Customer Reviews

The Green Beauty Guide: Your Essential Resource to Organic and Natural Skin Care, Hair Care, Makeup, and Fragrances

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This book is somewhat enlightening -- it includes thorough dictionaries of both beneficial and potentially harmful cosmetic ingredients -- but the writer seems to be schizophrenic or to have not thoroughly researched the topic, which, as a former journalist, is highly concerning. I was disappointed with her recommendations of products by Avalon Organics, JASON Naturals, Stella McCartney CARE, and Kiss My Face. These lines are hardly superior and were sued by Dr. Bronner's last year for deceptively using the word "organic" and containing petro ingredients. However, the writer later retracted her recommendation of the Kiss My Face brand on her blog.

The retractions continue. She recommends bismuth oxychloride-containing powders by Bare Escentuals in the book (which I was shocked to read since she claims to be such a purist) but later says on her blog that bismuth oxychloride can "irritate sensitive skin like mad." Half the people who've used BE and developed red, itchy skin can tell you this. She spends an entire page on avoiding toners with alcohol(duh), then recommends an alcohol-packed toner by Dr. Hauschka.

Speaking of Dr. Hauschka, Ms. Gabriel recommends nearly every Hauschka product made. (By the book's end, one suspects her of having too-close relations with the company.) I respect Dr. Hauschka's biodynamic farming practices, but they use a high amount of alcohol as preservative. Combined with their heavy plant oils (e.g. peanut oil), their pricey products are infamous for breaking people out in milia. There are FAR better organic lines these days.

The book is packed with DIY recipes that require impractical & expensive ingredients, like rose oil, elderflower water, and calendula blossoms. What full-time working woman with a kid has the time or money? And tips like "shampoo your hair with plain egg"? How would that begin to cut oil and grime??

UPDATE: In addition to her questionable expertise, the writer has begun using her blog to bash other organic skincare lines hoping, most likely, of selling her own organic skincare line. There are now retractions on Juice Beauty (certified organic, solar-powered facilities), Jurlique (biodynamic) and L'Uvalla (a lovely new line at Whole Foods). It's completely bizarre that she would attack these brands while gushing about Bare Escentuals' mediocre and conventionally farmed skincare line. Not to mention, this is the same Bare Escentuals that's being sued in California for making false and misleading statements about its sales. Where are Ms. Gabriel's allegiances and what is her agenda?

As other reviewers have noted, there are contradictions in this book that undermine it's overall credibility. Here's one that's particularly egregious: On page 189, Gabriel describes lecithin as a "green emulsifier"; yet, in Appendix B ("100 Toxic Cosmetic Ingredients You Don't Want in Your Beauty Products") ingredient #55 is--believe it or not--lecithin. This is inexcusable to me.

I found this book to be a bit trendy. Do American women really have the time to mix their own beauty products? No one I know does. Page 57 warns of celebrity endorsements, yet page 75 refers to all the celebrities who use Suki Naturals. She consistently quotes opinions from the makers of natural products, but they are stated like facts. Conventional products do this too, and it is wrong. She loves Dr. Hauschka mascara in the book, but says it runs on her website. Little things like this bugged me. I did learn about ingredients to avoid so all was not lost.

From the founder and owner of the organic skin-care line, Petite Marie, comes a revealing look at cosmetics and skin care that the most of the beauty industry would love to keep secret. For instance, all that a product needs to be labeled as "Organic" is a drop of organic essential oil. This is called greenwashing and most greenwashers spend more money on promoting themselves as environmentally friendly than they do on formulating toxin-free, environmentally sound products.

With The Green Beauty Guide, Julie Gabriel starts with the basics of learning all about your skin and guides you through what you should look for in all your beauty products. She teaches you the how tell the difference between a good marketing campaign and truly organic products. You'll also find The Ten Commandments of Green Beauty, How to Go Green Without Going Broke and even recipes for your own organic beauty products such as cleansers, toners, facial masks, moisturizers and even acne zappers with simple easy to find ingredients.

For me, a not so environmentally conscious consumer, the realization what most of us are doing to our skin and the environment was initially a bit intimidating and scary really but Gabriel's information makes it easy to make the green switch. I've already been through my cabinets checking labels and packaging. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in making a difference.

The Green Beauty Guide (GBG) is a wonderful reference that will have a place on my shelf for quite some time. I personally found this book particularly useful because I have an allergy to the paraben preservatives that are commonly used in beauty products and cosmetics so I have a little experience with what the author is talking about. However, thanks to the GBG I am now aware of several other ingredients that I should also be watching out for when I read labels and I've been able to add several new items to my beauty routine with confidence.

However, the Green Beauty Guide doesn't just put the spotlight on the things you shouldn't be putting on your face and body, but it gives you guidelines on how to actually find the products that don't contain the harmful ingredients which, believe me, is not as easy as it sounds. I cannot tell you how many hours I have spent searching through beauty aisles and cosmetic cases looking at itty-bitty ingredient lists - only to find parabens hiding away in products labeled as "pure", "natural", or "allergy-free". The GBG goes a long way towards debunking all of these common buzz word claims and gives the reader straight facts on the whole advertising/marketing game.

Which brings me to the part of the Green Beauty Guide that I love the most - a list (with ratings) of several recommended products grouped by function and suggestions on where these products can be purchased. And for those do-it-yourselfers out there - a list of recipes for making your own green beauty products including information on how to obtain, mix, and store any ingredients you need for the products you want to create.

