Avenue A

Integral Yoga Market
West Village, between 7th and 8th Avenues

Life Thyme
Greenwich Village; 410 6th Avenue, between West 9th and West 10th

Live Live
East Village; 261 East 10th Street, between 1st Avenue and Avenue A

Natural Frontier
Upper East Side & Gramercy; 1424 3rd Avenue @80th & 325 3rd Avenue @ 25th

Organic Avenue
Lower East Side & West Village; 116 Suffolk @ Rivington & 43 8th Avenue @ Horatio

Sustainable NYC
East Village; 139 Avenue A @ 9th Street

Westerley
Midtown West; 139 8th Avenue @ 54th Street

Whole Foods (Whole Body) and Trader Joe's Locations

The Good

2010-01-15T15:00:00.027-05:00

Burt Shavitz and Tom Chappell. Their names might not be familiar at first, but chances are you know these guys pretty well. They're the founders of Burt's Bees and Tom's of Maine and they have A LOT in common. Both have a full head of gray hair (well, one's a bit whiter, and the other comes with a giant beard); both have lived, worked and started successful companies in the beautiful state of Maine (see above); both can be found on a List of the Top 25 Greenies; both are associated with the biggest natural personal care products companies on the market; and both sold their companies to uber-conglomerates (Burt to Clorox and Tom to Colgate-Palmolive) a few years backAt first, I wanted to write a post all about how torn I am over the whole uber-conglomerate issue. These feelings began a couple weeks ago, when cosmetics giant Shiseido announced they'd be buying San Fran-based mineral makeup brand Bare Escentuals. This made me think of the many natural product companies that have been sold to "ubers" (can I call them that?): Kashi to Kellogg's, Stonyfield to Dannon, Odwalla to Coke... Bigger marketing and distribution budgets are great for getting healthier products on the shelves, but this also left many loyal customers outraged by the notion that their "natural" products could be produced by such companies...and curious as to whether these companies could uphold the founder's values and conventions. But rather than focusing on the FEAR (a marketing tactic I hope smaller natural products companies will be able to do without in the future...), I want to focus on all the GOOD that these companies, and especially those founded by Burt and Tom, have bestowed on the giant consumer products market.As I've mentioned in the past (but can't stress enough), CPG manufacturing has the potential to SERIOUSLY harm our environment. So for someone to start - or even attempt to start - a natural products company, chances are they're a bit more "in tune" with Mother Nature than the average "uber" (sorry...I must). From the get-go, both Burt and Tom left the bad stuff out of their products. But it's not like they did this with the intention of starting a trend...profiting from it...and retiring to the lap of luxury. Their passion for environmental sustainability is still an integral part of their lives! After selling his namesake company to Clorox for a whopping $925 million (with business partner Roxanne Quimby), Burt Shavitz continues to live in a very modest house in Maine, without any electricity or running water! And since Tom and his wife Kate sold their company to Colgate, they've founded yet another creative and sustainable products company! This time for organic and sustainable wool clothing, called Rambler's Way. But it's not just their passion for environmental sustainability that sets these Maine-iacs apart. It's also their steadfast commitment to social responsibility and business ethics. Tom Chappell literally wrote the books on these topics: The Soul of a Business: Managing For Profit And The Common Good and Managing Upside Down: The Seven Intentions Of Values-Centered Leadership. And do you know of any "ubers" that donate a WHOPPING 10% of profits and 5% of paid working time to charity? A segment of the Tom's of Maine company mission reads, "to address community concerns in Maine and around the globe, by devoting a portion of our time, talent and resources to the environment, human needs, the arts and education." Seriously though...how many products on the shelves of your local drugstore are manufactured by companies with a mission anywhere CLOSE to that?? And speaking of your local drugstore, Burt and Tom also simply INTRODUCED natural products to the mainstream market. Is it just me, or does the "natural" label make you think twice about all the other products you use regularly? Many natural products can only be purchased at co-ops, Whole Foods, or other specialty stores. But (much to Mr. Mackey's dismay) there are tons of people who would never dare set foot in a Whole Foods. Burt and Tom introduced the natural concept to THESE people. Basically, Burt and Tom can be found everywhere these days, but without the support of Clorox and Colgate, do you think they would have been able to reach as many people as they have? Or as many people as they WILL? We'd be stuck with that toxic brandnomer lip balm at the checkout counter forever...and you KNOW my thoughts on that!
So there you have it. The next time you hear someone talking about all the natural products companies that have "sold out" to conglomerates, remember everything that the companies have given us...and continue to give us. Remember the good. These two particular guys might be major competitors, but together they've set some pretty awesome examples in environmental sustainabililty, human health, and business ethics. Let's try and focus on the immense amount of positive that these companies, and many others, have bestowed on the CPG industry. Once consumers begin to realize what business COULD look like, let's hope that there will be no turning back. And lucky for us, Burt and Tom seem to have become role models for some young, successful eco-entrepreneurs already...Joshua Onysko, founder of Pangea Organics skincare, is one that we should watch. I know that I mention this guy's products a lot (and I know how cliche it sounds to say this...) but I SERIOUSLY can't get enough of them! Josh's story is similar to Burt's story and to Tom's, but in very different ways. Like Tom, Joshua saw a need for truly natural products, and took it upon himself to begin mixing soaps at his parents home in Rhode Island. And like Burt, Joshua was a straight-up nomad before starting his company...traveling the country and world over for years before landing the gig. Yet he ended up in the same position as his predecessors, as founder and CEO of one of the healthiest, most innovative and environmentally-friendly personal care products companies on the market. Sephora has even recognized Pangea's potential, and has begun to carry the products online! These products are organic, sustainable, and effective; the packaging is LITERALLY plant-able; and 5% of the profits go directly to the Pangea Institute, providing microfinancing to woman-owned agricultural co-ops. Let's hope that Josh is an example of the next generation in this business, because that's some serious GOOD right there!

