What: Whoops Bunny Natural Makeup Sticks

Features: Five twist-up tubes of brightly colored makeup for your little bunnies to play with, worry free!

Green Factor: Unlike most kids’ play makeup that’s loaded with nasty and sometimes toxic chemicals, Whoops Bunny is made from all natural, biodegradable ingredients such as raspberry extract—and the plastic tubes are recyclable, as well.

Bonus: Whoops Bunny makeup sticks are made right in the USA and manufactured with wind power.

Find It Here: Whoops Bunny

I drink a billion glasses of water a day and live in a very humid climate but regardless, I’ve always had a tendency towards dry skin. That said, I have to depend on external things like lotions and oils to keep my skin looking not dry.

A long time ago, before I knew what baby oil was made from (mineral oil from petroleum—mmm sexy!—and synthetic phthalate-laden fragrance) I used it without a second thought but these days, I try to make more natural choices. I used to love Neutrogena’s sesame oil but again with the scent—it’s just not good to rub synthetic fragrances all over your body’s largest organ as it DOES get absorbed right into your system.

But alas, there are, thankfully, other options, one of which I use faithfully every day to keep from becoming too reptilian (full disclosure—I did receive a review sample of this product a while back). Nature’s Baby Organics makes an organic baby oil with nothing synthetic in it at all. It’s certified organic and comprised of olive oil, jojoba oil , tamanu oil and sunflower oil and naturally scented with mandarin orange and coconut oils. It’s thick and yummy and smells good enough to eat and believe me, if I had a baby, this is the oil I’d use on them, as opposed to that sketchy petroleum-derived stuff you’ll find in every baby products aisle in America.

Find It Here: Nature’s Baby Organics

What: Kits to make natural lip balms, perfumes, bath fizzies and soaps

Features: Everything you need to make your own fun personal care goodies

Green Factor: Natural ingredients like shea butter, witch hazel, essential oils with no fillers, additives, dyes or synthetics

Bonus:  Fun to make at birthday parties and sleepovers!

Find It Here: Kiss Naturals

Win It: We’ve partnered with Kiss Naturals to give away a Bath Fizzie Kit and Lip Balm Kit to one randomly selected winner. Click here to fill out our simple entry form. Just enter KN12 as the giveaway name and tell us how long it takes to make lip balm and soap with a Kiss Naturals kit. Enter by 12/21/09. $35 value. Open to residents of US and Canada. Winner to be notified by email. Contest Closed.

My name is Janet and I’m a lip balm addict aficionado. My current balm of choice is the EOS (Evolution of Smooth) Smooth Sphere. Of course, I love it because it’s 100% natural with 95% organic ingredients but I also love it’s unique shape—inside it’s weirdly wonderful round case, the balm is shaped like an egg. Well, half an egg, actually, and applying it to my lips is oddly pleasant. In fact, I think I need some right now. Stop looking at me like that. I don’t have a problem. I can quit any time I want!

Find It Here: EOS

On Our Blog: One of the Easiest Ways to Go Green

It has been more than a year since the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics reported that many popular brands of lipstick contain lead. The FDA said it would conduct an independent investigation but despite repeated calls from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and consumers, as well as pressure from U.S. Senators, the FDA still has not released any data on its own lipstick tests or taken any action to protect consumers from toxic ingredients in cosmetics. In Europe and Canada, cosmetics are regulated but not here in America, which is shameful, although not particularly shocking when you consider that our government also doesn’t see a problem with BPA in baby bottles. So what can you do? Well, one really easy-peasy thing you can do is send a letter to the FDA, letting them know you don’t want lead in your cosmetics. Just click here, fill out the form and the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics will send the letter for you. It will take about 15 seconds and your voice will be heard. With any luck, our lips will soon be lead free—but only if we all speak up!

If you have a little girl, there’s a very good chance she’s already asked to have her nails painted—and if she hasn’t, you can bet she probably will at some point. The problem is that conventional nail polish is full of nasty toxic chemicals that can and DO find their way into the human body. Yuck! There’s nothing cute or glam about THAT! But rest assured that we’ve found an awesome alternative that’s water-based, non-flammable, odor-free and completely safe for your wee ones to wear on their nails. It’s Piggy Paint non-toxic, kid-friendly nail polish and it’s 100% free of formaldehyde, toluene, phthalates, biphenyl A, ethyl acetate and acetone. As the Piggy Paint folks like to say…it’s as natural as mud (but comes in way better colors!)

Find It Here:  Piggy Paint

I’m pretty choosy when it comes to what I put on my kisser and you can call me crazy if you want but I don’t like the idea of lead — or any other toxic substance for that matter — in something I put on my lips. Now that we’re heading into the fall/winter season, I have been on the lookout for a good lip balm and I’ve definitely found it in Rockstar Baby Organics Lip Balm. Packaged in a slim little stick about the size of my index finger, this lip balm smells and works great and we’re most impressed with what’s NOT in it: parabens, petrochemicals and artificial colors. We also like that Rockstar Lip Balm is only $3.99. So pucker up, baby — this rockin’ lip balm is so awesome you’ll want to kiss it.

