Searching for the Perfect Package

I loved this article about earth-friendly cosmetics packaging by Camille Sweeney that ran in Thursday's New York Times. Aside from highlighting sustainable packaging, it introduced me to Tata Harper Skincare, which, while pricey, I can't wait to try.

Clearly, as Sweeney reports, plenty of cosmetics companies have found ways to make their packaging more eco-friendly. But even those making the effort (and happily, that includes major prestige brands like Estée Lauder) are still searching for the perfect sustainable package.

In the meantime, if we can't yet have eco-friendly pumps for our facial cleansers, we can choose products with minimal packaging—and pass on the cute little store shopping bags used to tote them home.

3 Great Finds From the CEW Beauty Awards Product Demo

Attending the Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW) Beauty Awards Product Demonstration is always a treat—after all, it's a chance to check out more than 550 new beauty products. While "natural" isn't one of the 31 categories, I found several items worth writing about. Here's what captured my interest:

• Number 4 High Performance Hair Care Fleurs de Temps Volumizing Shampoo. 100% vegan, gluten free, sulfate free, and paraben free. And it smells great.
• Origins Multi-Grain Makeup SPF 14. I confess, I love the fact that this product has the words "multi-grain" in its name. And indeed, it contains a blend of finely-milled grains and oats in a super-soft loose powder formulation. What it doesn't contain: oil, talc, or fragrance.
• sukispa facial lift ultimate firming cream. At $150, this is definitely a splurge, but founder Suki Kramer's skincare products are loaded with natural ingredients. This one's on my beauty product wish-list.

Lotions & Potions

Back in December, Allure magazine ran a story called Underground Beauty that featured "under the radar" beauty finds. Several of the picks were eco-friendly, and I was especially interested in one: Lotions & Potions Rosemary Mint Foaming Handsoap, which is paraben-free and contains no SLS.

I visited the web site and discovered that some of the product pages didn't contain ingredient info. So I wrote to Victoria Slone, the Chicago-based company's founder. Her response came in less than an hour!

"We totally understand wanting to be sure the product you're purchasing is all natural!!" she wrote. The ingredients of the Foaming Handsoap are as follows: De-iodized water organic olive oil, kosher vegetable glycerin, organic aloe leaf juice, organic essential oils, Vitamin E & Rosemary Extract.

I ordered the soap, as well as a lip balm. The soap foams up nicely and has a fresh, herby scent. And I am absolutely in love with the vegan, organic lip balm (I got the coconut lemongrass version). The formula is creamy, soft, and really absorbs into your lips.

I'm not a big fan of ordering beauty products online—it's not eco-friendly, and when I need, say, a new body wash, I generally want it right away. But I'll make an exception for Lotions & Potions. It's a small, woman-owned business with great customer service and, more importantly, products that are worth the wait.