Guest Post by Merrady Wickes

Merrady is the youngest of 7 kids. She was a bruised knees, bleeding heart, day-dreaming, bookworm kind of kid who was bossy and loud and also fiercely sensitive and shy.

She spent her teenage years reading every beauty book her local libraries had to offer, and landed her first makeup artist gig for an independent film when she was only 15.  After several years in the industry, between editorial, beauty counter, film, and TV (she also moonlighted as an indie musician), Merrady learned that her real passion was in her connection with the woman underneath the rouge. “Anyone can make a 16-year-old model look beautiful,” she says. “I’m interested in the everyday woman and what makes her feel her best.”

Fast forward and here she is with over 10 years experience as a makeup artist. She loves making women (and men!) feel their best through the power of good skincare and makeup they will actually use and enjoy. She loves the power of transformation. She loves beauty rituals passed down, and beauty rituals discovered. Beauty is meditative for her. It is an important part of her self care and creativity. She says that it’s also fun, and something anyone can do with practice.

Valentine’s Day is swiftly approaching. I have a special fondness for the love-themed holiday—the candy, the crafts, the kitsch. And while I’m not a personal fan of sitting awkwardly in a restaurant surrounded by dozens of couples eating from a pre fixe menu hovering over a vase holding a single red rose, I have been known to throw an epic Valentine’s Day party, or make a lovely meal for two at home.

Whatever your plans may be, I created this look to capture your inner romantic. The dewy skin, flushed cheeks, and softly defined eyes are the stuff of romance novel heroines, but will also work nicely for a date, a night out with your friends, or even a wedding (calling all brides!). Read on for details to achieve the look.

Step 1: Skin Prep

• La Bella Figura: Modern Radiance Concentrate
• La Bella Figura: Crema Supernova
• La Bella Figura: Découverte Under Eye Repair Serum

This time of year, after months of grey days and relentless dry air, skin can feel dull and sallow. Skip the self tanner, and reach for skin care with a heavy dose of Vitamin C to encourage natural radiance. While skin is still damp after cleansing, massage a pump of La Bella Figura Modern Radiance Concentrate into the skin, followed by the La Bella Figura Crema Supernova. To smooth and brighten eyes, you can add a little La Bella Figura Under Eye Repair Serum to your orbital bone, patting in with a ring finger. Be sure to prep the skin a few minutes before you apply makeup so it has time to soak in.

Step 2: Complexion

• Gressa: Minimalist Corrective Serum Foundation
• Hynt Beauty: DUET Perfecting Concealer (Light)
• ILIA: Fade Into You Powder
• W3ll People: Bio Bronzer in Natural Tan
• Root: White Gold Illuminator

The Gressa Minimalist Corrective Serum Foundation makes it easy to get a no-makeup makeup look. Be sure to give the bottle a good shake to mix the formula, then blend a few drops onto the face with your fingertips. Add a very small amount of the uber-concentrated Hynt Beauty Concealer on any darkness around the eyes, blemishes, around the nose, and anywhere else you need extra coverage. For makeup that lasts, and invisible pores, dust the Ilia Fade Into You Powder over your T-zone and anywhere else you applied concealer.

Add dimension and warmth with a touch of W3ll People Bio Bronzer strategically applied along the cheeks, bridge of the nose, hairline, and chin. You can also sweep bronzer into the socket of the eye to add depth and create synergy with the face.

For dewy, candlelit skin, tap the Root White Gold Illuminator onto the tops of cheeks, cupid’s bow, center of the face, and the inner corner of the eye and brow bone. Don’t go too crazy! Less is more. You can also brush your highlighter onto your collarbones and throat to catch the light.

Step 3: Eyes

• RMS Beauty: Swift Shadow Garden Rose GR-12
• Kjaer Weis: Eyeshadow in Onyx
• W3ll People: Expressionist Mascara in Black
• Zuzu Luxe: Clear Mascara
• Ecobrow: Defining Wax in Sharon

Use a neutral taupe shadow like the RMS Swift Shadow in Garden Rose GR-12 to add shape and shimmer to the eyes without looking heavy. Blend all over the lid up to the socket, and on the lower lashline for a halo effect. Next, dampen a fine liner brush, dip into the Kjaer Weis Eyeshadow in Onyx, and brush along the upper lash line, and lightly along the lower lash line. Using shadow instead of a pencil liner adds soft definition. You can also tightline the upper waterline to make your lashes look thicker. Smudge the edges with a small shadow brush to further diffuse.

Next, curl lashes, and generously apply the W3ll People mascara in black. The plastic wand isn’t everyone’s favorite, but I love how it can build volume, while still defining every lash.

Brush brows straight up with the Zuzu Luxe Clear Mascara for a deliberately unkempt look. Once dry, if you need a boost in the brow department, apply the Ecobrow pomade in short vertical strokes and brush through with a spoolie. This creates a soft, full effect. Clean the edges with your concealer brush if you color outside the lines too much.

Step 4: Lips & Cheeks

• S.W. Basics: Citrus Lip Balm
• Jane Iredale: Lip Pencil in Spice
• Kjaer Weis: Cream Blush in Lovely

Lastly, you want a bright pink cream blush—my favorite is the Kjaer Weis in Lovely. Tap onto cheeks in an upside down triangle shape on the apple of the cheek to create a natural flush. Don’t be shy! This look is all about the blush. A cream formula will melt into the skin for a seamless effect.

Prep your lips with a balm like the S.W. Basics Citrus Lip Balm. If you want to cheat fullness, lightly line the edge of the lips (I used Jane Iredale in Spice). Then tap the Kjaer Weis blush in Lovely into lips with your fingertip for a sheer rosy finish.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Merrady
Xo

Connect with Merrady here:

• Blog
• Instagram
• YouTube

*All photos and video in this post are courtesy of and belong to Merrady Wickes

The post The Real Girl Romantic: a Valentine’s Day makeup tutorial with Merrady Wickes appeared first on The Greenly Guide.

Let’s be honest – some of us don’t always have the time to meticulously sort through brands to research ingredients and material sourcing for our beauty and fashion items – sometimes you know what you want and are looking for someone who has searched and done the legwork for you; someone you can trust and who is experienced.  Meet Alison Rojas Metcalfe, founder of Salud Shoppe; she is a modern, clean living, girl boss, who has been working to change the green economy.  She has curated her shop with integrity and an extensive knowledge base, so you can rest easy knowing that her experience and research has led her to stock only the best of the best in beauty and fashion.

Alison embarked upon her journey to bring clean beauty and ethical fashion to the modern green consumer in Spring 2015.  She has a background in fashion design and development, and while working in her previous job, she developed one of the first ever Fair Trade apparel programs and converted conventional apparel lines from cotton to organic cotton, eliminated materials such as rayon, and traveled to factories in India, Vietnam, Taiwan and China to review sustainability standards.  To say that she is inspiring and leading the charge for industry changes would be an understatement.

Working toward change

While traveling the world and reviewing factory conditions and practices, she realized that changes needed to be made at home in the US as well.  After seeing factories in Los Angeles that didn’t meet safety and environmental standards that were required in other countries, she left her job to forge her own path as she felt strongly that there needed to be an investment to build infrastructure domestically to set the bar for modern manufacturing abroad.

To her astonishment, while working on a project reviewing a restricted substance list for fashion,  she discovered that chemicals that were banned from use in apparel were still being used in cosmetics!  Knowing that these ingredients were being used sparked her interest in organic beauty, and she has dedicated herself to sourcing the best brands green beauty has to offer, most notably Hynt Beauty and 100% Pure which are both represented in her shop.  If having some of the top beauty brands isn’t enough, for those of you looking to take a minimalist approach to your wardrobe, Alison also has taken to creating an organic and sustainable capsule wardrobe for each season which is available at Salud Shoppe as well.  For the conscious shopper who wants both clean beauty and Eco fashion, Alison’s shop will fit your needs perfectly.

We are delighted to have had the opportunity to have Alison on the blog today to speak more about her journey and to share more about what inspires her in creating the perfect one stop shop for clean beauty and organic fashion.  Alison is also talking about how she designed the Winter capsule wardrobe (which is launching on the Salud Shoppe website today!!) and why it is important to be a conscious consumer.

She has very generously provided a 30% off discount code for The Greenly Guide readers as well which will be listed after the interview, so make sure you don’t miss that!

The Greenly Guide: Can you tell us a little about your background and how you became interested in organic beauty and sustainable fashion?

Alison: I grew up the middle child of a California State Park Ranger Dad and a Nurse Mom. That meant we spent most of our lives moving around and living in different parks across California, learning about park wildlife, meeting campers and visiting Historical Sites on our vacations. My most vivid memories started when we lived near Lake Tahoe and my mom would take us through ‘secret’ paths to find pristine lakeside beaches that were literally untouched but for the 4 of us. Later in my life, I moved to San Francisco and eventually ended up in New York City- a far stretch from my days living in the open fields of the State Parks but so much closure to the creative, city environment I saw on MTV when I visited my Grandma. As soon as I learned how to sew, I was making clothes for myself and sketching designs on people I would name and keep in my sketch book. I think I was about 11 when I started building collections on paper.

I became interested in sustainable fashion before organic beauty. I worked about 15 years in apparel as a designer and product developer and eventually specialized in sustainable apparel with a company called prAna in San Diego. In my role there, I was lucky enough to be involved in sustainable material development, chemical management and ethical sourcing initiatives. I worked with my team to launch prAna’s first Fair Trade apparel in the USA and convert our apparel collection to organic and sustainable materials and became the first brand to launch bluesign certified active wear. Each year we would raise the bar and the team would just knock the goals out of the park.

