Constantly in search of the best natural face wash, I’ve recently stumbled upon a company with endless natural beauty treatment choices: derma e. The company combines vitamins, antioxidants and botanicals to create eco-friendly beauty treatments, such as its new formula Very Clear Cleansing Scrub ($13.95).

This exfoliant is a new product to join the Very Clear Skin collection, which includes the Very Clear Problem Skin Cleanser, Cleansing Scrub, Problem Skin Moisturizer and Spot Blemish Treatment. The formula combines tea tree, willow bark, rosewood, lavender, aloe and chamomile to treat blemish-prone skin.

The exfoliant, designed to remove dead skin cells in order to stimulate new cell growth for clearer skin, is gentle, relaxing and seems to work very well with my skin. My acne has stayed under control as of late and I truly believe it has something to do with this 4-ounce tube. Its major ingredient, tea tree oil, is amazing because it’s natural and powerful as a disinfectant; it most commonly treats a wide variety of skin ailments such as acne, rashes or sun burns.

(News & Tips: Swine Flu Prevention and Hand Washing Tips)

However, it is an herb that you either hate or love, in my opinion, because the smell of tea tree oil is very strong—and the derma e formula is no exception. I’m not a fan of the tea tree oil smell and have found other formulas that my olfactory system enjoy a lot more. If you absolutely can not stand its scent, you may not enjoy its powerful aroma lingering on your face.

(Ode to Tea Tree Oil)

Still, even if you’re not a fan of its smell you may want to learn to just deal with it because recent studies have shown tea tree oil to be a very powerful, natural antibacterial agent. A study in 2000 showed that tea tree oil is 5 percent more effective than commercial medication when treating scabies mite in an in vitro situation. More recently, a new study may soon prove that a tea tree oil wash can prevent Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which is resistant to most commonly used antibiotics. According to Reuters Health, the study is expected to be complete in 2010 and looks promising for tea tree oil based on previous studies.

So what do you herbies think? The price is reasonable and the results are positive. Will you be trying the Very Clear Cleansing Scrub anytime soon?

Discover magazine (one of my non-Herb Companion faves) features a magnified (by a scanning electron microscope) image of a strawberry (Fragaria spp.). Check it out; it's really cool. 

The make-up of the fruit is clearly visible, with the seeds looking like boulders in a red sea. Plus, they give a great tip for teeth whitening, which works because of the fruit's malic acid. (Mix crushed strawberries with baking soda.)

With my wedding coming up in less than three months, I’ve got to keep my skin moisturized, healthy and glowing. For that, I need to find the right herbs for the job.

Aloe seems to be the go-to medicinal herb for most skincare solutions. But there are many other herbs that heal skin, such as:

• Chamomile: This is used in most facial-care products and is useful in calming an irritated complexion and treating acne.
• Comfrey: This healing herb contains allantoin, a protein that speeds up cell renewal.
• Rose: This works as a gentle cleanser that has refining and softening powers.
• Witch hazel: This skin astringent contains alcohol but heals and soothes skin.

John Masters Organics has recently re-launched its line of organic skincare products. Their beauty line offers natural healing products such as the Green Tea & Rose Hydrating Face Serum, the Moroccan Clay Purifying Mask and the Rose Foaming Face Wash. But their skincare collection also offers something I have personally been on the lookout for awhile: a toning mist.

The Rose & Aloe Hydrating Toning Mist ($20) is a beauty product certified by the National Organic Program. I’ve kept this product on a shelf near my keys so that as I leave for work, I quickly mist my face with one to two sprays. I instantly feel awake, toned and ready to start the day.

The ingredients work together to create a natural toning mist combination: the essential oil of rose soothes skin by increasing blood circulation; oat kernel improves defense against pollution; white tea protects against oil-causing bacteria; aloe vera promotes healing; and aspen bark protects against harmful bacteria. 

The glass bottle is a little too heavy to tote around in my purse for a daily refresher, but so far my “front-door-solution” has worked out great.

I’ll be on the lookout for more herbal skincare treatments to keep skin fresh and healthy. But what about you? Have you ever used this beauty product? If not, what have you used and why do you or don’t you like it? And what are your favorite herbs for skincare? Drop me a comment!

How many of you fellow herbies like to wash your hair daily? I have many friends who tell me they can’t go a day without lathering, rinsing and repeating for a variety of reasons, including “If I don’t my hair feels greasy.” In fact, they gasp and judge me when I tell them that I don’t. I am an outcast.

I don’t wash my hair daily for two main reasons:
1.) My hair is so thick it is much more of a hassle to manage–it takes a lot longer to wash, dry and style than the average person’s hair.
2.) When I wash my hair daily, my hair loses its shine and it starts to feel very dry.

According to a story on NPR by Allison Aubrey, I’ve been doing it right! Washing your hair daily is way too often–it strips the natural oils from your scalp. You only need to wash 2 to 3 times a week. "If you wash your hair every day, you're removing the sebum," Michelle Hanjani, dermatologist at Columbia University, says in When it Comes to Shampoo, Less is More. "Then the oil glands compensate by producing more oil.” So the more natural oils we strip from our hair, the more demand we create for oils and thus our body will make more.

