I so rarely hear about failed pursuits of happiness.

Birch Bark Necklace Cluster: $89

People who follow their bliss, who take chances, seem so much more content, less worried, than the rest of us.

Blue Peony Dishtowels: $20

They don’t mind life’s setbacks, or worry when their bliss isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.  If they’re not happy, they try again: they find a new bliss.

Venice Encounter: $18

Following your bliss means taking everything else in stride.  You can’t stop surprise expenses from occurring, or make broken things whole without doing the work to fix them.

Stacked Petal Earrings: $8

You can make allowances for those things, though; pay the piper and fix the broken pieces with a smile and an eye toward the future…toward the stuff you’re really working toward.

Joie de Vivre: $4.25

These aren’t delays, or detours on the road to happiness you’re so eager to see to its end.  They’re merely the scenery, the sights along the way.

Follow Your Bliss: $15

There are three ways in which I’m willing to try new makeup:

1. It’s free.
2. Someone gives me samples.
3. It’s deeply discounted, and in a fun “pack” that allows me to try the whole brand, not just their “signature product.”

Enter my sample sale love affair with Gilt.

Spring Greening 11 Piece Collection: $19

Usually, Gilt’s got good deals on beauty products…but not amazing deals.  I often find myself hemming and hawing about whether I should take the risk on a Gilt beauty sale because, beyond clothes, makeup is the one category of the fashion and beauty world women are most picky about.  The mascara has to be smooth.  The foundation has to be flawless.  The eyeliner…well, that’s a whole can of worms, right there.  (I am so, so picky about my eyeliner.)  That’s why I really like today’s Gilt sale on Tarte Cosmetics.

Peaches & Cream Foundation – SPF 20: $13

You’ll notice I haven’t been sharing all of the all natural sample sales lately.  Part of it is because I’ve just been focused on other stuff (like the day job) but the other part is that all those sales got boring!  Lots of stuff I haven’t tried, but not at the prices that could convince me to spend the cash (plus shipping) to try them.

Summer Look Eyeshadow & Eyeliner Duo: $23

But as you can see, I like a LOT of the Tarte sets available today.  They’re fun, summery, natural, and cheap. I can try their foundation without spending thirty-five dollars, or new summery eye makeup for twenty-three.  (Take that, monetary guilt complex.)

Must-Have Brush Set: $39

I’ve mentioned Tarte Cosmetics before, but since it was long ago, here’s the skinny on the brand from Gilt’s site (which is also where I got the product images):

“Tarte is the leader in high-performance natural beauty, proving that glamour can be good for you with its wide selection of healthy and clinically proven cosmetics full of natural, skinvigorating ingredients. Tarte’s luxe compacts are more than just pretty packages: They are post-consumer recycled, recyclable or reusable to help reduce environmental waste.”

Gilt Group Limited Edition 5-Piece Set: $35

I honestly can’t decide between these five items.  The Limited Edition Set is a STEAL, but so are those brushes, and I seriously need new brushes.  Then I look at the shadow and liner, which are even cheaper, and think about all the fun I’d have with those summer colors.  Which do you think I should get?  Which would you get?

As always, if you don’t yet belong to Gilt, you can use this invitation to get in on the deals.  They’ve got fashion, beauty, home, and even baby and menswear deals every single day, and they range from “I’m on a strict budget” to “75% off designer clothing but that still makes it $300″ pricing.  My affiliate policy is here.

I’ve been doing a lot of “what I want” lately.  I hope you all don’t mind the quiet too terribly much.

One of the things I’ve been doing is making food appear out of nowhere by carefully watering and (naturally) fertilizing my garden.  I now have my first self-made food: a radish.

I almost have enough greens for a salad, and when I do, it’s ON.  Success!

In other news, sitting on my doorstep yesterday afternoon was a pile o’ nail polish – well, a box, to be more accurate.

Using Zoya’s Earth Day Polish Exchange, which is going on through the end of this month, I traded nine of my old, toxic nail polishes for brand new, non-toxic ones.  (From left to right: Penny, Sam, Loredana, Robyn, Ginger, Goldie, Nicole, Posh, and Jo.)  But what’s that over there…

…a second Penny!

Zoya told me not to mind the mix-up – it’s not worth the shipping cost to return one bottle – so it looks like I have something else to give away in the next month or so…yay!