Tom in chair by Pierre Lascott
Images of Burt and Tom from Burt's Bee's and Tom's of Maine
Burt's house by Accidental Branding

Product Detox

2009-12-28T01:04:00.010-05:00

I think it's fair to say that I'm VERY interested in getting us all to go more "natural" with our consumer choices. Hopefully then, the products industry will respond and adapt. But oftentimes my friends will respond to my rants by saying that they "don't care if it cuts off 5 years of life…I'm still using ____ deodorant or _____ lotion every day…no matter how toxic it is!"

Imagine that!?! To think that THAT is the entire reason I'm writing this blog…. Although we should obviously pay close attention to the carcinogenic ingredients in übermarket products, there's so much more to it than just preventing illness down the road… For one, the ingredients that are toxic to our health are also quite toxic to the environment, as well. Petroleum by-products come to mind. How is it that coal, oil and gas companies receive so much attention regarding fossil fuel depletion, when nearly every single toxic product lining the shelves of a chain pharmacy contains petroleum as well??? Mineral oil…paraffin…propylene…these are only a few of the petroleum by-products in most toxic products. I know people with three pharmacies on their street block. That's A LOT of petroleum sitting on those shelves!

But something tells me that this environmental conundrum won't do much to prevent my dear friend from using her apparently "life-saving" toxic product. That said, I think I know SOMETHING that might get her attention… How about this. Detoxifying your products can mean skin that naturally glows…easier workouts at the gym…less sluggish mornings…and so on and so forth. Sometimes I feel like such a sales person, but if we begin to buy more natural products, the über-conglomerates will respond to our demand! But that's not what you wanted to hear. What was that I was saying about shinier hair and easier workouts? Right.

I've always considered myself a fairly healthy individual, but over the past couple years I've begun to "convert" to using more natural products. By no means will I say that I have the most glowing skin or tiniest waist, but I can honestly say that my body feels very different since the product conversion. At first I couldn't put my finger on what it was that changed, but then I read a recent study answering the mystery. Apparently, the toxic chemical ingredients in products are fat-soluble. These chemicals - which are crafted in labs to make us smell "prettier", shave less, cost less, etc - are stored in our fat cells. The chemicals can stay in our fat cells for an absurdly long time because our bodies aren't equipped to metabolize them. It’s even been proven that this toxic chemical storage can promote weight gain. But at the very least, it's going to make you feel and look tired.

If we used only one toxic product per day, this obviously wouldn't be an issue at all. But if you count how many products you use daily (toothpaste, shaving cream, shampoo, hand wash…and the many more cosmetics, toiletries, household cleaning agents), you see how it can really take a toll.

So there you have it. If a healthier you is in the works for 2010, or even if you don't "believe" in resolutions, I hope you can believe in using healthier products. Remember to always check the ingredient labels before purchasing, and to avoid anything in this list (steer clear of phthalates, sulfates, parabens, frequent prefixes and frequent numbers on your product ingredients). By purchasing less toxic consumer products we are taking a stand against harmful chemicals. Whether it's for your longevity, the environment, or even your diet, let's begin detoxing our products this year! Happy 2010!

For those of you who are interested in learning more about how toxic chemicals in our products can make us fat, take a gander at Dr.Paula Baille-Hamilton's book, "The Body Restoration Plan: Eliminate Chemical Calories and Repair Your Body's Natural Slimming System"

The Reading List

2009-12-16T12:41:00.039-05:00

When I began writing this blog I thought it seemed a bit counterproductive to encourage friends to stock up on tons of environmental health books, but then I remembered that we have the choice to borrow these books from the library, download them onto our e-readers, or even to buy used copies! So for those of you who are interested in learning more about the issues (or if you're just plain dissatisfied with how few posts I manage to sneak in each month...), I've compiled a short, basic, and diverse reading list. Any of these books or guides would also work well as holiday gifts for the burgeoning health nuts, environmentalists, green investors, or naturalchemysts in your life. (For gifts, I suggest pairing any of the books with the Planet Earth DVD set...) And please, if your favorite isn't on here, share it with us!

Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry,
Stacy Malkan

Whole Green Catalog

Michael Robbins

Easy Green Living: The Ultimate Guide to Simple, Eco-Friendly Choices for You and Your Home

Renee Loux

Food, Inc.: A Participant Guide...How Industrial Food is Making Us Sicker, Fatter, and Poorer - And What You Can Do About It

Karl Weber

Cradle to Cradle

McDonough & Braungart

The Giving Tree,

Shel Silverstein

The Body Toxic

Nena Baker

And some other notable reads...

Gorgeously Green, by Sophie Uliano
Green Beauty Guide, by Julie Gabriel

Hot, Flat & Crowded, by Thomas Friedman

Natural Capitalism, by Hawken & Lovins

No Impact Man, by Colin Beaven

Stuff: The Secret Lives of Everyday Things, by John Ryan

The Lazy Environmentalist, by Josh Dorfman

BYOP!

