The drugs my doctor prescribed for nausea during my pregnancy were then found to cause birth defects, says Melinda Olson, a nurse and the founder of EarthMamaAngel-Baby. “That was a long time ago now, but even recently it was brought to light that car-cinogens are in some baby shampoos. And that has inspired me to find safe plants and herbs that have a traditional use for moms and babies,” says Olson, whose clean prod-uct range comforts a variety of concerns. Witness a lanolin-free Natural Nipple Butter ($14.95, www.EarthMamaAngelBaby.com) that doesn’t need to be wiped off before breastfeeding, since it contains no beeswax. Olson’s bestseller for babies is the Angel Baby Bottom Balm ($14.95) that uses antifungal and wound-healing calendula, and her AngelBaby Lotion is preserved with an herbal tincture of South African red tea. “That’s not what you’re going to get at the hospital,” laments Olsen, who makes an Angel Baby Kit ($39.95) loaded with sample-size, paraben-free products just for this purpose.

 Instead of the promised pregnancy glow, some women get a temporary batch of brownish blotches (melasma) or an acne breakout. Facials with natural products—definitely no retinoids or hydroquinone brightening agents—are perfectly safe, according to Stacy Denney, founder of Barefoot and Pregnant spa in Casa Madrona, California. Her spa menu also includes a glycolic peel that can address pigmentation and pimples, as well as the acute dryness some women get. “You can also go the completely gentle route,” says Denney. (There are super-soft scrubs like Lotus Moon Adzuki Bean & Rose Petal Polishing Powder, $22, www.smbessentials.com). “Just make sure you’re exfoliat-ing, hydrating, and using sunscreen—you don’t want to aggravate any melasma,” says Denney, who adds that sun can make the condition much worse. Although Olson and Denney make products for stretch marks, both founders are candid about their cause (genetics) and what can be done for them (very little). Keeping the body hydrated and the skin moisturized and supple as it stretches during pregnancy is the best tactic, they say. Some butters or oils, especially those with a high-concentration of essential fatty acids can help by promoting elasticity, like in the neroli-scented Earth-MamaAngelBaby Natural Stretch Oil ($24.95) with grape-seed and borage and Ve-daMama Rich Body Cream ($50, www.vedapure.com), with shea and mango butters. It was formulated by Natalie Geary, M.D., a pediatrician who developed products for ba-bies (then moms and dads) without parabens, harsh chemicals, or steroids found in mass-market products.

Teenagers

It’s hard to resist the draw of commercials hocking foaming face washes, pore-tightening toners, and powerful acne medicines for teenagers, but these products often don’t provide the same results for breakout-prone or combination skins. One reason? Sodium laureth sulfate (SLS), the most common foamer found in face cleansers (and shampoos) strip natural oils from the skin. The dryness that results from washing with it just tells your skin to produce more oil, says Suki Kramer, who suggests a daily clay-based cleanser instead. (She makes the Suki Transformative Cleansing Clay, $44, www.suki.com). Milk-based cleansers can also effectively breakdown and remove oils without detergents, and Cor soap ($125, www.corsilver.com) a glycerin puck with anti-bacterial colloidal silver, may also have an anti-acne effect without over the drying skin.

 Some beauty companies like Sophyto Organics (Deep Pore Foaming Cleanser, $30, www.sophytoorganics.com) and Envision Beauty’s The Brightening Cleanser ($28 at www.envisionbeauty.com) have found a way to cater to consumer’s love of foam by sim-ply adding a froth-producing pump to their bottles of soap-free cleansers, which whips the ingredients as they’re dispensed.

 That said, it’s likely most of us are buying into the myth that surface dirt causes acne, when most dermatologists say the problem is actually deep within the pore—pimples are caused by a buildup of skin and oil that instead of shedding forms a plug. (Black-heads are the visible, oxidized top part of this buildup.) Look for a product with white wil-low bark, a natural form of salicylic acid, which is a gold-standard ingredient for acne, because it can penetrate pores and work like Drano on pimples. SukiSpa Bio-Active Pu-rifying Face Serum ($75) contains a high percentage of natural salicin, as well as calm-ing botanicals.

 Anti-bacterial tea tree cleansers like Desert Essence Thoroughly Clean Face Wash with Organic Tea Tree Oil ($9.99, www.drugstore.com) can also help and won’t trigger a breakout. But tea tree can’t change the behavior of the skin or prevent breakouts, which is why they’re best saved for washing after workouts and acne-spot treatments.

 Save scrubs made from ground fruit shells, pits, or nuts for the body. These jagged skin-refining bits can turn a breakout into a blowout if they scratch the pimple or worse—get lodged in an open pustule or pore. Instead try smooth, round particles like those found in REN Jojoba Microbead Purifying Facial Scrub ($35, www.spacenk.com) or twice-weekly clay-based masks like Astara Blue Flame Purification Mask ($41, www.astaraskincare.com). It provides instant gratification by evening skin tone and clear-ing blackheads, and it helps to prevent pimples in the long run.

Like washing your face and brushing your teeth, applying sunscreen should also be a daily practice. Melanoma is the second most common form of cancer for young adults 15 to 29 years old, according to The Skin Cancer Foundation. Minerals like zinc and ti-tanium dioxide can block both UVA and UVB rays (though zinc does it better), and do double-duty as anti-inflammatories, meaning they can help calm a bout of acne. Fur-thermore, mineral UV-filters are much less likely than chemical ones to cause a break-out, says Toni Maggiore, the spa director for Arrabelle at Vail Square & Lodge in Vail, Colorado. “That’s because of all the additives in drugstore sunscreens, so a great choice is something simple and natural.” Maggiore likes Arcona Reozone SPF 40 ($32, www.arcona.com), a lightly tinted mineral-based sunscreen that’s “non-greasy, whisper-light, and won’t clog pores.”

Twenty-to-Forty-Something Skin

Radiance, firmness, and smoothness are characteristic of healthy 20-something skin. But also perfectly typical are the natural processes that start to work against it: free radi-cal damage, a slower rate of cell turnover, and a weakening of the skin’s supporting pro-teins (collagen and elastin) that give skin a youthful plumpness, firmness, and elasticity.

So products and facial treatments should take a protective approach with the goal of holding onto healthy skin, says Farmaesthetics formulator and founder, Brenda Brock, while arming it with ingredients that help defend it against its detractors. “It’s the same reason we do yoga, eat well, and take good care of ourselves—we act before the dam-age is done,” says Brock.

Since the skin around the lips and eyes lack sebaceous (oil) glands, they’re often the first areas to dry, wrinkle, and show the signs of age. For lips, Brock likes beeswax balms infused with herbs like calendula, which binds moisture. “An imprint can be left around the mouth, and it’s very hard to soften these lines later,” she says. For the eyes, look for antioxidants and a multifaceted approach to treating dark circles, fine lines, and puffiness, like the Dr. Alkaitis Organic Eye Crème ($49, www.alkaitis.com), with an eye-rejuvenating complex of herbal infused oils like borage, and Pangea Organics Turkish Rose & White Tea Eye Cream ($55, www.pangeaorganics.com), which also stars bilberry to help strengthen the weak capillaries responsible for dark circles.

Jenny Ferrand, spa director of The Spa at Capella in Telluride, Colorado, notes that the 20s and 30s can also be a time when women are embroiled in a battle against acne and aging. “Sometimes a woman will get her first acne flare-up in her twenties due to hor-mones, or in her thirties due to stress. At the same time she’s starting to see sun dam-age, fine lines, and hyperpigmentation.” Ferrand likes what algae, such as fucus, lami-naria digitata, and mineral rich-red algae found in the Osea Skin Care line can do for adult combination skin. “Algae has oil-regulating properties, but it also binds moisture and plumps the skin, and it imparts important antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins,” says Ferrand.

Facial cleansing oils, long used by women in France and Japan, are great for this age group, because they do double-duty as a makeup remover and leave skin soft. Fur-thermore, face oils bind to oil on the skin, while water-based cleansers need surfactants, detergents, or emulsifiers to do this. Nude Cleansing Facial Oil ($50, www.nudeskincare.com), uses natural soy, vegetable, and olive oils, and Huiles & Baumes Cleansing & Makeup Remover Oil ($30, www.spacenk.com) contains jojoba oil, apricot oil, and black cumin oil in its washes.

Exfoliating Fruit-acid washes or peels like Susan Ciminelli Algae Deep Cleanse ($65, www.susanciminelli.com) with papaya enzymes, or Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel for Sensitive Skin ($39, www.juicebeauty.com) provide that popular it’s-working tingle while balancing combination skin. Brenda Brock likes lactic-acid exfoliants from milk, which is why she created Farmaesthetics Sweet Milk & Lavender Bud Facial Exfoliate ($25.50, www.farmaesthetics.com). The milk solids gently slough while imparting hydrating skin-friendly fats, says Brock, who recommends weekly exfoliation to keep skin clear and glowing, since the natural cell-turnover process slows down with age. 