Find It Here: Cooler Choices

If you read only one book this year, make it Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry. Get it, share it, blog about it — tell everyone you can! Written by Stacy Malkan, Communications Director of Health Care Without Harm and media strategist for the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, Not Just a Pretty Face provides a behind-the-scenes look into the cosmetics industry. You’ve no doubt heard by now that our cosmetics, lotions and shampoos are full of carcinogens, phthalates, parabens, chemicals and other toxic ingredients. After reading this book, you’ll discover how this has happened and why little has been done to make our products safer or require safety testing. Malkan’s investigative writing style will have you riveted and her insights into the cosmetics industry will likely have you steaming mad and I can guarantee you will never look at your make-up bag the same way again.

Find It Here: Amazon.com

Win It! We’re giving away a copy of Not Just A Pretty Face. Click here to fill out our simple entry form. Just enter “NP65” as the giveaway name and provide the answer to this question: Do you think cosmetics should be more regulated than they are presently? U.S. residents eligible. Enter by 8/27/08. Contest closed. Congrats to Christine S.!

According to my son, bathtime is waaaay more fun when bubbles are involved. Unfortunately, I banned the bubbles for a long time because I was having a hard time finding a bubble bath that didn’t contain toxic ingredients. Then I stumbled upon Little Twig. Little Twig is this really fun line of children’s bath products that includes a bubble bath line without synthetic fragrances and artificial colors, which by the way, is totally hard to believe when you smell their Tangerine Bubble Bath. The scent is so yummy and fruity that is just doesn’t seem possible that it could not contain phthalates. But no! As confirmed with the company, none of their bubble bath products contain phthalates, parabens or sulfates. And for those with allergies, the Little Twig Extra Mild Unscented formula is also wheat, soy and nut free. And before you worry too much about the plastic bottle it comes in, Little Twig bottles are totally recyclable. They also donate a portion of their proceeds to the Everychild Foundation. But the best news for my kids is that bathtime is fun again thanks to Little Twig!

Find It Here: Cocotier Kids

Win It! We’re giving away a Little Twig Gentle Care Gift Pack worth $40! The pack includes unscented bubble bath, body milk, body wash and a ladybug washcloth. Click here to fill out our simple entry form. Just enter “CK21” as the giveaway name and provide the answer to this question: What is your favorite Little Twig product available from Cocotier Kids? U.S. and Canadian residents eligible. Enter by 8/14/08. Contest closed. Congrats, Lily K!

I’ve been looking for an eyeliner forever that doesn’t contain a ton of nasty chemicals and actually works and hallelujah — I’ve finally found it! Gabriel Cosmetics makes an awesome eyeliner that goes on really easily, lasts all day, and is soft enough to actually be used as an eyeshadow if desired. But the best part is that it doesn’t contain any cringeworthy ingredients such as synthetic chemicals or animal by-products and, as an added bonus, no animal testing is employed. You can find the whole wonderfully short ingredient list here and you can check the safety of each ingredient here. If you’re like me and would rather be enhancing your eyes instead of worrying about potentially toxic chemicals, the Gabriel Cosmetics eyeliner is for you. You can thank me later :)

Find It Here: Gabriel Cosmetics

Some time ago I’d heard that it was common for fragrances to contain petrochemicals and other toxins but in my ignorance, I didn’t allow this bad news to tear me away from my beloved Angel by Thierry Mugler. It smelled so completely unique and delicious that you could instantly zero in on another Angel wearer in a crowd, inevitably leading to this total perfume bonding moment in which we would gush over our mutual love of the scent.

So…imagine my shock and dismay upon learning that my most favorite perfume ever is allegedly made with the same ingredients found in pesticides & chemicals that attack the eyes, skin, central and peripheral nervous systems, respiratory, hepatic, hematological & reproductive systems along with damage to the DNA of sperm in adult males.

In fact , a class action suit is being considered for Nordstrom employees who were unknowingly and continuously exposed to the aformentioned toxic chemicals while selling Angel. Oy. I guess it’s a good thing I could never afford to wear my most beloved scent every day (and now, of course, I don’t wear it at all). But what about your favorite fragrances — just how safe or dangerous are they?

Our hardworking friends over at the Environmental Working Group have made it easy peasy for you to find out by consulting the Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database. In fact, there’s a section just for fragrances for both women and men and a number of very popular ones received the highest ranking possible for toxicity. Lucky for all of us, there are a number of very safely rated scents also listed because seriously, we shouldn’t have to make ourselves sick just so we can smell nice.

Find It Here: EWG Fragrance Safety Ratings for Women and Men

Summer is here and that means days at the beach, picnics, boating and of course, lots of sunscreen — but which one? Many of the bigger brand names hardly make the cut when it comes to chemical safety and according to Environmental Working Group, 4 out of 5 sunscreens don’t give you the protection you need. Just in time for the holiday weekend, EWG has released their 2008 Best Sunscreen List, featuring the safest top ten sunscreen products and recommended brands. Find out how your sun protection ranks in their newly updated database!

Tipped off By: Environmental Working Group