Now Your Makeup Bag Can Go Green, Too

These days, everyone's coming out with new, inventive ways to 'go green' and offer environmentally-friendly products. A lot of people seem to be taking steps to try to leave a prettier carbon footprint on the planet, and I'm doing it, too. I use only all-natural household cleaners and dish detergents, as well as laundry detergents. I take shorter showers and use less toilet paper, and have even gone so far as to opt for recycled toilet paper (which my husband protests vehemently). Now I'm finding all these great makeup and skincare products that are natural and organic and come in eco-friendly packaging, which is outstanding. Now, Origins has been around for a while, proudly serving the world with all-natural products that are earth and animal friendly, but here are some great newer products that I've come across and had the great pleasure of trying (and LOVING!).

Carol's Daughter isn't exactly new, but it is a more recently popular brand that was started in a woman's own home kitchen in New York. Their Tui Herbal Shampoo for normal hair ($12.50) has chamomile, marigolds, guava, mango, and passion fruit and smells like a trip to Jamaica. It's sulfate-free, which means it gently cleanses your hair without stripping it of its essential natural oils.

Model Josie Maran has also launched her own line of cosmetics, skincare, and haircare products that are completely natural. I love her Bear Naked Makeup-Removing Wipes ($12/30) for multiple reasons: A) They're all-natural, with a blend of aloe vera, chamomile, cucumber, and vitamin E, B) you can stash them in your nightstand for those nights you head to bed without taking your makeup off, and C) a portion of every package sold will go to the Natural Resources Defense Council's Polar Bear SOS Initiative, helping fund protection for the endangered animals. Pretty awesome if you ask me. Plus, they're legit - they really do take off eye makeup, even water-resistant mascara. That's a sweet deal.

I've mentioned the Greek brand Korres before, and another of their products is a favorite of mine: Ginger & Vitamins Foundation SPF 10 ($28). It comes in a handy little squeezy tube made from recycled plastic, and provides a sheer to moderate coverage. It's packed with tons of vitamins to help slow down signs of aging and fresh ginger to tone the skin. It's my go-to foundation product for summer when I like something a little bit lighter with less coverage.

Nude Skincare is another brand that I've fallen for, head over heels. Their Deep Cleansing Mask ($52) is a mousse-textured mask that really gets into your pores and purges them of yucky impurities that make the skin break out and appear dull and lifeless. I use it once weekly and love how fresh and glowing my skin looks for days afterwards. It's all-natural, not animal tested, and its packaging is 100% recyclable. Plus, the box it comes in is plant-sourced and biodegradable. A+ for Nude Skincare!

Another favorite of mine from Nude Skincare is their Nude Lips Lip Balm ($14). It's an emollient balm that moisturizes and is super shiny, and smells like yummy Tahitian vanilla. With the cold, snowy weather we've had where I live lately, my lips seem to have had all their moisture sucked right out and Nude Lips helps replenish that, and makes any lipstick look pretty and gleaming.

As far as eyeshadows go, I'll be honest, finding natural ones that blend in easily hasn't been particularly easy. I adore Tarte's Flower Child Natural Eyeshadow Palette ($44). It features ten great shades, from creams and browns to blues and greens, plus a double-ended brush for easily application. Also, it has a double-ended eyeliner (also natural!) and a sample of their Natural Eye Primer. Excellent! The colors blend together easily, and actually have really outstanding color payoff.

Nvey Eco's Organic Lipstick ($28) features five pretty, easy-to-wear shades that have safflower, beeswax, vitamin E, and organic castor oil to soothe and moisturize lips while providing long-lasting color. I particularly like #355, which is a matte violet rose shade.

Last but not least, I'm loving Nuts Cream Perfume's Mimosa Bouquet ($12). It's packaged in sustainable, travel-friendly wood containers that you can just toss in your purse for an on-the-go pick-me-up. It's filler free, which means it doesn't have loads of alcohol like a liquid perfume does. Instead, the fragrance is housed in beeswax and sweet almond oil that actually help the fragrance stay on your skin longer. I like Mimosa Bouquet because it has notes of orange blossom, mimosa, gardenia, carnation, rose, vanilla Madagascar, and musk. Yum!

This is just a handful of the natural and/or organic products I've tried and loved. I really like how Sephora has a section on their website devoted specifically to these kinds of products, too, with great customer reviews on them. Any natural or organic favorites you have? Let me know!