My interest in organic, non toxic beauty products came after a long project working on vetting our Restricted Substance List (RSL) at work and I realized there were chemicals banned from use in apparel that were still totally used in make up products. My very first email was to a company called NYX – they used PVC in their lipliner and it was banned from use in apparel. Another example is phthalates that are key in synthetic fragrances and are also used in waterproof finishes that were getting banned at the time.

The Greenly Guide: What is the story behind how you came to the decision to open Salud Shoppe and why did you decide to showcase both natural beauty and Eco fashion?

Alison: I always envisioned building a life as an entrepreneur even at an early age. It took another 20 years to hone in on my aesthetic point of view and align them with my values to come to the idea of Salud Shoppe. Then, the decision just hit me in my gut. I came home one day and told my husband, “I’m giving notice tomorrow, I want to start this business.” He knew from the first day he met me that I wanted to start something, he just never knew when. I didn’t even tell my family before then because I wanted to listen to my heart, deep inside my heart.

The bigger vision was to delve into this industry that I love so much bring the modern, East Coast sensibility that I have along with this California soul of love and kindness. My parents were both hippies so I have no problem embracing those values, but I was born in Long Beach and lived in NYC so I definitely haven’t ever been able to let go of the more refined urban sophisticate in me.

I chose to offer both eco fashion and natural beauty because I was living a pretty fast pace lifestyle and traveling a lot. I wish I’d been able to rely on a brand or shop that did the technical research for me while keeping a modern aesthetic. Ethical manufacturing, sustainable materials and non toxic beauty products became the soul of what we do.

The Greenly Guide: We love that you curate a capsule wardrobe collection for your shop each season – for those who may not be familiar with the concept, what is your definition of a capsule wardrobe?

Alison: I appreciate the idea of a capsule collection way more in my 30’s that I did in my 20’s. A capsule collection is a small batch, highly edited collection that is achieved with timelessness and seasonal relevance above anything else. We have a turtleneck bodysuit in the winter collection that may not have resonated a few seasons ago, but now, it’s totally versatile and on-trend. It’s amazing how many ways you can style a capsule collection and start adding personal touches like a vintage watch, a statement shoe or vintage luxury hand bag.

The Greenly Guide: For someone new to the idea of a capsule wardrobe, what are a few simple suggestions you have on how to begin building a solid minimalist collection?

Alison: A beautiful capsule collection is probably already in your closet, it’s just tucked behind or under a flurry of other items that you just haven’t had the chance to donate yet. The first steps, especially in transitioning to more sustainable buying habits, is to edit down anything synthetic. All those cheap polyester shirts, dresses, jackets and skirts have little to no business in your wardrobe beyond your teens but for a vintage item. Some investment pieces like suiting is ok, and some active wear pieces, otherwise, polyester feels different on the body and is petroleum based meaning that it will never breath like natural fibers and you are using natural resources for something you probably aren’t wearing that much. I think most of us can agree the petroleum is not the best source for fibers.

Once you have edited out synthetics, think in terms of layers. A Modal top, a lightweight wool sweater, a pair of jeans with a 10″-11″ rise flatter almost all women and a pop-over dress to start. I personally start to go astray with my coats but I know those will be with me for a long time and meet the 30 wear standards. Livia Firth promotes buying only if you will wear it 30 times in its lifetime which I can definitely get behind.

The Greenly Guide: Can you discuss some of the challenges you have encountered when searching for ethically and sustainably produced fashion and why it is important to shop consciously?

Alison: One of the biggest challenges has been with brand style and the somewhat muddy waters around what is sustainable and ethical. For example, there is a brand that I loved for its edgy play on using remnants and therefore using sustainable materials, but if the remnant is rayon, that material was actually quite caustic to manufacture. The same with synthetics, right? Its such a grey area. I think there are a lot of brands in the outdoor market doing awesome things, but even though I grew up in the outdoors, I don’t want to look like I did.

Another example I like to use when shopping consciously, is understanding that US and European fast fashion and corporate brands source millions of units from other countries, ship all those products to the US and guess where it goes when it gets a tear or snag? It goes into our own landfills. Companies like The Renewal Workshop are starting to tackle this problem, but each new season brings more products that have to go somewhere. Even Africa has drawn a hard line saying they will no longer take in all the excess used clothing, choosing instead to promote their own local industries.

Aside from material sustainability, ethical manufacturing has come to the forefront of the industry because of documentaries like True Cost. Before watching it, I thought it may be a dramatic point of view, but after watching it, I felt it was so true to what is really happening in the industry. There really are women who are locked in their dorms with locks on the outside. There really are children working in factories instead of going to school. I went to a factory once where there weren’t any safety guardrails on the third floor – it literally dropped off to the floor below. That factory was right here in the USA.

The Greenly Guide: Can you share with us a little about the Winter capsule and what was your inspiration in designing it?

Alison: Our winter capsule was inspired conceptually by “The Luxury of Time”. I have been in an environment where working late hours was like a badge of honor and it wasn’t until I started working from the studio did I realize that time is the new luxury, not working at a high ranked position, not being overcommitted because so many people need you. The pieces in this collection are more easy wearing, like our Midi Dress with these amazing front patch pockets that are just effortless.

The Greenly Guide: What are some of your favorite or some unique fabrics or materials that you love in Eco-fashion?

Alison: I will always love organic cotton and long staple versions like organic pima. When a yarn is grown to be a silky and soft fiber from the boll onward, you know that is luxury. I don’t want to wash it down to make it feel good. I want it to feel and look inherently gorgeous.

Other fibers I will always love are Lenzing Modal and Tencel. When Lenzing first came out with their collection, you literally couldn’t get your hands on it because they didn’t have enough converters. They created a closed loop process so they can re-use the chemicals that break down the wood pulp, they use FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) farming and they use every part of the tree when it is harvested. They are responsibly innovating, which is what this industry needs.

The Greenly Guide: You also carry some wonderful green beauty brands such as Hynt Beauty, 100% Pure and Saint Cosmetics – how do you choose the brands and products you will carry at your shop?

Alison: The core of the green beauty collection is focusing on non toxic ingredients and product quality. I have bought cosmetics from department stores my whole life and was used to what I thought were luxury ingredients. I wanted products that you could swap based on quality alone.

My first experience sourcing beauty brands was at the Indie Beauty expo where I absolutely hit it off with the brand owners and makers. I met formulators who spoke my language and even educated me on wild harvesting, essential oil blends and were prepared to share traceability documents with me – which is critical in supporting any organic and cruelty free claims.

The Greenly Guide: If you personally could create a capsule makeup collection for Winter, what selection of products would you include?

Alison: I think we ultimately, albeit unintentionally, did this season! Eyes and lips are getting center stage while cheeks are more of the subdued side kick. We embraced this by introducing eye palettes from Saint Cosmetics which are pure velvety bliss and they use Ecocert Talc which is important because talc alone is often as risk of contamination. Along with a versatile eye palette, Hynt Beauty Volumizing Mascara, 100% Pure Cosmetics matte lipstick and our Saint highlighter to define your cheekbones and upper cupids arrow.

The Greenly Guide: Anything else you would like to add?

Alison: I have so much hope and optimism for our sustainable lifestyle community. Time and again I have met brands, makers, and customers that are both men and women who care deeply about changing our apparel and cosmetics industry for the better. I have experienced nothing but inclusivity and kindness which makes pushing through the hurdles of a more seasoned fast fashion and luxury beauty market worth while. I hope, in my lifetime, that we have made the kind of changes with product innovation, legislation and community action that our future generations will be able to take the baton and run with it.

Ready to do some shopping!?

If you are looking to pick up some of the new 100% Pure Matte Lipsticks, the incredibly popular Hynt Beauty Nocturne Mascara or refresh your wardrobe with a few sustainable pieces, this is the perfect opportunity!

Thank you so much to the lovely Alison for sharing her story with us here on the blog today.  She is creating something very special with Salud Shoppe and we cannot wait to see what the future holds for this incredible marketplace.

Make sure to visit Salud Shoppe on social media as well!

Instagram: @saludshoppe

Twitter: @salud_shoppe

Facebook: Search Salud Shoppe

The post Shop Spotlight: Salud Shoppe – A Modern One Stop Shop For Organic Beauty & Fashion appeared first on The Greenly Guide.

QUICK FACTS

Bio: Jana Drolc, author of Small Bits of Loveliness, passionate about green, natural and organic products.
Location: Slovenia
Connect: Jana’s Blog and Instagram

If you are not yet familiar with the beautiful face pictured above, it is our great pleasure to introduce you to Jana – lover of green beauty, advocate for organic living and content creator behind the blog Small Bits of Loveliness.

Amazing natural and organic product recommendations, Beauty Heroes Ambassador, and trained beautician, Jana is an incredible wealth of knowledge.  She has a passion for living healthfully that shines through in her thoughtful posts and detailed reviews.  Although she has a degree in Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology, makeup and beauty products have always interested and inspired Jana, and after reading an article about harmful ingredients that are often in every day products, her focus shifted to green beauty and finding clean and safe products.

If you are new to green beauty or are a veteran in your journey to finding healthier beauty alternatives, you will certainly enjoy Small Bits of Loveliness and the wonderful woman behind it.  We are thrilled today to have the lovely Jana on the blog sharing with us a little bit more about herself, how she became interested in organic beauty and she is even sharing her five must have winter skincare products!  Read on below for our interview with the lovely Jana!

The Greenly Guide: What was it that first intrigued you about green beauty and natural products? How did you first become interested in researching what ingredients were in the products you were using?