2009-12-01T10:24:00.027-05:00

With the holidays come parties, vacations, and visits with people you haven’t seen in ages. Chances are you’ll probably be visiting a nail salon or giving yourself a manicure in the upcoming months, as well. For New Yorkers, visits to nail salons are almost TOO convenient and affordable to pass up! But if we’ve learned anything over the past couple months, it's that cheap and convenient doesn't usually equate with healthy...for us, or for the environment. So it comes as no surprise that local nail salons are culprits of poor environmental health on quite a few levels. Have no fear…the Naturalchemyst is NOT about to tell you to put the brakes on your favorite quick indulgence! But while the EPA is working on the regulation of conditions and products in nail salons nationwide, I do have a few suggestions to keep in mind...

While I’ve used the BYOP acronym for “Bring Your Own Products” in the past, today I’m using it for “Bring Your Own Polish”. The polishes used in most nail salons contain three harmful ingredients, which are each known carcinogens: formaldehyde (used to harden polish, but it can effect your inhalation), toulene (used to spread polish evenly but it can effect your nervous system), and dibuytl pthalate (already been BANNED in Europe, this can effect reproductive organs). Toxic polishes with these ingredients are the first culprit of poor environmental health in nail salons. So if you’re in a time crunch and cannot make it to a natural nail salon (unfortunately they’re still few and far between), make sure to bring your own non-toxic polish.

Big polish brands are removing the above ingredients NOW, but the old polishes in your collection or your salon’s collection are not necessarily non-toxic. Due to the lack of packaging regulation in the U.S., there are many polish brands that have begun to advertise as "formaldehyde-free," when the products still contain this toxic ingredient. Your best bet is to stick to natural nail salons or to bring your own non-toxic polish. Remember, if we as consumers begin demanding this non-toxic polish, the salons and stores will have to follow suit. Here are some good non-toxic polish brands to check out...

With over 300 colors to choose from, Zoya has the largest selection of all non-toxic polishes. For this reason, Zoya is the easiest to find of all the non-toxic polishes. Zoya also costs around the same amount as the two brands carried in most nail salons…so there’s really no excuse for salons NOT to begin carrying this line, is there? Like many non-toxic products, Zoya is the eponymous line of a nail technician who discovered all the toxic ingredients in most polishes while she was pregnant. Now we all can benefit from her healthier line of products!

Priti Organics is another great brand. The owner of Priti (which was also developed during a pregnancy) used to run New York City’s first organic nail salon. Unfortunately the salon is now long gone, but their soy-based nail polishes and non-toxic products are better than ever! The products can be found online and in some very fun NYC salons and stores, like One Lucky Duck and Michael Angelo's Wonderland.

It’s a bit pricier, but Butter London is the Naturalchemyst's personal favorite. It has current and stylish colors, an easy to apply handle, and some very cool packaging (the Creative Director has worked for such clients as Jimmy Choo, H&M and Vogue...maybe you have heard of these??). I found the product at Georgia in NYC, but it can also be found online at major beauty retail outlets, and in the Butter London nail salons in airports all over the country.

Some other good non-toxic nail polish brands are: Acquarella, Honey Bee Gardens, Polished Mama, Rococo, and Sante. When choosing a non-toxic polish, remember to ensure that the polish is free of the 3 harmful ingredients, formaldehyde, toulene and DBP.

A natural nail salon will always use non-toxic, 3-free polishes. There are three natural nail salons on the entire island of Manhattan - Sweet Lily Nails, Sakura Uptown and Sakura Downtown. Not surprisingly, there are other cities with just as many (if not more) natural nail salons. In the next post, I'll explain the importance of natural nail salons, and the steps that the EPA is taking to ensure all nail salons become more natural. Until then, please enjoy the beginning of the holiday season!

This Crawl Isn't Just for Babies!

2009-11-18T10:24:00.009-05:00

As we all know, mothers have a very powerful voice in Washington (and elsewhere!). Lucky for us, new mothers are campaigning as we speak for the elimination of toxic chemicals in our common household products. Seventh Generation's nationwide "Million Baby Crawl" campaign will hit cities all over the country before making it's way to Washington. In Washington, the mothers will ultimately move for the passing of the Kid Safe Chemicals Act.

While I'm not a parent, I'm still sad to miss this event. It stands for everything the Naturalchemyst supports, and it looks as if it might be pretty fun and interesting! So if you're near Madison Square Park today before 2pm (when the event ends), please drop by and let me know how it goes! The "Crawl to Action" event includes: a "Say No to Toxins" flag giveaway, a sign-making station, family entertainment, rallying, educational information and free Seventh Generation products.

Some reasons to get involved (whether you have a baby or not):

~ The current Toxic Substances Control Act is the ONLY law that regulates chemicals in consumer products. This law was passed over 30 years ago, before the MOST toxic consumer product chemicals were even designed!

~ Between the FDA, EPA, USDA and others, no federal agency has the power to regulate chemicals found in the products we use.

~ The Kid Safe Chemicals Act would ensure that consumer products are safer for EVERYONE!

Are Better Product Standards Next?

2009-11-03T15:29:00.024-05:00

Great news! On October 20th, the Attorney General issued a statement saying that the FDA will begin to crack down on misleading nutritional logos and labeling. You might recognize this “smart choices” label from a box of Trix breakfast cereal (is that reeeeally a smart way to start your day?). Labels like "smart choices" are deceptive. The labels will advertise that a product has a low fat content, while the product's nutritional value is actually quite pathetic. The FDA Commissioner, Margaret Hamburg, has even said that there are many “smart choice” items that contain nearly 50% sugar! Definitely not smart.

