It recently came to my attention that there are still a huge number of us who are not sure what ingredients are particularly toxic in our personal care products. Given that there is very little oversight or regulation within the industry, we owe it to ourselves to get armed with how to make well-informed buying decisions. Learn this checklist and eliminate these 25 toxic chemicals from your beauty arsenal, and you’ll be off to a flying start with making safer, healthier choices. Oh, and if you have any you want to add, by all means share!
1. ALUMINUM ZIRCONIUM and OTHER ALUMINUM COMPOUNDS
Function: Used to control sweat and odor in the underarms by slowing down the production of sweat.
Present in: Antiperspirants. Banned by EU.
Health concerns: Linked to the development of Alzheimer’s Disease; may be linked to breast cancer; probable neurotoxin; possible nervous system, respiratory, and developmental toxin.
2. BENZYL ACETATE
Function: Solvent; hidden within “fragrance.”
Present in: Many cosmetics and personal care products, read labels.
Health concerns: Linked to pancreatic cancer; easily absorbs into skin causing quick systemic effects; animal studies show hyperemia of the lungs; possible gastrointestinal, liver, and respiratory toxicant; possible neurotoxin.
3. BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE and BENZETHONIUM CHLORIDE
Present in: Moisturizer, sunscreen, facial cleanser, acne treatment, pain relief. Restricted in Japan and Canada.
Health concerns: Immune system toxicant; may trigger asthma; possible organ system toxicant; animal studies show endocrine disruption and brain, nervous system, respiratory and blood effects; possible carcinogen.
4. BRONOPOL
Function: Preservative.
Present in: Moisturizer, body wash, facial cleanser, makeup remover, anti-aging products. Restricted in Canada.
Health concerns: Immune system toxicant; lung and skin toxicant; animal studies show endocrine disruption and gastrointestinal, brain and nervous system effects; irritant.
Function: Anti-Oxidant; slows down the rate at which product ingredients change in color.
Present in: Many cosmetics and personal care products, read labels.
Banned by EU.
Health Concerns: Immune system toxicant; endocrine disruptor; probable human carcinogen; animal studies show brain, liver, neurotoxin, reproductive and respiratory toxicant.
Function: Surfactant, emulsifying or cleansing agent, penetration enhancer.
Present in: Many cosmetics and personal care products, read labels.
Health concerns: Animal studies show brain, nervous system and sense organ effects; irritant; reproductive and skin toxin, alters skin structure, allowing other chemicals to penetrate deep into the skin and increasing the amounts of other chemicals that reach the bloodstream; may contain harmful impurities.
7. COAL TAR
Function: Controls itching and eczema, softens and promotes the dissolution of hard, scaly, rough skin, also used in hair dyes.
Present in: Shampoo and Hair Dye. Banned by Canada and EU.
Health concerns: Known human carcinogen; skin and respiratory toxicant.
8. COCAMIDE DEA/ LAURAMIDE DEA
Function: used as foaming agents in shampoos and bath products, and as emulsifying agents in cosmetics; foaming and cleansing agents for “mouth feel.”
Present in: Many cosmetics and personal care products, read labels.
Health concerns: Human immune system toxicant; forms carcinogenic nitrosamine compounds if mixed with nitrosating agents; animal studies show sense organ effects and skin irritation; may contain harmful impurities.
Health concerns: Skin and immune system toxicant; possible carcinogen; irritant; animal studies show endocrine disruption and neuro developmental, brain and nervous system effects; may trigger asthma.
Present in: Deodorant, nail polish, soap, shampoo, shaving cream. Restricted in Canada. Banned by EU.
Health concerns: Immune system, repertory, hematological, and skin toxicant; probable carcinogen and cardiovascular toxicant; can damage DNA; may trigger asthma; animal studies show sense organ, brain, and nervous system effects; possible human development toxicant.
Present in: Many cosmetics and personal care products, read labels.
Health concerns: Forms nitrosamines when in the presence of amines such as MEA, DEA and TEA; probable immune system, blood, cardiovascular and skin toxicant; possible carcinogen; animal studies show endocrine disruption, nervous system and organ system effects; may contain harmful impurities.
12. FRAGRANCE (PARFUM)
Function: Deodorant, masking, perfuming
Present in: Many cosmetics and personal care products, read labels.
Health concerns: Immune system toxicant; possible neurotoxin; can contain between 10 and 300 different chemicals, many of which have never been tested for safety; see phthalates. Check with the manufacturer or supplier to make sure ‘fragrance’ is completely natural or organic when buying.