Jana: Well if my memory serves me right, I got into green beauty and natural products after I read an article about toxic and harmful ingredients hiding in my every day products. Before really diving into the magical word of green beauty I actually first got into cruelty free brands and products. The majority of natural and organic products are cruelty free so I just started using those. Then I started reading more about ingredients, learning which to avoid and which worked for my skin. My skin and hair really agreed with the change so it was only natural to continue. I also started reading green beauty blogs and was inspired even more to follow on this journey. So yeah, my interest in animal welfare and cruelty free products + reading and learning about ingredients made me think and changed my whole look on beauty.

The Greenly Guide: What inspired you to share your story through your blog and when did you begin blogging?
Jana: The longer version of this answer is in my Beauty Heroes interview, to sum it up – it was my gorgeous friend who inspired me to start writing my blog. I said it many times before and I will gladly say it again, I will be forever grateful to her. Starting out on my blogging journey was THE best decision of my life. I feel blessed to have her in my life, as well as my friends and family who support me.

The Greenly Guide: How did you come to settle on the name Small Bits of Loveliness? (such a cute name!)
Jana: Aw thank you! I wanted something that would give me the option of writing about a wide variety of subjects because I didn’t quite know for sure where my blog would take me. I only knew I wanted to write about beauty, but then I also wanted to include some fashion and cooking posts, and more, so I decided on a name that would cover all that. But it wasn’t as easy as it sounds, not at all. After years I still like my blog name so I guess I did something right there. Again, thanks to my boyfriend and friends who helped me.

The Greenly Guide: What qualities do you look for in a brand when you are searching for new products to try?
Jana: I take a closer look into the ingredients + brand’s philosophy. Cruelty free, 100% natural, organic, palm oil free, eco friendly, vegan and things like that make my heart skip a beat. I’m not perfect and still use products in plastic packaging (but then I always recycle!) and I also don’t use all vegan products (I can’t say no to honey), but I try to do my best. Oh and when I see palm oil or palm oil derivatives among ingredients I always ask the brand if it’s from a sustainable source. I think everyone should be more mindful of palm oil. If you’re not familiar with the problem, palm oil plantations have a huge negative impact on environment, on animals and people. You should really look into it. Back to the qualities I look for in a brand, well a gorgeous packaging doesn’t hurt either, but in the end the ingredients and performance are what really matter.

The Greenly Guide: Are there any green brands that you have tried that are local to you that you have loved and would like to share?
I haven’t tried the brand yet but I saw it the other day and it picked my interest –Amon & Anis. I love their cute design, so pretty! They are 100% natural and at least 98% organic. I will have to try something from them, they look so lovely.

The Greenly Guide: What are your winter skincare must haves? Can you narrow it down to 5?
Jana: Keri, this is the hardest question, I love so many products! Since this time is all about hydration and nourishment, the first product that comes to mind is the Nap in the Meadow by the amazing Earthwise Beauty. The Nap is a very hydrating product that is also anti-inflammatory and soothing, and has made such a massive difference in my skin. This year I haven’t experienced any problems with dry, flaky skin which is often times the case when transitioning from fall to winter, and I believe this product played a big role in that. For the face let me also mention my newest discovery – Siam Seas. Oh my word, Supadra’s products are so good! Such a fan of the Elements Beauty Balm and The Twiglight BeCalm Skin Serum. I saw immediate results with these two products. My skin was instantly calmer, more even and smooth. Can I cheat a little and think of the two Siam Seas products as one? If that’s the case I can move on to the best hair oil in the world, the UMA Intensely Nourishing Hair Oil, which is keeping my hair soft and hydrated. For my body I have to mention Kahina Giving Beauty Moroccan Rose Beldi Soap and accompanying Kessa Mitt, which makes my skin unbelievably soft and Rachel’s Plan Bee Jasmine Body Oil, doubles up as perfume oil. The scent of this product is one of the best out there. So much love for all these products.

The Greenly Guide: We are big fans of The Peridot Mag that you are a part of- how did this collaboration come to be and can you explain a little about The Peridot for those who aren’t familiar with it?

Jana: Thank you, glad to hear it. First let me start with your second question. If I try to describe The Peridot Mag in one sentence, then I would say it’s a place for all who are interested in green beauty, ethical fashion, eco lifestyle and more. Everyone can find something special to enjoy and learn something new. If I can say so myself it is a great place to spend some of your time. I’m only a contributing member (a very bad one at this moment!) but I was actually a co-founder, with Liz, Tammy, and Nic. It was fun while it lasted but honestly, I was feeling too much pressure and having a full time job and my blog was just too much for me to handle. For the sake of my sanity I had to take a step back, so I became a contributor. Luckily the ladies were really understanding and I can’t thank them enough for that.

The Greenly Guide: Living abroad, can you share your go to green beauty online shops that are your favorites in your region?
Jana: For Slovenian shops I want to mention two – Specia and LilyLolo, and as for European beauty shops I love Reina Organics, Eminessences, Love Lula and So Natural Beauty. These are the ones that first come to mind.

The Greenly Guide: Do you have any exciting upcoming plans for Small Bits of Loveliness that you can share?
Jana: There is always something going on, but at the moment there’s nothing too big to share.

The Greenly Guide: Anything else you would like to add?
Jana: All that is left to say is that I’m so very grateful to you Keri to feature me on your beautiful blog. I feel so honoured you picked me among all amazing green beauty bloggers out there. Thank you! To those of you who read my interview, thank you as well. <3

Thank you so much to Jana for taking the time to share more about herself and her green beauty journey.  We cannot wait to see what she has in store in the coming year!

For amazing green beauty information, gorgeous photos and honest product reviews, please make sure to head over to Jana’s blog and follow her over on Instagram as well!

The post Greenly Connections: Jana of Small Bits of Loveliness appeared first on The Greenly Guide.

With your VIB card in hand, and the aisles and aisles of displays, any beauty lover can find something at this makeup haven. But what if you are looking for cleaner beauty options?  Do you have to give up your VIB status?  No way!

Once you have started down the road of transitioning your health and beauty products from conventional to natural, most people immediately write off mainstream stores such as Sephora.  While it is true that the available options are quite limited in comparison to shopping at an all-natural, green beauty shop, the choices are becoming better, and the reach of green beauty brands is growing.

Plan Ahead

Before diving into the brands that we suggest picking up at Sephora, we wanted to mention that when shopping at conventional beauty stores, it is essential to read labels!  Greenwashing is very prominent, and many companies are trying to profit from the growing community of individuals who are looking for natural and organic beauty – do your research prior to heading into the store so you know what you are looking for and which ingredients or brands you would like to avoid.

The Greenly Guide’s Clean List

With the VIB sale upon us, we have created our brand guide below to help you navigate through to the truly natural brands.  We have also chosen a few of our favorite picks to help you build your Sephora green beauty wish list!  [Make sure to always keep your eyes open as new clean beauty brands continue to be added to their brand list!]

Captain Blankenship

“Beauty Wild With Nature” – This luxurious organic line is for those mermaids at heart.  With products ranging from hair care to body care, the soft ocean colors and blue glass bottles will have you swooning and dreaming of sunshine and beaches

GREENLY PICK: Mermaid Sea Salt Hair Spray

If you are looking for the perfect beachy waves in a bottle, this is it.  Made with organic aloe vera gel and organic sea kelp extract to add moisture, light hold and texture to the hair, it will look like you have spent all day at the beach, even if you are far from it.

Deborah Lippmann

“Backstage trend creator.  Celebrity manicurist. Nail care expert” – Created by celebrated manicurist Deborah Lippman, she has created a 5-free formula that is innovative and beautiful.  Free of formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, toluene, DBP and camphor, these polishes are also cruelty-free.  Each color is infused with Biotin and green tea to help keep nails healthy.

GREENLY PICK: Iconic Treatment-enriched Nail Polish in “Dark Side of the Moon”

This full coverage, aubergine shade is absolutely perfect for Fall and Winter. You cannot go wrong!  These formulas are long-wearing, dry quickly and apply evenly.  Give your nails the star treatment with this gorgeous polish line.

Herbivore

“Natural beauty for an unparalleled sensorial experience” – Herbivore is a brand that combines pure active plant ingredients, beautiful and simple branding and effective formulas that deliver results.  They are perfect for those seeking a minimalist approach to their skincare.  Between their masks and facial oils, you will have glowing skin in no time!

GREENLY PICK: The NEW Moon Fruit Superfruit Night Treatment

Dullness and uneven skin texture are no match for this multitasking treatment!  Fruit enzymes gently resurface the skin while a blend of butters and hyaluronic acid hydrate and leave the skin exfoliated, smooth and glowing.

ILIA

“Brilliant Color. Organic Beauty” – Known for their rich pigments and organic ingredients, ILIA products are formulated with up to 85% certified organic ingredients which will nourish the skin for a unique beauty experience.

GREENLY PICK: Multi-Stick in “A Fine Romance”

If you are looking for a versatile product for easy on-the-go application, this one is great for both the lips and cheeks.  With a nourishing blend of ingredients, including avocado oil, organic cocoa and shea butter, this smooth formula will give an effortless looking tint to the lips or flush to the cheeks—this berry color is perfect for Fall!

Kari Gran

“Be kind to your skin”  – If you are looking for an eco-luxe skincare brand that contains only the best, non-GMO ingredients, Kari Gran has you covered.  Their lip whips are coveted by many green beauty fanatics to achieve the perfectly tinted and hydrated pout.

GREENLY PICK: Color Lip Whip in “Marsala”

A gorgeously luxurious lipstick hybrid, the Color Lip Whip is made with the same wonderful moisturizing and natural ingredients found in the naked and tinted lip whips, but these offer a deeper burst of color.  Use them alone or over a lipstick for the perfect dose of hydration and color.