Basically, the "smart choices" marketing scam has been used to make unhealthy packaged foods seem more nutritious to consumers. Thankfully, the FDA is now working to create nutritional STANDARDS for companies to meet before claiming that their products are healthy. The companies involved in the smart choices program (Kelloggs, Kraft, General Mills, Unilever, etc.) have begun to realize how bad this news looks. Five days ago, Kraft announced that the company is phasing out the logo. Many other companies are beginning to follow suit.It is SO exciting that the FDA is finally cracking down on labeling. When it comes to the regulation of food and consumer products, the U.S. has always fallen behind Europe. But let’s be honest, the Naturalchemyst is really excited about this news for other reasons, as well... Hopefully this is the tip of the iceberg for FMCG (fast moving consumer good) regulation.

Currently, there is no regulation whatsoever for logos or labeling on personal care products. Any product can be labeled as "natural" or "organic", even if the product is composed of only .1% natural ingredients...or less. The uber-marketers of personal care products have taken advantage of this loophole, and have been using the same marketing scams as the guilty food conglomerates! This is the reason for my mantra, “NATURAL INGREDIENTS ≠ NATURAL", and it is also the reason why we need to read the actual ingredients label before purchasing a product!

Needless to say, this is groundbreaking news for the FMCG industry. There was not one, but TWO articles in this week’s Economist regarding new “healthy” food labeling standards. The FDA's statement came only eight days after the airing of Michael Pollan’s Botany of Desire on PBS, a mere five days after various states began to scrutinize food labels, and the same week as New York City’s report on calorie postings in fast food restaurants. We are more invested than ever in our health, and for obvious reasons, the world will want to know how the U.S. plans to regulate food and consumer products. Let’s hope that all this recent news regarding food labeling regulation will come to effect the personal care products industry, as well! And let's hope that it happens soon!

*Smart Choices label by Treehugger

Natural Lip Balm

2009-10-20T09:36:00.039-04:00

It’s officially chapped lip weather in New York. What better time to review some great natural lip balms? No, not chapsticks (the Naturalchemyst doesn’t use toxic brandnomers!), but healthier lip balm options.

Basically, lip balms are addictive and affordable, thus making them them the ultimate impulse purchase. This is obviously why the lip balm marketers scooped up prime check-out counter real estate for their products. Chances are, you have a lip balm on you right now and you too bought it on impulse at the checkout counter! Noone ever really puts much thought into these purchases (I certainly didn’t use to), but we need to be paying closer attention. I won’t attempt to list all the ingredients in your balm (impulse purchase, or not), but I can tell you why certain chemicals were added, the reasons why you should be avoiding these chemicals, and the brands to check out for some much healthier options.

Remember…our skin is porous, and the ingredients we apply to it absorb into our bodies, and can effect us much in the same way as food. Well, the skin on our lips is even more porous than the skin on our bodies! And on top of that, we literally swallow and ingest POUNDS of our lip balm every year. So as weird as this might sound, the ingredients in lip balm should really be safe for consumption. Unfortunately, most mainstream lip balms are still far from safe.

Currently, there is petrolatum (a cheap petroleum byproduct) in almost every toxic lip balm. This ingredient provides temporary relief, but will eventually dry lips out, which tricks us into applying more! Then there are various additives (like camphor) that provide a tingling sensation. This is added to make us think something special is happening (kind of like the sulfates that create bubbles in soaps)...which is just plain sneaky! Ingredients like petrolatum and camphor are unsafe to consume, and I highly recommend that we do NOT, under any circumstances, consume pounds of them every year. Here's a short list of ingredients to avoid in lip balms: petrolatum, parabens, aluminum salt, menthol, camphor, phenol, and anything else that you don't recognize or can’t pronounce...

Even though we might ingest pounds of lip balm per year, the FDA still doesn't have the authority to regulate the labeling of these products. More often than not, a lip balm that is labeled as “natural” will only contain trace amounts of natural ingredients, and will be based in chemicals. Remember, NATURAL INGREDIENTS ≠ NATURAL!!!! This is especially important for lip balm.

There are many easy and accessible recipes for homemade lip balms, which are made with just three or four ingredients. If you have the time, homemade lip balms are a great option. As you will see, the best natural lip balms are basically packaged versions of homemade recipes. But if you’re as busy as the Naturalchemyst, you probably need the convenience of the packaged lip balms. Below is a short list of great natural lip balms. There are literally HUNDREDS of options out there, so I urge you to please read your balm ingredients before purchasing!

Dr. Bronner’s & Sun Dog’s Magic Organic Lip Balm

Due to it’s very short and legible list of organic ingredients, and it’s nice price tag for impulse buying ($2.99), this balm is a great pick. You might be skeptical about the last ingredient, tocopherol. This is a synthetic form of Vitamin E. The EWG thinks that tocopherol is not…quite…the same as Vitamin E, so if you're interested in a completely natural balm, you should either make a homemade recipe or look into some pricier options (see below). If the tocopherol doesn't bother you, Dr. Bronner’s products are generally better than others in their price range. The products can be found in most natural markets in New York and elsewhere.

Burt's Bees

Interestingly enough, tocopherol is also found in the most popular pick for natural balms - our old favorite, Burt’s Bees. But besides the tocopherol, all the other ingredients in Burt’s are pretty good. And ever since Burt’s Bees was purchased by the Clorox Company, their products can be found in almost every chain megastore around. When given the option of the big toxic brandnomer balms sold at these stores, or Burt’s, please grab the latter! But if it’s a beeswax balm you’re looking for, Beeceuticals might be worth a try. The EWG (environmental working group) likes Beeceutical better than Burt’s, and even though Beeceutical also contains tocopherol…honestly, I trust the EWG’s in-depth product studies. Beeceuticals are sold at Ricky’s stores in NYC.

