The Nest

Friday, July 20, 2007 6:06 PM

Natural Beauty Loot that Actually Works

I’ve been a big product junkie since my teens, and my addiction to fancy lotions, potions and perfumes reached ridiculous levels in my 20s when I worked at a women’s magazine. As part of writing about products all day we were sent huge boxes of free ones to test, and I developed very expensive cosmetic tastes, especially when it came to skincare.  But as I started to learn more about all the chemicals in most mainstream beauty products (the dangers of which are detailed on this site) I realized I needed to give up most of my cherished beauty loot and switch to natural stuff. 

Although after a few years of trial and error I’ve discovered that there are wonderful natural options out there (Dr. Hauschka is my favorite brand), most of them lack the glamour factor of the bottles and pots and tubes I’d once loved, so I was really excited to hear that eco-friendly fashionista Stella McCartney was coming out with a high-end skincare line made without chemical preservatives or artificial fragrances.  I recently bought her Radiance & Youth Elixer, which is pricey (about $65) but I figure it will turn out to be a sweet deal if it bestows my skin with the promised dewy glow.  After a month of use I do feel like my face is ever so slightly more youthful and radiant. And, almost as important, I love having a beautifully packaged bit of pampering to spread on my skin. 

Sadly, natural beauty products can sometimes lack the quality of their more chemical-laden counterparts.  This summer I resolved to stop using nail polish containing phthalates, which are chemicals in most polishes which keep them flexible on your nails.  Phthalates have been linked to cancer and reproductive problems, and are supposed to be especially dangerous for women who are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant because they can be harmful to fetuses.  So, feeling virtuous, I bought a bottle of natural nail polish at Whole Foods and took it to my local mani/pedi shop.  The results looked fine at first, but within 48 hours my polish had developed fugly fissures.  I had to keep adding new coats, but the same thing just kept happening. 

Do you have a natural or phthalate-free polish to recommend?  Or any other natural products you love?  I’m always on the hunt for hippie beauty loot that works as well as the standard stuff.