Kopari

“Have a coconut love affair.  Your beauty is safe with us” – This tropically influenced, coconut oil based skincare and bodycare line will have you feeling like you are on the beaches of Hawaii.  Drawing on the many benefits of coconut oil, such as skin hydration and anti-aging, it is the star ingredient in all of their products. With their brightly colored packaging, you will be smiling and smelling like a delicious coconut!

GREENLY PICK: Coconut Balm

This pure and simple balm is a super multi-tasker and can be used from head to toe.  Infused with organic coconut oil, aloe vera, and cocoa butter, dryness won’t have a chance.  Apply to the body, hands or as a spot treatment for dry patches anywhere.  Works great right after a shower on damp skin to really lock in moisture

Rahua

“Beauty is power” – If you are looking for a unique and luxurious hair care brand, Rahua cannot be beat.  Their brand is inspired by the Amazon and centuries-old authentic tribal beauty secrets.  Their products give life to lackluster hair by feeding it with only the best organic rainforest grown superfoods.

GREENLY PICK: Jet Setter Kit

We love this four-piece set of hair care essentials so you can get a taste of this luxurious line without breaking the bank.  In this set you will find their classic shampoo and conditioner formula along with their Voluminous shampoo and conditioner all housed in 2oz bottles that are perfect for finding the best products for you and are great for travel as well!

REVERIE

“Luxury organic hair care line handcrafted in California” – Created by experienced hair stylist Garrett Markenson, REVERIE’s hair care is made of the world’s finest organic and sustainable ingredients. Their products feature chic black and white branding where you will find everything from shampoo and conditioner to styling and treatments–this line will help to restore your hair to optimum levels of health.

GREENLY PICK: Ever Recovery Hair Oil

Great for all hair types from straight to curly, this marula oil based hair oil will help to repair split ends, add shine and restore damaged hair.  It can also be used as an intense overnight treatment for super hydrated and silky smooth strands.

rms beauty

“Organic meets luxury” – Created by renowned makeup artist Rose-Marie Swift, rms beauty is a must have in your quest for clean beauty.  Their makeup offers some of the cleanest ingredients in the industry, and the entire line is made with organic, raw, food-grade ingredients.

GREENLY PICK: Living Luminizer

This cult favorite and best-selling cream highlighter is a must have!  Crafted with high quality, nourishing ingredients, this highlight gives your skin the coveted ‘Lit from Within’ glow we are all searching for.  It gives the skin a dewy youthfulness without being greasy or glittery.

Tata Harper

“100% natural and non-toxic luxury skincare handcrafted without a drop of synthetic chemicals” – If you think going green means missing out on indulgent luxury brands, meet Tata Harper.  Made in small batches using the latest technology and the finest quality ingredients, you will feel like you’ve stepped into a spa upon each use.

GREENLY PICK: Regenerating Cleanser

To keep skin smooth and clear, exfoliation is key – especially as we head into the winter months. This exfoliating cleanser is highly effective and will help to improve the look of enlarged pores, boost radiance, purify and deeply hydrate – an incredible multi-tasking skin treatment for all skin types.

We hope this will be useful in navigating Sephora and helping you to find green beauty brands among their offerings.  

The post Shopping at Sephora: A Green Beauty Guide appeared first on The Greenly Guide.

In addition to being ingredient savvy, Omiana is also first and foremost a family-centered business.  They are a privately held, family-owned company, that caters to a small niche clientele who are looking for a wide variety of safe and high performing cosmetics.  They pride themselves on always remembering that there is a real person on the other end of an email or phone call, and they operate on a strategy of putting heart, not profit, at the center of all that they do.

In addition to providing helpful and friendly customer service, they take their family-first stance a step further by providing their employees a “classroom” to bring their children with them to work.  This room is filled with books, piles of compostable diapers, toys and comfy couches for nursing moms. They believe in harmony between work and family, and they certainly take the steps to provide their employees this incredible benefit.

The Greenly Guide is so excited to share with you more about this company on the blog today.  We had the wonderful opportunity to get to know Lauren, founder of Omiana, and to ask her a few questions about her company and their products. Please read on below for our full interview with Lauren, a wonderful discount code plus a chance to win some of Omiana’s fabulous products!

The Greenly Guide: Can you share a little about your story and how you first became interested in using natural and non-toxic beauty products?

Lauren: My mom’s family is Mennonite, straight from Germany, so we (my sister, cousins, and I) spent a lot of time helping husk corn and riding horses on the farm. I think that environment kept my head health-geared from a young age. My grandma wouldn’t keep sugar in the house, for example. Just honey, and only once in a blue moon would she let us use it! It’s always been a lifestyle for my family and me. My sister and I delved into makeup when my mom, who did not stay within the Mennonite circle, let us; we have always enjoyed makeup and considered it an art form.

The Greenly Guide: How was Omiana born? What inspired you to start your company to create safer cosmetics?

Lauren: Omiana came about during my first pregnancy. I was looking for a line with numerous safe options; there are a lot of amazing pure lines out there, but sometimes their shades and finishes seem limited.

The Greenly Guide: Is there a special meaning or significance behind the name Omiana? How did you decide on this name for your brand?

Lauren: My [then small] team and I actually cycled through a few names, but the trademarks didn’t go through! Omiana (“ah-me-ah-nah”) is a name my toddler helped me devise, ha-ha! We polled a good deal of our loyal customers, too: they seemed to agree it’s a memorable, ‘clean’ name.

The Greenly Guide: Omiana caters not only to those looking for cleaner beauty products, but to those with specific ingredient sensitivities as well- can you talk a little about the ingredients you have omitted from your formulas and why?

Lauren: It may sound odd, but even avoiding coconut oil is a biggie within Omiana. We certainly use it, and a lot of us love it, but it would probably come as a surprise to many how some skin types are sensitive to this ingredient. Ditto for beeswax, castor oil, even zinc oxide and other oxides. Chromium greens, ultramarines, mica … some colorants, colorants that have ‘iffy’ research findings. There is inconclusive research, pros and cons, to virtually every ingredient out there, though, so when we source, we are diligent to be sure it’s the safest option among its kind. For example, Omiana’s iron oxides are not coated, are not micronized, and are certainly not nanoparticle. Our zinc oxide is high-micron; our beeswax is kosher, cruelty-free … the list goes on and on. Every ingredient has a strict sourcing process.

The Greenly Guide: When creating products with natural and non-toxic ingredients, what challenges have you encountered and how have you resolved these issues in your formulas?

Lauren: One thing we talk about a lot with our manufacturing team is what we call the ‘preservative battle’ … we can make an amazing pH-balanced formula that passes safety tests but then have a savvy team member or even customers (we enlist some very loyal customers in early product creation) want or not want a preservative because a preservative can offer ‘extra security’ yet some are sensitive to them or don’t like a moderate EWG-rated ingredient (e.g., a “3” over a “0” or “1”) — on the other hand, some are sensitive to or disapprove of herbal preservations systems … they might not want an herbal preservation system only in a mascara because if it gets contaminated because it’s opened and closed so much, that’s awfully risky, being so close to one’s precious eyes. It can be a catch-22 … so we opt to offer a variety of formulas.

With the care we put into formulations and ethical, legal, customers’-right-to-know full ingredient disclosure, it can be so disheartening seeing companies mislabeling in effort to win customers in the ‘natural’ segment. We have seen this with mom-and-pop shops that might not understand strict labeling mandates, and we have seen this with big companies — I don’t want to throw anyone under the bus, but an example is a company claiming an anhydrous (no-water) formula, with numerous extracts, yet their extracts are suspended in water. Or not disclosing an ingredient combination because it’s trademarked. It can get a little frustrating as consumers ourselves and caring about other consumers’ right to know what is honestly in their products.

Omiana is full of young women and mamas: we shouldn’t have to choose if we want to have a career or be a mom. Merging the two is what is natural in our case. -Lauren, founder of Omiana

The Greenly Guide: As a mom myself, knowing that family is at the core of Omiana is so inspiring. I love that you have given your employees access to a ‘classroom’ in your offices so moms can bring their little ones with them. So amazing! As this is definitely not the standard, can you explain why you decided to offer this incredible feature at Omiana?

Lauren: Thank you so much for caring; We have two men who are in our warehouse, and my husband is our COO, but other than that, Omiana is full of young women and mamas: we shouldn’t have to choose if we want to have a career or be a mom. Merging the two is what is natural in our case. These little ones, our future, are our driving forces: seeing my babes’ faces and getting to plop down to feed them — it’s why I work so hard, and I know many women who are the same way and would prefer this. Totally not judging anyone who prefers otherwise, but this is a great set-up for us here. We have to keep kiddos away from manufacturing and order fulfillment, of course, but fortunately that’s quite separated. Our ‘classroom’ area, as we call it, is neat. It’s modern and comfy with lots of learning centers and is downtown Columbia, Missouri, so there are fun little organic cafes and other local businesses surrounding us.

The Greenly Guide: Let’s talk about your products – what was the very first product created at Omiana, and is it still in production today?

Lauren: It was Omiana’s loose powder, and you bet, it is!

The Greenly Guide: For someone who is new to your brand and wondering where to start, can you share some of your current best-selling products?

Lauren: Omiana’s mineral veil really flies off our shelves. It’s simple and silky and really helps allay the appearance of pores, lines, and imperfections. Also, it sort of surprises me how well the baby bum powder does! I love this so much. Normally clay is an awesome ingredient, but it made me a little nervous with my newborn, so we formulated without clay, even, and no cornstarch … I think moms really appreciate all its omissions. A little secret — you can totally use this as a dry shampoo, too : )

The Greenly Guide: What brings you the greatest joy through owning Omiana?