Present in: Skin fading/lightener, facial moisturizer, anti-aging, sunscreen, hair color, facial cleanser and moisturizer. Restricted in Canada.
Health concerns: Immune system and respiratory toxicant; probable neurotoxin; possible carcinogen; irritant; animal studies show endocrine disruption.
14. IODOPROPYNYL BUTYLCARBAMATE
Function: Preservative.
Present in: Many cosmetics and personal care products, read labels. Restricted in Japan.
Health concerns: Human toxicant; possible liver immune system toxin; allergenic.
15. LEAD and LEAD COMPOUNDS
Function: Colorant.
Present in: Hair dye, hair products. Traces found in some red lipstick. Restricted in Canada.
Health concerns: Probable carcinogen; developmental, respiratory, gastrointestinal and reproductive toxicant; reduced fertility; animal studies show metabolic, brain and nervous system effects; suspected nano-scale ingredients with potential to absorb into the skin
Health concerns: Associated with photoallergic reactions and immunotoxicity. Probable carcinogen and endocrine disrupter; Enhanced skin absorption and bioaccumulates to dangerous levels; biochemical cellular changes. Developmental and reproductive toxicity.
17. PARABENS (METHYL, ETHYL, PROPYL AND BUTYL)
Function: Preservative and anti-bacterial agent.
Present in: Many cosmetics and personal care products, read labels.
Health concerns: May alter hormone levels, possibly increasing risk for certain types of cancer, impaired fertility, or alteration of the development of a fetus or young child; studies have found parabens in breast tumors; probable skin toxicant; animal studies show brain and nervous system effects.
18. PETROLATUM (PETROLEUM)
Function: Forms barrier on skin; makes lipsticks shine and creams smoother; inexpensive skin softener.
Present in: Many cosmetics and personal care products, read labels. Banned by EU.
Health concerns: May be contaminated with impurities, linked to cancer or other significant health problems.
Present in: Many cosmetics and personal care products, read labels. Banned in EU.
Health concerns: Immune system toxicant; developmental and reproductive toxin; respiratory toxicant; probable neurotoxin; possible carcinogen and endocrine disruptor; bio-accumulative in wildlife.
20. P-PHENYLENEDIAMINE (PPD)
Function: Hair colorant.
Present in: Hair dye, shampoo, hair spray. Restricted in Canada.
Health concerns: Immune system and respiratory toxicant; probable neurotoxin; eczema; possible nervous system, skin, kidney and liver toxicant; irritant; may trigger asthma and gastritis; shown to cause cancer in animal studies.
21. PROPYLENE GLYCOL
Function: Solvent, penetration enhancer, conditions skin, controls viscosity and keeps products from melting in high or freezing when it is cold.
Present in: Many cosmetics and personal care products, read labels.
Health concerns: Alters skin structure, allowing other chemicals to penetrate deep into the skin and increasing the amounts of other chemicals that reach the bloodstream; animal studies show reproductive effects, positive mutation results, brain and nervous system effects and endocrine disruption.
22. SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE
Function: Surfactant, penetration enhancer.
Present in: Many cosmetics and personal care products, read labels.
Health concerns: Alters skin structure, allowing other chemicals to penetrate deep into the skin, increasing the amounts of other chemicals that reach the bloodstream; Irritant; animal studies show sense organ effects.
23. TOLUENE
Function: Antioxidant, solvent to improve adhesion and gloss.
Present in: Nail polish and hair dye.
Health concerns: Liver toxin; probable developmental, nervous system and respiratory toxin; possible cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, renal and sense organ toxin; possible carcinogen and reproductive toxin; irritant; highly flammable;
24. TRICLOSAN
Function: Anti-bacterial agent, deodorant, preservative, biocide. Reduces and controls bacterial contamination on the hands and on treated products.
Present in: Antibacterial soaps, deodorants, toothpastes, mouthwashes, face wash and cleaning supplies. Restricted in Japan and Canada.
Health concerns: Probable endocrine disrupter and carcinogen; easily bio-accumulates to dangerous levels; irritant; animal studies show reproductive and other broad systematic effects; potentially contaminated with impurities linked to cancer and other significant health problems; studies have shown it can actually induce cell death when used in mouth washes.
