Hello, Earth! Your Weekend Green Guide

Brands and products that love the earth as much as you do + an upcoming giveaway

Hello, Gorgeous!

As we celebrate Earth Month, I've been thinking about the idea of renewal overall, along with the spring holidays taking that into account. From Passover (Chag HaAviv, literally the Holiday of Spring) to Nowruz (New Day), the Persian celebration of the new year/spring equinox, to Easter —likely inspired by the Pagan festival of Ostara which celebrated Earth awakening from winter— with its symbols of eggs and new life .

What better time to make choices that honor both our traditions and Mother Earth?

Here are a few fabulous earth-friendly finds that embrace green ideals without sacrificing luxury or effectiveness.

My friend’s incredible new book

Earlier this week I coined the phrase nepo-fiancee. I guess we can add nepo-buddy to the mix as well. My pal Kris Bordessa has something of a cult following for her Attainable Sustainable lifestyle and brand (Over 500k followers on Facebook!).

In her new book, Attainable Sustainable Pantry, Kris helps readers ditch heavily processed store bought foods in favor of creating your own better tasting, better for you versions. She includes 120 original recipes and covers everything from quick pickles to breads, breakfast favorites and home made potato chips. In case you’re looking for a new domestic goddess role model, Kris is your woman. She lives in Hawaii, has a son who teaches ukelele for a living, and actually walks the walk instead of simply sharing pretty pictures on social media. Incidentally, National Geographic is her publisher, so you know she’s the real deal! ($31, Amazon).

Beauty with a conscience

One of the things that Ilia does really well is work with your skin and not against it. Ilia Beauty Multi-Stick creates a natural flush of color for cheeks and lips with hydrating ingredients that won't settle into fine lines. And here’s the green part: the brand focuses on using recycled aluminum and responsibly sourced paper for their packaging, and they have a robust recycling program with TerraCycle. Their commitment to sustainability includes ingredients made exclusively with organic components that are gentler on both skin and the environment ($36, Iliabeauty.com).

These shoes are extra sweet

Kane Footwear’s flagship recovery shoe, is made from 100% bio-based, EVA made with Brazilian sugar cane instead of bad for the earth petroleum-based materials. Who doesn’t love a clever brand name embracing its ethos?

KANE Revive Recovery Shoes are made with BounceBack foam derived from sustainably harvested Brazilian sugarcane instead of petroleum-based materials. The company is a certified B Corp and 1% for the Planet member. I've been wearing mine after long days when my feet need some TLC. They take a short time to get used to (think the love child of Crocs and Hoka One One slides). One caveat though, the sound of your foot squelching on the footbed can make it sounds like you have flatulent feet. That said, the lightweight clever design feels like walking on clouds. Plus, they have a recycling program where you can send back your old shoes to be ground down and turned into yoga mats! Note to self: Time to start doing more yoga. ($90, kanefootwear.com).

Skincare that loves your skin and the earth

I know some of you are on the fence about trying oil cleansers or oil in general. But for heavier makeup days, Tata Harper Nourishing Oil Cleanser effortlessly dissolves makeup and impurities while leaving skin incredibly soft. Harper grows many of the ingredients on her own Vermont farm and bottles everything in signature recyclable green glass packaging. The 100% natural oil blends calendula, alfalfa, and elderberry which pampers skin as we skate into springtime ($88, tataharperskincare).

Carbon neutral chocolate

It’s hard to believe these divine little treats from Alter Eco chocolate are wrapped in compostable plant-based packaging and made with organic, fair-trade chocolate. The entire company is carbon-neutral and works directly with small-scale farmers to ensure ethical practices. And let’s face it, dark chocolate is packed with antioxidants – so it's practically a health food, right? That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. The assorted spring truffle gift sampler is decorated for the holidays and makes for a sweet gift or treat ($ 5.99, Alterecofoords.com).

Earth Day every day (and an upcoming giveaway!)

Not to sound preachy, but small choices every single day of the year add up to meaningful change. It’s really easy to choose to support brands committed to sustainability.

And because Earth Day is really every day (not just April 22nd), I'm excited to announce that next Wednesday (the day after Earth Day), I'll be partnering with HiBAR (those makers of incredible shampoo and conditioner bars that work as well without the waste). I can’t wait to introduce you to their newest product launch; I tested it out in the shower this morning and am still having a tough time choosing a favorite scent. Teaser alert: said mysterious new product comes in four incredible scents. Stay tuned for your chance to win!

Rachel, Your beauty concierge 💋

Which earth-friendly products do you love most? Let’s meet in the comment section to discuss!

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