Graceful Aging Group

Skin looks young, vital, and healthy when we fight stress, not our age, says Jenny Fer-rand of Capella Telluride, who sees good topical products and skin care treatments as a supplement to the well-rounded process of self-care. Ferrand likes vitamin C, which has a solid track record for minimizing mottled skin and smoothing wrinkles. It’s found in Pure & True Infuse Nourishing Multi-Vitamin Moisturizer ($62, shop.pureandtrue.com), as well as a handful of targeted serums, such as John Masters Organics Vitamin C Anti-Aging Face Serum ($30, www.johnmasters.com), which includes two forms of vitamin C. In addition, many antioxidant fruits, nuts, and berries are a good source of vitamin A, and may have the benefits of anti-aging retinol, the active wrinkle-smoother that’s widely used in beauty products (and whose drug counterparts are Retin-A and Renova). Even better news, the natural sources don’t have the skin-irritating side effects, says Niki Wil-son, a cosmetic chemist.

Also look for water-free serums, a secret weapon of natural skin care because they need no chemical preservatives. That’s the case with She Essential Beauty Face Serum ($60, www.sheessentialbeauty.com), created by New York City acupuncturists and Chi-nese herbalists, Beth Hooper and Laura Kauffmann. It contains rosehip oil as the base ingredient, and water can’t hold a candle to it. “We chose it because it improves skin elasticity and regenerates skin cells,” says Hooper, who also added Zhen Zhu (pearl powder) for radiance. Similarly, Fiore’s apothecary-style complexion oils and popular Fleur Vibrante treatment balm ($75, www.beautyhabit.com) have a grape-seed-oil base. These essential-fatty-acid-rich products share an important trait that makes them effec-tive—a smaller molecular weight, which helps them better absorb, says chemist Wilson.

For firm and plump skin, there are a handful of natural ingredients with promise. Skin-firming ingredients like wheat proteins can provide immediate results, and brown and red algae have studies supporting their ability to smooth wrinkles over time, says Wil-son. Hyaluronic acid, found naturally in the skin (and in a synthetic form in injectable fill-ers) is a hit, because it binds 1,000 times its weight in water, thereby plumping the skin. It’s found in the French line Suzanne aux Bains Moisturizing Day Organic Treatment ($48, www.saffronrouge.com). Peptides, amino-acid chains attached to a fatty acid, rep-resent the final frontier of skin rejuvenation because they’re designed to penetrate the skin, as in Organic Apoteke Rejuvenating Face Cream ($45, www.spiritbeautylounge.com) and have been shown to boost collagen in the Petri dish, so there’s good hope it can do it for skin.

Related posts:

1. Look Great Naturally Our beauty expert maps out a comprehensive guide to the...

1. Acerola Fruit

It’s a bit too bitter for breakfast, but acerola fruit contains one of the highest concentra-tions of vitamin C of all fruit, according to Amala Beauty founder, Ute Leube, particularly if it’s unripe. Of course, you want to get your skin in contact with vitamin C, since it’s an antioxidant that’s been proven to help prevent premature aging and melanin deposits (brown sun spots), as well as minimize signs of sun damage already done. But unlike potent forms of vitamin C that can be irritating, high-concentration fruit extracts don’t tend to take a toll on or irritate skin.

Who’s got it: Amala Beauty Rejuvenating Hand Cream ($42, www.amalabeauty.com), John Masters Organics Vitamin C Serum ($30, www.johnmasters.com), and Dr. Hauschka Re-generating Day Cream ($80, www.saffronrouge.com)

2. Apple Stem Cells

The long-living Uttwiler Spatlauber apple (malus domestica) is being tapped for its stem cells, which, according to studies published in a 2008 article of Life Extension, pre-vented sun damage, smoothed wrinkles, and even stimulated hair growth. Stem cells sound scary? Picture a carrot top or avocado pit suspended over water and growing anew. That’s what apple stem cells aim to do for skin and hair.

Who’s got it: Clark’s Botanicals Cellular Lifting Serum, ($355, www.clarksbotanticals.com), Lamas Beauty Chinese Herbs Regenerating Scalp Serum ($45, www.lamasbeauty.com) 

3. Argan Oil

Oil from the pressed nut of the Moroccan argan tree is a boon for especially dry, sun-damaged skin, since its high concentration of essential fatty acids (omega-6 and omega 9) help supplement what the skin loses with age, and imparts antioxidants like skin-nourishing vitamin E. The deeply moisturizing nut oil also helps keep skin hydrated, while the leaf extract has a humectant (water-drawing) action, which plumps wrinkles.

Who’s got it: Kahina Giving Beauty Facial Lotion ($52, www.kahina-givingbeauty.com), Ila Beyond Organic Night Cream for Rejuvenating Skin Cells ($99, www.spiritbeautylounge.com), and Aveda Green Science Line Minimizer ($85; www.aveda.com). 

4. Black Cumin Seed Oil

The seeds from this Mediterranean and Middle Eastern herb are cold-pressed for a fatty-acid-rich oil that’s used in dietary supplements and now many skin-care products. The composition of the oil—and its special adaptogenic properties, meaning it’s a stress-reducing antioxidant—make it ideal for skin that’s especially dry or dehydrated, has an impaired moisture barrier (chronic redness or flakiness), or needs a serious reju-venating boost.

Who’s Got It: Intelligent Nutrients Intellimune Oil ($45, www.saffronrouge.com), Jonathan Product Green Rootine Hair Silkening Crème ($24, www.sephora.com), Grateful Body Midnight Oil Body Oil ($21.95, www.gratefulbody.com)

5. Carrot Seed Oil

Biodynamic beauty brands like Jurlique and Dr. Haushka were some of the first to use the orange-tinted oil, loaded with vitamin A and beta carotene, but now a handful are following suit, proving the theory that if its good for your diet, it’s good for you skin. Like many oils, the most prized is cold pressed, which promotes cell renewal and helps minimize signs of sun damage, along with providing deep moisturizing benefits.

Who’s Got It: ISUN Skin Restore Nourishing Body Oil ($40, www.beautyhabit.com), Erbaviva Stretch Mark Oil ($28, www.saffronrouge.com), Carol’s Daughter Bring in the Moisture Essential Serum ($11.50, www.carolsdaughter.com)

6. Superberries and Cherries

What do acai berries (from South America), Goji berries (from China and Tibet), and cof-fee cherry from the coffee tree all have in common? Chart-topping antioxidant values and loads of vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids. Take goji, one of the world’s most nutri-ent-rich berries, says Margo Marrone, founder of The Organic Pharmacy and skin-care line, “It contains 19 skin-repairing amino acids, 21 trace minerals, essential fatty acids, vitamin E, and many unique compounds. In fact, of its 23 polysaccharides that reduce inflammation and promote cell regeneration, four aren’t found anywhere else.” And both acai and coffeeberry have ORAC scores (a measure of antioxidants in foods used by the United States Department of Agriculture), of 15,000 or more, well-exceeding prunes (5,770), the highest-ranking antioxidant food.

Who’s got it: Sumbody Supernatural Body Wash with acai and goji ($17.95, www.sumbody.com), The Organic Pharmacy Rose Plus Brightening Complex with acai and goji ($166.38, www.theorganicpharmacy.com), Priori CoffeeBerry Tightening Serum 99.2% Natural, ($75, www.prioriskincare.com)

7. Manuka Honey

Obviously companies like Burt’s Bees have made honey a beauty aid in every house-hold. But Manuka honey, a variety that hails from New Zealand, has active, medicinal qualities that make it make it a terrific topical treatment world-over. “It kills acne-causing bacteria, helps soothe skin irritations, and gently exfoliates and hydrates skin,” says the founder of Plantogen, Elda Argenti, who makes a 100 percent pure manuka mask for spa facials.

Who’s Got It: Living Nature Manuka Nourishing Hand & Body Cream ($41, www.saffronrouge.com), Pai Geranium & Thistle Organic Moisturiser for Combination and Oily Skin ($35.50, www.paiskincare.com) 

8. Probiotics

Lactobacillus, acidophilus—they’re in your yogurt, and now in your beauty products. These face-friendly bacteria do a balancing act for your skin’s flora, making them great for acne-prone skin and eczema, according to preliminary studies in the British Journal of Dermatology and the Journal of Dermatological Science. And Katerina Vassilatou, head of Research and Development at Korres, says yogurt makes an excellent cos-metic ingredient, particularly for oily, dehydrated skin thanks to its levels of lactose and proteins. This natural lactic acid helps tame the oil yet increase moisture levels.

