Fifty-cent Head

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab is good for you and the earth!

poison ivy image courtesy of Comicvine.

This post is late, but to my defense I already told you my muse went missing for a little while. And I feel like this was fate, because now I can write this post and it's not going to get buried in the onslaught of information being thrown at your during Earth Week.

Basically, since I love BPAL so much I decided to ask Beth (founder, perfumer, Nose, perfume czar, genius) how they were helping the earth. This was a challenge I was fairly certain BPAL was up to , but would have posted the answers regardless. So, on to the official answer from Beth Moriarty on BPAL's commitment to keeping it real:

We believe in compassionate consumerism, and in giving as much back to the community as we can through charitable contributions, volunteer work, and by supporting fair trade and self-sustaining growers whenever possible. We participate in the Green Power for a Green LA program at work and in our homes, and have participated in fundraisers for many fine organizations, including the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, the Orangutan Foundation UK, AIDS Project Los Angeles, the Animal Assistance League of Orange County, Bat Conservation International, Safe Haven for Donkeys in the Holy Land, Midway City, United Hope For Animals, the International Bird Rescue Research Center, the Red Cross, the Humane Society, and local women’s shelters.

Our bath and massage oils are paraben and formaldehyde free, and do not contain sodium lauryl or sodium laureth sulfate. With the exception of any formula that contains honey or beeswax, they are vegan, and are blissfully lacking in harsh chemicals or unwholesome fillers.

Our soaps were created with the finest environmentally-responsible ingredients, including Palm Kernel oil farmed from organic, fair-trade farms in Brazil (on reclaimed, replanted mixed-use rainforest) and organic Jojoba Oil grown in Arizona. They are completely free of artificial colors or preservatives, and are blissfully lacking in petroleum, silicone, or other unwholesome fillers.

BPAL’s Atmosphere Blends are non-aerosol, and our nail polish formula is free of toluene, DBP, and formaldehyde.

With the exception of our honey-based products and our bath products that contain goat’s milk, everything that comes from Black Phoenix is vegan, and we abhor animal testing.

And last, but not least… Black Phoenix Trading Post’s labels are printed on an Earth-friendly corn biopolymer.

Beth has given us lots of food for thought- this is not new, as just browsing her site makes on want to educate oneself (and slather on great-smelling products!). Please follow the links below to fall in line behind Beth and the BPAL gang and make the world you live in just a little bit better...

Learn more about Green Power here.
Read about and support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.
Visit the Orangutan Foundation UK and learn - and make a donation!
Support AIDS Project LA.
Check into the Animal Assistance League of Orange County, here.
I adore bats, so encourage you to check out The Bat Conservation International site and learn more about these misunderstood mammals.
A cause many have not heard of, but still a wonderful cause nonetheless: Safe Haven for Donkeys in the Holy Land. Learn more here.
Donate to United Help for Animals.
Peep the International Bird Rescue Research Center (the images will break your heart!).
The Red Cross can always be found online here.
Everyone has heard of The Humane Society, but when did you last volunteer or donate?
Please, please check your local directories to find women's shelters in your area and figure out a way you can help! Donate clothes, old equipment, blankets, money, toys, cosmetics, suits... ask what they need and find a way to provide it!

Learn more about veganism here.
Find out what fair trade really is - and then seek out companies that use fair trade ingredients, please!

What does it mean to be paraben free? The debate rages on over this issue, but read up about the basics, here.
Formaldehyde is natural, but undesirable in high quantities. Read more here.
Depending on who you hear it from, sodium lauryl and sodium laureth sulfate aren't so good for you. For example, read this. My feeling on this and parabens is: if the jury is still out, I'll avoid these when I can!
Why avoid products with petroleum in them? Oil harvesting can be damaging to the earth and wildlife, it's clearly getting more expensive, and burning oil is probably contributing to global warming. Besides, the oil the earth has left to share is dwindling fast, so why use it up when there are alternatives?!
I happen to like a lot of topical makeup products with silicones, but many folks avoid them. Read why, here.
Most of us don't use aerosols the way we used to when I was a kid (walking through 8 feet of snow, barefoot, to get to school- but I digress). Learn why, here, and be glad BPAL doesn't use them.
BPAL polishes are "Big-Three Free" which means--- well, read about it here. I must admit, I only use "big-three free" polishes now.
Go on, investigate biopolymers. I did, and I feel so much smarter now - and I know what to look for when shopping, now, too!

Mother's Day Idea: Plant Love

What are you getting your mom for Mother's Day? There are so many choices, but sometimes simplest is best! One thing that would touch me, as a mom, would be a thoughtful beauty gift - and what's more thoughtful than this?

Everyone who knows me, knows I'm a beauty fanatic. I fully admit to it - geez, I write a beauty blog and go to work every day as a makeup artist. Does that mean I can't appreciate a well-done product? OF COURSE NOT! Who could appreciate it more than I!? I enjoy my plants (note to husband: I do not have a black thumb - I'm just a forgetful water-er!) and am trying to be more green each day. AND I'm a proud, proud mommy.

I can totally get behind a lipstick that's eco-friendly. Cargo's Plant Love products are a) fantastically smooth and come in a gorgeous array of shades; b) packaged in biodegradable PLA (corn-based plastic) boxes embedded with wildflower seeds; c) contain no mineral oils or petroleum, instead featuring jojoba, shea butter and botannicals; d) charitable, because $2 USD from the purchase of each tube goes to St. Jude's Childrens' Research Hospital; and e) some of the shades were designed by celebrity moms Kim Raver, Denise Richards, Angie Harmon and the colors were named after their kids.

