Affordable Eco: Fashion Finds Under $50

Hey everyone! It's been a little while so I apologize. I'm happy to report that I've survived Hurricane Irene (and an earthquake!). Lots of power outages and flooding in my area, but it looks like things are getting back to normal, including my blogging! So let's get started, shall we?

Like a lot of you out there, I'm a green girl on a budget. I'm always hunting for a good eco bargain. Finding sustainable fashion that's affordable is a bit challenging. But it's not impossible, I promise. So in order to prove this, I've put together some under $50 finds. I was going for a preppy surfer type vibe, check it out:

Bracelet: "Hemp Pebble Bracelet" by Design Spark - $27.99

Backback: by Baggu. Made of 100% recycled cotton - $32.00

Shoes: "Hemp Palisades Vulc" by Vans. Made with 100% sustainable hemp. Water based dyes and glues - $42.00

Sweater: "V Co. Logical Striped Sweater" by Volcom - $41.60

Scarf: "Develop a Crush Scarf" by Global Girlfriend. Handmade and fairly traded in India - $18.00

Let me know what you think! I want to try and turn this into a regular feature :)

Magazine Clippings: Project Alabama's Green T Fall 2011 Collection

Nylon magazine is a great source for fashion news. I love that they cover everything from high fashion and store collaborations, to celebrity lines and of course, eco-friendly collections. There's a little something for every fashion lover. This month, I stumbled upon Green T, a collection of eco-friendly tees, tunics, and dresses by Project Alabama.

August 2011 issue of Nylon featuring Green T collection (right)

The collection features a neutral color palette with delicate floral patchwork. Everything is organically grown, herb dyed, fairly traded and cruelty free. I'm really loving the chic, laid back vibe; exactly what I'm aiming for this fall.

"Green T has a heart. It is our mission to create beautiful, luxurious and conscientious clothes. Every piece of our collection is one a kind, produced by a collective of local women supporting their upliftment and the tradition of craft in needy communities."

View the Fall 2011 Green T look book.

Price Range: $58.00 - $88.00

Where to buy: Check out store listings in your area.

Do You Need Green to Be Green?

A lot of people complain that being eco-friendly is only for the rich. Is it?

Sure, most eco alternatives cost a bit more, but for good reason. People (Americans, especially) are so used to buying things on the cheap, we forget to question what we're really buying. A bottle of shampoo may be three bucks, but it's nothing but cancer causing chemicals, hence why it's dirt cheap. You get what you pay for. To me, spending the extra money to get a cleaner shampoo is worth it: not only am I paying for better quality, but I'm paying for my health and my planet. It also teaches me to value what I buy, causing me to consume less, saving me money in the long run. Cheap products encourage more spending, more consumption, and more waste: three things we don't need.


But, I admit, times are tough. We all can't afford the better shampoo, whether we want to or not. However, there are eco-friendly ways that can actually save you money. Why buy cases of bottled water when you can get a re-useable one with a filter? Why use plastic bags when some stores pay you to bring your own? Why buy a gas guzzling truck when you can buy an electric one instead? Less consumption = less spending. It's that simple.

Wealthy people may have an easier time being green, but as a student and a hardworking waitress, I'm still making it work. Us 'commoners' just have to be a bit more crafty ;)







What to you think? Do you agree or disagree with my opinion?

Just A Little Update...

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Hey everyone! I've been working on a few posts so I have lots of good stuff coming your way soon :)

But right now, I've been really focusing on getting some more traffic here. I'm trying to do some link exchanges, as well as some directory listings. Lots of e-mail writing and applications are being done, phew! Nothing motivates me more than to have visitors who appreciate my writing. To all my followers: thank you for supporting me! You guys make me so happy!


Hope you're all having a fab August. See you soon!

Why I Heart Suki: My Quest For Clear Skin

Okay, this isn't exactly breaking news. I've been loving Suki for quite sometime now, but I've never actually blogged about it. Absolute madness!

Made with nothing but the best ingredients, Suki Kramer's natural cosmetic line delivers some serious results. The company is extremely passionate about clean cosmetics. They support fair trade, local sourcing, and organics. Everything is 100% cruelty free and made fresh by hand (goodbye carbon output!). Their formulas are housed in beautiful glass jars to avoid icky plastics. Recycled stock is used for packaging while everything is printed with vegetable based inks. Their suppliers are carefully chosen based on environmental practices. They seriously cover it all.

