Markdown Mania!

Eco-Tique had a massive markdown marathon today ranging from Alternative Apparel to She-Bible! Check out our SALE section for our latest deals! A few of my favorites include the Monarch Top, Cha Cha Dress, the Organic V-Neck and the adorable baby Lilou Romper! Seriously cute clothing for affordable prices! Have fun shopping!

Pictured below: Monarch Top from She-Bible (incredible, right?)

Don't Just Take My Word For It: Check Out Our New Fig+Sage Faves Page!

Whenever I need some advice or suggestions regarding organic and natural beauty products, I always turn to Stancie Wilson of Fig+Sage. She and her sister, Erin, have slathered or sprayed on, rubbed in, and bathed with just about every product on the market. Better yet, they advocate only for those products that are as green as they say they are, as natural and/or organic as they claim to be, and perform as well as they outta.

I am thrilled and honored, therefore, to be telling you about an exciting new feature on Natureofbeauty.com. The Fig+Sage team now has their own page, where they have selected what they consider to be the best of the best of what we have to offer. This list will change as they discover new favorites, so be sure to check in from time to time to see what they have added to their page. Also, be sure to check out Fig+Sage.com, in all its updated and redesigned gorgeousness, to read more of their tips, recommendations and reviews.

It's Bonus Time at The Nature of Beauty!

It's still hard. Walking into a department store, seeing those signs, and just walking away. Bonus Time. I don't know about you, but I have at least 20 little makeup bags from a variety of brands that were once full of fun new products. It was like Christmas in July. Since switching over to natural cosmetics, I've had to learn how to walk away from these specials, and it has not been easy.

Recently, it occurred to me that my customers needn't experience that same kind of pain. So here it is: Our first official Bonus Days Event at The Nature of Beauty! As you can see, we've brought in some gorgeous makeup bags and are filling them with amazing stuff, including:

• Jane Iredale In Touch Cream Blush in Clarity
• Jane Iredale Eye Shadow Duo in Heather (new!)
• Erbaorganics travel size baby shower gel
• Keys travel size Tortuga lotion
• Samples from Dr. Alkaitis and Rare El'ements

If you've been with us for a while, you know that helping small businesses led by women from impoverished regions of the world is a huge passion of mine. When women are given the opportunity to earn their own money through programs like Worldfinds, World of Goods, and A Better Footprint, they use it to send their children to school and strengthen their communities. As a result, entire villages have been transformed by giving women the opportunity to create sustainable small businesses creating goods that are in demand elsewhere in the world. What's more, the goods they create are unique, well-made and beautifully crafted.

Bonus Days will continue through the end of July, so be sure to take a moment out of basking in the outdoor sun (which you should do anyway between the hours of 10-2) and take advantage of the fun happening here at The Nature of Beauty. It'll feel just like old times.

New Blog Header, New Products!

As we head into the final month of our first year in business, I'm gradually figuring out the world of Internet Pretty. Turns out, it's not just what you put on the Internet, it actually matters how it looks. What can I say, I'm old (but I don't look it; see next paragraph), and a little slow to figure out all this new-fangled technology. But thanks to the advice of Internet-savvy Stancie Wilson of the very pretty Fig+Sage (recently nominated for the Best Eye Candy Blog awards), I found Jennifer Stuart on Etsy.com, who created this very lovely new blog header. What do you think?

Now, on to the stuff I DO know something about: Anti Aging Skin Care. I first learned about Sustainable Youth Technologies in the Organic Monitor enewsletter, my favorite resource for the most au courant info on green beauty worldwide. What caught my eye was not so much the "anti aging" part, as the "scientific studies to back it up" part. If I haven't made this abundantly clear, I'm a science nerd. So when I read about the double-blind, controlled studies and use of actual instruments to measure skin elasticity throughout the study, rather than participant self-report, I practically started to drool.

For those of you still reading, after contacting SYT, they agreed to send me their trio of products to try them for myself. Which I did. And I took Before and After pictures, just like SYT did in their own case studies. In a bold and daring move, I'm posting them below. But let me just say that it's good skin care regardless, just look at the impressively long list of natural ingredients (of which many are organic, details will follow later this week). High in antioxidants, my face drank this stuff up like it was nectar of the gods. And I kid you not when I say that I have received more comments on how young I look in the last two months than in the last 10 years combined, I have to believe it is really making a noticeable difference.

Below you will see Before (top) and After (bottom) pictures of my eye. I focused on the eyes, because to be honest I really don't have wrinkles yet, and I think this picture captures best the effects of the product. These were taken be me of me, and I don't have the Photoshop skills to touch them up, so they're really just me in all my makeup-free morning glory. Look at the center of my lid near the crease, and also at the outside corner of the eye. Although it's subtle, there is a lift in the middle, and the outside corner in the After picture is smoother than in the Before. I'll admit, I'm surprised to see a noticable difference. But there it is!

Formally Introducing Emily

As some of you may have noticed, we have a new contributor to the Nature of Beauty Blog. Miss Emily, Ecotique/Nature of Beauty sales powerhouse, is donating her time and blogging skills to our blog, giving me the opportunity to take a break now and then, and giving you her views on the latest in eco-friendly fashion. Emily is an aspiring fashion designer and is the perfect fashion-forward foil to my own eco-soccer mom look.

T

Let The Truth Be Told

I admit it. I'm addicted to jewelry. That's the first step, right? To admit, acknowledge, condone...no, never condone a jewelry addict.

One day, about a month ago, I was driving to work. The sun was shining, birds twittering, couples holding hands whilst gleefully skipping down the sidewalk, purple butterflies were skating across my crystal clear windshield when suddenly, something didn't feel right, as if, I was naked. Bra? Check. Undies? Check. Shoes? Check. And then it dawned on me, I forgot my rings. My fingers stared at me, horror stricken, tears gushing from my knuckles. I gasped, unsure of how to go on with my day. I closed my eyes, quickly, so as not to rear end someone, and whispered a little hope that this unbearable tragedy would never happen again.

Being slightly obsessed with jewelry I was thoroughly thrilled at the sight of Kris Nations. Inspired by various cultures, people and art, Kris Nations jewelry is sure to take notice. Offering many styles Kris Nations is available in boutiques across the country and abroad. Eco-Tique carries quite a few designs to choose from ranging from simple recycled 14k gold bird pendant necklaces, long flirty necklaces adorned with large birds and jade beads to funky vintage owl earrings.

Go ahead. Fulfill your jewelry craving. Permission granted.

Tune in to The Emerald Awards!

Want to find out what the best panel of natural beauty experts ever assembled have to say about the best green beauty products on the market? Head on over to Feelgood Style, where I have been posting the best truly natural beauty products on the market, as selected by a group of fabulous eco-experts like Rona Berg, Christy Coleman, and Stancie Wilson (among others!). More awards are on the way this week, so be sure to check out FGS every day this week!