Try to wean yourself away from this common practice with these tips:
• Sprinkle a quarter-size amount of baking soda into your palm along with your favorite shampoo. This removes residue that styling products leave behind so your hair is more manageable. (Arm & Hammer)
• Clean your hair with a small combination of baking soda and apple cider vinegar. (Nature Moms)
• Use a small amount of conditioner in between shampoo days.
• Brush a combination of witch hazel and lavender essential oils through your hair for a quick refreshment. (K.C. Compton)
• Instead of using bottled shampoo daily, you could alternate with shampoo bars. Try Rawganique's Organic Hemp Bar or Lush's Vegan Godiva Bar. (Ideal Bite)
• Rinse with 3 drops essential oil, 1 pint herbal tea and 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice; leave in for several minutes and rinse. (Aromatherapy: A Complete Guide to the Healing Art)

If you insist on shampooing daily, try these recently reviewed shampoos:
• John Masters Organics
• Verikira Naturals
• Jurlique
• Organix
• The Healing Seed 

How often do you wash your hair? Are you addicted to shampoo? Leave me a comment!

Not too long ago I discovered The Healing Seed, a new company that offers virgin organic hempseed oil body care products.

It’s bad reputation aside, hemp is actually a nutritional powerhouse. It is jam packed with Omega 3, 6 and 9 essential fatty oils, is high in fiber, is a good source of protein, contains all essential amino acids, and is rich in vitamins and minerals. Hempseed oil is one of the healthiest oils—healthier than flaxseed oil—because it contains a better balance of linoleic and linolenic fatty acids, according to our August 2009 story Make Way for Hemp Products. Linoleic and linolenic fatty acids are very low hazards according to the Environmental Working Group’s Cosmetic Database.

www.thehealingseed.com

The company promises that these unique and eco-friendly ingredients will create manageable hair and a healthy shine. Their color-safe shampoo and conditioner products stand out with infusions of sweet orange essential oils. Echinacea, licorice root, ylang ylang, jasmine blossom and ginseng extract also give hair a natural boost.

Personally, I’m not a fan of having my hair smell like fruit. But if this idea sounds appetizing to you, then you must give The Healing Seed’s hair collection a try—their products are free of parabens, artificial fragrances and artificial colors. Lather up in the shower with a dime to nickel size dollop of shampoo and conditioner for a healthy wash.

 Other spanking new products from The Healing Seed include a spring lavender hand cream, a fresh jasmine body wash and an English daisy face cleanser.

What do you think of using hemp seed oil in your daily beauty routine? Do you use it and have you noticed any change in your health? What about The Healing Seed? Are you a fan? Drop me a comment and discuss this product!

www.organixhair.com

I was intrigued with Organix’s Revitalizing Pomegranate Green Tea Shampoo and Conditioner from the moment I opened the shampoo bottle to catch a whiff – these products smell amazing. They emit a very powerful, fruity and delicious fragrance and, at the super reasonable price of only $6.99 for each 13-ounce bottle, I found myself wanting to know more about Organix.

Despite its four beauty awards from WWD Beauty Biz, Self Magazine, All You Magazine and Lifetime, I haven’t noticed any phenomenal change in my hair after testing it for over a month. I have, however, enjoyed its enticing smell. The formula is a blend of antioxidant-rich pomegranate and green tea extracts and is targeted towards dry and brittle hair. The use of tea in a hair care treatment is something I’ve read before (Body & Soul: Wake Up Skin and Hair with Refreshing Tea), so I was excited to see this herbal option on the market.

What’s green about this product? Aside from its name, Organix products contain organic active ingredients; sulfate-free formulas; its bottles are manufactured from recycled post-consumer resin; and its compostable labels are printed with eco-friendly inks. However, its use of methylochloroisothiazolinone and methylisothiazolinone concerned me. According to the Environmental Working Group, methylochloroisothiazolinone and methylisothiazolinone are preservatives that pose as moderate hazards and are linked as immune skin toxicants.

For its reasonable price, however, I would like to look into their other tantalizing scents: Coconut Milk, Mandarin Olive Oil, Tea Tree Mint, Shea Butter, Vanilla Silk, White Tea Grapeseed, Mocha Espresso, Cucumber Yogurt, Lavender Soymilk, Grapefruit Mango Butter and Passionfruit Guava. 

What about you, fellow herbies? What do you think about Organix products? Green enough? Herbal enough? How do you like these hair care reviews? I have one more left and then I’m moving on to bigger and better things.

www.jurlique.com

When I stepped out of the shower after using Jurlique’s hair care products I felt like I had stepped out of a high-end hair salon. My hair felt light, oil-free and amazing. After every use I couldn’t stop reaching for the ends of my hair and pulling it across my cheek for one more sniff.

The scent I love most of all is the peppermint and tea tree aroma from Jurlique’s Arnica Mint Shampoo ($22). Jurlique’s Lavender Conditioner ($22), which is designed to relax your mind and soothe your hair and scalp, paled in comparison to the company’s Arnica Mint Shampoo. Jurlique also offers Chamomile and Sandalwood shampoo and conditioner products. After using a quarter-size dollop of the shampoo to lather my hair I was in fragrance heaven. Also, the bottles are decorated with chic illustrations of the herb ingredients added to each product, which make them cute products to keep on display in your bathroom for guests to see and grow envious of.

The company uses sustainable ingredients and holds itself in high standards when growing, developing and sourcing Jurlique ingredients in its own farms and, when impossible, carefully sourcing from biodynamic or organic farms.

Its one downfall is that Jurlique’s Arnica Mint Shampoo is produced with sodium lauroyl sarcosinate—a cleanser that removes surface oil, dirt and bacteria without stripping or drying sensitive skin, but still may not be the safest ingredient choice, according to the Environmental Working Group. This cleanser enhances the penetration of irritation to the skin but is safer when used in rinse-off products, according to CosmeticsInfo.org.

So what do you think? Have you fallen in love with Jurlique’s body care products as much as me? If not, what hair fragrance is your favorite?