Health concerns: EPA classifies it as a probable carcinogen found in 46 of 100 personal care products marketed as organic or natural, and the National Toxicology Program considers it a known animal carcinogen. Acute (short-term) inhalation exposure to high levels of 1,4 dioxane has caused vertigo, drowsiness, headache, anorexia and irritation of the eyes, nose, throat and lungs of humans. It may also irritate the skin.
The fashion industry is in hyper drive with the lead up to Fashion’s Night Out (September 10th) and the whole industry is buzzing with excitement and anticipation, but let’s not forget… it’s Beauty’s Night Out too!For anyone who lives in NYC or is flying in for the big event, Josie Maran will be making a live appearance at the Sephora 5th Avenue boutique. From 7-9 PM the former supermodel and founder of Josie Maran Cosmetics, will be hosting her own in-store photo shoot, giving consumers mini-makeovers and pointers on how to pose like a pro before they step in front of the camera, where they’ll have their picture taken and walk away with a signed copy of their best shot with Josie.
The first 100 consumers who make a purchase that evening will receive a limited edition, created specifically for FNO, Argan Oil Color Stick in Cherry Popsicle. And get this, if it’s you, you’ll be one of the first to try this amazing new item because it doesn’t officially launch until 2011.
The new Fall face seen all over the runways this year makes a return to fuss-free and low maintenance with neutrals, earth tones, and a light-handed approach to application dominating. Creating a no makeup look using organic & natural cosmetics, without looking like you’re wearing nothing, isn’t quite as simple as it sounds, so here’s what you’ll need…RMS Beauty – Uncoverup #22: The start of any great looking face is flawless skin. Uncoverup melds beautifully with skin to give you a smooth, radiant finish that looks like your skin, only better. Use as concealer or foundation – this is all you need for the perfect base.
Vapour Organic Beauty Mesmerize Eyeliner – Black: The best way to wear eyeliner so it looks barely there is to draw a very fine line as close to the base of lashes as you can; you get definition without the drama.
Tarte Cosmetics Natural Cheek Stain – Natural Beauty: This award-winning blush is renowned for giving a sheer, natural looking flush, now in a completely natural formula.
Alima Eyeshadow – Perfectly Tailored Collection: Go from denim to your favorite wool suit with this versatile quartet of eyeshadows that has everything you need to define, line and shade.
Aveda Uruku Color Gloss – Peony: All the shine of a gloss with the pigment of lipstick, this brand new color gloss is a gorgeous every day pink to work with any outfit.
This is a beauty blog, yes, but every once in a while comes along a piece of news that’s too huge not to bring it to your attention. Direct from WWD Eye Scoop and written by Miles Socha: Bono and his wife Ali Hewson are starring in a new ad campaign for Louis Vuitton, the first time a label other than Vuitton is getting a fashion credit.
Instead of Vuitton, the two wear Edun, the ethical clothing label they founded in 2005 to encourage trade with Africa, and in which LVMH took a 49 percent stake last year. What’s more, Hewson totes a handbag co-designed by Edun and Vuitton that comes dangling with a special charm that is the French firm’s first made-in-Africa product. (It’s also sold separately.)The image of Bono and Hewson disembarking from a small airplane in an arid South African vista — with the tag line “Every journey began in Africa” — is slated to break in mid-September in a range of daily newspapers, October magazines and on louisvuittonjourneys.com. The collaboration also will dovetail with an event during Paris Fashion Week, when Vuitton and Edun will unveil Africa Rising, a temporary exhibition of contemporary African art along with a showcase for the campaign and Edun’s spring collection. Bono and Hewson are expected to attend.
Antoine Arnault, Vuitton’s director of communications, said Edun’s presence in a Vuitton campaign would give the small brand — and its mission to eradicate poverty through sustainable enterprise in Africa — international exposure.
If you have an old household item that you just don’t use or maybe even don’t like any longer… why not give it new life and use in your home? It will be more eco-friendly – by not filling up our landfills, and help on the pocketbook at the same time. It’s a win-win situation.
So don’t think of a piece of furniture or household item as “old” or “useless” – repurpose it into something useful that will fit and even enhance your home decor.
While searching for some ideas, I found some great ways to repurpose some old items I have hanging around the house. One of them is on how to make new pillows. I happen to need new pillows for my guest bedroom – without having to trash the old ones and spending more money.
I fell in love with this first idea. In fact, I’m working on the pillows right now. And plan on giving these other ideas a try, too. Maybe you’ll find them useful as well:
Turn a Shirt into a New Pillow
As I said, I was looking for a way to make new pillows, so this idea was up my alley. My husband had several button-down shirts in his closet that don’t fit anymore or have had small stains on the sleeves. Perfect. And my guest bedroom is blue and white so blue, white and white/blue striped dress shirts are just what I’m looking for.