Who’s got it: Korres Yoghurt Moisturizer ($29.50 WEBTK), Miessence Probiotic Skin Bright-ener ($54.50, www.miorganicproducts.com), Nude Advanced Eye Complex ($108, www.nudeskincare.com) 

9. Shea butter

You’ve seen it for years in the body-care section, but the super-moisturizing salve is now slipping into products for the face and hair. That’s because nut butters bolster the skin’s natural moisture barrier, nourishing cells and helping to prevent water loss. It does a similar service on frayed and frazzled strands, by restoring shine as it smoothes the hair shaft and seals in moisture. (Expect to see more nut butters, from Brazilian cu-puaçu to Californian cashew.)

Who’s got it: Biodynamic Facial Souffle Elemental Herbology ($144, www.spacenk.com), Kevin Murphy Born Again Conditioning Treatment ($25, www.amazon.com), SheaTerra Organics Rose Petal & Red Bush Shea Butter Face Cream ($25, www.sheaterraorganics.com), Revolution Organics Multitasking Beauty Balm ($28; www.revolutionorganics.com)

10. And Keep an Eye Out for Alfalfa

Organically farmed alfalfa is behind a new ingredient called VitanolBio, and was just ap-proved by Ecocert (the French organic regulatory body). It looks to have a similar effect on the skin as retinol, a top anti-aging treatment of wrinkles and collagen production, says Niki Wilson, a cosmetic chemist, who recently learned about the ingredient and predicts it will soon be scooped up for use in natural and organic skin-care products. “The science sounds really good and yet the ‘natural retinol’ likely won’t have the irrita-tion associated with the chemical version.” Nice and natural.

Related posts:

1. 8 Ingredients to Avoid While it's not always possible to use certified organic products,...
2. 8 Ingredients to Avoid   While it’s not always possible to use certified organic...
3. Perfect Gifts for the Natural Beauty Perfect stocking stuffers and gift-sets for just about everyone on...

Of course, minerals are the cornerstone of many foundations, loose powders, eye shadows, and blushes-but don’t call them “organic”. The USDA only grants that term to food-grade cosmetic ingredients, if they meet the same strict farming and processing regulations used for, say, your Whole Foods apples and peaches. Minerals aren’t farmed or food. “No one can guarantee that minerals haven’t been exposed to chemicals while they’ve been in the earth for thousands of years,” explains Kayla Fioravanti, an organic formulator and founder of von Natur and Essential Wholesale Labs. The same goes for water and seaweed.

Right now what most brands call organic makeup is really a combination of minerals and non-toxic naturals, as well as a smattering of organically grown botanicals.

THE EYES HAVE IT

Afterglow Cosmetics just debuted new, gorgeous organic lip-glosses, eyeliners, and mineral shadows, but their remarkably natural Pure Soul Mascara ($21, www.afterglowcosmetics.com) is a perennial favorite thanks to its highly interpretable ingredients: Organic fructose (made from corn), wild-crafted candelilla wax, and loads of botanicals.

Lavera is one of the best-selling beauty lines in Germany, and their natural formulations have the seal of approval from the BDIH, which strictly regulates cosmetics. A simple black Eyeliner is made with organic beeswax and palm oil and Volumizing Mascara gets a boost from organic jojoba and rose ($28.50 for both, www.lavera.com).

Kroma is the brainchild of Florida makeup-artist Lee Tillett, whose chic cosmetics in refillable packaging leave no color untapped. There are 150 rich mineral shadows ($19, www.kromamakeup.com), plus four new gorgeous shades for fall (Picasso blue is sure to be a cult favorite), so let Tillett and her team custom match you. (They nailed my shades even via e-mail.)

Warm or cool? Those are the new, natural fall-color collections from Minerologie, a popular spa makeup line, which includes two Pressed Eye Shadow palettes with three-colors made to work together (www.mineralogie.biz). Sweet almond oil in the formulation gives lids a bit of hydration, and the pigments their staying power.

With E.L.F. Mineral Eye Liners ($3, www.eyeslipsface.com), the mainstream, budget-conscious cosmetic line has defected to the natural side with twist-up, glide-on pencils containg “no parabens, chemical additives, or dyes” in recyclable packaging.

Josie Maran’s newest Mascara in brown ($22, www.josiemaran.com) is a paraben- and fragrance-free formula that contains a handful of organic ingredients like jojoba and argan oil to condition and strengthen, and beeswax to lengthen and define.

LIP SERVICE

Niche natural products are still hard to find. That’s why GloLip Filler Pencil ($18, www.gloskincare.com) is a big deal. The lip primer ingeniously smoothes the lip line, preventing lipstick bleeding and feathering by imparting key hydrators. Wheat proteins and vegetal spheres fill in creases while hyaluronic acid draws moisture and ceramides lock it in.

A lip-loving debut from the comprehensive Australian cosmetics company Nvey Eco, which is certified organic by two Down Under regulatory bodies-an Organic Lip Exfoliator ($38, www.econveybeauty.com) with finely ground cranberry seeds, and the Organic Lip Plumper ($40) with menthol and cinnamon bark.

Natural glosses, organic pencils, and demurely sized plant-based lipsticks are the forte Primitive Makeup, a line wholly dedicated to adding luster to lips. New fall standouts include Taj Mahal Natural Lipstick ($16, www.primitivemakeup.com), a gorgeous gold, and a not-a-bit sticky berry gloss called St. Lucia ($18).

Proof that UltraPure founder and makeup artist Tracy Marshall thinks like a green chemist: Her new Omega Brilliance Lip Glosses ($18.95, www.ultrapurecosmetics.com) and reformulated Lush lipsticks ($17.95) are made up of essential-fatty-acids, which help skin cells hold water and become more plump and supple. That’s a boon for lips, since they’re notoriously low on oil glands.

La Bella Donna Moisturizing Lip Sheer Baci Baci in Nude ($26.50, www.labelladonna.com) means no dry lips, and just a natural hint of color to accentuate your own, thanks to this hydrating hyaluronic acid-based clickable sheer.

Revolution Organics Freedom Gloss ($26, www.saffronrouge.com) is a “revolutionary” 100-percent natural and 85-percent certified-organic gloss that comes in five lush colors.

One of the best beauty bargains is Burt’s Bees Super Shiny Natural Lip Gloss ($7 each, www.burtsbees.com), which comes in two new shades, Juicy Peach and Sheer Lemon. Better still, the all-natural all-star glosses use castor-and-sunflower seed oil, same as pricier brands.

Sukicolor Luscious Lips Berry Cream Trio ($28, www.sukipure.com) contains lip repair butter (made from organic jojoba and sunflower oils) and two berry-shade cream stains (also made with organic sunflower seed oil, as well as fair-trade shea butter, and non-GMO vitamin E) in a small, mirrored compact with a lip brush.

ABOUT FACE

After 20 years as a traditional makeup artist (and resulting health problems), Rose-Mary Swift founded her line of chemical-free organic cosmetics. Her best-selling Living Luminizer ($38, www.rmsbeauty.com), like the rest of her elegant yet unprocessed products, hearkens a raw food philosophy-organic and natural ingredients in their purest possible form.

An easy-to-read list of ingredients is often good indication of green chemistry. The rule applies to Von Natur Liquid Foundations ($38, www.vonNatur.com), made with organic aloe and jojoba and loads of botanicals down to the organic-red-tea preservative system, also a beneficial antioxidant.

Korres Face Primer ($28, www.sephora.com) is a silicone-free complexion smoother that’s 99 percent natural, paraben-free, and a hot ticket from the popular Greek beauty line.

Don’t just call it a loose powder. Jane Iredale’s Amazing Base Mineral Foundation SPF 20 ($48, www.dermstore.com), one of the first mineral-makeup lines to launch in spas, is also a concealer, foundation, and sunscreen.

Dr. Hauschka Rouge Powder Duo in rose ($29.95, www.drhauschka.com), containing minerals and biodynamic botanicals from this natural beauty stalwart, is easy to customize to your complexion-think summer to fall or day-to-night.

Organic Glam Liquid Shimmer Highlighter ($37, www.theorganicpharmacy.com)-An instant cheekbones, brow bone, all-around illuminator from Organic Pharmacy’s glamorous department.

BareEscentuals’ instructive “swirl, tap, buff” has become a dressing-table mantra for makeup-wearing women. New recruits can now sample the bestselling five mineral-formulation, BareMinerals SPF 15 Foundation, in the Newbie Complexion Kit ($18, www.sephora.com).

A Brush With Greatness

Depending on which eco-camp you belong to, Urban Decay Good Karma brushes ($15 to $36, www.urbandecay.com) use Taklon, a man-made fiber, as does EcoTools, a company that offers a five-piece Bamboo Brush Set ($14.99, www.ulta.com) featuring sustainable-wood handles. Instead of synthetic fibers, Josie Maran uses shaved animal hair for her set of five bamboo-wood brushes ($65, www.josiemaran.com) that come in a sweet woven silk-and-hemp makeup bag.-M.G.