Evolution of Smooth (EOS)
My third, and final, pick that includes tocopherol (but besides that, is great…) are the EOS lip spheres. If you couldn't already tell, the Naturalchemyst is a sucker for cool packaging and design. I truly wish that more natural and organic brands (EOS is 100% certified organic) would follow suit with chic products like these spheres. And with the exception of the tocopherol, the ingredients are great. Plus it is sold in stores like Duane Reade AND Space NK. Interesting concept, EOS. I like it!

Pangea Organics

When I'm not using plain old jojoba oil (which could get weird and messy in public), Pangea Organics is my personal favorite. Particularly the Pyrenees Lavender. It’s a little on the pricier side, but the stick is much larger (about the size of those big white Palmer’s sticks) and it has some awesome ingredients. It’s currently on sale at Saffron Rouge, if you’re interested.

Kathleen Lewis

To demonstrate how the best natural lip balms are basically packaged versions of homemade recipes, I give you Kathleen Lewis' balm. Although it might be a little tough to find, it literally contains 5 ingredients, all of which are totally okay to ingest and help your lips retain natural moisture. The best bet for her products is probably Beauty Exclusive.

Santa Maria Novella (SMN)

These products have been around since 1221(!!!!), and they are still handcrafted by monks in a Florentine church. Their "lip moisturizer" has very few ingredients - all of which are completely natural. If the $22 price tag doesn't bother you, this balm is excellent. Unfortunately, SMN products are sold by very few dealers stateside. Your best bet in New York is LAFCO in Soho.

Who makes your favorite natural lip balm?

Toxic Brandnomers

2009-10-08T15:49:00.014-04:00

I'm reading Not Just a Pretty Face right now, and while I fully intend to write a post that is completely dedicated to Stacy Malkan’s book, career and goals, I felt the immediate need to discuss her “girlcotting” concept...or Dr. Devra Davis’ concept, which Ms. Malkan references.

Dr. Davis states that women are generally the household purchasers of groceries and products; that women care profoundly about the health of their families; and that women, banded together for a common cause, can truly make things happen. Of course! Well, Malkan builds on Davis’ ideas, and adds that “It’s fun to think about spending my money on the kind of world I want to create. YES to women finding and celebrating true beauty in ourselves and in each other. NO to an organic experience created in a petrochemical factory…”

While boycotting is traditionally focused on saying “NO” to an idea or product, girlcotting is focused on saying “YES” to improved health, and on changing a fundamental pattern of consumerism for the better. Girlcotting is right up the Naturalchemyst's alley!

So my suggestion is that we build on Davis’ girlcotting idea, and take it a step further by striking against brandnomers and brand names of popular toxic products. A brandnomer is basically a brand name that we regularly use, without even realizing. It is a brand name that controls market dominance for a specific product. For instance: “I needed a Kleenex to blow my nose;”“I Xerox-ed the document;” or, “could I borrow your Chapstick?”

But are you really requesting that your friend pull a chapstick-brand lip balm out of her tote? Or is it simply a request to borrow whatever brand she might have available? Probably the latter, right?

I’m certainly not advocating an attack on industry in general (not in the least!). We can (obviously) learn A LOT from the chemical researchers and whiz marketing teams behind toxic products. For one, there is an immense amount of time, energy and creativity that goes into the actual cultivation of a brand name. And think about the packaging and design that draws your eye and attention to this name! The organic and natural products industry could probably benefit from studying the marketing and brand management tactics used by large toxic product conglomerates. The biggest toxic product manufacturers have many more years in the industry and MANY brilliant people in their marketing departments. The ultimate goal is for these creative and intelligent individuals to begin using their skills to develop and market healthier products...and to do so soon! But in the meantime, the natural product companies can learn from their strategy, marketing, and design.

As we begin to cut toxic products out of our daily lifestyles and diets, a fun and valuable exercise might be to cut the toxic brandnomers out of our vocabularies as well. For instance, instead of referring to it as Purell, we might go with “hand sanitizer” or better yet, with CLEANWELL! It’s not a Q-tip, but a cotton swab (and hopefully it’s an organic cotton swab, at that). To take this a step further, it let's begin referring to our natural products by their OWN brand names... For instance, one might refer to a pore strip as a "Clari-T"rather than the antiquated "B word"company.

At the very least, let's get the Chapstick out of our vocabularies and out of our purses, backpacks, jackets, what-have-yous... Check back in a few days to see which lip balms are a much better option this fall. And in the meantime, remember how much power we have as consumers, to change the future of the products industry. Small steps like "girlcotting" and eliminating toxic brandnomers will truly make a difference.