This has been an awfully scatterbrained post, but it does have a purpose:  I’ve realized, over the past few weeks, that I can do so much more to open my eyes without losing my aesthetic. Gardening hasn’t ruined my nails (see today’s post at The Demoiselles for proof) and avoiding chain stores whose policies and practices I disagree with doesn’t keep me from buying great clothing – it means I pay better attention to what I choose to buy…and don’t regret a trendy, fall-apart purchase two days later.

The truth is, “going green,” when done without guilt or stress, is not nearly as hard as people pretend it is.

Which stories have you been told about being socially responsible that turned out to be myths?

Right now, Ideeli is hosting one of the biggest sample sales for Melissa shoes (Brazillian, recycled plastic, sexy, comfortable, sustainable)  that I’ve ever seen: flats, wedges(!!), pumps, peep toes, childhood-reminiscent sandals…everything is on sale. Here’s the link to the sale, and here are my favorites:

Hot Pink Campana: $79 $39

Green Desire IV: $69 $34

Ultragirl Tinkerbell: $69 $36

Black Karim Rashid High: $99 $46

Fuchsia Vivienne Westwood Lady Dragon III: $150 $68

Black V Westwood Straps: $160 $72  (These scream Lindsay to me)

Grey Scarfun Summer: $99 $46

Ideeli, I’m impressed.  It was really hard to narrow this list down.  It may have taken you forever to get Melissa’s products on your site, but man, did you get a ton of ‘em.

Next up: Peter Lamas.

I haven’t tried this all natural beauty set, but I’ve heard good things.  Here’s Ideeli’s blurb on it:

“With a career that spans three decades, and a client roster that’s a veritable Who’s Who of A-listers, past and present—from Jackie Onassis to Alicia Silverstone—Peter Lamas spent years perfecting the formula for his all-natural product line, Lamas Beauty, before releasing it six years ago. The result of all that work is a collection of products with an ingredient list that reads more like a rejuvenating smoothie recipe than shampoo: Chinese herbs, pumpkin spice, avocado oil, and vitamin C. Lamas has replaced all the chemicals, additives, and abrasive toxins you find in most beauty products with herbs, vitamins and botanicals shown to heal, not harm—and you’ll notice the positive difference right away.”

…sounds like food.  Yum.

These sales starts today (Thursday, May 27) at 9AM, and each one runs for 40 hours, or until everything sells out.  Need an Ideeli invite?  Here’s mine.

Images c/o Ideeli.com.

After much deliberation, I’ve finalized my choices.  I’ve sent them out.  There’s no turning back now – what’s done is done, and I just hope I won’t regret my decision.

-

I am, of course, talking about nail polish.

I sent Zoya nine toxic polishes yesterday – these ones, if you’re curious – so they can dispose of them according to EPA guidelines.  In return, they’re sending me nine brand new Zoya polishes in any colors I want. They have over 400 colors to choose from, so it was a bit overwhelming, but here’s what I decided on:

(Click to see the colors/names up close.)

A couple of matte (shine-free) polishes, some super bold “toes and weekends” polishes, and a few that I can barely pass off at work, while still having fun with the season.  And “Sam”?  You have GOT to see Sam. It’s so dark and vampy!  I predict it, or something like it, will make a resurgence for fall.

There are a couple of caveats to this deal, but they’re more than reasonable.

• You must pay $3.50 per bottle – via check or card – to cover shipping and processing.  (Keep in mind, that’s less than half the cost of most Zoya polishes, and you’re not paying additional shipping, so it’s more than 50% off.)
• You have to send Zoya six or more old bottles of polish to qualify;
• The polishes you send can’t be Zoya, Qtica or Nocti polishes.  (They can, however, be regular, mini- or oddly-sized; you’ll still get a full Zoya bottle in exchange.)

The Zoya Polish Exchange lasts through June 30, so you’ve only got a month left to choose your favorite colors, pack up your old polishes and send them in.  Once I have mine, I’ll be sharing it with all of you (and maybe even giving a polish or two away) – please share your choices with me as well!

I am so tired of having rosacea. My morning beauty routine is always the same:

1. Stare into mirror with optimism, because my face is still pale from sleep.
2. Watch with horror as my cheeks and nose redden.
3. Run my fingers over my face, which is covered in pimple-like bumps.
4. Grumble, because if they were pimples I could destroy them with tea tree oil and acidic masks.
5. Apply very little makeup to avoid burning, itching and redness.
6. Get frustrated because I can still feel those bumps and it’s like I have invisible zits everywhere okay?!

My evening routine is no better.

1. Remove clothes for naked self-cleaning time; wash, shave, etc.
2. Try yet another natural face wash that someone “swears by.”
3. Notice absolutely zero difference in my skin.
4. Take fish oil, Vitamin E and various other supplements, which provides relief from sensitivity, but does nothing for the way my skin looks.

