There is a lot of hype in the beauty industry right now about so called "green" products. There are literally thousands of products on the market claiming to be green, environmentally friendly, natural, safe, organic, flower & plant based, pure, botanical, eco-friendly, etc - all undefined terms in a largely unregulated industry. Here are some helpful tips to navigate your way around these products and feel good about what you are putting on your skin.

Origins products are manufactured using renewable energy resources, green energy, and the packaging is made from recycled paper. Ingredients are promised to be the "best of nature, best for you, best for the planet" and have always been formulated without phthalates, petroleum, paraffin, dyes, mineral oil, the chemical sunscreen PABA and Animal Ingredients (except cruelty-free honey and beeswax). Their products are enhanced with 100% natural essential oils. Your skin is your body's largest organ, so it stands to reason that what you rub, lather and smooth into your skin should be made using ingredients that don't have any damaging side effects. Absorbing small amounts of toxins into your skin over a long period of time can have a cumulative, damaging effect.

Make sure that you read the ingredient list! While many products have a long list of "organic" and "natural" ingredients - they might still be using potentially harmful ingredients that could irritate your skin. Some products will be free from one or two bad ingredients, but include other potentially harmful ones. It is important to pay attention to what is in the product, as well as what isn't. Keep in mind that some potentially harmful ingredients do have a "natural origin" too.