Lauren: Two things: the experience it provides my family and remaining as bonded as we are and the connection I and other team members get to establish with our amazing loyal customers. We have heard so many stories about triumph over illness; healthy pregnancies; landing-the-job, Omiana getting a tiny role in these stories. It’s just awesome hearing how Omiana plays a part in lives, even if it seems small. Augmenting our natural beauty through fun colors and ingredients — it’s an art form and a way we get to connect with people.

The Greenly Guide: Can you share any exciting plans or new products that we can look forward to in 2017?

Lauren: We are working on at least one new mascara, more foundation choices, and eye shadows! Also you will see more in our ‘holistic’ section: Beauty and health go hand in hand, so offering EMF protection, essential oil-fragranced lead-free soy candles, and much more really excites us and hopefully our supporters, too.

Interested in trying some of Omiana’s Products?

You can find many of Omiana’s amazing products on Amazon. Check them out here.

Connect with Omiana on their website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

The post Brand Profile and Interview with Omiana appeared first on The Greenly Guide.

QUICK FACTS

Bio: Laura Ehlers is the creator of LaurasNaturalLife.com, including the Crave-Free Cleanse and Clean Beauty Academy. She is a Nutritionist and Holistic Health Educator, with a Master’s Degree in Nutrition and Health Education from Hawthorn University. Laura is passionate about living a toxin-free life from the inside out – including beauty products, home products, nutrient dense foods and detox methods. When she’s not creating exciting things for Laura’s Natural life she can be found devouring an acai bowl and having one-sided conversation with her dog, Tedford.
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Connect: Laura’s Blog, YouTube Channel, Instagram, and Pinterest

As a wellness warrior, holistic health educator, nutritionist and green beauty enthusiast, it’s safe to say that Laura is a wealth of clean living knowledge.  She is passionate about sharing her journey and creates incredible content through her YouTube Channel, blog and website, LaurasNaturalLife.com.

Laura has went above and beyond in providing resources to cover all your bases for living a greener lifestyle.  If you are looking to learn how to eat healthier, Laura has created her Crave-Free Cleanse; if you are looking for adorable healthy lifestyle apparel and accessories, she has created a custom collection of items that are sold through her Etsy store, Shop LNL, and lastly, for those of you looking to clean up your makeup routine and delve into the world of green beauty, she has created an educational course called Clean Beauty Academy where she will help to empower you to learn about ingredients to decide for yourself which products best suit your needs — so, when I say she has you covered, it is no exaggeration!  Laura has provided amazing resources to answer many common issues and questions people have when starting down the path to living a non-toxic lifestyle.

We are beyond excited to feature this clean living super woman on our blog today!  She is answering our questions about her own health journey, what you can expect from her courses, and she is offering her advice on how to stick to those New Year’s resolutions.  Read on below for our interview with Laura!

The Greenly Guide: Can you share why you decided to start using safer products in your home and cleaner health and beauty items? Was there one event in your life that made you question conventional products or was it a gradual change for you?
Laura: The answer to this all comes back to health. When my family moved to Georgia when I was in high school, my mom become ill with chemical sensitivity and Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (although, we didn’t know these diagnoses yet). She was very sensitive to chemicals as well as any strong scents and we started using more clean products in our home – at least in regards to cleaning and fragrance free products. She also started seeing a natural healthcare practitioner which led us on a path to better health. Later in life when I got married, I moved into a brand new home and the toxic chemicals from the building materials made me so sick almost instantly. At the same time, I began working at a holistic healthcare center and was working with air inspectors and building inspectors to help figure out how to combat these chemicals I was living in! During this time, I also learned that my bloodstream could absorb whatever I put on it. I assumed since I didn’t have a reaction to my products and they did not have a scent, they were safe. I was wrong! Since I was a beauty junkie, I knew I had to find alternatives, because going makeup free was not an option!

The Greenly Guide: Did your lifestyle change to using natural products spark your interest in holistic nutrition as well, or was seeking further education in holistic nutrition something that always interested you?
Laura: Absolutely! It was a snowball effect with everything happening at once. I was always into natural healthcare and really hated going to my western medical doctor, because growing up doctors told me my chronic issues were either “nothing” or “anxiety”. They were neither. I certainly didn’t know very much about holistic healthcare until I started working in a holistic healthcare office. I love learning about nutrients, supplements, dietary systems and seeing people’s lives literally changed for the better in front of my own eyes! It was there that I decided to pursue an education in holistic health.

The Greenly Guide: As a holistic nutritionist, you have shared your knowledge in the form of your program The Crave-Free Cleanse (formerly called the 10 Day Reset)–can you explain why you decided to create this and what benefits people will see from completing this program?
Laura: So many people are looking for a cleanse as a quick fix after the holidays or before a vacation. Most of these cleanses are crap! They leave you with very few nutrients and you feel horrible, not to mention they leave you craving ice cream, pizza and cake! 10 days is a perfect amount of time to clean out the junk in your diet, while teaching you how to eat healthfully. I have tons of information about healthy eating in there (not fad cleansing), as well as no restrictions on how much you can eat – as long as you follow the types of food allowed. Typically, someone experiences a realization that they really don’t crave a particular food they used to, or don’t even like it anymore. Some people experience less pain, better sleep, more energy and even some weight loss, but everyone’s body is different. The goal is to continue using what you’ve learned in the program and treat is as a building block to a healthy lifestyle change.

The Greenly Guide: With the New Year upon us and many people making New Year’s resolutions, what is your best advice for someone who is hoping to change their nutrition and how they can stay on course for the long term?
Laura: Treat your New year’s resolutions as lifestyle changes, not as a fad. If you are serious about changing something in your life, seek out real help that will keep you accountable. Also, be realistic about what you can do and how much effort it will take on your part.

The Greenly Guide: What are a few of your favorite healthy snacks for on the go?
Laura: Nuts, fruit, celery and carrots, Suja juices and Rx bars.

The Greenly Guide: In addition to your nutritional program, you have also created your Clean Beauty Academy – can you share what inspired you to create this course?
Laura: I often get asked “is _____ a clean product / brand?”. I realized that many green beauty users are relying on green bloggers or an app to tell them if a product is safe. I don’t think that’s right. I think every woman should know for herself how to read an ingredient label on her beauty products. The choice if something is safe or not should be hers alone! On a more global level, it’s one thing to say that you use green products, but if no one is trying to ban a particular ingredient, it will continue to be used. The marketing on beauty packages can also be very deceiving. I see so many woman buying products that are marketed as “natural” or “paraben-free” and are still full of carcinogens! Once you know how to read a label, you will never be duped by marketing again.

The Greenly Guide: If someone is new to green beauty and interested in enrolling in your Clean Beauty Academy to learn more about ingredients and products, can you briefly explain the format of the course and what they can expect to learn?
Laura: The course includes four video modules, consisting of 10 video lessons total. These lessons are broken down into beginner, advanced and purist, so that once you know all the big ingredients to watch out for, you can decided for yourself which ones you want to avoid. There are also printable ingredient lists so that you can take them shopping with you, a gigantic shopping guide of all the products I and my fellow beauty bloggers have used with details like price and skin type, as well as my Better Beauty Method workbook to systematically walk you through detoxing your own makeup bag and help you decide which products to upgrade to better beauty products. There are also fun bonus videos, too! It also can be done in as little as one weekend day!

The Greenly Guide: Along with connecting with your followers via YouTube and Instagram, you have also started a community through Facebook- this seems to be a great way to interact- what makes your group unique to other similarly formatted groups?
Laura: It is BUSY! Everyone is active and ready to answer your questions. We’re over 500 green beauties strong now and growing. In addition to help, you can also find encouragement.

The Greenly Guide: When you aren’t busy creating healthy living and green beauty content, what things do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Laura: I am obsessed with barre3 and practice several times a week. I also enjoy spending time with my family (especially my sweet dog, Tedford) and in the summer I really enjoy boating and golfing.

The Greenly Guide: What products would be included if you were short on time and only had 5 minute to do your makeup – specifically for Winter?
Laura: Gressa Minimalist Serum Foundation, Honest Beauty Brow Pencil, Lily Lolo Mascara, Nu Evolution Bronzer, Root Pressed Eyeshadow in Duke.

A huge thank you to Laura for taking the time to share more about herself and her health journey on The Greenly Guide blog today.  Be sure to head over to Laura’s website to learn more about her Cleanse and her Clean Beauty Academy.  We cannot wait to see all of the exciting new things that Laura will bring to the green community in 2017!

The post Greenly Connections: Laura of Laura’s Natural Life appeared first on The Greenly Guide.

Gabriel De Santino is the founder and CEO of Gabriel Cosmetics, Inc., a global natural beauty empire whose brands include Gabriel, Zuzu Luxe, and Clean Kids Naturally.

Born from Latin descent and raised off the coast of Mexico, Gabriel at an early age was naturally drawn to the coastal life and heavily influenced by his grandmother’s holistic practices. Playing freely in the water and strolling the beaches, he developed a strong connection to the ocean and saw a greater purpose for its natural healing properties- something young boys don’t often take notice of. Even then he was a thought leader and as a wide-eyed adolescent, sought after the opportunity and experience he’d need to become a successful entrepreneur.

At the age of 18, Gabriel moved to the Seattle, Washington area where he kept the water close and the sky the limit. He knew the Pacific Northwest had a rising fashion and beauty scene and joined the movement at a local beauty counter. It was there that Gabriel fell in love with makeup, but was also inspired to look past the made-up face. He soon secured a position at a salon & spa to learn more about the industry and how he may change it. After attending aesthetician school, he quickly discovered he wanted to first correct the skin before covering it up, a mantra he still practices today. As an aesthetician, he struggled with the fact that women were using toxic products on their skin, and given his background as a naturopath and familiarity with sea botanicals, his calling was loud and clear.