Lexington, Massachusetts

Spa Week is Coming to Town

2009-10-05T20:20:00.033-04:00

Next week is Spa Week in New York, and in various other cities across the country. This is basically the spa equivalent of Restaurant Week, and it lasts from October 12th-18th. During this week, many treatments that regularly cost well over $100 are going for $50. I must say, I was elated to see how many of the participating spas tout their use of natural products, but I guess it's only appropriate that the spa industry has jumped on the "natural" bandwagon. Even so, it is still ALWAYS a good idea to research the products a spa uses before setting any appointments in stone. I promise that it’s not uncommon for customers to inquire about the products a spa uses. While they might be the experts, YOU are the customer. WE are the consumers. According to BBMG's 2009 Conscious Consumer Report, one in four U.S. consumers say they have "no way of knowing" if a product is green. This is not knowledge that we will suddenly wake up with one day. Like all good things, it takes time and effort to perform the necessary research to be a conscious consumer. But once we become conscious consumers, the industry will respond to our desire for more natural, less toxic products! Anyhow, I especially like Spa Week for two reasons. The first is due it’s “eco-treatment” category. While this made me very skeptical at first (there was no definition whatsoever for the “eco” treatment ingredient standards), I realized that most of these treatments are performed exclusively with raw products, like the fruit facials. We could probably concoct treatments like these at home...but how luxurious would that be? Aestheticians obviously know the many disadvantages of using preservatives, parabens, and other chemicals on the skin. I’d bet that these individuals are just as happy as the Naturalchemyst is about the new movement towards TRULY natural skincare...but as there are no regulations for the spa, products, and cosmetics industries, remember that we've got to take it upon ourselves to inquire about any treatments. Also, I was elated to find that Spa Week’s exclusive cosmetic sponsor is Jane Iredale! On the expert recommendation of Jessie at New London Pharmacy (she is superb at natural product recommendations), I’ve been using Jane Iredale cosmetics almost exclusively for the past year. The products are awesome, but as of now, they are only sold in spas and at New London, CO Bigelow, and Cambridge Chemists in New York. I was excited to see floating ads for Ms. Iredale’s products on the Spa Week website, as opposed to advertising for some highly toxic product, as one might usually see for an event like this. The Iredale products are mineral-based (most cosmetics are oil or water based, so as to mix well with chemicals), and opposed to many natural or organic lines available, I’ve found that Jane Iredale has a plethora of colors and complimentary products. Due to the inherent purpose of cosmetics (coloring, covering up, etc.) it’s difficult to create a fully natural product that is still effective and attractive. That said, Jane Iredale cosmetics are NOT fully natural, but they are much better for your skin than similarly priced products found in department stores. With the cosmetic industry’s lack of regulation, I can guarantee that you will find many products with “natural” labels that are actually far from natural. Remember, natural ingredients ≠ natural! I actually don’t use much makeup on a daily basis, but there are a few items I’d never leave the house without. I’m happy knowing that these items are based in minerals and not quasi-toxic chemical compounds!
All good news today. Happy Spa Week, everyone!

Smarter Sanitizer

2009-10-01T09:34:00.020-04:00

Today I had my first sighting of someone wearing a surgical mask in public. I'd obviously heard about this, but when you see it for the first time on your morning commute, it's quite shocking. New Yorkers are seriously worried about swine flu - and understandably so! There are so many of us, and we spend so much time cramped together in tight spaces à la the E train. My office has even installed hand sanitizers in every entryway, nook and cranny available. I’m not sure how, or from where they obtained these massive containers of sanitizer, but I’d like to discuss why I will not use them under any circumstances, and why I don’t think you should either.

Generally speaking, hand sanitizers get pretty bad raps. Apparently they kill all bacteria - even the good stuff we need - so many people (this one included) try to stick to handwashing with soap and water. Of course there are those times when a hand sanitizer is necessary (samples at Whole Foods, anyone?), so many of us carry a small tube. I think it’s safe to say that the majority of these tubes are filled with Purell, Germ-X or maybe something totally generic, like those in my office. You can probably expect what’s coming next…the ingredients in these produts are NOT good for us! Most of these products have an alcohol content well above 60%, which is beyond harsh on our skin. Tricoslan is used in many of these products as well, and this ingredient has been proven to increase our resistance to antibiotics and even disrupt the proper functioning of the liver and thyroid. But have no fear. As per usual, there are some much better natural options!

Might as well begin with my absolute favorite of these options - CleanWell. Not only is CleanWell’s packaging the most alluring out of all the available options (thank you, PhilippeBecker for this pleasing design), but I’ve also found CleanWell to be widely accessible, fairly reasonable and inclusive of some great ingredients. Their “secret” ingredient is ingenium, which is a patented blend of essential plant oils that kill 99.9% of germs. In fact, CleanWell is apparently the only all-natural hand sanitizer that meets EPA and FDA standards. And, similar to many natural products available, they have a great story. The founder’s son had an immune system disorder, which brought the family’s attention to the highly toxic ingredients found in "fast" household products. They developed healthier options, and now we can all benefit. Thank you, CleanWell.

Next up is Method. I take away points from Method for not making smaller pocket-sized tubes of their hand sanitizers, but they make up for this impracticality with their accessability, design, price, and - as always - ingredients. While the ingredients are not completely natural (carbomer, guys? really?), Method offers a good starting point for those trying to make the switch to more natural products. I also really like the scents they offer - particularly the green tea + aloe. Their young co-founders (“people against dirty” ) have backgrounds in design and formulaic patenting, which undoubtedly helped their development of such great-looking, non-toxic products.

For those of you that have gone totally organic with your food and lifestyle choices, two great options are EO and Benedetta. EO is made with non-GMO (genetically modified organism) alcohol and jojoba oil. Non-GMO or not, I still think that the alcohol dried out my hands a bit (or maybe that was the dimethicone...). But its sold at a very low price, and in many NY locations, which makes them good in my book. Then there's Benedetta, which is not only organic, but it’s even made with biodynamic grape alcohol and various other botanicals. Unfortunately, Benedetta is currently only carried online and in the "crunchiest" of all natural markets. Don’t get me wrong...I love these markets. But it’d take a small miracle to get many of my friends and family to visit them (more on the organic industry's marketing, organization and design in a later post…).

Finally, we have two natural hand sanitizers that are strictly limited to specialty and department stores. All Terrain is targeted at the outdoor sports enthusiast, and is found at various camping outfitters. Although I’ve never tried it, people seem to really like the product and find it to be very moisturizing compared to other hand sanitizers.