Here’s the easy to follow instructions to make your own button-down pillows at MarthaStewart.com. I also ran across another idea using old blankets. So I’ve decided to use one of my son’s baby blankets to make a special pillow as a keepsake. Here’s an easy how-to at DIY Guides.
Turn a Mason Jar into a Soap Dispenser
This idea is ingenious! You know how you hear about something and wonder, “Why didn’t I think of that?” That’s exactly how I feel about this idea. My mother-in-law cans a lot of vegetables, jams and pickles each year and shares them with us. I have these mason jars that I use to store buttons, etc. in, but have plenty that I just didn’t know what to do with… until now.
You can find step-by-step directions for making your own mason jar soap dispensers at ApartmentTherapy.com.
And if you really want to be environmentally safe – make your own soap to put in it. Here’s an easy recipe from TipNut.com.
Jewelry into Magnets
Most of us have some old vintage jewelry from our mothers or grandmothers, especially brooches or pendants. Well, you can turn them into beautiful magnets. Check out these 3 easy steps from Country Living and you’ll turn your refrigerator into a work of art.
Turn Sheets into Curtains
I have a friend that does this often. She has turned sheets, before they’ve gotten to worn, into curtains. As well as buying sheets new and made curtains out of them. Because sheets (all you need is the flat sheet) are much cheaper than custom made curtains.
I found two great how-to’s so you can make your own curtains. Here’s one from eHow and another from craftstylish.
Turn Plastic CD Cases into Frames
This is a great way to reuse those plastic CD cases and make an interesting and beautiful piece of art to frame on your wall. It’s a creative way to showcase your child’s artwork. Check out these directions at Care2.com.
I’m sure there are dozens of things you can repurpose in your home. Here’s one more quick tip – don’t limit yourself by thinking that a particular piece of furniture has to stay where it is, forever. You can move it to a different room and give it a new purpose. You’re only limited by your creativity and imagination.
“The art of perfumery begins with the art of distilling essences. The perfumer then arranges these distillates into gorgeous, olfactory narratives. Making perfume without real essences is like writing a book without real words”: so says Alexandra Balahoutis, visionary scent provocateur and founder of Strange Invisible Perfumes. Get ready to ditch your old notions about organic perfumes and prepare to be stunned. The original vanguard of luxury fragrance houses that sought to distinguish real perfumes from simple aromatheraphy, Balahoutis has ushered in a new era of botanical perfumerythat’s driven by a perfectionist quest to design dazzling, evocative scent compositions. Strange Invisible Perfumes court the senses and illuminate the imagination using premium botanical distillates that are the soul of a plant or flower, vital to authentic perfumery. They custom extract with an in-house master distiller as well as acquire essential oils from talented distillers all over the world.
Unlike mere suppliers, these avant-gardes of alchemy are artists capturing the radiance of plants with precise and reverent skill, which Balahoutis then composes into innovative, unique botanical perfumes that will become your new companions for life…
SPECIAL OFFER :: Strange Invisible Perfumes are available online at www.futurenatural.com and for a VERY limited time only and while stocks last, any purchase of perfume gets a FREE, beautifully boxed gift set of samples from every scent in the SIP collection – value $40. Use the code: SIP
A small dose of Vitamin D on a daily basis is actually good for us with studies pointing to a myriad of health benefits, but how many of us over-do the good thing and end up with skin at the end of summer that feels as parched as the cracked surface of a dried up lake bed. Sound familiar? No amount of hindsight will reverse the damage unfortunately but there is that handy little exercise called damage control, and now’s your chance to become an expert in it. If your cuticles are cracking, your hands feel like leather, your pout is anything but pretty and your skin shows lines where it never used to, these products will help restore you to plump, smooth and radiant in the same time it takes you to get dressed in the morning:
Dr Alkaits Soothing Gel: Ideal for inflammatory conditions including sunburn and rosacea. Living/raw ingredients are meticulously combined in a base of certified organic aloe vera gel to produce a collection that excels on every level to support optimal cellular and biological function of skin.
Josie Maran Argan Oil Moisturizing Stick: Rich in essential fatty acids and vitamin E argan oil is known to penetrate skin offering superior moisturizing, soothing and healing. This stick is perfect for head to toe in a convenient purse-handy size.