 The Cleaners

Physician’s Formula Organic Wear Makeup Remover Towelettes ($9.95 for 25 towelettes, www.physiciansformula.com) do the job with organic orange water, aloe vera, and lavender essential oil for a natural approach and scent. To gently remove eye-makeup, new single-use swabs Jane Iredale Dot the I ($22 for 50, dermstore.com) are pre-dipped in all-natural lavender flower water, aloe, algae extract, and oat kernel extract. Maxim Organic Cotton Rounds (www.maximhy.com, $2.49 for 80) get two gold stars: The cotton is organic and instead of chlorine bleach, the company uses whitening hydrogen peroxide.-M.G.

Nailing the Look

Three chemical-free formulations abound now, which mean you can find captivating colors without formaldehyde, toluene, and dibutyl phthalate (DBP). Here are some of our favorites:

Forbidden, SpaRitual’s new fall collection of six shades includes Regal, a creamy plum, to a pale smoky gray Mystic-colors made without the use of insect-derived carmine. ($10, www.sparitual.com).

Dr. Remedy’s Enriched Nail Polish ($16, www.remedynails.com) distinguishes itself not on the basis of its colors (its small selection represents polish’s greatest hits, and nothing more) but on the basis of its natural nail strengtheners and anti-fungal, like wheat proteins, tea tree oil, and garlic bulb extract used in the formulation.

Kim D’Amato’s Priti Polish line has been prettifying New Yorkers since 2005 with her organic polishes. Now the line’s available nationally ($12.50, www.pritinyc.com) with nearly 100 colors named for plants and flowers and a Princess line for children. Look for three new matte colors this winter.

Big news from CND is the spa-brand’s finger-tip-to-toe re-launch of the entire polish collection-a whopping 66 new creme colors (www.cnd.com) meant to be customized with 15 effects-pearls, shimmers, and sparkles that you layer. And new ergonmic handles mean you can twist bottles open with one hand.

Consider Nailtural behavior modification for your nails: The solution-oriented products like Nail Protein Strengthener ($14, www.nailtural.com) and Never Ever Nibble ($12) contain botanical extracts that make your nails look great even without color.

A NATURAL BEAUTY

Lauren Hutton is a great beauty, as well as the brains behind her own “age-friendly” beauty product range, which just launched its first natural makeup palette. The new Naturals Face Disc ($70, www.vertla.com) is a wholesome spin-off of her best-selling compact, and comes with 11 pots of makeup-everything you’ll need minus the mascara. The 95-percent natural ingredients include an anti-aging cocktail of grapeseed and avocado oils, green tea, and vitamins A, E, and C, because “makeup should be not only help us look better, but be good for our skin,” says Hutton, who took out fillers and ingredients that cause the makeup to settle into wrinkles or contribute to dryness. Why the change of heart? “It’s obviously important to use organic ingredients. Chemical water, chemical air, chemical food, and chemical trends since the industrial age have not been proven like nature has.”-M.G.

Related posts:

1. My Green Life: At Work with Kjaer Weis This nanny turned freelance makeup artist, creates one of the...

Frizzy, Flyaway Hair

The winter chill remedy » To keep locks smooth under winter caps and frizz-free, warm a few drops of a natural hair treatment cream or oil in your hands and run them over dry hair. (Wait two minutes before putting on a winter cap.)

What the pros know » Fabian Lliguin, creator of Amazon Beauty Rahua Finishing Treatment ($45, www.amazonbeautysecret.com) loves the hydrating help offered by rahua nut oil, which hails from the Eucadorian rainforest. The nut oil’s small molecules can penetrate the hair shaft—homemade fruit masks can’t—fortifying it, while its nourishing properties also help fight a flaky, tight scalp. Lliguin recommends washing and conditioning your hair at night, and letting it air dry, so you lessen the damage to hair caused by blow-drying. To calm frizz, John Masters Organics Dry Hair Nourishment & Defrizzer ($15.95, www.saffronrouge.com; see sidebar for a special reader discount), uses USDA-certified plant oils. The whole bottle can be used as a hot oil treatment, when heated in a mug of hot water, or a few drops act as a leave-in hair tamer.

What to stay away from » Sodium laureth sulfate (SLS), an ingredient found in traditional shampoo, can strip the scalp and hair of natural oils, creating a dry, flaky scalp. Another no-no: Use cool water to wash and rinse hair, which seals the hair shaft. (Bloated hair is frizzy, puffy hair.)

Dry, Tight Cheeks

The winter chill remedy » Nothing protects the skin against freezing temperatures and indoor heating like complexion oil, says Ole Henriksen, the Dane behind the Los Angeles spa and beauty line. Henriksen recommends blending a half-ounce of avocado oil with 10 drops each of lavender essential oil and rose hips seed oil. (Store the mixture in a small glass bottle or jar, in the fridge.) 

What the pros know » Don’t be afraid that face oils will clog the pores, says Henriksen. “A few drops perform hydrating magic when applied in the morning just prior to your day cream. Natural fats help the skin hold onto it own moisture and prevent capillary breakage while comforting the skin.”

What to stay away from » Harsh face cleansers that make skin feel dry and tight. Opt for a mild cream-based cleanser, like Elemental Herbology Purify and Soothe Cleansing Balm. “During winter it’s essential that we use nurturing, gentle cleansing products with essential fatty acids, which help to support the skin’s barrier function, rather than degrade it,” says Elemental Herbology founder, Kristy Goodger.

Skin That Dries Out

The winter chill remedy » Apply a few tablespoons of a simple nourishing oil to your legs, stomach, and arms before getting in the tub or shower (just avoid coating the bottom of your feet!) or just after. Oils like coconut, sweet almond, olive, and macadamia are the most nourishing, sink in quickly, and are generally inexpensive.

What the pros recommend » “I typically give myself a quick massage with oil before getting into the shower, says Shel Pink, founder of SpaRitual Organic Oils. “I warm the bottle in the sink filled with hot water to warm it up, then apply it with long, quick strokes. This stimulates circulation and moisturizes. After the shower, I use a combination of oil and lotion together for maximum hydration.” You might find that layering oils with lotion helps your skin better seal in moisture. Lisa James, founder of the beauty retail website B-glowing.com, is such a fan of super-hydrating Adara Organic coconut oils, she imports them. “Plus coconut oil exfoliates dry skin naturally with lauric acid and firms with vitamin E,” she says. “It’s truly a workhorse ingredient, and good everywhere.”

What to stay away from » Mineral oils sit on top of the skin and don’t get to deeper levels, says Kathy Phillips, founder of This Works, who favors evening primrose and rosehip oils with healing frankincense and lavender. “Not only do good oils have healing properties, the high quality essential oils we use are truly therapeutic, as well.”

Itchy, Red Skin

The winter chill remedy » Apply an oat-milk poultice, using this method from Barbara Close, founder of Naturopathica Holistic Health. (It’s a tidier approach to filling the tub with oats.)

What the pros know » To make the poultice, take 1/2 cup of oats and place them in a washcloth. Tie the ends of the washcloth with a rubber band and fill the sink with warm (not hot) water. Immerse the washcloth in the water and squeeze several times until the water turns milky. Splash this water onto clean skin, then apply the oat compress to moist skin, moving in small circles over face and body to gently exfoliate. “Oats contain beta glucan, which calm inflammation and itchiness associated with dry, devitalized skin in winter,” says Close, a trained herbalist and naturopath.

What to stay away from » Scrubbing with, or soaking in sea salts. Since salts draw out impurities, they can be quite drying and may inflame an itchy bout of eczema-like symptoms. You might want to save them for summer.

Dry, Cracked Hands

The winter chill remedy » Kim D’Amato, founder of Priti NYC, a line of eco-friendly nail polishes recommends this simple scrub to remove dryness, flakiness, and soothe chapped hands. In a small bowl, combine sugar and olive oil, then apply to your hands using circular movements. Towel off the excess, then wash hands with a creamy cleanser (it should bond to the excess olive oil without stripping away the benefits of it), and apply a repairing hand moisturizer.

What the pros know » Wearing gloves and moisturizing may seem obvious, but even a dip of 20 degrees can cause hands to dry out. For cracked, splitting cuticles, Kim D’Amato recommends you use your favorite organic lip balm “to rub around the edges to prevent them from getting too dry” since it’s something most of us have in our bag or pocket. “Or, at home, while watching a movie, soak your hands in a bowl of warm olive oil to re-moisturize,” she says. Follow up with a healing cream like Elemental Herbology Wind and Cold Therapy ($30, www.spacenk.com), created by Kristy Goodger, whose beauty line reflects the seasons. “It’s rich in calming calendula and buriti, argan, and macadamia oils, ingredients that contain nourishing essential fatty acids.”