I got to sample Cherry Bliss, a brilliant neutral red. It's so silky and lovely on the lips (that's gotta be the shea and jojoba, both of which I love and are so good for the skin!). It lasts well, and the color (described as "sheer cherry") makes me want to sport red lips. That hasn't happened since MAC's Queen's Sin last holiday season. Definitely makes me want to go try the rest of line.

These lipsticks are $20 USD, and can be found at Sephora.com.

Tweeze for the environment...

That's right, you heard me sistah. Tweeze for the environment. I'll explain in a moment...

I may be the only makeup artist in the world who does not own a Tweezerman tweezer. In fact, most have more than one (two for on set, and another for home). I hope to rectify this situation shortly, and plan to start with this great tweezer offering from the legendary company:

This is the Go Green Mini-Slant tweezer, a smaller version of the very popular Slant Tweezer. The Slant Tweezer has won plenty of kudos, including being an InStyle Best Buy and consistently being mentioned in Allure's Editor's Choice Awards. This mini has all of the features of the grown-up sized version: quality craftsmanship, precision plucking, hand-filed tips, free repair/replacement of damaged equipment, free sharpening, and repair of items you may have broken (for a nominal fee).

The bonus, though, my friends, is that Tweezerman will donate $1 of the purchase of any Go Green Mini-Slants to the National Arbor Day Foundation. Doesn't sound like much, but that translates to one tree being planted per purchase, which is stellar!

Oh, and by the by, Tweezerman has packaged these Go Greens in 100% recyclable paper, printed in soy ink.

Go Green Mini-Slant tweezers are available at Tweezerman retailers and online at drugstore.com.

Earth Week: GORGEOUSITY

I do not buy cosmetic products just to keep them and look at them. I do not. I can't afford it, nor do I think it's practical. However, if I won the lottery today (even a fairly small one), I'd buy these next two products in a heartbeat and never touch them: just display them somehow. They're so pretty I'm not shrinking these images for this post. Take a look:

Maybe it's the Pisces in me, but I love the imagery on these. Don't you!?

Chantecaille has made these gloriously delicious compacts for the upscale line that focuses on using healthy, natural and organic ingredients. In the words of the founder, Sylvie Chantecaille, "If you're going to have a luxury makeup line, the least you can do is to make it do something good for you."

5% of the proceeds go to the Pew Institute for Ocean Science - so you can have this gorgeous makeup and help support marine conservation efforts! (For those who really want the details: the money specifically goes to "five $150,000 awards to ocean experts around the world each year to develop solutions to critical ocean challenges." Who can't get behind that!?)

Both compacts are made with incredibly finely milled pigments supported with silk proteins and silicones that help it feel extra silky and sit nicely on the skin.

The green compact is for the eyes. The green you see is actually an overspray - the shadow is gray underneath. Chantecaille suggests using the Aqua fish to line the eyes and the coral one, Rose Gold, to highlight.

The pink compact is for the face. The main color is Pink Sand, perfect for lending a gentle and brightening glow. The small fish is Sunrise, and great for highlighting the cheeks, while the bigger fish is Coral, a lovely cheek color.

Each compact is $90 USD and can be purchased through Bliss or Neiman Marcus (the Chantecaille website is, as of this writing, not live, but may offer the products later-- who can tell?)

Don't have the desire to own these compacts? Or maybe the pricetag is more hefty than you can swing? Donate to the Pew Institute directly, here.

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Take a look at these amazing tips I found on the Pew Institute site. Learn how you can better take care of those glorious oceans we know so little about:

                  

Modern industrial fishing practices and other significant human activities are destroying ocean ecosystems at an alarming rate, depleting our fish populations and devastating coral reefs. Consumers can take several steps to help protect the marine environment, conserve ocean biodiversity, and give threatened fish species a better chance of long-term survival. Here are a few to consider:
               

1. Purchase a Protected Paradise compact from Chantecaille Beaute. Five percent of the proceeds from the sale of each eye and face makeup compact will be donated to support the Pew Fellowship in Marine Conservation program. The mission of the program, administered by the Pew Institute for Ocean Science, is to advance protections for the ocean environment by providing fellowships to outstanding individuals across the globe who are working to identify and implement solutions to critical challenges facing marine waters, wildlife, and habitats.
   
                                            
2. When eating out or purchasing fish, send a text message to FishPhone at 30644 with the message “fish” and the name of the fish you are ordering (i.e., fish sword). Within seconds, you will receive a reply affirming the sustainability of your choice or an alternate suggestion. The text message will let you know of any human health advisories against consuming the fish, and the extent of environmental concerns over the fish’s harvesting.
   
                                            
3. Support the creation of a network of marine reserves by writing to the Secretary General of the United Nations and demanding that 40 percent (and no less than 20 percent) of the high seas be designated as marine reserves in each ocean. These reserves are vital to ensure the preservation of our seas for generations to come.
   
                                            
4. Reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global climate change and coral reef destruction by considering alternative transportation options, such as public transportation, bicycling, and walking. You can also maximize the fuel-efficiency of your automobiles by keeping your tires inflated, which improves gas mileage.

I am SO putting that FishPhone number in my phone and using it when I'm ordering fish. And I'm telling everyone I know to do the same! What will you commit to doing to conserve our marine resources!?