Just as natural but on the complete opposite end of the spectrum is Noodle & Boo, which is really only sold in high end department stores like Neimans, and Neiman's chicer New York sister, Bergdorf's. This product, like many natural products, is targeted at pregnant ladies and new mothers. I plan to do a future post on this topic as well, but many families begin using natural skincare when the mother gets pregnant, as they realize that what you put on your body is just as important as what you put in it … Whether they're for new mothers or not, these sanitizers have great ingredients and get positive reviews.

Just as a recap, the great natural hand sanitizer brands are: CleanWell, Method, EO, Benedetta, All Terrain, Noodle & Boo, and (didn’t think they needed the introduction…) Burt’s Bees. Some other good options are by Surya Brasil, Clean George, and the Body Shop. Hand sanitizer ingredients to avoid at all costs are ethyl alcohol and triclosan. Until natural products become the norm (and I truly believe they will soon), stick with the Naturalchemyst's reviews, be a conscious consumer, and BYOP (bring your own products)!

The September Issues

2009-09-21T11:29:00.051-04:00

Before the October issues hit newsstands (well...before the Septembers are removed for good), I wanted to call attention to the lack of presence of natural products in all forms of print media, but specifically in fashion magazines (a guilty pleasure for many New Yorkers...especially this one). At the annual meeting of the Personal Care Products Council, held this past February in Florida, there were almost as many magazine editors as there were professionals from the products industry. I wasn’t there, but I can guarantee that beauty editors and assistants from all of your favorite fashion magazines were - Condé Nast was even the biggest sponsor of the event! So if you couldn’t already tell (from the first ten ad pages of any September fashion issue) this confirms how large a presence and impact the fashion media has on the products industry, and vice versa. I think it goes without saying that the September issue has the highest circulation and ad placement of all months in fashion glossies. So I’ve taken it upon myself to survey the beauty reviews, tips and (most importantly) advertising in my favorite magazines this month. I found some very interesting, but all too predictable results...but if you're not interested in fashion magazine ads specifically, please just skip to my last two paragraphs.

Tied for first are Vogue and Elle. The total cosmetic and perfume ads for each magazine amounted to about 22 full pages; what I'm referring to as "shower" ads (shampoo, gel, soap) came out to around 13 full pages for Elle and 19 for Vogue; and both magazines contained exactly 3 kinda-sorta natural ads. Vogue has ads for Organix (which is still mostly Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate...), Aveeno (see below), and Ecotools (more of a green tool than natural product, but let's give it to them). Elle's ads are for Aveda (sadly Esteé Lauder permits them to use some harsh chemicals to keep things cheap), Juice Beauty (they too still include lots of bad preservatives), and a third "Eco-Style" ad page designed by the magazine itself (hooray!! way to represent!!). Although their "toxic" product advertising far outweighs that for natural beauty, Vogue and Elle still come out on top for their heightened EFFORT in the natural beauty ad department. And even though I'm being a bit harsh on their featured natural products, they are all MUCH better than any of the products in the magazines other beauty ads.

Next up are Glamour and InStyle. They have a similar amount of beauty advertising. Glamour has a whopping 25 cosmetic and perfume ads, 16 "shower" ads, and 2 (measly) attempts at natural beauty advertisement, while InStyle has about 25 cosmetic and perfume ads, and around 18 "shower" ads. InStyle's attempt at natural beauty advertising is with ads for Aveda, Alterna (which is free of sulfates and preservatives - hooray! - but still has some pretty nasty chemicals), and EcoTools (see a pattern developing?). The two "natural" ads in Glamour are for separate Aveeno products, which are, again, manufactured by J&J. Not that that's a bad thing... J&J was actually just ranked third in Newsweek's "Green Rankings". I've also been a fan of Aveeno for the past few years, so I can't say too many bad things about their products. They use very few ingredients, and were accessible before many other companies began to go "natural" (I could get them in my college town, where very few natural options were available...). So, here are the ingredients in Aveeno's most popular body lotion, which happens to also be an Allure Magazine winner (still unclear as to what this means): Dimethicone, Water, Glycerin, Distearyldimonium Chloride, Petrolatum, Isopropyl Palmitate, Cetyl Alcohol, Oat Flour (Avena Sativa), Benzyl Alcohol, and Sodium Chloride. You can be the judge of whether or not they're worth your time...

And Ladies and Gentlemen, in dead last we unfortunately have my two all-time favorite fashion monthlies - W and Bazaar. There really isn't much to discuss here in terms of natural versus toxic advertisement. Bazaar is amazing for fashion, and oftentimes I will find cool new naturalchemysts in the pages of W, but in the natural ads department they're both lacking. I don't want to completely discard any efforts though, so I looked online and there are a few natural beauty segments on their websites. Thank goodness.

I must note that there are plenty of magazines out there with great natural product advertising. Natural Health and Real Simple are two examples. Sadly, these magazines (and their peers) just don't do it for me in the fashion department. But I’m certainly not going to stop reading my favorite fashion mags, and I’m not saying you should either. I just hope you remember that the beauty placement in the biggest and best fashion magazines is neither helpful nor healthful. As consumers we have the ultimate power to change this.

One noticeable difference in all the magazines this month was the widespread advertising for Fekkai haircare. This is probably because uber-conglomerate Procter & Gamble recently purchased Fekkai, so now the brand has major ad and marketing money for placement in all the biggest magazines. P&G undoubtedly purchased Fekkai because of the increased demand for their products. Each time we purchase a truly natural product, we are making a choice to support our own health, the health of future generations, and the brands that will (fingers crossed) be purchased by major conglomerates like P&G and others. Those few extra seconds spent examining an ingredients label really does make a huge difference! Let's hope that major fashion magazines (and the large conglomerates that monopolize their ad pages) begin to see that natural is NOT going away, and adapt accordingly. And in the meantime, when it comes to beauty and personal products, just stick with tips and reviews from The Naturalchemyst - I promise to steer you in the right direction!