What to stay away from » Hand sanitizers like Purell might kill germs, but they also kill moisture and your skin’s natural pH. Try one with anti-bacterial tea tree oil or lavender in a non-drying or cream base, like Green Tea Goods Natural Hand Refresher or EO Hand Sanitizing Gel.

Chapped Lips

The winter chill remedy » Gently brush chapped, flaky lips with a damp toothbrush, applying gentle pressure. Then apply a yogurt or sour cream “mask” to lips. Wash it off after five minutes with warm water, then apply a few drops of flax seed oil or poke open a vitamin E capsule with a safety pin.

What the pros know » Heather Halpern, product and ingredient specialist for Kiss My Face, says almost any of the ingredients in Kiss My Face lip products would moisturize lips in a pinch. The shea butter, cocoa butter, and jojoba oil in SOS Sheer Organic Shines, for example. “Canola or sunflower oil, which you probably have at home, also help seal in moisture.”

What to stay away from » Petrochemical-based balms, which can block the pores of the skin around the lips, says REN cofounder Antony Buck, who makes petroleum-free Mayday Mayday Rescue Balm. “The irony is that so many lip-balm users have sore skin around their lips without understanding it’s the petroleum balm that’s causing it!” Stimulating ingredients like peppermint are common in lip balms but they may irritate sensitive lips. Look for a plain beeswax or vitamin E balm instead.

Balms Away!

For centuries, the simple balm has served medicinal and beautifying purposes, without requiring much formulation wizardry or preservatives. That’s a good thing, as they’re now having a comeback as a recession-friendly beauty item. Mostly because they’re exceptional multi-taskers,  capable of soothing chapped lips, taming fly-away hair, and nourishing  dry hands, elbows, and heels in a single bound, confirms Liz Earle, founder of Liz Earle beauty. These are the balms that blew us away.

Deep Steep Organic Moisture Stick ($5, www.futurenatural.com), with organic coconut oil and infusion of organic or wild-crafted herbs,  is a lip balm, cuticle fixer, and more.

Green Tea Goods Herbal Body Balm ($6.95, www.greenteagoods.com)  contains Chinese Herbs like jin yin hua (honeysuckle) and gan cao (licorice),  and is even gentle enough for chapped Kleenex-weary noses, says founder Barney Stacher.

In Fiore Body Balm ($80, www.infiore.net) uses grapeseed oil,  wild-crafted herbs, and traditional apothecary-style methods for each  of its six gorgeously scented balms.

Josie Maran Argan Moisturizing Stick ($22, www.sephora.com)  is multi-purpose argan oil-based balm that soothes even fiery chapped lips and dryness around the eyes.

Liz Earle Superbalm ($26, us.lizearle.com) with shea butter, beeswax, and echinacea has been a natural bestseller in the UK since 1999.

Revolution Organics All-Over Body Balm ($27.95,  www.saffronrouge.com) is USDA-certified and claims to have more  than 22 uses from your nose to your toes.

Organic Essence Lavender Organic Shea Cream ($24.99,  www.orgess.com) has the consistency of a balm and uses fair-trade  shea butter that’s ideal for winter-proofing hands and nourishing itchy skin. It comes in organic grapefruit, lemongrass, vanilla orange, and  lavender, a scent that’s great to slather on just before bed.

No related posts.

Priori CoffeeBerry Yoga Facial

Hotel Valley Ho | Scottsdale, AZ

This new, all-natural facial beats out the four others offered at Valley Ho, says spa director Brad Garrett. What’s wooing spa-goers besides the charming yet economical treatment description, which is written, like the entire spa menu, in haiku? (We’re not kidding: Antioxidants/facial pressure point release/youthful and relaxed.) The combination of highly effective coffeeberry—it’s a powerful antioxidant from the coffee plant that helps brighten sun-damaged skin and protect against future premature signs of aging—and the de-stressing yoga-style stretches and massage given throughout the treatment. Like in many skin-care services, here the facialist massages around the cheeks, temples, and jaw to firm and tone. But the shoulder and leg massage and energizing and stretches that follow transform this treatment into something more physically restorative (like a spa ritual for the price of a facial). The treatment has a high-tech touch, too. A Clarisonic Brush provides a deep clean and a new gadget called the OPAL Sonic Infuser painlessly drives the Priori products deeper into the skin, boosting results. Because the facial hits two of the main reasons people visit spas—results and relaxation—it’s a spa treatment home run. 60 minutes, $125, www.hotelvalleyho.com

Customized Organic Facial

Mandarin Oriental Spa | New York City

The Mandarin Oriental is the Metropolitan Opera of New York City spas: grand, seductive, and engineered for amazing experiences. So it’s the perfect venue for the debut of this facial that features eco-luxe favorite Amala Beauty. Amala sources its plants from organic farms around the world for its three skin-type–based collections: a clarifying blue lotus range and a cocoa bean-based rejuvenating line to one based on skin-nourishing jasmine. So after analyzing your skin, the facialist culls from these to tailor-make the facial treatment the spa-goer, explains spa director Denise Vitiello, who was wowed by the purity and potency of the line created by German aromatherapist Ute Leube. Vitiello attributes Amala’s integrity and results to its whole plant ingredients and concentrated seed oils, “which help soften skin texture, even out tone, and restore a natural glow.” (I fell particularly hard for the exfoliating scrub that used lychee-seed granules, an ingredient first for me.) “It’s a myth that organic products can’t yield results and that you have to be disrespectful to your body to get them,” Vitiello says. And as if to prove her theory right, not only did the products balance my combination skin, the effects of the firming lymphatic drainage facial massage, which de-puffed and widened my eyes, lasted for almost a week. All the better to see and be seen. 50 minutes $215/$225, 80 minutes $305/$320, www.mandarinoriental.com

Lab of Flowers Protect Facial

Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte | North Carolina

Artisanal apothecary-style beauty lines made with pure essential oils (and very little else) are reemerging as a niche and natural beauty genre. And this new spa, in the country’s first LEED-certified Ritz-Carlton hotel, is using them to great effect in the Protect Facial. Working with Lab of Flowers, an under-the-radar line of cleansers, toners, and serums created by master aromatherapist Michael Scholes, the new facial is meant to cleanse deeply without stripping the skin’s acid mantle and prompt anti-aging results without causing inflammation—the skin-care speeding ticket for spa treatments that provide immediate results, suggests Ritz-Carlton Charlotte’s lead facialist Tricia Compton. She’s a fan of Eminence Organic fruit-enzyme peels when they’re warranted. “But the point is that regular and consistent use of natural products works, too,” says lead facialist Tricia Compton. Call it a Buddhist approach to skin care. Also helping our state of Zen? “The skin-healing oils that have anti-stress properties, like chamomile and lavender,” says Compton, who confirms many spa guests nod off during facials. (Not just me.) That might also be due to the relaxing Hungarian lifting massage used around the eyes, lips, and jawline. (Look for a quarter-inch lift in the mirror.) A surprise: the creamy antioxidant mature-skin mask that contains rose and ylang ylang oils and aloe to lock in moisture may disappear into thirsty skin. “Our grandmothers were smart about using natural and simple hydrators like rose,” says Compton. What’s old is new again, and for good reason. 50 minutes, $110, 80 minutes, $160, www.ritzcarlton.com

Red Flower Nature Surge of Radiance Antioxidizing Facial

The Spa at the Carneros Inn | Napa, CA

You wouldn’t think it, but a generally inhospitable environment with frigid temperatures and a short-growing season makes a great garden for skin-care ingredients. That’s because the antioxidants are more potent in self-protective plants, says Yael Akalay, founder of Red Flower, which just launched its first facial and skin-care line called Nature. Inspired by Finland’s landscape and well-being practices (regular sauna anyone?), the six-step service feels like a languorous Abercrombie & Kent tour through Lapland. Starting with an herbaceous cleanser, the facial winds through a sea-plant and mushroom masque, a white-peat exfoliant, an ionizing floral mist, and facial acupressure that’s meant to be re-created in the shower at home to “relax facial tension and build radiance from within,” says Alkalay. (The Nature products each come with a how-to accupoint map.) The facial culminates in layers of fresh berry oil made from cold-pressed arctic berry, raspberry, lingonberry, cranberry, and a cloud milk cream that delivers an infusion of hydration. “Women buy organic products for their house and their body but are still convinced that scientific ingredients will be the thing that transform the face,” says Alkalay. “There’s no better chemist than nature. I wanted them to feel comfortable and confident using a natural line.” 75 minutes, $185, www.thecarnerosinn.com