So what has Suki done for me?

Well, everyone has their skin woes. Mine was acne. Stubborn, self-esteem-robbing acne. I used everything, both chemicals and naturals. You name it, I used it. It was the most frustrating thing ever. There were days that I would just cry simply because I hated my skin. It was that bad.

Then I came across Suki after reading about oil therapy for acne in The Green Beauty Guide. Essentially, the theory suggests combating acne with healthy, non-clogging oils, like jojoba. It sounded crazy to me, considering us acne sufferers have been taught that oil causes acne. But I gave it a go. The book recommended Suki's Balancing Pure Facial Moisture. I also ended up buying Suki's Foaming Cleanser (their most popular item) and Balancing Toner.

After using Suki for a month or so, I saw a huge change. My skin was radiant. I still had some breakouts, but not as severe. I continued to use Suki, in addition to adopting other healthy skin practices. Today, my skin is better than ever, something I'm truly proud of. I've even gone to work without wearing make-up, a huge step for me. Suki really changed my life. It showed me the power of naturals and what they can really do for your skin.

Interested in Suki? Check out their website. They've got solutions for dry/mature skin, rosacea, cystic acne, and more!

What products have solved your skin problems? Have you ever tried Suki? What did you think?

Scotch Naturals Review

After hearing a bunch of hype about Scotch Naturals nail polish, I decided to give it a whirl. I purchased the cocktail trio which includes three polishes, a base/top coat called 'On the Rocks', and a nail buffer for a grand total of $48.99. A bit pricey for my liking, but hey, it was a birthday gift to myself :)

Pictured colors: Lochness Mystery, Morning Glory Fizz, and Leprechaun Lynch

When it comes to nails, I'm not really a traditional color kind of girl. I stay far away from reds and pinks. Luckily, Scotch has some fun colors to choose from (they currently have 17 total). Pictured above are the shades I ended up choosing.

Perhaps it was my screen's resolution, but I was kind of disappointed by the 'real-life' color. Lochness Mystery was darker than expected while Morning Glory Fizz and Leprechaun Lynch were much paler in person. They were still pretty, just not what I expected. But I guess that's what you get when you shop online.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Scotch's polish, they're completely non-toxic and composed of only a few ingredients: water, acrylic polymer emulsion, butoxy diglycol and non-toxic colorants. Pretty impressive, right? Best of all, they barely have a scent at all.

So how does Scotch measure up? Well, I have mixed feelings. The consistency is great, much thinner than traditional polishes, making it easier to apply (at least for me). It also dries wickedly fast, another great perk. However, the pigment is where my problem lies. 

Morning Glory and Leprechaun were very transparent, even after three coats. Granted, my painting skills are pretty crummy so perhaps a professional could do a better job. But check out Leprechaun on my hands. Not so cute.

Maybe I'll give it another shot with thicker coats. On the bright side, I really enjoyed Lochness Mystery. Fabulous color after two thin coats. Look at how awesome it looks on my toes (with my favorite Sanuk sandals, of course).

Overall review:

Pros: smooth consistency, dries quickly, decent staying power

Cons: a bit pricey, pale shades are too transparent

Recommended? Yes, but only for the darker shades :)

Has anyone else tried Scotch Naturals? What did you think of them?

Good Morning America Lies to Viewers About Beauty Products

Based on this post by WellandGood NYC. Definitely worth a read!

Seeing news programs discuss natural cosmetics should be a good thing, right? Well, not this time. Good Morning America's segment, “The All-Natural Makeup Revolution” managed to provide viewers with blatant misinformation. According to GMA, organic cosmetics are expensive and don't last very long. Oh, but they're probably good for your skin. Maybe. 

WTF?

I don't know about you, but it frustrates the hell out of me when clean cosmetics are completely misrepresented. Good Morning America needs to do another segment because that one did the natural cosmetic industry no justice. I mean, come on now, they featured Neutrogena Naturals and Cover Girl's phony natural foundation as affordable organic options. Can we say greenwashing?

Watch the segment for yourself:

So, what's your take on the segment? Are there any other examples of greenwashing that make you mad?