Repeat.

Since I began Awakened Aesthetic – over a year ago – I have tried six or seven different natural cleansers, soaps, and face wash “systems” in an attempt to get the same clear skin I had when I used a chemical prescription my dermatologist prescribed.  Not one has worked.*

So, so pink.

Yeah, I could go back to the prescription stuff, but even if I ignore the cost of seeing a dermatologist (with or without insurance), the fact of the matter is that chemical prescriptions are made of…chemicals. There’s nothing environmentally friendly about them, and it seems to me that the girl who is living more and more eco-friendly each day should be able to find a face wash that’s eco-god-damned-friendly.

Speaking of the gods, it’s like the they said, “Hey, wouldn’t it be funny if we gave the Eco Fashion Girl an irritating skin condition that can only be treated with chemicals?”

“DUDE, that would be HILARIOUS!  Let’s do it!”

Dear fashion gods: it’s so. not. hilarious.

But, as always, I’m going to press forward, and keep trying.  I just started using a sample of yet another cleanser that so-and-so swears by.  It hasn’t made a difference yet, but I’m going to give it at least a week.  (I don’t have more than that to sample, and I’m not spending $50 on a product that “might work.”)  And then?  I’ll try another.  And another.  Until I find one.

Stupid rosacea.

What’s the one thing that’s hardest for you to make eco-friendly?

Are there any products you’ll never turn away from, no matter how many chemicals are in them?

*I know: “worked” is relative. What I mean is this: the cleansers I’ve tried don’t clear up my rosacea long-term (read: more than a week).

I’ve already mentioned A Beautiful Life’s nail polish once before.  Talking about my new stuff  pre-review is usually not my M.O., but I’m flying by the seat of my pants lately.

It’s called ‘Shroom, and it’s a wee bit browner than this image shows, but still very office-friendly, without being clear or light pink or something else kind of typical.

Not that all of A Beautiful Life‘s colors are office-friendly…

…but they are all “three free” (no DBP, Toulene or Formaldehyde) and developed using all natural ingredients.

At twelve bucks each, they’re on the high end of polish prices, but after trying a number of other polishes – non-toxic and otherwise – I can see why: A Beautiful Life is on par with Zoya when it comes to quality.  Opaque color with one thin coat; no sticky, uneven application; and best of all, it stays the hell on.

(Nail polish and my toes don’t get along – I have that weird nail-rubbing-on-shoes issue that ruins almost any self-applied pedicure.  A Beautiful Life’s Envy has lasted me over a week without so much as a chip.  By the way, that’s Envy in the bottle, ‘Shroom on my nails.)

I’ve also heard great things about A Beautiful Life‘s soy nail polish remover, but haven’t had a chance to try it yet.

Have you tried a “Three Free” nail polish (like Butter London, Zoya or A Beautiful Life)?

How did it compare with toxic polish?

I have all of these toxic nail polishes, and even though I am a big advocate for using what you’ve got ’til it runs out, they just sit in my drawer.

I’d rather use my “three free” polishes by Butter London, and Zoya, and A Beautiful Life*.  (Partly because they’re newer, and new is always more appealing.)  But what to do with the old, toxic polishes?

Admittedly, I’d never thought of it.  That’s how green I am.  Ahem.

Luckily, Zoya answered my unasked question:

Announcing the 2010 Zoya Nail Polish Exchange.

• You have to send six or more old bottles of polish;
• They can’t be Zoya, Qtica or Nocti polishes (but they can be any other brand);
• You must pay $3.50 per bottle to cover shipping and processing – that’s less than half the cost of most Zoya polishes, and you’re not paying additional shipping, so it’s more than 50% off.

That’s it.  Once Zoya has your old polish, they’ll make sure to properly dispose of it according to EPA guidelines, and send you the colors of your choice in return.  The offer ends June 30, 2010, but there’s no reason to wait.  I’m sending my ten polishes in this week, along with $35.00 to cover the fees…

Which nail colors are you into right now?  Any recommendations on what I should get?

*PS: I just got two polishes by A Beautiful Life, and they are amazing: smooth, easily applied, opaque…I love ‘em.  Review coming soon!

This article was originally posted on September 30, 2009 on Green Grechen.  Since skincare gets harder as the seasons change, I thought I’d repost it here!