Art for Art’s Sake

The Grand Del Mar | San Diego

The Art for Art’s Sake facial is an ode to the Renaissance philosophy of rebirth, the purity of nature, and the transcendence of beauty. It’s a lofty goal, even for the accomplished spa consultant Anne Bramham (she created the magnificent menus at the Montage and Ferragamo spas). Meant to provide an “entire spa experience through a facial,” it’s really a skin-care experience with an extensive massage portion and a divine outcome. (Almost literally.) It begins simply enough: My thorough facialist took a few minutes to discuss my skin and wax my brows (why don’t more spas outside Europe do this?). But not long after cleansing, toning, and gentle extractions, I started to get the feeling that I’ve had during great bodywork—that something had opened and changed. My facialist worked nonstop yet soulfully massaging my arms, feet, shoulders, and scalp for about 20 minutes, while the Purifying Mineral Mask managed my T-zone and the Maritime Mask hydrated my cheeks. Odd as it sounds, the handmade, organic skin-care line designed for the spa might also have something to do with the X-factor feeling of this facial. I couldn’t get enough of the products. (I’m still using them at home.) As Bramham explains it, “life-enhancing aromatics and botanicals nourish not only the physical body, but the emotional body, as well.” So I guess its fair to say they worked on me. I’ve had energy-work facials that go more than skin deep before, but this might be the first facial that actually took me higher. 90 minutes, $270, www.thegranddelmar.com

Related posts:

1. An At-Home Aromatic Facial Michael Scholes, aromatic consultant and president of Laboratory of Flowers,...

To improve the overall health of the skin, add essential oils to a body brush or mitt and brush the entire body upward, towards the heart.

A Body Brushing Recipe

• 1 drop of ginger

• 4 drops of petigrain

• 5 drops of rosewood

After skin brushing, add a small amount of lavender floral water to a dry green clay mask of your choosing for one application (recipe follows).

A Facial Mask Recipe

• 1/2 ounce of green clay mask of your choosing

• lavender floral water to mix

• 1 drop lime

• 1 drop lemon

• 1 drop grapefruit

• 2 drops rosemary

• 1 drop peppermint

Allow this to set for 10 to 15 minutes before rinsing off.

No related posts.

You have free reign: Use the appropriate mask as situations present themselves.

Dr. Hauschka Rejuvenating Mask

Its star ingredient, quince seed extract, has soothing and anti-inflammatory properties. $52.95, www.drhauschka.com

Éminence Mandarin & Rooibos Masque

This mask is rich in skin-calming zinc, making it the perfect mask for whenever you’re under the weather—literally or figuratively. $52, www.eminenceorganics.com

Pangea Organics Facial Mask

This all-in-one mask is rich with Japanese matcha tea to prevent free radical damage and organic goji berry, which is a good source of beta-carotene. $35, www.pangeaorganics.com

G.M. Collin Bio Organique Energizing Mask

Barbados cherry and apricot aren’t only good topped on ice cream, they’re also fantastic ingredients to put in your skin, thanks to their high antioxidant content. Ecocert-certified. $52, www.gmcollin.com

Oily

Clay- and mud-based masks absorb excess oil and sebum, as well as reduce the appearance of break-outs.

WEI East China Clay Herbal Purifying Mask

The finely milled china clay draws out impurities, while black sesame brings back moisture. $30, www.weieast.com

Jurlique Purifying Mask

Ten minutes is all you need to get a re-balanced, refreshed skin. $45, www.jurlique.com

Image Skincare Clear Cell Medicated Acne Masque

The sulphur and peppermint-leaf extract in this salicylic acid-based mask work wonders. Price upon request, www.imageskincare.com

von Natur Chaotic Facial Powder Masque

Try mixing this powder with yogurt instead of water to help heal pimples. The lactic acid and enzymes will prevent your skin from getting irritated. $53, www.vonnatur.com

Dry

Reach for a moisturizing mask to quench your parched skin.

Juice Beauty Green Apple Hydration Mask

Organic apple juice has age-defying peptides and vitamin C boosts your skin’s resilience to the elements. $35, www.juicebeauty.com

Juara Avocado Banana Moisture Mask

Balinese beautifying botanicals without the plane ticket. That’s the essence of this cooling avocado butter and banana puree mask, which has a clean, not fruity scent. It’s great for skin exposed to travel, heat, or sun. In other words, Bali. $37, www.juaraskincare.com

Arcona Wine Hydrating Mask

How about a toast to this antioxidant trifecta of grape seed extracts, wine extracts, and resveratrol? It uses borage oil, shea butter, and moisture-drawing hyaluronic acid to help replenish dry, depleted skin and soften fine lines. Salute! $38, www.arcona.com

Skin2Skin Anti-Aging Mask

Give your skin a decidedly intense burst of moisture with white tea, and vitamins C and E. $46, www.skin2skincare.com

Dull

Masks that have exfoliating ingredients, such as fruit acids, remove the superficial layer of skin and reveal the younger, fresher-looking one underneath it.

Elemis Herbal Lavender Repair Mask

Contains rosemary, thyme, and lavender essential oils to brighten and lift sullen skin. $44, www.timetospa.com

Natural Magic Royal Pearl Facial Mask

Chinese royalty have been using pearl powder for its ability to lighten and soothe the skin. $35, www.nmecoherbal.com

Korres Wild Rose Instant Brightening & Illuminating Vitamin C Mask

Ever-popular wild rose oil is a skin healer, refiner, and brightener thanks to its fantastic molecular makeup (loads of fatty acids and vitamin C). It gets an assist here from Waltheria indica, a plant that slows sun-spot formation. $29, www.korresusa.com

Aveda Enbrightenment Brightening Intensive Massage Masque

If luminosity is the beacon of healthy-looking skin, Aveda’s herbal blend of scutellaria and mulberry root (plus a squadron of skin-tone smoothers such as glucosamine, brown algae, and vitamin C), help steer skin toward it. $45, www.aveda.com

No related posts.

To make natural fragrances, perfumers use distillations from flowers and plants, such as essential oils (or essences as they’re called in perfume) as well as CO2 extracts, a method that’s preferred for its richness of scent. That’s a closer practice to pre-Industrial Revolution methods of steeping flowers to extract scent, and it’s gaining momentum now.

Chemical fragrance can trigger allergies and asthma attacks, and have been deemed potential skin irritants and carcinogens. As a result, a new school of perfume purists shuns synthetics altogether—both as the basis of fragrance, as well as additives like petrochemicals, phthalates, and acetone. While these ingredients have been taken out of most skin-care products, they still play a role in most fragrances.

The scent-extraction method of the plants is just as important, says Amanda Walker, founder of A Perfume Organics. “Is it still an all-natural perfume if hexane, a petrochemical solvent, is used?” she asks, leaving no doubt as to the answer. “Pure ingredients and pure extraction methods give perfume a totally different, superior scent experience,” says Walker.

Often the price reflects this. In addition to the high price tag of organic botanical essences, 15 percent of Walker’s profits fund her USDA certifying body, Oregon Tilth. It’s worth it for Walker and other perfumers like Olivia Giacobetti and Red Flower founder Yael Akalay, who prefer to put money into great natural materials rather than marketing campaigns. It’s the ultimate luxury to have something that’s not sold in every mall or sniffed in every elevator, these perfumers say. For them, nature is a far superior scent source than the chemistry lab.

Eau de Parfum

Alexandra Balahoutis, whose Los Angeles-based Strange Invisible Perfume line is a cult favorite, has just launched her first eau de parfum for men, called Peloponnesian (1.7 oz. for $160, www.siperfumes.com), a “simply incredibly sexy scent” of citrus, sage, and a mist of sea air. Like all of Balahoutis’s synthetics-free fragrances, this one is distilled in organic grapeseed alcohol, a natural alternative to chemical solvents.

Amanda Walker worked for formidable fragrance brands like Avon and Victoria Secret before defecting to the world of organic bespoke beauty. In February, she launched her own USDA-certified line, called A Perfume Organics. The perfumes, like Green (a woodsy rose, ylang-ylang, and black truffle) and Urban Organic (wet ginger, basil, and smoky vetiver; each 0.40 fl. oz. for $65, www.aperfumeorganic.com), are handmade and rigorously pure. (Walker investigates her suppliers personally.) The roller-ball applicator (sold in a box you can plant that’s made of recycled consumer waste and flower seeds) means you can reapply them easily anywhere.

Red Flower fragrances contain a trinity of certified organic and wild-crafted flower, leaf, and bark distillations, a formulation that founder Yael Akalay calls “living scent.” Although naturals haven’t been endorsed by the perfume world, Red Flower Guaiac (0.5 fl. oz. concentrate for $186 or 0.34 fl. oz. travel roll-on $48, www.redflower.com) was the first non-synthetic perfume to win four stars from Chandler Burr, the New York Times perfume critic, who described it as the “sweet sunlight filled citric burst you get from gashing the peel of an exquisitely fresh orange with your thumbnail mixed with warm hay.”