Shea Terra Organics Shea Gold: 100% pure, sustainably harvested shea butter and as the name implies, this is the gold standard for all shea butter on the market. Rich in oleins, EFA’s and vitamins A & E, every household should have a pot of this.
Clarks Botanicals Cellular Lifting Serum: Harnessing the skin-protecting power of rare Swiss apple stem cells and collagen-boosting ingredients this serum delivers intense hydration and radiance.
This Works Skin Deep Dry Leg Oil: Transforms skin from crocodile to baby in about 30secs flat. Loaded with cold-pressed, rich, exotic oils this will leave your skin glowing, soft, smooth and non-oily. Oh, and it smells ridiculously good.
See, I’m putting in serious effort at learning to cook!
My love of food comes from three main sources; one primal, one inculcated, the third learned as an adult. First, my natural appetite for delicious, healthy meals and snacks is fairly well-known (I think I can count on one hand the times in my life when I wasn’t hungry!), and I can eat absolutely anything, with no known food allergies or sensitivities.
Second, my grandma raised me on garden-fresh produce and a combo of Lebanese (hummous, tabouli and pilaf being staples), Armenian that she learned from her mother-in-law as a young wife (green bean and local beef stews, lentil dishes, chee kufta), Jewish (picked up through osmosis as she grew up in NYC- she made a killer matzoh ball soup for an Episcopalian!) and American food from the Joy of Cooking and the Settlement Cookbook (written in 1901 and hilariously subtitled “The Way to a Man’s Heart”). Grams was a legendary cook, and I was lucky to grow up in a home where 90% of what I ate was made from scratch (we even had our own apiary for the freshest of honey, and eggs from the chickens that roamed the woods between our house and our neighbors’. And homemade bread!).
Third, for three years, I wrote about food for The Fairfield County Weekly, a job that gave me a culinary education in my twenties I couldn’t have paid for. (Actually, I paid for it as I gained about 15 pounds during my tenure at that job! But honestly, it was kinda worth it.) I got to eat at pretty much every restaurant in Fairfield County, which is in Connecticut just north of New York City, and has a very rich combination of predominantly Italian and Greek cuisines, which has been supplemented more recently by excellent Indian and Asian, and in the last 5-7 years wonderful raw, vegetarian and health foods.
But truth be told, I’m not the world’s most accomplished cook, though I can put together a beautifully-sourced, complementary tableaux of appetizers. But when it comes to cooking a ‘real’ meal, my only saving grace is those great ingredients and some talent with baking pies and cookies (so at least I end on a good note!). The last few years, however, I’ve made a slow and determined march forward in teaching myself to cook, and recently have been enjoying the books below. While I’ve been vegetarian for 17 years, both these books are great for veg and non-veg alike (I use them regularly without problem, but there are plenty of meaty dishes in each too). What unites the two tomes is that they focus on local, healthy, seasonal, whole foods cooking, which I am naturally drawn to as it’s what I was raised on.
This is not a traditional cookbook, though it does contain plenty of recipes. But instead of simply a compendium of delicious food combinations, this book focuses on what kitchen pioneer Alice Waters (of Chez Panisse restaurant and Edible Schoolyard fame) has realized was missing from the aspiring conscious chef’s shelf: A technique-driven, full-of-instructions volume that includes how to’s from the prosaic to the intimidating.
Beginning with washing lettuce and dressing a salad, through making bread, to poaching an egg, blanching greens, pickling vegetables and filleting a fish, and onto baking fruit, the instructions here are based on recipes (the bread baking chapter includes general instruction, as well as specifics for creating soda bread, buttermilk biscuits and a no-knead loaf), which is perfect for someone like me who learned some basics but not others – or only half remembers what my grandma taught me ages ago.
Gorgeously designed and photographed, I’ve given myself the challenge of working through most of the 28 chapters (excising the meaty ones like grilling a steak and roasting a chicken). I feel like I’ll come out the other side with a much more solid knowledge of food processing and a few new recipes to work into my retinue too.
“Proceeds from the book benefit the Chez Panisse Foundation in support of Edible Education – a national movement to change the way children eat and and how they learn about food in the public schools.”
And now it’s a TV series! You can see the first episode here, featuring Alice Waters and her daughter, Fanny Singer.
One of the first sentences in Burnside’s book really resonated with me: “The very act of making a meal from scratch fills an ancient need in us that cannot be met with even the tastiest store-bought products. We miss that primal process of making food; the creativity and attention it demands, the delightful alchemy of ingredients coming together to form so much more than the sum of their parts.”
