Tarte™ Cosmetics are Glamorous and Good for the Earth

Do you worry about what ingredients are truly in your cosmetics? Even cosmetic products that are marketed to be “natural,” or “mineral-based,” can have negative effects on your skin or contain unhealthy ingredients. Maureen Kelly was frustrated with what she was finding in the cosmetics marketplace, and in 1999 decided to do something about it. She believed that she could formulate cosmetics that contained healthy ingredients, left out the harmful ingredients and were sold in fun, trendy packages. Since that [...]

EpiCenter MedSpa Encourages a Beautiful You and a Beautiful Planet

The historic Sutter Building in downtown San Francisco is home to the EpiCenter MedSpa and the companion medical skin and body clinic, EpiCenter Medical Associates. In 2008, coinciding with its 10th anniversary, the facility’s new suite opened its doors after its own eco-friendly makeover. Since that time, the medical spa has stayed true to the philosophy that “in addition to being on the forefront of the latest cosmetic treatments for skin rejuvenation, EpiCenter MedSpa is committed to being a sustainable [...]

Sounds True: A Spiritually Minded Company

Sounds True: A Spiritually Minded Company Built on Serving Purpose, People and Profit

In 1985, Tami Simon only knew she wanted to build a company that would put spiritual wisdom directly into the hands of people who needed it. She didn’t know exactly how she would do that at the time, but 26 years later, her idea has become a successful multimedia publishing company offering books, audio recordings, downloadable media, CD’s and DVD’s. Every item offered seeks to inspire the transformation [...]

Apple Sage “Sausage” Chestnut Stuffing

Each and every year, at this very same time, we go in search of unique and delightful recipes to share with our Holiday guests. Since so many of us are making nutritional decisions based on our ethical values, it is always nice to be able to share a dish that doesn’t compromise any living creatures.  This year, The Green Connoisseur will be sharing some of it’s new found favorites for you to put on your dining room table. Today we’d [...]

Recycle Your Pumpkins

Do you wince every time you have to throw out a perfectly good pumpkin, after it’s been carved? This is the point in your life when your CFL light bulb should come on, as you recognize your level of environmental stewardship.

More than one billion pounds of pumpkin are purchased in the US every Halloween. The majority of those end up in the trash after their sole life purpose has been to sit on the front porch with a candle in [...]

Om Aroma & Co.
Organic Spa Treatments at Home

When you’re looking to bring spa-quality pampering to your home, consider the award-winning anti-aging organic spa and skincare line of Om Aroma & Co. Free from parabens, formaldehyde, sulfates, and other toxic chemicals, Om Aroma & Co. blends organic ingredients, such as red raspberry, rosehip oil, and aloe vera, to combat aging while relieving stress from the body and skin. The company also claims to have introduced the market to the first age-defying luxury organic product line when it first [...]

Inara Organic Body Care
Luxurious Eco-Friendly Spa Treatments

Whether you’re pampering yourself at home or planning a spa visit, consider the unique line of Inara products for the ultimate eco-friendly spa experience. From soothing crème wraps to rejuvenating milk baths, Inara spa treatments promise to relax and revitalize your body and mind.

What Makes Inara Unique?

Oil from the Babassu Palm Nut is harvested by a female coorperative in Southeastern Brazil and is the primary ingredient in all Inara spa products. Babassu oil is a gentle skin moisturizer [...]

Appalachian Natural Soaps:
A Blue Ridge Mountain Luxury

From calming lavender soaps to skin-friendly green tea and chamomile, the handmade bath and body products from Appalachian Natural Soaps are offered in more than 2-dozen intriguing varieties and contain the best natural ingredients available. These simple mountain luxuries (handmade in beautiful Asheville, NC) have been regional favorites since 1995 and are now available to consumers across the nation.

The Process

Following family traditions, Appalachian Naturals starts their soapmaking process with a special blend of pure South African cocoa butter, moisturizing [...]

Sustainable Summer Reading List

Top Book Picks to Enhance Your Eco-Friendly Lifestyle

If you’re ready to start stocking up on great books for your summer reading list, we have a few suggestions.  From gardening and decorating to crafts and fiction, these sustainable living books will keep you entertained by the pool, on the beach, or while you’re relaxing in the backyard.

Gardening and Landscaping

Four Season Harvest by Eliot Coleman:  Learn how to enjoy fresh, organic vegetables year-round from your own backyard.

Sustainable Landscaping for Dummies by [...]

A New Year’s Resolution – Eco-Friendly Exercise

One of the most common New Year’s Resolutions is to embrace a healthier lifestyle, which usually includes an increase in exercise. Oftentimes, eco-minded exercisers overlook the many ways one can incorporate eco-friendly values into getting fit, staying trim, and building muscle. Go beyond taking sips of hydration from a reusable, toxic-free water bottle (helping to cut down on the yearly waste accumulating in landfills) and allow us to broaden your horizons with the following green exercise suggestions:

Footwear

Running, jogging or taking [...]