The popularity of Tsi-La Organics, created by fashion and beauty industry friends Annie Morton and Natalie Szapowalo, is due to its “organic-as-possible” ingredients (nearly 90 percent), its mini layering perfume oils like Fiori d’Arancio (a flirty, juicy citrus) and Fleur Sauvage (a deep floral; each 4 ml for $38, www.spiritbeautylounge.com), and its sweet dressing-table-worthy bottles.

Serious sex appeal without the synthetics. That’s the raison d’etre of LAVANILA Laboratories’s Vanilla Passion Fruit (1.7 fl. oz. for $58, www.sephora.com), a “healthy fragrance,” which uses an alluring aphrodisiac blend of blue lotus, juniper berry, and clary sage oils instead of the come-on of chemicals. Also attractive is its marine-derived method of bonding the scent to your skin.

Olivia Giacobetti used her famous French nose to compose fragrances for Guerlain and Diptyque before she turned it up to making products that “could trigger asthma attacks.” Now, as the formulator of Honoré des Prés, a “truly organic and terribly French line,” her chic synthetic-free creations like Chapman’s Party (3.38 fl. oz. for $145, www.spiritbeautylounge.com), a peppery vetiver, command top dollar.

Other notable natural perfume lines to look for: Le Labo, Melange Perfume, Tallulah Jane, and Korres.

Room and Body-Care Mists

Safe for the air and for the skin. That’s the ethos behind the new niche of natural fragrance mists. Unlike synthetic reed diffusers, room sprays, and plug-ins, these versatile products can help refresh scent-challenged spaces, whether that’s your yoga studio or you, without adding cloying chemicals.

Intelligent Nutrients Certified Organic Air Nutrition Orange Superselect (1.7 fl. oz. for $30, www.intelligentnutrients.com), which contains just four ingredients, all USDA-certified organic, works like a purifying pick-me-up. The antiseptic properties come from food-grade orange flower oil, furthering founder Horst Rechelbacher’s tough-to-meet standard of delivering health through cosmetics.

Geranium essential oils in Spa Ritual Close Your Eyes Calming Fragrance Mist (7.7 fl. oz. for about $29, see www.sparitual.com for spas) have an aromatherapeutic de-stressing effect. Also calming is the label’s transparency, which reveals a 70 percent organic formulation. And while traditional brands may hide 100-plus chemicals and preservatives along with their proprietary secrets in the word “fragrance,” Spa Ritual identifies the exact ingredients used. The amounts are still a secret, of course.

Solid Perfume

The boon of fragrance balms is the go-anywhere packaging and the significantly lower price point. It’s due to the smaller amount of plant and flower ingredients required in the formulation. Parfums Solides by In Fiore are handmade in an old-world apothecary style by Julie Elliot, who sources her top quality wild-crafted, biodynamic, and organic ingredients like Tunisian neroli for Fleurs Blanches (0.25 oz. for $65, www.infiore.net) far and wide. Her ingredient labels are as transparent as her locket-style packaging is gorgeous.

Nostalgia Organics started out as an indie Esty.com brand, and it’s since grown a following, particularly for its Aroma Balms like Ruffles (0.33 oz. for $10, www.spiritbeautylounge.com), a stress-fighting blend of bergamot, blood orange, and rose geranium that’s packaged in a tiny tin and is actually meant to unruffle your feathers.

Related posts:

1. Top Ten Natural and Organic Facials Ananda Facial  60 minutes, $180 Where to book: Four Seasons...
2. Perfect Gifts for the Natural Beauty Perfect stocking stuffers and gift-sets for just about everyone on...

is a mineral-based sunscreen for face and body. A built-in sponge dispenser means your hands stay clean, and the mirror on the cap makes easy to check your application. Sunscreen: Titanium dioxide.

Priori CoffeeBerry Natureceuticals Natural Daily Protection SPF 25 ($80, www.PrioriSkincare.com)

is a sheer, lightweight sunscreen that acts like skin care. Antioxidant coffeeberry extract brightens skin and protects against free-radical damage and premature aging. Suncreen: Titanium dioxide

Coola Face SPF 30 Cucumber Mineral Matte Sunblock ($36, Coola Organic Sunscreen)

contains organic extracts from algae to rosehips, silicones for an elegant cosmetic feel, and mattifying silica, making it a good choice for shiny skin. Sunscreen: Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. 

Marie Veronique Organics Moisturizing Face Screen SPF 30 ($45, www.mvorganics.com),

an apothecary-style product, has an impressively short and clean ingredient list in a base of green tea. It’s a boutique brand hit that really shows up the bigger guys. Sunscreen: Zinc oxide

Lavera Sun 15 Anti-Aging Sun Milk ($26, www.lavera.com)

contains a bushel of organic plant extracts and oils, aloe, and hyaluronic acid, which lock in moisture. Micronized zinc is coated in steric acid, a chemistry trick for keeping it from going airborne. It gives skin a warm, soft glow—and almond oil gives it a sweet scent. Sunscreen: Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.

Skyn Iceland the Antidote SPF 18 Mineral Sunscreen ($55, www.skyniceland.com)

is made for people who like sunscreen to feel more like moisturizer. This one intended for the face, contains a stress-reducing complex of fatty-acid oils and glacial water and has the Skyn signature herbal scent. Sunscreen: Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide

Badger Unscented Sunscreen for Face and Body SPF 30 ($16, www.badgerbalm.com)

is free of bells, whistles, and potential toxins, according to the Environmental Working Group, which gave it a rating of 1, the best possible score. The formulation is largely organic, including olive oil, shea butter, and, surprise, sea buckthorn oil. Sunscreen: Zinc oxide

Josie Maran Protect Daily Sun Protection Argan Oil Infused SPF 40+ ($32, www.josiemarancosmetics.com),

uses a dash of the natural makeup-artist’s signature argan oil for a sunscreen that has skin-care benefits and silicones for a refined texture of a high-quality makeup primer. Sunscreen: Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide

Lavanila: The Healthy Sunscreen SPF 40 for Face ($28, www.lavanila.com)

is part of the new multi-tasking generation of chemical-free sunscreens that contain youth-preserving antioxidants (green tea) and nurturing shea butter in a sunscreen. Sunscreen: Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide

Desert Essentials Age Reversal SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen ($15.99, www.desertessence.com)

grapeseed and pomegranate extracts and green tea are the basis of this affordable sunscreen that has a bit of department store glamour in texture (it’s the silicone) and scent (it’s the antioxidant fruit). Sunscreen: Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.

Supergoop Quick Stick with Vitamin C SPF 30 ($9, www.supergoop.com)

looks like giant lip balm, so it keeps hands dry for quick touch-ups on your face or body, like underneath bathing suit straps. The light orange oil scent is as refreshing as the straight-forward ingredients. Sunscreen: Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide

Pratima Neem Vetiver Body Sunscreen SPF 30 ($26, www.pratimaspa.com),

the New York City-based Ayurvedic doctor, esthetician, and product formulator has created a gorgeous, silky sun-protection product. It’s packaged in an airless metal pump, and contains organic neem, licorice, and a handful of skin-benefiting herbs. Sunscreen: Zinc oxide

Kitted Out

Eminence Organics gives special emphasis to keeping skin hydrated with the five super sample-size skin-care products included in this kit. It’s meant to supply everything you and your travel bag might need for a weekend at the beach: Tropical Vanilla Sun Cream SPF 32; Tropical Vanilla Body SPF 32; Aloe Mint Hydrating Cream Gel for Face; Aloe Mint Hydrating Cream Gel for Body; and Hibiscus Calendula Recovery Masque. Eminence Organics Sun Care Starter Kit, $52, www.eminenceorganics.com

Related posts:

1. The Safest Sunscreens Tips on screening sunscreen- how to choose a UV protector...

Forget about sulfates and surfactants that foam or strip the skin. A clean feeling comes from a clean formulation. These facial cleansers add to your skin’s health and clarity.

Teens: A soap-free cleanser made for skin that’s oily or prone to pimples, Elemental Herbology Cool and Clear ($44, www.spacenk.com) uses olive oil, tea tree, lavender, and other homeopathic ingredients to clean, clear, and calm moody skin. Instead of tightening the pores (a common instinct), this cleanser keeps them open and free-flowing. All the better to not further clog them.

20 to 30s: The combination-skin years can often benefit from multi-faceted cleansers that do more than one duty. John Masters Bearberry Oily Skin Balancing Face Wash ($22, www.johnmasters.com) with willow bark extract and exfoliating AHAs from sugar might be all you need to get skin in order: bearberry is both a pimple fighter and natural skin brightener, so it should improve radiance while diminishing excess shine and occasional flare-ups.