Burnside was also heavily influenced by her grandmothers- Italian on one side, a professional caterer/chef on the other. She went on to open her own specialty cheesecake bakery in Monterey, California, which eventually blossomed into the Carmel Cafe, and then following a move to Big Sur, opened the famous Cafe Amphora at Nepenthe, right on the bluffs overlooking the Pacific. Finally, Burnside worked at the Esalen Institute, feeding the staff and attendees from the huge gardens there. Despite her serious cred in the natural foods movement, Burnside is incredibly encouraging towards those of us who are starting from scratch.
“Begin creating your kitchen by doing what you can, wherever you are, with what you have on hand. Your kitchen can be a knife and a cutting board balanced on the tailgate of your truck parked at the beach.” (Here I wonder if Burnside has been peeking inside my dreams at night, that sounds like the best ‘kitchen’ ever!). She then starts us off easy with a chapter on beverages, and moves on to Morning Meals, Soups and Sauces, Salads, Veggie Entrees, Fish and Meat and finishes with chapters on Breads and Desserts. Some of the recipes I’ve marked are “Asian Salad Rolls with Chile-Lime Dipping Sauce and Gado-Gado”, “Granny’s Stuffed Artichokes” and Tempeh and Chard Enchiladas.” The salad dressings chapter is especially exciting to me as I’ve long spent way to much on pre-prepared (and less-fresh) versions.
The photography is gorgeous and inspirational, and most chapters have instructional pages; for instance, the Salads section has details about how to sprout various seeds, what kinds of roots and firm veggies combine well in salads (and how to cut, grate, or chop them).
If the heat is killing you, you’ve consumed enough iced tea to fill a swimming pool, and the sight of too many romper suits and roman sandals has you almost swearing off both for life… take comfort in knowing that Fall is just around the corner. It’s early days yet but no time like the present to check out the Fall nail trends and line yourself up a cheap, fun and easy way to help update your wardrobe over the coming months. Zoya Carrie Ann (a bright, fire engine red shimmer), was declared by Rachel Zoe one of the must-have shades for Fall and I concur, but to that I’d add Zoya Shawn (a grass-green hue that is a dead-ringer for a wheatgrass shot), and Zoya Kelly (an uber chic, mid-warm gray/lilac that’s an instant classic). Butter London have a new color dedicated to Alexander McQueen, appropriately called, All Hail McQueen – a gorgeous, frosty shade of gray that reminds me of the perfect winter wool coat. Priti NYC have Prairie Blue Eyes, a multi-hued, frosted purple shimmer with gold undertones that’s sure to become a staple right through fall/winter. Acquarella Incognito is a rich, dark, velvety royal blue that will never leave your toes this season, and last but not least, SpaRitual Sage for when you want the perfect beige neutral. Writer :: Emma Pezzack – www.futurenatural.com: the best organic beauty products in the world.
Nina Valenti’s been designing eco fashion longer than most people have even known what the phrase meant. Her line, NaturevsFuture, debuted in Spring, 2002, and her iconic details have been staples of the eco fashon scene for years, landing her coverage in major fashion press. Her cutout dress is currently included in the FIT exhibit, “Eco Fashion: Going Green” through November, 2010.
What works about Nina’s pieces is that they are timeless and yet never look boring or old-fashioned. Her Autumn, 2010 line is filled with her characteristic angled plackets and hems and variable necklines, and utilizes hemp, organic cotton, flax, and surplus wool: Jackets and tunics, pictured here, are particularly strong standouts, but her skirts and blouses are always office-appropriate, and interesting to boot.
Natural hemp/organic cotton/ramie/flax textured coat w/ angled button front & High funnel collar
Nina hails from Brooklyn, and all her designs are made in NYC, reducing the carbon and energy footprints of her designs, and giving her step-by-step control over quality. I own three of her pieces; a pair of geometric-detailed long shorts, a hemp jacket in always au courant olive khaki and an organic linen dress that’s perfect for summer garden parties. All of these pieces have worn exceptionally well and seem to get better over time.
Charcoal hemp/organic cotton yarndyed angled zip up jacket
“The more we advance the more we need to consider nature before we deplete it. In this tension to find balance is the living energy of the collection and hence the name.” says Valenti, explaining how she came up with NaturevsFuture.
Chocolate surplus wool w/ silk lining double breasted swerve coat and 2 Tea hemp/organic cotton draped neck tunic top
