Start the new year with beauty products that honor every inch of you. Here’s a special selection that begins by nourishing the top of your head and ends by anointing the tips of your toes. There’s no longer any way to deny that natural and organic beauty is ideal. Treat yourself to its goodness now. I’m calling this comfort beauty at its very best.
For Face
1. CLEANSER | Gentle Nourishing Organic Cleanser
New from Desert Essence, this USDA certified cleanser is formulated for dry and sensitive skin types and does double-duty as a makeup remover. It has a nice subtle fruity-citrusy scent, thanks to organic apple juice and organic sweet orange oil. Aloe, chamomile, and cucumber extracts help to moisturize. $13.99, desertessence.com
2. MOISTURIZER | Bubble & Bee Anti-Aging Face Cream
Here’s some cheery packaging for those dreary winter months! I couldn’t resist this product and am a fan of founder Stephanie Greenwood whose mission is to “make organic fun!” This 100 percent USDA certified organic cream is made from only organic shea butter to help beautify, soothe, and protect; organic rosehip seed oil to prevent wrinkles and reduce age spots; and natural vitamin E for its anti-aging properties, and to increase the shelf life of the product. Note: Good for 10 months after purchase. $22, bubbleandbee.com
3. NIGHT TIME TREATMENT | Living Nature Radiance Night Oil
This “liquid gold” formula is a powerful blend of rose, rosehip (certified organic), calendula (certified organic), carrot, frankincense and jojoba oils—shown to repair and rejuvenate the skin, while helping with firmness and hydration. $70,livingnature.com
4. CLAY MASK | Phytocell Detox Mask
Kombucha stars in Scientific Organics’ new line from Emergen-C that features this detoxifying mask. A fermented tea that’s known for a myriad of medicinal purposes, kombucha helps draw out impurities while brightening and improving tone and texture. Use it one to three times a week for best results. $50,emergenc.com
5. DIY MASK | Açai & Pomegranate Rejuvenating Masque
From Tilvee Eco-Ethical Skincare, this unique mask is packaged as a powder designed to be mixed with a variety of ingredients from your kitchen. For example, if you’d like to address sun damage, simply mix a small amount with lemon or apple cider vinegar to form a paste. Oily or acne-prone skin? Opt for honey or cranberry juice. I mixed up my mask with yogurt (for normal skin) and left it on for 5 minutes. My skin felt fresh and more alive. $23.99, tilvee.com
6. MULTIPURPOSE FORMULA | Herb Rich Balm Vital Repair
This unique balm from De la Terre is crafted with meadowfoam and mango oils and infused with ingredients like comfrey and calendula. This product truly says “comfort.” Founder Anne Willis notes that this may be used as an eye or lip treatment and is gentle and nourishing enough for skin reactions due to chemotherapy and radiation. $35,delaterreskincare.com
7. EYE CREAM | Odacité Eye Contour
I prefer a cream versus a gel formulation when it comes to eye products—and this one is terrific. Its rich texture left my skin feeling soft and hydrated. Organic blue-green algae “stimulates the cell vitality” and organic pomegranate extract helps fight free radicals. Also included: hyaluronic acid to help plump fine lines. It’s a bit pricey, but is meant to last six months. $95, odacite.com
8. LIP BALM | Laternshine Lip Protector SPF 15
Hemp seed, jojoba seed, and sunflower seed oils are the star ingredients in this lovely little balm from the Golden Door. The unassuming tube does a great job of keeping lips moist and soft and may even be used on cuticles. $12, goldendoorskincare.com
For Body
9. WASH | Burt’s Bees Naturally Nourishing Milk & Shea Butter Body Wash
Yum. That’s the first word that came to mind when I opened the bottle and took a deep whiff of this creamy wash that’s best applied with a washcloth or loofah. Made with safflower seed oleosomes and shea butter to help moisturize, it also includes defatted milk powder used for centuries as a skin softener. $8, burtsbees.com
10. LOTION | Ola Hawaii Crème Lotion in Mango Grove
I can’t put my finger on it, but the lotions and oils from this Hawaiian company make me happy. Maybe it’s the simple but cheerful labels or the fact that the formulations are just plain delicious and include all sorts of luxurious, fragrant infusions and a plethora of organically or sustainably grown ingredients. This one boasts mango hydrosol, banana, virgin coconut butter, kukui nut oil, and passionflower, to name a few. Absorbs into skin quickly. hawaiianbodyproducts.com
11. SCRUB | Caribbean Therapy Body Scrub
Close your eyes…and drift away. Aveda worked with an herbalist from Martinique to create a special collection that includes this tropical scrub. Like all good scrubs, it
exfoliates without being abrasive. Includes both salt and Caribbean cane sugar, as well as ginger root powder, oils of avocado, passion fruit, and coconut. Mango and cocoa butters leave skin very soft and hydrated. $39.50, aveda.com
12. HANDS | Vanilla Mint Hand Cream
I carry this handy 2-ounce tube with me whenever I travel. The size is just right and the scent always lightens my mood when I’m stuck on a plane with bad air. The USDA certified organic cream from Éminence, is one of three products in the mint-infused personal-care collection. eminenceorganics.com
13. FEET | Kanshi Instantly Refreshing Foot Spray
I loved this at first squirt, and although it’s meant for the feet, I’m tempted to use it as a room spray for a quick spritz of minty freshness any time. Peppermint, spearmint, and cornmint combine for super-soothing and cooling, while lemon myrtle offers natural anti-microbial properties. 800-248-SKIN
For Hair
14. SHAMPOO | Kae Argatherapie Nutri-Radiance Shampoo
I’m guessing it’s the addition of sage floral water and grapefruit essential oil that makes this shampoo so appealing to me—it’s main ingredient is argan oil, but it includes a number of essential oils, as well. Proudly bearing the EcoCert seal, this shampoo, formulated for normal and oily hair, cleanses nicely and leaves hair feeling soft. $38, lushoasis.com
15. CONDITIONER | Honey & Hibiscus Hair Reconstructor
I don’t know a beauty editor who isn’t a fan of John Masters Organics, creator of this intense hair treatment. This product is a godsend for dry or damaged hair and is gentle enough to be used after each shampoo, but I like to use it weekly for a special treat. NOP certified organic, it contains a bunch of delicious ingredients, including patchouli oil, ylang ylang flower oil, and flax seed oil. johnmasters.com
16. SERUM | NuStyle Organic Hair Smoothing Serum
For all my friends who overdo it with the flatirons and curling irons, this product’s for you! Containing organic jojoba oil and quinoa protein for superior smoothing and de-frizzing, it may be used pre-styling with one of the afore-mentioned tools to protect hair from heat, as a deep-conditioner, or as a shine enhancer. USDA Organic and NOP certified, to boot. $21, aubreyorganics.com
For Bath
17. SALTS | Healing Waters Body Mineral Bath Treatment
Soak away aches and pains with this new product from Aromafloria. Just add a cup (I can never resist adding more!) to your bath water for a soothing soak that’s high in potassium, magnesium, and mandarin, bergamot, and juniper oils. Contains some USDA certified organic ingredients. $20, aromafloria.com
18. AFTER BATH MIST | Thunder Ridge Emu Products Body Mist
I like the simplicity of this product that leaves your skin silky with just a hint of shine and absorbs very quickly, leaving no greasy residue behind. Best used as an after-bath spray, this delicate mist hydrates and soothes with 100 percent pure emu oil that’s naturally rich in essential fatty acids. thunderridgeemu.com