GLAM. ya dig?

For ze ladies:

You M-U-S-T check this place out. Not only do they sell legitimate organic beauty products, but their facilities are powered by wind/hydro energy, they give 10% of their proceeds to Global Green USA, and all around environmental love. They have a wide array of products that are sure to please everyone. These products are pure, gentle, and natural, who doesn't want that? As the self-proclaimed suppliers of "beauty with a conscience", think of it as the earth-lover's Sephora. (Or click on the pic below to see the actual Sephora's natural collection, although I'm not sure they aren't pulling a fast one on us. Many of these may be pseudo organic. Be cautious, puhlease!)

While those things are just very nice, I think that the most significant thing to note is that YOUR MAKE UP CAN BE VERY HARMFUL TO YOU!!! ! !! In my life, the most disturbing products are nail polish and mascara because I use them almost daily. However, practically every product you can think of is either tested on animals or contains chemicals that are harmful to the environment (hairspray, shampoo/conditioner, perfume, eyeliners/shadows, foundations, lipgloss). This industry is not, i repeat, is NOT regulated by the FDA, allowing many companies take advantage it. This info will likely scare even the most ardent OPI "Lincoln Park After Dark" and Dior Show addicts...

• Nail Polish: Just by the stench, it is pretty obvious that this stuff is chemically harsh, but since you probably can create a time line of your life based upon your use of it (starting with Barbie peel-off, onto Walgreen's stick-ons, etc.) we rarely consider how harmful it is. To begin, it contains several carcinogens and the fumes can lead to birth defects and all sorts of nasty things! http://www.naturalnews.com/020031.html. Furrrrrthermore, nail polish removers release toxic gases and remove the natural oils from your nails leaving both them and your lungs unhappy. Instead, check out Spirit's lines of non-toxic polishes and removers. Priti even has one that comes pretty close to LPAD <3.>

• Mascara: You've heard the story about the women who have gone blind because of their lifetime mascara usage, right? Well, after a little research, I've found that is unlikely. HOWEVER! The reason that we avoid blindness is because of frequent animal testing. Rabbits, chimps, and other helpless animals are held captive or murdered for their eyes only to test out our cosmetics. Sometimes I wonder how humans became so remorseless and digusting. These prints show how some people are speaking out against it: http://www.advertolog.com/paedia/prints/2008/04/14/200663/

I hope that I opened your eyes to the harsh and dangerous side of cosmetics that my mom never told me about on my first trip to the MAC beauty counter at the mall. Please be conscious of how your use of these products affects the environment and your health! Check if your products are tested on animals and the next time you're in the market for a new nail polish color or bronzer for this upcoming summer, check out Spirit.

Other green suggestions: Aveda, The Body Shop, Urban Decay & more here: The Leaping Bunny