Sure, it's your day to wear white. But if you're environmentally conscious, you can also wear green—beauty products, that is. Think eco-friendly and naturally occurring ingredients.
"Natural and organic means you have more choices," says Amy Wechsler, M.D., a New York City dermatologist. Because so many makeup, hair-care and skin-care lines are jumping on the eco-conscious bandwagon, "you can really individualize your beauty routine with products that appeal to your comfort level."
Translation: You don’t have to skimp on luxury to go au naturel. Here are our favorite finds that give a whole new meaning to eco-chic. —Holly Crawford
The Mane Event
Get your hair in picture-perfect shape for your big day with not one but three frizz fighters. The Aveda Head for Smooth set, $60, aveda.com, (we absolutely adore the turquoise-accented gift box!) contains Smooth Infusion shampoo and conditioner and Light Elements Smoothing Fluid—all of which keep hair sleek with organic aloe, maize and guar bean. You also get an organic cotton headband—plus the peace of mind that the packaging is crafted from renewably sourced Lotka paper made by artisans in Nepal.
Cheek Chic
Look every bit the part of the blushing bride with a dab of Giella powder blush, $38, giella.com, made exclusively for Brides.com. Think of it as the perfect wedding-day shade—it is named Blushing Bride, after all. It's a mix of pink and peach (cool and warm), so it brings out the best glow in every complexion, and it’s full of good-for-you minerals. Apply this custom color directly onto the apples of your cheeks and blend.
A Perfect Tin
What could be worse than scaly heels peeking out from strappy sandals or paper-dry hands in a receiving line? Prevent these nuptial no-no’s with a few pre-wedding-day slatherings of Bath Petals Body Butter (clockwise from left: Roman Rosemary Lavender, French Alpine Lavender, Key West Citrus, California Rose Garden), $30.50, bathpetals.com. Each tin is loaded with a heavenly blend of shea butter, cocoa butter, vitamin E and essential oils. A little really does go a long way!
Dab—Don’t Rub—Away Shine
Sure, you want to shine on your wedding day, but shiny skin is nonnegotiable. Rather than reapplying layer after layer of powder (which we all know just creates a cakey mess!), turn to Boscia Blotting Linens, $10, boscia.net, to pat away the greasies without ruining your makeup. The natural Abaca leaf fibers are available in six formulas (shown here in Lavender, Rose and Green Tea), are made for all skin types and are scented too. Plus, they’re slim enough to fit into the tiniest clutch!
Lemon-Aid
Unveiling baby-soft skin requires semiweekly exfoliation at least a month prior to your wedding. The good news is we’ve found a time-saving scrub that’s safe to use on both your face and body—Kimberly Sayer of London All-in-One Invigorating Lemon Scrub, $25, kimberlysayer.com. To cleanse clogged pores and prep skin for moisturizer, slather yourself head to toe with this chemical-free, nonabrasive buffer made with steamed distilled organic plant oils, jojoba beads and oat beta glucan. If you love the smell of lemon butter cream, you’ll go crazy for this one!
Hawaiian Honeymoon, Anyone?
Calm your nerves with a scent that takes you away to clear blue skies and white-sand beaches. Malie Kaua’i Organic Therapy roll-on perfume in Beautify, $60, maliekauai.com, looks as sweet as it smells. Measuring a mere two inches tall, this little bottle tucks into the tiniest purse. And the beautiful, uplifting blend of jasmine, a natural aphrodisiac, and rose works wonderfully to dispel depression and stress—two things no bride should battle on her big day.
Lip Service
What’s not to love about Cargo PlantLove lipsticks, $20, cargoplantlove.com? The botanical formula is earth-friendly (Gamba—sheer cranberry, Muir Woods—sheer spiced mauve, and Joshua Tree—shimmering cinnamon sand, are the newest colors for fall), the tube is made of corn so it’s biodegradable, and you can toss the outer packaging, which is made with compostable flower paper, into your garden and watch wildflowers grow—how cool! Oh, and it meets the lipstick prereqs: glides on like butter and looks amazing. All that and the company donates $2 of each sale to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Handle with Care
Of course he’ll still love you when you’re 64, but a little extra insurance never hurt! Care by Stella McCartney is luxury skin care with organic ingredients and no petrochemicals, chemical preservatives or animal-derived ingredients. The very best of the vegan-friendly line: Calming and Soothing Elixir, $64, with licorice, chamomile and polyphenols; Gentle Cleansing Milk, $35, loaded with lemon balm, apricot and sesame-seed oil; 5 Benefits Moisturising Fluid, $76, which contains grape-seed oil, green-tea extract and vitamins E and C. Care is also Ecocert-certified—an internationally recognized certification that’s the closest thing to an official government thumbs-up regarding the eco aspects of the range. Find it at sephora.com.
