Stella organic skincare gives good face
People are often more concerned by what they eat than by what they put on their body. But the skin is our largest organ and absorbs all those lotions, deodorants and perfumes directly into the blood stream, without the natural toxin catchers of the digestive system. That’s why it’s good to be choosy about what you slather on the skin.
Last year, fashion designer Stella McCartney unveiled a line of certified organic skincare–which after three years of development was considered the first luxury brand in an industry with a largely crunchy image. Few skincare lines carry a certified organic seal because the bar is set so high to obtain the moniker from standard bearers like the USDA, yet Stella’s 100 percent-organic-ingredients line, called “Care,” was approved by eco-regulators like Ecocert in Europe, where it’s made. (Yes, you’ll have to buy carbon offsets to buy these creams guilt-free in the United States.)
I’ve been testing Care’s 5 Benefits Moisturizing Cream and its companion Radiance and Youth Elixir for the last two months and my skin has never been softer or more generally healthy.
It’s a light but nourishing cream without parabens–a potentially toxic preservative contained in many face products–or petrochemicals, which aren’t biodegradable, originate from a nonrenewable energy source, and can contain carcinogens. The cream and elixir have the feel of a frou frou skincare line because of the sleek packaging, which is recyclable, and because of the scents, which aren’t based on synthetic perfumes but on natural essential oils.
The downside: The cream is pricey at $76 (for sale at Sephora.com), and another $64 to buy the elixir, which adds to the positive effect. But for a less expensive certified organic skincare line, Juice Beauty seems like a steal for the quality–its creams are priced in the $30 range. Juice bases its products on plant-derived formulas vs. Stella’s essential oils, which can be much costlier to use in the manufacturing.
For a quick look at the safety of ingredients in your products at home, visit Skin Deep, a database on personal care products from the Environmental Working Group. Also, the new site FaceParlour reviews some organic and natural skincare products.
May 12th, 2008 at 9:43 am
Fragrance Free Skin Care Products…
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