On a final and somewhat sad note…I think it’s pretty clear that the future of the magazine industry is doomed. I’m not sure if I'll ever enjoy reading an article online as much as I do from a beautiful monthly glossy. There might be one benefit, though. Natural products might have a more equal footing in the personal product world. I say this because most natural product companies are also quite "green" and sustainable, which is one of the many reasons you don’t see them in the ad pages of the most popular magazines. Basically, people will no longer be overloaded with pages on end of toxic products each time they open their favorite magazine...because there will no longer BE a magazine to open. Only a site, webpage or blog. Green and natural products are already all over the internet. I think that with the demise of print, natural products will have a larger presence, which will also heighten consumer awareness of product toxicity. But this is just my prediction. What do YOU think? Will the end of big fashion magazines (at least in glossy print) mean great things for natural beauty???

Beauties Beware

2009-09-17T13:50:00.020-04:00

We've heard a lot about the food industry lately (Food, Inc., Fast Food Nation, Omnivore’s Dilemma). Well believe it or not, the beauty industry is right up there with the food industry...it might even be worse! There are no standards for ingredients that the “uber” beauty and CPG companies can add to our products. There are standards for the skincare industry in other countries, but not in the U.S. To give you a better idea, there have been more than 1,110 beauty products banned in the European Union…yet only 10 are banned in the U.S.[1] … So if the FDA isn’t evaluating our beauty and skincare ingredients, we need to do this ourselves. But don’t be deceived by all the “green,” “organic,” and “natural” lining the shelves. Natural Ingredients ≠ Natural. Take matters into your own hands (no pun intended…!) and read the ingredient labels on products you’re feeding your skin!

There are many long and intimidating lists of bad ingredients out there. My list might not be the best or "greenest", but it's basic, short, and easy to remember. I generally like to avoid products with any ingredients I can’t pronounce or recognize, but sometimes this isn't possible. I give you the short list.

1. PARABENS (e.g. butylparaben, ethylparaben, isobutylparaben, methylparaben…these lists go on forever!)

2. SULFATES (this is usually the second or third ingredient in “ubermarket” shampoos and body washes, e.g. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate or Sodium Laureth Sulfate)

3. PHTHALATES (aka “plasticizers”…they are used in shower curtains, moisturizers, and everything between! e.g. monoethyl phthalate, butyl benzyl phthalate…)

4. Frequent PREFIXES (e.g. tetrasodium, diethanolamine, trisodium, cyclomethicone, methacrylate, polybutene, methylchloroisothiazolinone…seriously?)

5. Frequent NUMBERS (these are usually associated with synthetic colors and fragrances, which are NO GOOD, e.g. ceteareth-20, laureth-7, polyquaternium-7, peg-8, blue 1...)

As their complicated names demonstrate, the ingredients above are completely synthetic, and were developed in the labs of the biggest companies that just happen to have the biggest research & development budgets, as well. Many of these conglomerates sell cleaning products that contain some of the same chemicals as your skincare! This might be convenient for them, and great for business, but I can promise it isn't doing good things for your health. Take a look at the ingredients from four different brands of body wash...

Based on the handy list above, you can see that each product but the last contains toxic ingredients. The second to last product is better than the first two, but unfortunately it still has sodium laureth sulfate, which will dry out your skin terribly. Sulfates like these are added to body washes and shampoos to create the bubbles you remember from childhood. These bubbles are a comfort zone...we have grown up thinking that they mean a shampoo or body wash is functioning properly...but bubbles (from drying agents) or healthy skin? I choose the latter, thank you very much!

Ingredient labels (top to bottom): Dove, La Roche Posay, Whole Foods and Pangea Organics.

If you'd like more info on the products in your bathroom, or a more comprehensive list of ingredients to avoid, two great resources are the EWG's Cosmetic Database and Saffron Rouge's "Black List".

[1] Jasmin Malik Chua, 9/18/08, Planet Green

Fast "Groom" Nation

2009-09-14T22:11:00.009-04:00

Fast food is cheap, accessible and temporarily-pleasing. “Fast” skincare is the same - the products are cheap; they're convenient; and they make you smell and feel good…temporarily. If you bought your shampoo or body lotion from the local "uber" market, bodega or pharmacy chain, check out the back of the bottle. I bet it was distributed by one of the following:

While you’re back there, see how many of the ingredients you can pronounce… Not many, right? The skin is your body’s largest organ, and all of the chemicals in these lotions, soaps, and cosmetics soak into your bloodstream as soon as you apply. The ingredients in these products effect your body, just like the ingredients in food. So although it might be as convenient as "drive thru," as cheap as the "dollar menu" or as familiar as a "happy meal," just remember - skin care can be just as unhealthy as well! Next time you're deciding on a soap or cream, remember that the skin care produced by the above conglomerates is just like the fast food produced by the below chains. Would you eat food from these chains every day of your life?

If you eat natural, organic or local food to avoid toxic chemicals or even to protect the environment, you’d probably be interested in natural skincare as well. I’m not saying you should toss all your current products immediately (a whopper every now and then didn't hurt anyone...it's the daily consumption that's gross), I just want to introduce you to the products I've tried and love. This way, once your favorite products run out, you’ll know where to begin! I promise that natural skincare can be cheaper, more accessible, and even more luxurious than you realize. So with that I give you the Naturalchemyst! Here goes nothing!