40-Plus: Red Flower Nature Lymphatic Phytopower Sea Cleanser and Masque ($38, www.redflower.com) is a holistic homerun: It’s actively exfoliating thanks to organic mushrooms, white peat, and algae extracts and palpably nourishing. When used in the shower as a mask with a few facial acupressure steps, it’s a four-minute facial.

MOISTURIZERS

Water-based moisturizers are on their way out, since they require preservative systems and chemical stabilizers to keep them from separating with oils and other ingredients. These natural moisturizers have healthy ways of keeping skin hydrated.

Teens: One of the biggest beauty myths? The idea that oil-free products are better for skin that breaks out. It’s just not the case when whole plant oils are used, like in Amala Purifying Gel Moisturizer ($68, www.amalabeauty.com). Oil balances oil, which is the job of jojoba and organic tea-tree. Rice germ absorbs shine, and willow bark helps keep pores clear. As a skin-friendly form of hydration, oils can also help tame redness and irritation due to acne.

20 to 30s: Light yet nourishing. That’s the ideal combination for skin that needs protective and supportive ingredients like antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. That’s why She Essential Beauty Night Serum ($60, www.sheessentialbeauty.com) contains green tea, frankincense, and a blend of nourishing evening primrose, carrot root, and rosehip oils. It works at night while your skin is in repair mode.

40-Plus: Your moisturizers should perform a one-two punch of preventing and correcting. To that end, Malie Anti-Aging Firming Elasticity Cream ($56, www.malie.com), which is 70 percent organic, taps the ripe fruit of the coffee plant, grown on Kona, for its powerful antioxidants. These help defend the skin against free-radical damage to skin proteins collagen and elastin, and can provide a firming, smoothing, and brightening effect.

SCRUBS & EXFOLIATORS

Exfoliating is a secret skin-care weapon when used weekly. The rate at which skin cells naturally slough slows with age—and some experts attribute acne to skin that’s sluggish about exfoliation. This indispensable class of products improves tone, texture, and clarity, and makes skin better able to absorb your other skin-care products.

Teens: Scrubs with large or jagged particles (crushed pits and shells, for example) are the wrong way to go if you’ve got breakouts, since they can irritate pimples even more. Save these for body scrubs and instead choose something with fruit acids like Kiss My Face Potent & Pure Exfoliating Face Wash ($15, www.kissmyface.com), which will provide a deep cleanse and help keep pores from becoming plugged. It’s gentle enough for daily use.

20 to 30s: Bioelements All Things Pure Scrub ($43, www.bioelements.com), from the spa brand’s new natural line, is a great T-zone tackler. Silica and a blend of finely ground Chinese roots, herbs, and berries whisk away blackheads and dead skin cells, then melt away into the almost honey-like base, so dry or sensitive areas like cheeks aren’t left tight or dry.

40-Plus: Jurlique Pure Enyzme Exfoliator ($45, www.jurlique.com) contains alpha-hydroxy acids from sugar, workhorse enzymes from pumpkin, and active Australian fruit extracts quandong and wattle seed. The peel-like mechanism means instant brightening and smoothing results, and it’ll make your serums and moisturizers more effective.

EYE TREATMENTS

The skin around the eyes is the thinnest on the face—dark circles are most often just the visible blood vessels below. And because the eye area has very few oil glands, fine lines show up here first. Most eye creams offer hydration, so choose one that tackles a second issue, too.

Teens: First Aid Beauty Detox Eye Roller ($24, www.firstaidbeauty.com), thanks to the metal roller-ball dispenser, feels especially cool on eyes suffering from morning puffiness or exam-time dark circles. Caffeine makes quick work of these, while peptides help lessen these under-eye evils over time.

20 to 30s: Naturopathica Vitamin K Brightening Eye Serum ($72, www.naturopathica.com) feels slightly thicker than most eye creams, no doubt because of its homeopathic formula: Vitamin K can help disperse under-eye fluids that contribute to dark circles, calming cape chamomile oil is a boon for dry and itchy eyes, and light-reflecting minerals like mica boost radiance. Every eye cream should contain it.

40-Plus: Kahina Giving Beauty Eye Cream ($65, www.kahina-givingbeauty.com) comforts eye-corner crinkles with argan oil—the brand’s hero ingredient, which is culled by women’s co-operatives in Morocco that get a sizable amount of the product profits. It also uses collagen-boosting peptides and yeast extract, which has an almost instant effect on reducing puffiness.

PORES & PIMPLES

Acne isn’t caused by surface dirt. It’s a problem in the pore—or a hormonal flare-up. So targeted treatment products can manage breakouts better than over-washing.

Teens: Some of the most chemically laden products are for teen acne. Burt’s Bees Natural Acne Solutions Targeted Spot Treatment ($10, www.burtsbees.com), part of the company’s new nature blemish-busting range, is meant to shrink spots fast. It uses a low but effective form of salicylic acid from willow bark, and calming borage and calendula to quell redness.

20 to 30s: While cleansers and exfoliants help skin clear, often a moisturizer doesn’t do its share of the work. Pangea Organics Moroccan Argan with Willow & Rosemary Facial Cream ($36, www.pangeaorganics.com) has a mattefying effect, meaning it absorbs oil and shine with rice bran and antiseptic, antioxidant herbs like rosemary. It also keeps skin oils flowing with argan oil to help prevent pimples from forming.

40-Plus: Not the Clearasil demographic, but grappling with hormonal flare-ups? Living Tree Botanicals Restorative Seaherb Mask ($45, www.livingtreebotanicals.com), an artisanal line, uses gorgeous, recognizable ingredients—including clay, zinc, honey, and Rescue Remedy! It makes a great spot treatment or calming treatment mask. Plus the formula feels mortal-and-pestle fresh.

DARK SPOTS & UNEVEN SKIN TONE

The number-one product to prevent spots is sunscreen. These are the brightening products that can help add luminosity back to lackluster skin.

Teens: Ava Anderson Non-Toxic Moisturizer ($18.95, www.avaandersonnontoxic.com), was created by 15-year-old Ava (and her parents), who was shocked to discover how many products marketed as natural still contained dubious ingredients. Her daily moisturizer earns a zero rating on the Environmental Working Group’s Cosmetics Database (on a toxicity scale of zero to 10, 10 being most toxic), and contains antioxidant vitamins A and E to hold onto or to help achieve glowing skin.

20 to 30s: Sircuit Weapon 10% Vitamin C Therapy Serum ($85, www.sircuitskin.com) uses a serious skin-brightening formula of stabilized vitamin C, a stalwart in this category, with potent antioxidants from grapes like resveratrol. It’s also loaded with intense hydrators like hyaluronic acid and black currant oil, a rarity in scientific skin care, which fortifies your skin while making it work hard.

40-Plus: The skin-boosting Ila Rainforest Renew Face Serum for Radiant Skin ($110, www.spiritbeautylounge.com) is made up of gorgeous fatty acid-rich oils and South American botanicals. Acmella extract softens fine lines and wrinkles and brightens; Brazilian ginseng works on blotchy sun spots to improve skin tone; and babassu helps skin hold onto its own moisture.

New Natural Skin-Firming Treatments

Plump cheeks are a sign of youth. As are high brows and a taut jaw line. But as skin proteins like collagen break down and cells lose their shape and buoyancy and become more compact, the face follows. Keeping skin well hydrated and protected from the sun are two healthy ways to maintain firm facial features, and these are the best new, natural products that can help give you a lift.

All the short-term tricks for getting firmer, plumper skin are in REN Keep Young and Beautiful SH2C Serum ($75, www.spacenk.com), like yeast and wheat proteins and hyaluronic acid, which draws water to the skin. But so are collagen-boosting peptides and vitamin C, which help skin over time.

Skin loses its ability to snap-back when its elastin breaks down. Korres Quercetin & Oak Antiageing & Antiwrinkle Day Cream ($48, www.korresusa.com) helps protect this skin protein with Quercetin, an antioxidant found in plants like green tea, and a skin-renewing extract tapped from oak trees.

Aubrey Organics Lumessence Lift Firming Renewal Cream with CoQ10 Liposomes ($32.50, www.aubrey-organics.com) contains antioxidant CoQ10 and oats for wrinkles, and algae extract for a fast firming-and-tightening effect.

100 Percent Pure Potent Mushroom & Peptide Antioxidant Concentrate ($35, www.100percentpure.com) is a concentrated antioxidant-rich serum—it’s loaded with everything from acai to blueberry-skin extracts and resveratrol. But it gets top marks for its skin-smoothing and brightening mushroom extracts and firming plant-based peptides.

Related posts:

1. Color Me Naturally Skin-care companies are taking natural products to the next level....