I highly recommend this book to all women. Even if you don't have allergic reactions to your beauty products like I do, this guide will really help open your eyes to what you are actually putting on your skin everyday and might just inspire you to make some changes to the products you use. Over the just the past few years that I've been aware of this issue, the natural/organic/green cosmetics have really made some steps forward into the mainstream beauty aisles. It can only get better from here.

Ok, here's the deal. I'm sure that Gabriel's information is very good information, however, it's ALL information. What do I mean by that? Well, the woman goes on and on and on and on about things, almost like a rant really. I love reading, don't get me wrong, but apart from her ranting, she has about two or three recipes in a chapter supposedly about moisturizers. She gives you her opinion on green products and which ones are the best and why, which is ok. But my whole idea of getting this book was to learn to make my own stuff. Some of her recipes are so simple, it's almost an insult to my intelligence. AND she doesn't have a single body butter/lotion recipe anywhere in the book. She has other things, like facial moisturizers and bronzers for body, but no body butter recipes? Really, not even one? Well, no. AND, she says some things that are both contradictory and maybe not even safe. You may want a second opinion on many of her claims.

To be perfectly honest, her book is boring, bland and I got about three recipes out of it. I got over 10 from other books. Not worth my time.

Most women will look in Cosmo or other beauty magazines for the latest cosmetic and fashion tips, but what many of these magazines don't tell you is that the products manufactured by these companies are using chemicals and other compounds that once your skin absorbs them could cause other ailments or problems. While I don't readily wear makeup or use cosmetics, I gladly took on a TLC Book Tour stop for Julie Gabriel's The Green Beauty Guide: Your Essential Resource to Organic and Natural Skin Care, Hair Care, Makeup, and Fragrances. I love holistic looks at our everyday lives and books that seek to provide an alternate perspective to how we live our lives whether its from turning holiday celebrations green or learning how to reduce our own carbon footprints.

The Green Beauty Guide goes beyond the typical fad advice given by glossy magazines, providing the reader with recipes to create their own natural shampoos, facials, and other products, while at the same time providing readers with the know-how to become savvy cosmetics shoppers. Check out the Ten Commandments of Green Beauty at the end of Chapter 2.

Through a combination of science, insider information about the cosmetic industry and government regulation, and common sense, Gabriel dispels some of the myths espoused by the cosmetics industry. For instance, did you know that the skin absorbs about 60 percent of the substances applied to its surface? I didn't, but now that I do, I plan to be more careful about what solutions I use. Think about your morning routine. . .how many cleansers, lotions, and gels do you use before you leave the house each day? Examine the ingredients of those bottles, and you'll see exactly how many chemicals you expose your skin to every day. Given the complexity of skin and other systems throughout the body, it is no wonder that diet, exercise, and other behaviors can influence how well those systems function. Beauty or the health of your skin is tied to all of those things and more.

One of the best sections in the book discusses green washing, which will help those newly interested in the "green" movement to discern which products actually are safer for them and made from natural products, and which are merely using the presence of natural products to claim they are "green" or organic. Gabriel even provides Green Products Guide with a one-, two-, three-leaf system that categorizes how natural a product is. Other helpful sections of the book provide ways to make your own green beauty products, with a list of necessary tools, ingredients, and tips on where to purchase the ingredients. I also was surprised to find green beauty tips for babies in terms of diaper area care, massage oils, baby wipes, and bathing for babies.

Overall, this guide has a great many tips for those looking to expand the care of themselves and their environment into cosmetics and beauty care. I recommend this for those who wear makeup, lotions, shampoos, conditioners, and other products, which is pretty much everyone. We all should take better care of our planet and ourselves, and what better way than to start with the beauty products we use.

The author lost me the first time she used the phrase "chemical free". You will never find a product free of chemicals. Chemicals are everywhere. H2O is a chemical. Just because a chemical is produced doesn't make it better or worse than a chemical found in nature. And many chemicals found in nature are very bad for you... "natural" doesn't necessarily mean "desirable".

The Green Beauty Guide is engaging and extremely informative. The link between toxicity and poor health is only beginning to be fully exposed, and this book makes a firm case for a change in lifestyle. It's obvious that Julie Gabriel has spent much time in research mode, and the guide provides a great deal of scientific context. The material is comprehensive and arms one with the tools needed to make changes in personal care routines.

As a (former) 15-year subscriber of Allure beauty magazine with an insatiable appetite for any mainstream beauty product, I felt increasingly liberated as I made my way through this book. It enables me not only to purchase with confidence from integrity-filled companies, but the ability to master my own creations. Don't be the victim of unregulated chemicals! Take control of your health and make educated decisions regarding your skin. Many of the beauty products on the market are made by companies with business standards- the final goal being profits, not your optimum health. As Ms. Gabriel points out, never "assume that people who make it have only good intentions in mind."

I found this book to have all I needed to enjoy a toxin-free, healthy beauty routine. Before I read this book I had no idea we have so many healthy beauty options. Green Beauty Guide shows that becoming a green beauty junkie can be very exciting and actually fun! Apparently, not everything has to be preserved with parabens and other chemicals which make us sick.

As I tried some of the recommeded products in the book, I noticed that my skin became smoother, glowing and more taut. I love the homemade recipes of hair treatments and moisturisers, and I will now browse pharmacies, Whole Foods Market and local health foods stores with much more knowledge.

I appreciate the in-depth section on various chemicals used in cosmetics(althought I am a bit scared, for it seems that I have consumed a lot of needless chemicals while being pregnant with my first child), and I really adore the section on baby skin care. Being pregnant with my second child, I strive to live as green as possible, and I consider this book a valuable resource for anyone who wants to live longer and healthier.