Showing posts with label eco style profile. Show all posts
Showing posts with label eco style profile. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Style File: Lauren Pierce

I have been a long-time fan of Lauren Bush, a long-time fan of eco-fashion, a long-time fan of blue and white. This dress was made for me in heaven.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Eco-Style Profile: Organica Deluxe

Organica Deluxe is a fusion of elegant taste and eco-mindedness; the online boutique is a treasure trove of beautiful gifts and tempting splurges. (Remember how excited I was to discover them?)
Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with the stylish women behind Organica Deluxe’s success, Wendy James and Jane Hunter. Purveyors of all things eco-stylish, their collaboration is a testiment to the fact that it is possible to be both chic and green. With 6 children between them, these busy Charlotte moms also enjoy making time to share the best and most beautiful eco-gifts around.
Both Wendy and Jane are enthusiastic about being green and hope that Organica Deluxe is a fun way for others to do the same. They want customers to feel good about the gifts they buy on the site; their eco-conscious mantra is applied to both the products and the packaging. Wendy and Jane have found a way to wrap up eco-luxury in a very pretty (and green) bow.
Here is a peak behind the scenes:
Where did you get the inspiration to start Organica Deluxe ?
We created Organica Deluxe because we wanted a beautiful place to buy eco-friendly and organic for ourselves and our friends. We recognized that organic companies often miss the gorgeous and even miss the green when creating packaging. We love chocolates and wines and wanted others to know organic choices are amazing. We were tired of smelling flowers that were super-charged with pesticides, we wanted our babies to be clothed in pure organic cottons and we like companies who care about customers and put that caring into each gift package.

If you were to receive a gift from Organica Deluxe , what product would you most like to receive and why?
Our roses! The box is amazing, the roses are beautiful, the blooms last longer than most roses and the farm that grows these pesticide-free flowers takes such good care of their land and people.
Tell us about how you like to incorporate going green into your everyday life?
Make an effort to recycle as much as possible, change to more environmentally friendly light bulbs, stock the refrigerator with organic and natural foods; even working with a homeopath to reduce toxins and medicines in our lives.

Do you have any advice for someone who would like to start going down that road?
Small steps are great steps.

Favorite Charlotte picks?
Enjoy walking in our city – to parks, to school, to meetings.
Excited about the some new restaurants – Good Food on Monford and Basil
Love the old Manor Theater
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Wendy and Jane have graciously extended a discount to Pink to Green readers; now until August 31st, enjoy 15% off your order at Organica Deluxe !!
Enter pinktogreen upon checkout and enjoy your summer shopping.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Eco Style Profile: Kate Hanson

Kate Hanson was recently named one of Australia’s Eco-Heroes by Little Green Stilettos blog and this accolade couldn’t be more fitting. It was her move from the UK to Australia a couple of years ago that opened her eyes to going green. Surrounded by the beauty of tropical north Queensland, Kate started reexamining her lifestyle choices to be more sustainable and healthy and in the process she learned a lot.
In addition to being the beauty editor for Peppermint Magazine, she has recently started a website, Ikigai, dedicated to sharing the most beautiful and healthy beauty products out there. Moreover, her website has lots of tools to educate yourself on natural beauty products including a comprehensive glossary of ingredients.
I recently got to catch up with Kate am thrilled to share a bit more with you about this gorgeously green gal:

What does Ikigai mean? Is there a story behind the name?
There sure is! Ikigai is Japanese meaning the things in life that bring meaning and joy – the things that fulfill us. That resonated for me, the idea of pampering yourself, but at the same time making ethical choices that don’t damage the beautiful world around us. I get tremendous joy and meaning from being in nature, especially now that I have the beautiful Queensland beaches and hinterland on my doorstep. I want to look beautiful and have luxurious things but still live in harmony with the planet that sustains us – and I don’t see any reason why we can’t do both.