The Perfect "Dress"
You’re an expert at multitasking, especially these days. So who has time for products that can’t keep up? A do-more moisturizer like SheerinO’kho Evening Dress, $120, spaceNK.com, will save you time in the long run. It has an immediate firming and illuminating effect, thanks to hydrolyzed wheat germ proteins and mother-of-pearl powder. And its special anti-asphyxiation shield of moringa, acerola and ginseng protects against cigarette smoke and pollution. In plain English: It will have your skin looking picture-perfect, even after a wild night—like, say, that bachelorette party to remember!
Light My Fire
There’s nothing like taking a breather when you’ve been burning the candle at both ends. Relax, get in the mood or just create ambiance anywhere with a clean-burning, seductively scented flamer like Love Machine by Dirt Candles, $24, dirtcandles.com. The 100-percent soy wax features a blend of azalea, jasmine, musk, rose, patchouli and wood, with a little vanilla thrown in for good measure. The sootless and biodegradable candles are available in 19 other scents, including White Wedding, and a portion of the profit from each sale goes to select charitable causes.
Tasty Delight
Give your groom one more thing to smile about when he kisses his bride. Nature’s Gate Organics Advanced Care toothpaste and mouthwash with fluoride, in Raspberry Mint (for you) and Peppermint (for him!), $6.99 each, natures-gate.com, keep breath fresh and pearly whites bright. Not only do these tasty teeth treats prevent cavities and whiten with bamboo and silica, you get the benefit of certified organic botanicals (like white tea, licorice root and fig) and absolutely no parabens or colorants.
Eye Dos
Hold his gaze with your piercing stare. Josie Maran’s shimmery pink and plum shadows (shown here in Chianti and Valentine), $18 each, josiemarancosmetics.com, will make your eyes sparkle, and he won’t even know what hit him! While the model and Dancing with the Stars contestant may not have lasted very long on the hit reality show, she sure has been successful at creating an organic eye shadow with staying power! The gentle, nontoxic formula comes in a rose-colored metallic compact made from corn, recycled aluminum or glass. Tip: Use the sheer shade all over and apply the deeper color in the crease and as liner.
Nice Stemware!
As he slips off that garter, you want him to like what he sees—and feels. This Works: Skin Deep Dry Leg Oil, $60, barneys.com, keeps your legs lubed up, with a sexy sheen. We also love this oil’s pump applicator; there’s simply no mess! The aromatherapeutic concoction contains vitamin-packed cold-pressed oils like nourishing sandalwood, blemish-defying patchouli and antiaging rose, which help revitalize overworked muscles—so it’s great after a tango with the treadmill too.
Get Naked!
If you want a flawless face, even without a stitch of makeup, here’s a line that delivers results—and with an apropos name. Nude is made with bio-available ingredients like baobob and cupuau that work with your skin to protect, hydrate and smooth it. The stripped-down collection has no parabens, sulfates, phthalates or potential carcinogens. We like the rubberized jars made of 40-percent postindustrial recycled plastics and printed with nontoxic ink using green energy. What to try: Cleansing Milk, $42; Moisture Balance, $86; Facial scrub, $52, all at barneys.com. After all, a clear complexion is the greatest wedding accessory you can have.
Fringe Benefits
There’s more to your bridal mascara than staying put through tears. Volume is a big part of the equation too. Holistic skin-care brand Dr. Hauschka recently added Volume Mascara, $23.50, drhauschka.com, to its lineup. Like a treatment and mascara in one, this lash booster contains strengthening Neem leaf extract and nourishing plant extracts. Available in Aubergine, Golden Green (both shown left) and black, each shade is ophthalmologist tested and smudge resistant. Tip: Aubergine makes blue eyes bluer and brown brighter! Green eyes will pop with Golden Green.
A Hand in Marriage
Get your hands ready for all those "show me your ring" viewings with a rich cream like Desert Essence Organics Pumpkin Hand Repair Cream, $8.99, desertessence.com. This autumnal-inspired moisturizer fights sun damage and dryness (did you know that if neglected, your hands can actually make you look older?) with organic pumpkin-seed and jojoba oils, vitamins A, C, E and K, licorice and zinc. This fountain-of-youth formula not only fights aging but also lets pumpkin fans enjoy their favorite orange veggie yearlong!
Bring Sexy Back
Whether you’re showing off your arms, shoulders or back—or baring it all—Origins 95-percent certified organic Silkening Body Spritz, $25, origins.com, is your hydrating helper for all those hard-to-reach spots. You can thank its 360-degree pump! Other noteworthy ingredients include organic soy lecithin, which draws water from the air into your skin, and organic sunflower oil, a natural emollient that locks in moisture.
