Summer is a perplexing time… moisture-wise. The over-heated indoor environments of winter are replaced by chilly air-conditioning and of course the sweltering heat and humidity outside. Do you pack up your body butters for the summer? Are lotions still too heavy outside, but not enough once you are thrust into the building freezers?!

I never thought I would say it, but speaking from personal experience (thanks to LaLicious!) body oils are the way to go. Our society has conditioned us to shriek in horror at the thought of putting oil on our skin, but the truth is it is one of the best ways to achieve natural moisture balance.

Over the past month, I made the LaLicious Mango Lily Body Oil one of my top five beauty products- slathering it on after showering in the morning and on ‘dedicated’ spots before bed. Aside from the truly delightful smell, the results were quite impressive. It absorbs in, leaves my skin beyond baby soft, and if I have extra on my hands I  comb it through the ends of hair as a conditioning treatment while I sleep. Made purely from Coconut Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Macadamia Nut Oil, Essential and Fragrance Oils, Soybean Oil, Vitamin E Oil, LaLicious body oil has won its permanent spot on my beauty counter. 

And… right now LaLicious is giving 20% of the body oil profits to the Earth Share “good oil” relief fund. Nice.

During my stay in Southern California last month, I sniffed out the best eco-beauty boutique in the area and am beyond ecstatic that they have launched their online store too!

Fusing prestige with natural and organic skincare, NuboNau brings together an eclectic portfolio of the very best the world has to offer. Designed to be a complete experience, NuboNau’s Online Boutique provides a perfect blend of sought after products and ultimate service delivery.  

The store stands up to its description! They carry an amazing range of U.S. brands as well as European brands that are usually harder to get. There is an underlying standard that NobuNau adheres to, so you know you are getting only best products that meet a high all-natural criteria.

Non-toxic mascara, 3-free nail polish, chemical- free sunscreen… check, check and check! Make your list ahead of time, because there are so many goodies you will likely find yourself with a very full basket come checkout time!

Congratulations to Jenny who won the GretaGuide and Tarte Cosmetics lip stain giveaway! If you didn’t win this time, don’t worry- there are plenty more goody giveaways lined up for this summer! ;)

I have been a fan of Tarte Cosmetics for awhile now, but when I discovered their new lip stain my adoration rose to a whole new level!

Each emotive, peppermint-infused shade smoothly glides on lips for a natural flush that will stay all day. So say goodbye to reapplying your lip color throughout the day and say hello to a gorgeous pop of color and hydration that lasts.

The best part about a lip stain is that you can vary the punch of color you want to pack. When I want a really natural (though slightly enhanced look) I will blot a slight layer on. Or, if I want my lips to make a statement I pile on two or three layers. It stays on all day, adds moisture that naturally plumps your lips, and doesn’t have an overbearing scent… Perfect.

A summer stain you need! I am excited to give one of you, dear readers, my favorite color- Moody- in the latest GretaGuide Giveaway with Tarte Cosmetics!

Simply leave a comment below and I will pick the winner in one week’s time, so you can start giving away tarte kisses (that don’t rub off) too!

Mother’s Day is one week away. For some of you I know I just sent a shock straight to your heart. So, after you recover from the destitute feeling of “what am I going to get for my Mom?!” read on and discover the amazing Anti-Aging Kit from Marie Veronique Organics and their Intelligent Ingredients.

“Intelligent Ingredients” is more than just a tagline. It’s the overriding principle that guides every formulation at Marie Veronique Organics. That’s because science tells us that what goes on your skin ultimately penetrates your skin and goes into your body. The right ingredients can do a world of good and the wrong ones quite the opposite. We use scientific studies and direct research to better understand the aging process. Then, we turn to nature to find ingredients to minimize or counter those effects. You won’t find toxins, petroleum-based products, nanoparticles, or anything else that’s potentially harmful.

It’s probably no surprise that our entire company is dedicated to sustainability. Wherever possible we use natural, organic and fair trade ingredients, packaged in 100% recyclable materials.

Sounds like a pretty fantastic line, right? Well, I offer my own testimonial. I have been using MVO for the past month and my skin has been in a state of utter appreciation. No overpowering fragrances. Complete hydration and coverage from their tinted moisturizer, and the fabulous Anti-Aging Mist which is perfect for a moisture boost while traveling. Yep, this line gets my seal of approval and I liked it so much I wanted to make it available to one of the GretaGuide readers to treat either yourself, if you are a mother, or your own beloved mother in a Mother’s Day Giveaway.