What are some of the small things that you do in your day to day life that are green?
My fiancĂ© is a serious coffee fanatic – he has four cups a day – so we invested in a coffee machine which means no more disposable cups. When I thought about my daily coffee purchase, I realized that if everyone in Australia gets a takeaway coffee in the morning and throws the cup away imagine the amount of waste!

I am also very lucky that we live close to the city so I can walk to work. We very rarely use the car and walk as much as possible. And even though we live in a tiny unit, we have herbs and tomatoes growing on our balcony which is very exciting… I don’t have green fingers at all and I normally manage to kill plants, so it’s quite a miracle that they are still alive.

It can be overwhelming to look at your beauty products and think that you may have to replace them all- what is your advice to gals who are just starting to green their beauty routine?
Yes I totally understand that feeling of being overwhelmed - that is why Ikigai was born. I was sooooo exasperated with purchases I made thinking they were a greener choice, only to research the ingredients and find that they had lots of chemicals in it and only a dollop of good stuff. I got very downhearted and discouraged – not to mention bewildered! It’s because of that experience that I wanted to bring a bit of glamour into natural and organic products so that girls like me don’t have to compromise on their yummy products – plus I wanted to provide a place where there were ONLY products you can trust, so you can find everything you need without the hassle.
So, cutting to the chase…. My advice would be to have a look at the shopping guide I’ve put together which explains some of the worst chemicals that can be found in cosmetics. You can find it here. Take it into your bathroom and read the ingredient lists on your products. Then sort them into ‘good’, ‘medium’ and ‘bad’ piles depending on how many nasties they have in them. Chuck the bad ones out, use up the medium ones and replace them with a better choice when you’ve finished, and hang onto the good ones. I’d say to be in the ‘good’ category they shouldn’t have any of the ingredients on the hit list.
Perfume, parfum or fragrance is a tricky one – generally it’s a pretty safe bet that this refers to synthetic perfume but sometimes (like with Lush products) it’s referring to essential oils that are added for their aroma. If in doubt, exercise caution! Generally speaking, the easiest areas in which green your beauty routine are shower gel, bath and body oils, body moisturizers and facial care products. Hair care, toothpaste and deodorant are a little harder but it’s definitely worth persevering until you find the right ones for you!
What are your favorite products featured on Ikigai? (are you able to ship to NZ?)
We are absolutely able to ship to NZ and you’ll only get charged the same as if you were ordering from Australia.
1. My absolute favourite product of all time is the GLOW Intensive C Rejuvenating Serum from Pure&True Organic Beauty. This stuff seriously rocks, proving the point that organic products can be every bit as effective as the top brands. It’s base is healing aloe vera, not water like most skincare products. It’s absolutely packed with antioxidants, including heaps of vitamin C and E – so much so that your skin tingles when you apply it. The antioxidants help stimulate collagen synthesis which is just a fancy way of saying they can help you look less old and haggard (I need all the help I can get!). And I am extremely surprised and pleased that a brown pigment patch on my face has all but vanished since I’ve been using the serum. A percentage of the profit from sales goes to social and environmental charities. Love it, love it, love it.
2. Endota Spa Organics Lilly Pilly Body Moisturizer. This stuff is just too yummy. It’s made with organic vanilla beans that leave you smelling good enough to eat. Lilly Pilly is a native Australian tree and the extract from the edible berries is full of vitamin C, antioxidants and exfoliating fruit acids. So not only does this stuff smell great, but it leaves your skin mega smooth too. Packaging is 100% recycled and a percentage of profits goes to Bush Heritage Australia, which is dedicated to protecting 7 million hectares of ecologically significant bush land.
3. Pangea Organics Egyptian Geranium with Adzuki Bean & Cranberry Facial Scrub. This is a seriously refreshing scrub with organic cranberry extract which has a natural astringent effect and is loaded with antioxidants. Ground adzuki beans were used traditionally by the Japanese geishas to exfoliate and cleanse without drying, for a beautifully clear complexion. The coolest thing though is that you can plant the box to grow a herb!
What is your favorite travel destination in Australia?
I would have to say the Queensland hinterland. Springbrook Falls, where you can walk behind an amazing waterfall, absolutely blew me away. Stunning!