Jennifer Nicole was diagnosed with rosacea – redness, adult acne and blotchy skin – in 2006, and is no stranger to natural and organic products.  She owns and runs Awakened Aesthetic, a website that features local, organic and/or socially conscious websites and products, and helps readers avoid the mass-marketed media trap that is Corporate Shopping.  Jennifer also co-owns The Demoiselles, a guide for women of all shapes and sizes in search of self awareness and a healthy mind and body (plus some hot fashion, of course).

Who doesn’t have skin problems?

That’s what I thought: no one.  Given enough time, we all go through the frustration of unwanted skin issues: dryness, blemishes, wrinkles…even the occasional bug bite.  At the same time, some of us – those with perpetually oily or dry skin, those with scars or sun damage – have more to be concerned about than others.

The truth is, finding non-organic skincare products that keep our problems away is hard enough.  Finding something that’s all natural, organic, socially responsible, and still works is a whole other matter.  What’s a girl to do?

I’ve heard a lot of people say that I should “DIY” my face products: smoosh up fruits, veggies, nuts, flour and oils to make my own masks and washes…but honestly, I don’t have the time (or the energy).  I need something I can use at 11pm, when I’m half asleep and don’t even want to wash off my makeup, without worrying that my face wash has gone rancid.  The other option I’ve heard is to buy those really expensive products you see online – but my skin is temperamental.  If this $30 bottle of all-natural wash doesn’t work, how am I supposed to afford the next one I have to purchase?

The solution, for me, hasn’t been time-consuming or expensive.  It’s been a series of small choices, along with some cheap-and-easy test runs of pre-made products, that have kept my skin clear and my bank account afloat.

1. Use what you’ve already got.  Right now, I have half a tomato sitting in my fridge.  It’s going to go bad.  However, since my skin is particularly oily, I can slice up that tomato and place it on my face for 30 minutes: it will destroy the upper keratinous skin layer and let new skin breathe and grow.  (Oily skin only, ladies!)  For normal or combination skin, try cucumber, which sucks up dirt and oil without all of that acidic content.  Dry skin?  Grab those old, mushy strawberries.  (No other ingredients for these masks, just the fruit itself!
   Image via Heather’s Stream of Consciousness
2. Ask for samples.  Grechen and I have both posted about Spirit Beauty Lounge, which offers lots of natural beauty solutions for the discerning shopper, but did you know that they also offer sample kits?  Before you drop a lot of cash on a new face wash, mask or toner, you can try it at a discount.  (I’ll never have to give away disappointing beauty products again.)
   Image via Marry Me Young
3. Moisturize from the inside out.  It’s like mom always told you: drink lots of water.  When I forget this rule, I pay for it: my skin gets blotchy, blackheads creep up from the depths, and the dark circles under my eyes start to look like black holes.  This one’s free, ladies, so keep it in mind. Your skin won’t just thank you later – when it’s started to lose its natural elasticity in your thirties and forties – it will also thank you now, as it soaks in that moisture to help even out pigmentation, dryness and overall tone.
   Image via Scribblers Abode
4. Don’t give up.  You’ve got this face, and this planet, for the rest of your life.  If you give up on finding the right eco-conscious beauty products for you in your early years, you’re stuck with the crap you’re using now.  Do you really want to be staring into the mirror, frustrated by Clean & Clear, twenty years from now?

I know, it seems simple.  It seems too easy.  But here’s the real kicker: it all relies on you.  There’s no perfect face wash for every girl that has rosacea; there’s no one product that will clear your skin and leave you looking radiant every day.  There’s only you, a glass of water, and all of those advertisers that are looking to grab your almighty dollar.

So be patient, stay hydrated, and spend wisely.

I took a spill on Wednesday night, and managed to scrape up my arm, sprain (break?) my wrist, and ruin a pair of jeans with grass and mud stains.  My solution?  A good cry and a long, hot bath.

(You’re damned right I cried.  I was dragged three feet by the wrist due to an overeager neighbor and my 140-lb. dog.  It was scary, and painful!)

My urge to soak, combined with the tease of sunlight that preceeds Spring in Seattle, has turned my bathroom into a slightly sweet, super powdery, soft-smelling retreat.  My boyfriend is oddly unconcerned.

Soft Parade: $5.25 from Savor

Lavender Bath Bombs – Set of 3: $9.75 from ElegantRoseBoutique

Sole Soap: $6.50 from BathLife

Brown Sugar Shea Butter Lip Balm: $3.95 from BathLife

Cali Peach Pomade and Body Balm: $10.00 from BeijaFlores

What makes you feel better after a physical – or emotional! – wipe-out?