In 1992, he solicited the moral and financial support of his friends and family and started Gabriel Organics, a complete line of all natural, vegan, gluten-free and cruelty free skincare products made with seaweed as its hero ingredient. However, he realized that although women were now able to naturally clean and heal their skin, they were continuing to cover it up with toxic makeup.

In 1994, Gabriel created his first makeup line, Gabriel Color which was designed to be mistake proof. Each shade of eyeshadow, lip gloss, lipstick, lip liner, etc. was carefully curated so that even a beauty novice couldn’t blunder. Each goes with the other in a wardrobe of soft muted tones to bring out the natural beauty. Gabriel has always said, “It’s about correcting, not covering up,” and his products spoke to that in the 90’s and still do, even decades later. It’s his Secret to Mistake Proof Beauty.

Gabriel’s makeup and skincare brands solved a problem within the marketplace by providing women affordable and results driven skincare and makeup. However, with the birth of his first niece, he wanted to provide moms with a healthy personal care solution for their kids. His empire was growing and there was no stopping it. Clean Kids Naturally joined the brand portfolio in 1996 to better round out Gabriel’s portfolio of better-for- you products.

Gabriel had more secrets to tell and healthy products to share. He wanted to engage with a younger demographic and compete with brands that while offering bright, bold colors, weren’t natural. So, in 2001 he created Zuzu Luxe, a complete line of makeup that was also vegan, gluten-free, cruelty free and natural. This was his ammunition to bring the fight for green beauty to the masses. His Eco Chic Warriors became beautiful, courageous, loyal advocates for vegan beauty and Zuzu Luxe became their definition.

At this time, what was once a small health food store out of Austin, TX was growing into a notable chain across the country and Gabriel wanted to be a part of it. In 1994, Gabriel Organics and Gabriel Color were picked up by Whole Foods Markets in the Southern California region and were quickly catching the attention of like-minded retailers. Two years later Clean Kids Naturally was on the shelves followed by Zuzu Luxe shortly after its launch in 2001. Today, Gabriel’s brands are sold at 400 Whole Foods Markets and at over 4,000 retailers including e- commerce partners such as Target.com, Costco.com, Amazon.com, to name a few, and international distributors in Canada and South Korea.

Gabriel Cosmetic’s Inc.’s prestige and diverse brand portfolio was created out of one man’s vision of clearly defining natural beauty and being able to provide affordable and accessible vegan beauty products to consumers worldwide. In 2017, Gabriel Cosmetics evolved into the “Gabriel” brand with Gabriel Organics to fall under its umbrella in 2018 as “Gabriel Skincare.” Gabriel Cosmetics, Inc. is headquartered in its original area of Redmond, Washington with over 25 employees and its fearless leader, Gabriel De Santino leading the charge every step of the way.

10 Ways Gabriel Cosmetics, Inc. has gone green

1.  Recycle Program for used makeup components. More info here
2.  Product Boxes are recyclable and printed with vegetable based inks
3.  Eco friendly packaging for shipping: PELASPAN BIO packaging peanuts are made from 100% biodegradable material. Vegetable starch. PELASPAN BIO is totally biodegradable without any risk of ground water contamination.
4.  Eliminated printing orders and now file them electronically
5.  Use only natural, nontoxic ingredients – no Phthalates, Parabens, or Sulfates – Nontoxic products reduce its environmental impact by   avoiding pesticides and toxins, which can leak into water supplies and become ecologically harmful.
6.  Gabriel makeup brushes are fair trade, eco-friendly, and sustainable
7.  Both Gabriel and Zuzu Luxe Dual Powder Foundations are refillable, causing less waste
8.  Partnered manufacturers use Infrared heating ovens that can self-regulate as well as wind power for their facility
9.  Green partners: Gabriel partners with Oceanic Preservation Society by donating a % of their proceeds annually, all GCI products are certified Gluten- Free and certified cruelty free by the Leaping Bunny Program
10.  Makeup is 100% Vegan which can have positive effects on the environment – see here

A Look at the Spring/Summer 2017 Collections

Gabriel Radiant Beauty Collection

It’s time to hit the wellness reset button. Stay young by aging well and discover the secret to #mistakeproofbeauty. After 25 years, Gabriel Cosmetics is finding simplicity in radiance with their Spring/Summer 2017 makeup collection. Launched in February, the collection includes the Aura Palette and Illusion lipstick, with calming shades and a smooth, subtle freshness along with the Tropical Cool nail collection.

*Brighten up your look with this season’s Aura Palette complete with four dreamy eyeshadows, blush and translucent powder.

*The Illusion Lipstick is a perfect medium toned nude

*Liquid Radiance in Halo is a Delicious Living Award winning highlighter and a beauty bag must have

Tropical Cool Nail Collection

We have major island envy and need a fix, fast! Grab the Mai Tais, flamingo floaties, and give yourself a perfectly pink mani/pedi with Gabriel’s summer Tropical Cool Nail collection.

This “Five-free” collection includes five punchy hues that will have you thinking pink – Pink Lady (cotton candy pink with an iridescent sparkle), Flamingo (bubble gum pink), Paradise Plum (medium to dark purple), Dragon Fruit (vibrant fuchsia), and Passion (glossy fuchsia).

Zuzu Luxe Techno Warrior Collection

Zuzu Luxe is going to battle for green and will pack a punch with the season’s Techno Warrior collection. This collection embraces the daring and fearless with a focus on the eyes for a minimalistic graphic look, sheer complexion and a slightly warm terra cotta cheek and lip.
Zuzu Luxe is taking the Eco Chic Warrior strength far beyond a flawless look and partnering with Green Acres Farm Sanctuary in support of animal rights and cruelty free practices. Zuzu Luxe will donate 10% of profits of this collection to Green Acres, so strap on your boots, and enlist in the battle of the season.

*Photos in this post are courtesy of and belong to Gabriel & Zuzu Luxe.

Connect with Gabriel on their website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest

Connect with Zuzu Luxe on their website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter

The post Meet the green beauty pioneer who is celebrating 25 years in the industry appeared first on The Greenly Guide.

After trying many conventional products to soothe and heal her dry, sensitive skin, and finding that nothing worked, she discovered the reason for this was that she had developed an extreme chemical sensitivity.  All of the ingredients used in mainstream personal care products were making her feel miserable and causing her watery eyes and headaches.  Upon making the switch to all natural products, these symptoms disappeared.

After this discovery, she began her journey into the world of herbal remedies, plant-based treatments and ancient practices.  Formulating products in her kitchen and sharing them with family and friends led to the business she has created today.  Lydia not only focuses on sourcing wonderful ingredients, she is also passionate about giving back to her community and is striving for a zero-waste manufacturing process.

Lydia is so kindly sharing her story on The Greenly Guide today.  In addition to sharing more about herself and her brand, she has also very generously provided a discount code that can be used on their website!  Now through April 5, 2017, enter the code ‘thegreenlyguide15‘ to receive 15% off your order!  Please read on below for the full interview with Lydia, founder of WEBA Naturals.

The Greenly Guide: After experiencing chemical sensitivities to the products you were using, you eventually turned to creating your own products. As a therapist by training, coming from a very different profession, can you share a little about your background with natural products, how you began formulating and any training you have?

Lydia: After realizing that I could no longer use certain products, I began researching this phenomenon. I learned that I was not alone. I found terms like “Extreme chemical sensitivity” and “Toxicant-induced loss of tolerance (TILT), which has been misunderstood among many professionals. I also realized that I did not experience the same reactions to naturally-produced, plant-based ingredients. I began spending years researching formularies, consulting with cosmetic chemists, attending webinars, and reading anything that I could get my hands on. Everything from aromatherapy and herbal medicine to ayurveda and wild edibles were fair game. I am always learning, and continue to do so to this day. The rest is history.

The Greenly Guide: WEBA stands for ‘whole earth body actives’ which you have stated guides your decision to provide the highest quality ingredients that are good for us and our planet. Can you talk a little about your ingredients and how you source them?

Lydia: The first rule of thumb is to make certain that wild-harvested essential oils are not endangered or “rare.” I try to ask the right questions when expanding our supply chain so that I can feel good about adding that ingredient to our products. I try hard to source products that are made locally or in the U.S.A., but it isn’t always possible. Most of the oils and butters that we use are sourced in Europe, Africa, and Asia, for example. These products provide real wages to many poor communities in these countries and are a major source of income. Many of our botanicals, however, are grown in the U.S. organically and sustainably, so we buy from them.

The Greenly Guide: On the topic of ingredients, do you have a favorite ingredient that you work with and include in your products? What about any difficult to work with ingredients you have used?

Lydia: It can be difficult to choose one favorite; I have so many. My favorite essential oil is lavender for its healing properties and its relaxing scent. A favorite emollient is shea butter. The only ingredients that I find challenging is the sodium hydroxide that I use to create the bar soaps. Care must be taken with it, as it is a very strong base.

The Greenly Guide: You have mentioned the importance of simplicity and minimalism within your line, and using multi-purpose products to reduce the number of items a person needs in their collection. Can you share some of the different ways your products can be utilized?

Lydia: All of the bar soaps are “3-in-1” soaps – that is, they are suitable for cleansing, shaving, and shampooing. The secret is in the rich, creamy lather they produce. In fact, ounce for ounce, bar soaps cost less than shower gels. My husband, Marvin, uses nothing else. We like to use the tea tree/oatmeal soap on our dog, Millie. Our balms have as many as ten uses –beard balm, cuticle oil, lip balm, anti-itch salve and everything in between. The lavender balm is also effective against mosquitoes. The Dry Oil is not only effective against frizzy hair and flyaways, but it’s a great massage oil and after-shower oil.