Simply leave a comment below and the winner will be chosen on Tuesday, so we have time to get it out to you before Mother’s Day. The giveaway includes travel size products featuring the entire Anti-Aging Kit (pictured above). Good luck!

Many consumers have started purchasing organic food because they do not want exposure to harmful pesticides and chemicals. That’s the same reason many people turn to Juice Beauty’s products made with certified organic ingredients; they want to have all the benefits of great beauty products without any of the negatives. Just like with food, your skin absorbs up to 64% of what you place on it, so instead of harmful ingredients use healthy ingredients. 

This is the premise of the Juice Beauty line- what I call, feeding your skin. At Aspen Fashion Week, I got a sneak peek of their much anticipated make-up line that will be released this summer. Check out my very natural Juice Beauty makeover to get in on the make-up preview. And, don’t worry- you can pre-order the make-up line so you’ll be able to try out these beauty tips too. 

Mark, the Avon line geared towards the younger woman, is moving towards conscious beauty production. Starting with a four-piece range using Fairtrade standards to source ingredients from across the globe, the line will carry the TransFair seal of approval.

The line dubbed, Body Care That Cares, is set to launch this August. Visit Meetmark.com to keep tabs on the release.

(via: wwd)

I am a huge advocate of the very minimal make-up look, especially when the weather warms up and you are already sporting a lovely glow from the sun. ;)

So, to get a slightly enhanced look that is still very natural all you need is the following:

1.) Tinted Moisturizer- I was recently exposed to Juice Beauty’s Mineral Light Moisturizer at Aspen Fashion Week and I love the weight, coverage and protection. It is a brilliant blend of everything your skin needs with light coverage to even out your skin tone and not look like you are wearing make-up.

2.) Mattifying Powder- I like to use Mineral Veil from Bare Escentuals. It is super light and takes away shine while setting your base. Perfect.

3.) Mascara- I cannot leave the house without mascara, and all I need is one swipe and I feel that much better! Kiehl’s recently released their Marvelous Mineral Mascara which has Jojoba oil, and I swear that my lashes have grown since using it this past month! :)

4.) Tinted Chapstick- Chapstick is the way to go when you want the sheerest color that is subtle yet noticeable. I always have a Burt’s Bees Lip Shimmer chapstick floating around in my bag. I like to use the color on the apples of my cheeks and lips.

Et, voila! Four little non-toxic pieces of make-up are all you need for a naturally radiant look that is perfectly balanced.

The weather is heating up and so are the make-up trends for Spring and Summer! The bold and smokey eye is here to stay, and slightly updated. Using greens and purples work well with any eye color and are a bit more fun than the standard grays or blacks. Keep the smokey eye contained and for a more polished look like Blake and Taylor, apply the dark shadow only to the lid and don’t blend outwards too much towards the brow line.

Want to try it, but feeling a bit intimidated with these dark hues? That happened to me too. Then, I was given a smokey eye kit from Bare Escentuals and I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to get a perfect smokey eye all on my own. :) Plus, you can feel good about the non-toxic natural mineral layers you are piling on when using Bare Escentuals- go boldly bare!

Beso.com offers the full Bare Escentuals line complete with the primer you will want to scoop up to get that bold eye to stick. I never thought to use a primer, but lately it is the talk of the town as it really does make a difference in how your long your eye make-up lasts and for perfecting you look.

(Thanks to Beso for their sponsorship!)

GretaGuide is pleased to announce the partnership with super shopping site, beso.com, to showcase eco-fashion and non-toxic products. Green fashion is growing and, luckily, so are the resources! Not sure where to look? I’ve got you covered. Each week I will highlight a sustainable fashion label or beauty line available through beso.com to help show you the eco-ropes. ;)

Today I am featuring John Masters Organics- one of my great loves in life! This line is beyond amazing. Before I went back to London for the month of January, my stylist at the John Masters Organics salon in Manhattan gave me a month’s worth of samples to try the line. That is when my crush started. Gradually it really did grow into love. It outperforms any of the other products that I used before my non-toxic changeover. Erm, if I were truly British I would shout ‘Brilliant’ right about now!

If you have normal hair, opt for the Lavender Rosemary Shampoo- it cleanses without stripping your hair of its natural oils and lets you go a day or two before another washing. I also really love their Blood Orange and Vanilla Body Milk. It is fresh and sweet without being too fragrant. What is your favorite John Masters Organics product?