Do you feel like your skin is looking a bit dull or ashy?… You are certainly not alone, but you don’t have to go spend loads of money on products and treatments to brighten your skin, and you can do it naturally.

A lot of products out there that are designed to help you with skin cell turnover- to reveal a more vibrant and youthful skin underneath- use natural plant based ingredients, but they are produced to have a shelf life and that is when you get the not-so-natural preservatives that stabilize the mixture.

By making up your own concoctions you eliminate those nasty ingredients and still reap the benefits of natural exfoliation. Here are a few foods to feed your skin.

1.) Lactic Acid- buttermilk and yogurt

2.) Tartaric Acid- grapes and wine

3.) Citric Acid- lemons and oranges

4.) Glycolic Acid- sugar cane

All of these foods have a naturally occurring acid property that can be used to  off a layer of your already dead skin cells sitting on the surface of your skin. All you need is about half a Tablespoon of any of the above listed foods- apply it to your face, let it sit for 10 minutes and rinse off. You can do this once a week to help with cell regeneration. Be careful not to do this before or after extended exposure to sun, and use a good moisturizer to quench those new skin cells’ thirst when you are done.

Having changed over to a non-toxic beauty regime I thought that my nail spa days were forced behind me. That was until I stumbled upon Sakura and had the option of selecting their organic nail care- manicure and pedicure.

A sweet little spa tucked into the East Village on 1st Street, Sakura lures the passer-by in with an enticing setting complete with wood floors, deep green walls and a Japanese humidifier blowing out a thin steam in the corner.

Using the Priti natural nail polish line and the soy-based nail polish remover, the entire spa smells like an aroma therapy spa rather than a nail salon. There are no loud TVs blaring at you, instead they create the spa setting with relaxing music and an offering of green tea upon your arrival.

One of the best manicures I have had period- let alone in NYC- for a very reasonable $15. Be sure to call and book though, this little gem is quickly being uncovered.

I used to change my hair every couple of months, and I have been tame for a very, very long time. So, now I am ready to mix it up again and add some style to my coiff!

I am pretty much in love with what is now being called “the Abbey” after super model Abbey Lee at the Balmain 2010 show- a strong bang that is longer, jaggedly cut and messy. It is the new take on the straight across bangs that were model de rigeur a couple of years ago.

So, what do you think, dear readers? Should I go for it, or is there some other style out there I need to try? Help me choose my hair cut. :)

After many requests for the goods on what beauty products I would include in my ‘Ten Things Every GretaGuide Girl Should Have’, I dedicate this post to sharing those secrets.

A really nourishing cream- I am in love with the Blood Orange Vanilla Body Milk from John Masters Organics.

Concealer- Well Rested by Bare Escentuals is awesome, and I also use it to take the red out of spots on my face and de-shine the bridge of my nose.

Lip balm- the Ecocentric Lip Care from Pangea Organics rocks my world. Doesn’t matter which kind, they all feel amazing and provide long lasting lip moisture.

Refreshing Spray Mist- Caudalie’s Beauty Elixir is as exotic and magical as it sounds. Made from purified water, grape water and essential oils- this concoction helped the Queen of Hungary preserve her youth. This is the one that I use for pretty much EVERYTHING- freshening a room, my pillows, my face, and as my own version of a deodorant.

I recently read an article about the 30 things a very stylish woman should have- and most of them I agreed with, but I also thought, “What would be on my list?”

So, here are the ten things every GretaGuide girl should have:

1.) A style signature, or trademark if you like. Mine is the ever present one off pink nail on my right hand.

2.) A really nourishing cream to use on hands and feet before bed. Your body heats up while you sleep, so using a heavy cream at night is ideal for absorbing and restoring moisture.

3.) One amazing designer handbag. Something that makes you smile when it is slung around your arm. It doesn’t have to be new, and it certainly could be vintage- but investing in a durable bag that only gets better with time is priceless.

4.) A classic necklace or pair of earrings for every day wear.

5.) A crystal nail file for maintenance- the file seals the nail and helps prevent cracks and breakage. Keep your nails short for your manicures to last longer too.

6.) A fabulous scarf that compliments one’s skin tone or eyes. It is the one piece that sits so near your face and can bring out your coloring.

7.) Good concealer. I have said it before, and I will say it again- so many women neglect to buy a good concealer to even out the skin tone beneath and around their eyes, yet it is on the one thing that really makes a face look fresh or finished.

8.) A quality lip moisturizer. If you get the right one, you won’t need a lip gloss because the moisturizer will keep your lips supple while displaying your natural lip color- which really is the best color you can wear (mother nature knows best).

9.) Hair powder or dry shampoo- the only way I get away with a day or two between washes, which is much healthier for your hair than an every day cleanse.