The Greenly Guide: I loved reading about your avoidance of the controversial ingredient palm oil. For those who may not be aware, can you briefly explain why you omit this ingredient and why that was important to you?

Lydia: I first read about the problems with palm oil on the Rainforest Action Network website. “Conflict” palm oil is grown primarily in Indonesia and Malasia, where rainforests are being clear-cut to accommodate this product. It is found in everything from food to feed to cosmetics and skincare. As a result, many native species like the Orangutan, which is now near extinction, are displaced. This is also responsible for many human rights abuses, including child labor practices. I decided early on that my business would not be a contributor to this problem. The butters that I use to substitute it are more expensive, but I feel that it is worth it.  While many big players in the palm oil industry have committed to buying certified sustainable palm oil, we have a long way to go before a total commitment to rainforest-free palm oil can be achieved. I hope that it happens.

The Greenly Guide: For someone who may be viewing your brand for the first time, what are your more popular items that you would suggest someone try to get a taste of what WEBA Naturals has to offer?

Lydia: The first bar soap that I made – “Relax” – is still my most popular item. If you pair that with the Lavender/Tea Tree Body Balm, you have a complete skincare system. Pairing the sugar scrub with the dry oil is also a good combination for normal to dry skin.

The Greenly Guide: In your manufacturing, you strive for a zero-waste process to reduce your impact on the environment. Can you explain a little about the practices you use to achieve this in your production?

Lydia: “Zero-waste” embodies two principles; using what you have and using less than you need to. I engage in both. For example, instead of buying packaging for my shipments I utilize re-used and recycled cardboard boxes and used/recycled paper. I never use bubble wrap or peanuts that don’t degrade. I re-batch our soap ends and mold them into bars that we donate to a local food bank. I re-use and recycle all glass and plastic bottles. My paper towels are recycled unbleached paper or I use cotton towels. Every ingredient is biodegradable. As a result, there is very little that ends up in the trash. While I can’t always control what suppliers send me, I can certainly control what goes out.

The Greenly Guide: In addition to your efforts to reduce your footprint on our planet, you are also passionate about giving back. Can you talk about how you are using WEBA Naturals to support your community?

Lydia: Since I began the business 3 years ago, I’ve given back by donating soap to a local food pantry. I also donate 3-4 gift baskets/year to local charities for their fundraisers. I try to stick to local small businesses when I need professional business services like graphic design and photography. I hire local crafters to make our accessories (sachets and washcloths). I also buy from local businesses. I feel that it’s important for small businesses to support each other given the current retail climate.

The Greenly Guide: What are your goals for WEBA Naturals in 2017, and what new things can we expect from you in the future?

Lydia: I’m always looking for opportunities to partner with businesses that are doing good. I’m hoping to collaborate with a local animal shelter to create a balm that can be used to soothe paw and skin problems. I’m hoping to roll out an ayurvedic deodorant, an oil cleanser, and a few serums. It’s an ambitious undertaking, but I like to aim high.  I will also be doing tabling events later this year, including one at a NYC college for Earth Day. I’d also like to hold a few workshops. I’m excited to see what the future brings for WEBA in 2017 and beyond.

Connect with WEBA Naturals on their website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest

The post Brand Profile and Interview with Lydia Diaz of WEBA Naturals appeared first on The Greenly Guide.

As a mother myself, this is where my journey began.  I became concerned with every single thing I put into my body and onto it as well, knowing that for the first time, my actions were impacting a life other than my own.  My concern for product and ingredient safety became a part of my lifestyle, and it has led me to find incredible brands with these same motivations and goals in mind.

Today, I am so thrilled to introduce you to one such brand, Pleni Naturals.  I had the great pleasure of speaking with founder, and fellow Mom, Allyson Owens, and am excited to share with you the full interview below.  If you are not yet familiar with her products, they are filled with fruit and vegetable ingredients, pure organic essential oils and skin loving ingredients that will help to nourish and soothe your children’s sensitive skin. On top of amazing ingredient quality, Pleni Naturals has taken their commitment one step further to become certified by MADE SAFE. (Read more HERE).  Read on below for our interview with Allyson.

Allyson has very generously offered a wonderful giveaway for readers of The Greenly Guide, so make sure you don’t miss the information on how to enter at the bottom of this post.

The Greenly Guide: Can you talk a little about how you first become interested in natural and non-toxic products and how this lead to the start of Pleni Naturals?

Allyson: Like a lot of women, my journey into the natural and nontoxic world began while I was pregnant with my first child in 2009. It was a journey for me; I didn’t completely go “nontoxic” while pregnant because I was still somewhat unaware of toxic chemicals in the home, but my first detox was definitely my skincare routine! It was also important to me that my babies used safe, nontoxic skincare as well. Before I started Pleni Naturals I was an aesthetician and then I became a consultant and helped skin care brands develop their skin care products. I knew that eventually I would create my own skin care line and I wanted to do something different than what was currently being offered in the natural baby category. Don’t get me wrong; I love flowers but every baby skin care product at the time had flowers in it! I chose to focus on fruit and vegetable ingredients because they are wholesome, just like our babies. Plus, fruit and vegetable oils offer amazing nutritional benefits for the skin. For example; red raspberry seed oil and cranberry seed oil contain omega 3 and 6 essential fatty acids, which our bodies don’t produce and it is necessary to obtain through diet or topically on the skin. These two ingredients help to keep sensitive skin happy and is great for babies and kids suffering from eczema. You can find these two ingredients in our Cucumber + Grape Baby Oil and Berry + Olive Baby Balm. Two other stand out ingredients from the Pleni Naturals skincare line are broccoli seed oil and cucumber seed oil. Broccoli seed oil has a silky finish and works like a natural silicone alternative that leaves the skin smooth and the hair soft and shiny and cucumber seed oil is fantastic for soothing and replenishing the skin’s moisture balance. Both broccoli seed oil and cucumber seed oil can be found in our Apple + Broccoli Hair and Body Wash and the cucumber seed oil can be found in our Cucumber + Grape Baby Oil.

The Greenly Guide: You mention that you created your line of wholesome and organic skincare products for babies and kids to help them develop a lifelong love for veggies, and you also partner with the organization, Life Lab, to help change the way kids think about fruits and veggies. Can you share a little about your partnership and why it is important to your company’s mission?

Allyson: In addition to the answer in question #1 the idea for Pleni Naturals to focus on fruits and veggies was because of my own struggles as a parent inspiring my own kids to love their fruits and veggies! It can be a lot of work! I know other parents struggle with this as well. The fruit and veggie characters on the packaging are fun and silly and it is our mission to deepen that connection with kids and the healthy foods they eat. Plus, the skin is our largest organ and at Pleni Naturals, it makes sense to us to “feed” the skin with the same nutritious fruits and vegetables we put in our bodies. We decided to partner with Life Lab because their values are in alignment with ours — to deepen the connection with kids and the healthy foods they eat. Life Lab is a nonprofit that provides garden education curriculum for schools and I 100% believe that every school should have access to a school garden so they can experience an “edible education”.

The Greenly Guide: How do you keep your own children interested in healthy foods?

Allyson: In many ways! By being an example and making healthy foods choices every day for myself; always stocking plenty of fruits and veggies they have easy access to as a snack; I juice with my son and make smoothies for my daughter regularly (which is how they prefer to get those extra nutrients in, respectively); we go to farmer’s markets; we visit Life Lab on the weekends and enjoy running around the farm (it’s in Santa Cruz, CA which is fairly close to us); we provide a lot of color on the plate especially at dinner time so the food is visually appealing; I tell the kids why the healthy foods they are eating are good for them (i.e. good for your eyesight, makes your bones strong). I also get a lot of healthy recipe inspiration from food bloggers.

The Greenly Guide: As a mother and business owner, how do you find balance between your work and home life?

Allyson: It’s a juggle! But I am so grateful I am able to do this kind of work. I work very efficiently between school drop-off and pickup and I don’t look at my computer again until after the kids are in bed (unless it’s urgent–sometimes things come up!). I often stay up late to get any unfinished work completed and I’m a little more tired than I like, but I honestly wouldn’t change a thing about my current work/home life situation. I love it!

The Greenly Guide: Pleni Naturals has been certified as a brand with MADE SAFE – can you share why it was important to you to pursue this certification and what it means for your brand?

Allyson: I knew while developing the Pleni Naturals line I wanted it to be nontoxic and I spent a lot of time in R&D making sure every product was clean. People may not realize how much work this is; especially when your ingredient “NO” list is as long as ours! Plus, there is a lot of greenwashing in the skincare industry and no regulatory body that prevents companies from calling their products “nontoxic”. How is the consumer supposed to trust skincare brands with all of this greenwashing going on? What products are truly safe to purchase/use? I like MADE SAFE because they screen products for us – the consumer – and only certify products that do not contain harmful toxins that affect our bodies and our environment. And when I learned about MADE SAFE and their mission to eliminate toxins from all products we use in our home, I knew this was the certification I had to have for our brand. Currently, all three Pleni Naturals products are MADE SAFE certified and I plan on all future products we develop to be MADE SAFE certified as well.

The Greenly Guide: What has been your greatest challenge in developing your line of products?