Thanks to Kate for sharing her passion with us, I hope you’ll all check out Ikiagi and Peppermint Magazine!

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Meet Glamour's 70 Eco Heroes

Meet 70 female eco heroes in the 70th anniversary issue of Glamour, or click HERE to see the truly inspiring list!

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Eco Style Profile: Josie Maran

Upon discovering Josie Maran’s makeup line and subsequently all of her green goodness I felt like I found a kindred spirit! The girl’s got IT, and I don’t just mean the IT that launched her into supermodel status at a young age. Josie’s vivacious lease on life and her attitude towards responsibly glamorous beauty is what makes her stand out.
As I pealed back the layers of Josie’s commitment to green initiatives (dutiful research in the name of blogging) I was impressed by her approach and the personality exuded in her endeavors. You can’t help but want to be her best friend, after all, her fledgling cosmetic line of her own namesake is an effort to create a luxurious line that is known for its love and respect of people and the planet.
Josie Maran cosmetics are everything that I’m looking for in green products- they are not sacrificing style for substance.

In addition to creating a business that is environmentally responsible, she has also teamed up with lots of other green projects such as Global Green.
But let’s showcase for a moment, the girls fantastic and enviable eco style which helped her grace the green issue of Domino back in March of 2008.
Watch this tour of her eco-friendly home and learn how she grows, juices and composts! Plus, I love that she calls her chic green interior style "chic-ological".

All images are from Josie's blog, check her out!

Monday, January 12, 2009

Eco Style Profile: Lauren Bush

Humanitarian efforts are a calling card for many society girls, but there is something about Lauren Bush's down to earth aesthetic that is endearing and believable; she seems to really walk the talk. When discussing her favorite products and lifestyle choices its clear that she embodies both style and eco-consciousness.
Her famous last name (she is President Bush's niece) and her famous boyfriend (Ralph Lauren's son, David) may have given her the spotlight, but what she has done with it warrants a very impressive eco-style profile.

At only 24, Lauren Bush holds many successful careers: model, honorary spokesperson for the UN's World Food Project (WFP), entrepreneur and budding designer.

Her travels with the WFP provided the inspiration for her subsequent humanitarian efforts. Combining her love of fashion and dedication to raise money for hungry children, the FEED bag was created, it has now raised over $5 million!

Lauren has recently endeavored to expand on that success by designing a small clothing collection, dubbed Lauren Pierce that will benefit women and sustainable efforts. Fabrics include hemp, silk, bamboo and organic cotton but the real beauty is that some garments are hand dyed by women taking part in the Women for Women International program. This program helps underprivileged women and the purchase of all Lauren Pierce items will give 10% of the proceeds back to the cause.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Eco Style Profile: Cate Blanchett

After seeing Al Gore’s, Inconvenience Truth, Oscar- winner Cate Blanchett decided she wanted to turn her “anxiety into action”. She believes although it can be overwhelming to learn of the environmental challenges that lay ahead, there is, “an opportunity in climate change… an opportunity to re-ignite that sense of community. We are all consumers and if we change the way we consume and think in our communities we can have an enormously powerful effect.”

Cate is motivated as a mother to champion environmental issues and at home has demonstrated that she is committed to the cause. She challenges herself to take shorter showers, has cut her driving by 20 km a week, installed a more efficient shower head and switched her household power supply to green power. Recently, she and her husband were trained to be climate change presenters as part of the global program, The Climate Project.

Deserving of her accolades on and off the screen, Cate Blanchett is an inspiring actress and green style icon.
(interview information taken from Mindfood and Herald Sun)

Monday, November 24, 2008

Eco Style Profile: Courtney Barton of In(side) The Loop

I’m incredibly excited to be doing an Eco Style profile on Courtney from In(side) The Loop. Creative, endearing and intelligent—Courtney has the knack for effortless style. As a reader of her blog, I noted the dotting of green related posts and wondered if this enviably chic Houstonite would share some of her secrets.