10.) Refreshing mist spray- I will use this to freshen my pillows, moisturize my face when traveling and it also doubles as my deodorant. Try to find one with natural plant extracts or essential oils instead of manufactured fragrances.

Walking through Selfridge’s in London the other day, I came across a little stand in the beauty section that was all the buzz. It is a new stand dedicated to braided hair accessories- basically fake hair that can more or less match your own and be used to offer various styles. I loved it!

I really think it is fantatsic how the public is getting closer to replicating the looks they see on the red carpets or in the magazines. Celebrities don’t all naturally have the perfect amount of hair to do so many wonderfully creative things- why should we?

Fake hair has a bit of a stigma, but if you can get past it and find a piece that matches your color closely, you have opened a whole world of possibilities for a new ‘do.

It was that time of year again- the annual teeth cleaning. I am the perhaps over-eager patient who sits in the reclined chair as the technician does the in-depth cleaning on my teeth I wish I could do myself. So, I ask a few questions (and by a few, I mean a lot) to learn as much as I can while in the company of the teeth guru. Here are two take-away tips that I discovered from this last session:

1.) It doesn’t matter if you floss before or after you brush your teeth, but if you want the best results you should floss directly after brushing, after you spit out all the foamy stuff but before you rinse your mouth. That way you are working the toothpaste down in between your teeth and gums when you floss- an added bonus.

2.) Don’t push to hard when you brush and always brush at a 45 degree angle. We are a little overzealous here in the West and tend to think that brushing harder makes our teeth cleaner, when in reality it leads to gum recession. In addition, the 45 degree angle insures that the gums are getting massaged the right way when you brush which makes them happy and healthy.

Proper oral hygiene is the best way to stave off bad breath, so try these tips and make sure to brush for at least two minutes twice a day. Okay, now I sound like the technician… I am done here. Happy brushing!

Ever since I read Toxic Beauty, my use and view of cosmetics has totally changed. There are so many toxic chemicals that we put on and absorb into our bodies through all the products we use every day, and make-up is a huge player.

Slowly but surely I have rearranged my vanity to feature only the purest of products. Tarte Cosmetics has quite a spread on my dresser these days. Tarte is a natural cosmetic line that is paraben, petro-chemical and fragrance-free. They offer a complete line of beauty products that make you feel good about what you are wearing both because of what is in the products and how they enhance your natural beauty.

Making my way from a girl who had extensions and fake eyelashes to one who checks the labels of her make-up products to ensure natural ingredients has been a process, and I am so pleased that brands like Tarte are helping provide beauty products that support a fashionista with a conscience!

So, now it is my turn to support you. Are you curious about Tarte and want to try some of the new colors from their Holiday Collection? Yea, I thought so. ; )

I want to give one of my lucky readers the bejeweled make-up case featured above. It includes, eye shadows, blush, bronzer, and lip glosses- so you can try out the whole line! To be chosen as my lucky holiday reader, simply leave a comment below and I will pick one person at random to receive this sweet little box set.

I love winter, I really do. It is such a wonderful time to layer and explore your style while staying warm. One of my favorite wintertime accessories is the hat (I was just gifted the loveliest of bandit hats that I will probably wear continuously for the next month!). However, with hats and dry cold weather comes static hair! There are just a few tricks of the trade that I can impart to help you tame your tresses.

The first is a product that does the job every time, and if you have an event you will definitely want a misting of this before you head out. The Frederic Fekkai Winter Hair Anti-Static Weightless Mist is a sure thing to stop static and keep your hair from looking greasy. It also has a faint coconut scent so it refreshes your hair as well.

The second thing to try is the Dry Hair Nourishment & Defrizzer from John Masters Organics. Take just a bit in your hand and warm it up so that it spreads easily and lightly swipe it over you hair- concentrating on the ends.

Finally, if you are in a pinch and don’t have any products or time, use lotion. Again, just use a small amount and warm it up in your hands before gently coating your fly-aways with a light layer.

What is better than a non-toxic, paraben-free lip gloss in the perfect natural hue… The same lip gloss on one end, with a safe whitening stick on the other. Introducing the Enbrightenmint Pearly Pink lip stick.

Tarte cosmetics has paired up with BriteSmile to bring you the perfect little stocking stuffer or ultimate girly gift for your girlfriends.

BriteSmile boosts that it whitens teeth up to 8 shades in only 14 days and it is clinically proven to be safe on teeth and gums. Just use the whitening stick once a day and wait 30 minutes before eating or drinking.

To sweeten the deal even more, when you buy this stellar stick at Sephora or on www.sephora.com during the week of 12/07/09- 12/14/09, you can snatch it up for just $10 (as compared to the usual $26).

Guess, I am giving it away- but this deal is too good not to pick up some goodies for my girlies!