Allyson: By far, the biggest challenge in developing the Pleni Naturals products is preservation! If a product has water in it, it needs to be preserved. Period. The challenge is that it is truly difficult to find preservatives that work and are also natural. There needs to be more options in this area and I am sure every single green skin care company feels the same way! We were lucky to find a 100% natural lactobacillus preservative that works great for our Apple + Broccoli Hair and Body Wash but it doesn’t work for our yet to be released lotion, which we won’t launch until we find a safe preservative blend that works and is in alignment with our values. Also, the problem with the few natural preservatives that are available is that some contain salicylates (think salicylic acid) and these are not appropriate for babies and kids or pregnant women, who also use our products.

The Greenly Guide: Can you share what brings you the most joy about Pleni Naturals?

Allyson: The product development process is a huge joy for me. I absolutely love it! It’s exciting every time. Also, the biggest thrill is when I hear from customers on how the baby oil treated their baby’s cradle cap or how the hair and body wash left their kiddo’s skin so soft and hydrated. This is what it is all about!

The Greenly Guide: What can we expect from your brand in 2017? Any exciting plans you can share?

Allyson: YES! I’m so excited! We are in development with some new products that will launch later this year. Hint: it will be a treat for moms and all ladies alike that care about effective, clean beauty!

Win a Pleni Naturals product bundle!

I am very excited to give you an opportunity to try some of these wonderful organic and non-toxic kids products! The Greenly Guide has partnered with Allyson and Pleni Naturals to offer one of you the opportunity to win all three of their current products: the Cucumber + Grape Baby Oil, the Apple + Broccoli Hair and Body Wash and the Berry + Olive Baby Balm!  Not only are these great for your kiddos, but for the adults in your family too!

Make sure to head over to our Instagram page HERE for all of the giveaway details!

[Giveaway is only open to residents of the United States who are 18 years or older]

*All photos in this post are courtesy of and belong to Pleni Naturals.

Connect with Pleni Naturals on their website, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

The post Brand Profile and Interview with Allyson Owens of Pleni Naturals appeared first on The Greenly Guide.

All it takes is a quick google search, or a stroll through the aisles of your local toy store and you will surely find a large selection of children’s play makeup kits.  Those makeup kits are cute and most likely appeal to your child with their favorite TV character on the front of the box, but what is inside these products is anything but appealing.  The majority of these items, which are marketed toward young girls, are filled with unsafe ingredients – parabens, phthalates, synthetic fragrances and synthetic dyes to name a few. With so many unsafe options on the market, I am so pleased and excited to introduce you to a safe and organic option, Prim & Pure.

As the mother to a daughter who loves playing dress up, and is always begging to play with my makeup, Prim & Pure was an amazing discovery.  Prim & Pure is focused on providing earth-friendly and sustainable products that are safe for your aspiring princesses.  Their products contain a variety of certified organic and plant-based ingredients, and are always cruelty free, paraben free, phthalate free, non-GMO, free of synthetic FD&C dyes and fragrances, gluten free and made in the USA.

While their products are intended to be fun and playful, they are also packed full of beneficial ingredients such as natural plant oils and extracts, and soothing flower essences that are safe for the sensitive skin of our precious little ones.  Their range currently includes lip glosses, cream eye shadows, body glitters, perfume rollers, blushes and odor free, peel-off nail polishes.  With an adorably branded line of products that will excite little ones, and have mom’s raiding their daughter’s vanity, you can feel good about allowing your little girls to play and use their imagination with fun and safe makeup.

We had the pleasure of speaking with owner and creator of Prim and Pure, Kelli Jackson.  In our interview, she is sharing her journey in creating her company and what makes it special, and safe for our little ones.  Kelli has also very generously offered a giveaway, where one of you will have the opportunity to win a gift set of your choosing to spoil a sweet little one in your life, so make sure to head over to The Greenly Guide Instagram feed HERE for the details on how to enter!  Read on below for our full interview with Kelli!

The Greenly Guide: Like a lot of moms, I know you mentioned becoming very aware of toxins and chemicals after you had children – what was it that finally inspired you to take action to create Prim and Pure?

Kelli: After dealing with my own endocrine health issues and working with some other natural product companies, I started blogging and working with some groups in my community. Over the past few years, the amount of growth in the industry has been astonishing and I’ve loved watching so many new products and companies come to the market giving consumers more choices. There are so many great green beauty brands now, however; I struggled to find clean products at reasonable price points for parents and children, so that’s when I set the wheels in motion to start my own line.

The Greenly Guide: Having just launched in November 2016, can you share a little about Prim and Pure as a company and what someone can expect from your products?

Kelli: When I decided to start my own line, I laid out what was most important to me. Those things ended up being safety, affordability and social impact. There are many products I could push to market but the quality or integrity of ingredients aren’t there. There are other products I would love to offer but right now, I can’t source them at affordable enough prices I’d want for my customers. Lastly, I want to make an impact….. that’s why I work as hard as I do. If I wanted to make more money, I’d take my MBA and go back to my corporate 9-5 job….. but now what’s more important to me is my kids and following my passion, and Prim and Pure has been that outlet to help spread awareness and offer safer alternatives.

The Greenly Guide: Do you have a favorite product in the line? What was the first product you created?

Kelli: Great question. Funny enough the first product I worked on was the one that actually tested my patience and aggravated me the most! Nail Polish is a tricky product. There are dozens of companies now making 5 Free, 7 Free, etc. type polishes which leads consumers to assume it must be a safe product and stop looking further to see what else is really in the polish besides just what it’s free of – when you take out something, you have to replace it with something else. I was determined to offer a water-based polish that also didn’t require the use of polish removers which are also known to contain many harmful chemicals.

Water based polishes consist of 75% or more of water, and trying to get a water base to act like a paint and form a hard film that’s going to last for a period of time on top of a porous nail surface can be challenging. Hence, not many main stream companies are attempting these formulas because it’s expensive and they don’t perform as long as their conventional counterparts. Nitrocellulose resins are the most commonly used because they are really cheap to formulate with. Prim and Pure polishes are 5 Free and also without nitrocellulose, glycol ethers, biphenyl A, acetates, acetone, alcohol, FD&C colors….. and instead we use a water and fruit and veggie base. They truly are odorless, and if you have a polish that gives off odor – you need to ask yourself what ingredient that might be!

That being said, the manufacturing process for the polishes ended up delaying my launch and frustrated the heck out of me because I was so excited to get going, but I’m so glad I waited because they came out beautiful! I’m excited to offer more colors as the business grows and I can invest in more inventory.

The Greenly Guide: Are there any items that you think Moms would want to borrow from their daughter’s stash of Prim and Pure products?

Kelli: Yes! I’ve had many moms coming back to purchase lip glosses, perfumes and eye shadows for themselves! The lip glosses for sure right now have been a huge hit! The shades are really beautiful and they wear very well while also being very nourishing for your lips! Hard to find many green beauty products under $10 with clean ingredients, but like I said that was one of my goals!

The Greenly Guide: How do you stay motivated as a mom and a business owner?

Kelli: Pure and simple…. Passion! Sure some days are hard, and I get frustrated when my kids are storming through my office while I’m packing orders, but I’ve been getting better about finding the balance that works for all of us as a family. My motivation comes from my kids, my customers, and the constant feedback I get about how much I’ve helped a person or their family get their health back just by creating awareness about our surroundings. When you know you’re making a difference, even just the smallest bit….. that’s all the motivation you need to keep going, no matter how hard it gets or how high that stack of bills grow.

The Greenly Guide: What are your favorite ways to relax after a long day?

Kelli: My guilty pleasure is wine! No shame, it keeps me sane! I find my balance through healthy and clean eating.

The Greenly Guide: I loved reading on your website about your passion for giving back – for every sale made, Prim and Pure donates to various children’s causes – can you talk a little about some of these organizations that you have worked with so far?

Kelli: Right now, I’ve been working with a lot of local events and causes – whether its donating product for various events or raising money for a specific cause or sick child in need. My customer base has been mostly local, but as the brand grows and the business becomes profitable, I am looking forward to working with larger organizations and programs to make an even bigger impact while also continuing to support my local community as well.

The Greenly Guide: What has been the best part about your journey to open Prim and Pure? What has been the hardest?

Kelli: The best part is making a difference and seeing the delight on all the kids faces playing with and enjoying my products. When customers send me their photos of their little ones, my heart melts inside each time – seeing all the fun they are having and also knowing they aren’t burdening their bodies with harmful chemicals.

The hardest has definitely been the back end…. as with any entrepreneur the ideas come easy for me, but the expense and execution have proven challenging. My husband sold something very important to him to raise enough funds for me to purchase my first batch of inventory to get launched, and it was scary for me to take that risk and leap. I hope to pay him back one day…… I have the passion to succeed so I will keep grinding!

The Greenly Guide: Can you share with us any exciting future plans for your brand?

Kelli: I have so many great ideas, I just need to continue to grow the brand so that I can continue to execute future lines and products. The process to just get one product ready from start the finish is a lot more challenging than it seems. Prim and Pure was never intended to be a line just for girls or moms….. but that was what I launched with. I have plans to create fun products for boys as well! Stay tuned and follow us for future exciting updates!

Do you know a little one who would love to try these products? [giveaway closed]

We are very excited to give you an opportunity to try some of these wonderful and safe products! The Greenly Guide has partnered with Kelli and Prim & Pure to offer one of you the opportunity to win a Gift Set of your choice for a special kiddo in your life!  These gift sets are the perfect birthday gift or party favor, and include a lip gloss, eye shadow, nail polish, body glitter and perfume roller!

Make sure to head over to our Instagram page HERE for all of the giveaway details!

[Giveaway is only open to residents of the United States who are 18 years or older]

Connect with Prim and Pure on their website, Facebook, and Instagram.

The post Brand Profile and Interview with Kelli Jackson of Prim & Pure appeared first on The Greenly Guide.