Courtney says she is constantly learning ways to incorporate sustainable items into her lifestyle; here are some of the things she does:

Transportation:
“I love to ride my bike and Vespa around town. I've outfitted my bike with 2 baskets: one is removable for bringing into the market or shop and the other is shaped like a half-moon, which perfectly cradles 2 bottles of wine! We often meet friends for dinner at a nearby neighborhood and love to take our bikes there. The Vespa is great for further adventures around town. It gets over 70 miles to the gallon and it's an absolute blast to ride!”
Work:
“I work from home, so I always recycle computer paper and print on the front and back, as well as recycle ink cartridges by either mailing them back to the company or taking them to an office supply store to be refilled. The latter option is so much cheaper than buying new, off the shelf replacements!”

Home:
"I really think most things don't have to be new to be greater. One of my favorite ways to help reduce and reuse is by recycling old furniture and clothing into my everyday life. The majority of our household furniture came from flea markets and thrift shops, and I've updated them to relate to our style. It's easy to change out paint color or re-stain an end table when it's constructed from solid wood. Most furniture today is made from particle board or veneers, making it much more difficult to refinish or last a lifetime. "



“We live in a very old home from the 1920s. While it's incredibly well made, it certainly can't compete with the energy efficiency of new homes today, so we've made a few adjustments. We took out the hot water tank and installed a tankless system, which provides hot water only as it is needed. The unit kicks on when there is a demand for hot water, thus avoiding the standby heat losses associated with storage water heaters. And you'll never run out of hot water no matter how much it is used unlike the older tank systems.” "Our windows are original to the house and we definitely lose a lot of our cooling and heating through the wooden frames and thin glass. We applied a window tint that reflects up to 78% of the sun's heat that comes through the window. The tint is a huge help to keep us cool during the Texas summers! Also, my husband laid an extra 2 layers of insulation in the attic and the temperature in our house literally dropped overnight. And the best part is the drastic reduction in our electric bill!"

"We take our filled recycle bin to a nearby drop-off location since they have containers divided by materials. This makes it easy to know what you can and can not recycle and allows me to repurpose more than what the trucks will take."

Style:
“I wear a lot of vintage clothing. I have two dealers in Houston that I have on speed dial and they're always my first stop when I'm in of a dress! And besides, I always feel special when I have on a one-of-a-kind dress or statement piece that can't be found hanging on the racks at department stores. It's an easy way to be unique and keep pieces out of our landfill. And when you're done with something, be sure to donate it. One man's trash is another's treasure. Case in point: my vintage furniture and clothing!”
“Designers and artists are starting to go green and make items with a low impact on our environment; it's great! I think everyone is becoming more and more aware”

Green Advice:
“I most definitely subscribe to the thought that it's not about doing it all. But if everyone did something, the impact would be incredible. And it doesn't take a huge altering of lifestyle, just takes an extra smidgen of awareness.”

Thanks Courtney for the insight and inspiration!

(To see more of Courtney's house check out this feature at Beach Bungalow 8)

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Eco Style Profile: Maria Menounos

Who:
Maria Menounos


What:
The host of “Hollywood Green,” Planet Green’s collaboration with “Access Hollywood” and she’s the founder and Executive Director of the charity Take Action Hollywood


Best Green Advise:
Laurie David has said, “It’s not about doing everything, it’s about doing something.” I think the green movement can seem intimidating because it is perceived as a complete life change. But the truth is that every little thing makes a difference; and if we each did something each day, there would be a huge impact.

(picture and interview bits from EcoStiletto.com )

Intro to Eco Style Profile

INSPIRATION
Inspiration is all around, especially if you are looking for it. I’ve found that since I started reading about green living, the inspiration is limitless. It’s been particularly inspiring for me to read about how other women are embracing a greener lifestyle while being in style. In that light, I’ve started collecting these inspirations and will post them as Eco Style Profile’s here on the blog. I hope you can draw some inspiration from these profiles too!