With the environment in need, many are jumping on the "going green" bandwagon.

Recycling, reusing water bottles instead of plastic bottles, lighting your house with compact fluorescent light bulbs, all are things that can help save the planet. Have you ever considered eco-friendly beauty products? With synthetic chemicals and petroleum sneaking their way into fragrances and lotions, some people are beginning to lean away from cosmetics. But now the beauty industry has responded with organic, natural, eco-friendly beauty products that will not break the bank.

Many teenagers have yet to try these new "green" products, but Emily Adams, 15, of Conestoga Valley says she is all for trying it.

"No, I have not (used the products), but I would consider trying them," Emily said.

Charlotte Caddick, 15, also of Conestoga Valley, has yet to explore the new items the beauty industry has launched. According to Charlotte, "Anything eco-friendly has to be good."

Conestoga Valley student Emily Hyman, 16, believes eco-chic products are important.

"People who haven't tried them should definitely be encouraged to use them," Hyman said. "Harming the environment is an issue that needs to be addressed, and by using eco-friendly products, a person can help themselves and the environment."

Some of the products include:

Burt's Bees is one company that has definitely paid attention to what consumers want. Beginning with moisturizers, Burt's Bees Radiance Body Lotion with Royal Jelly can be found for $8.99 at drugstores. It contains important amino acids and B vitamins and has no chemical preservatives.

There is no question that everyone wants healthy, radiant skin. In Kiss My Face Exfoliating Face Wash ($13 kissmyface.com), only the most natural ingredients are found. It has fruit acids and renewable plant ingredients. To moisturize, try Philosophy Hope In A Jar (Sephora $15-60).

For some people, the winter season means dry, cracked lips. Yes To Carrots C Me Smile Lip Butter ($3.69), found at Walgreens, is filled with shea butter, coconut oil and organic carrot extract. Lips are guaranteed to feel soft and fresh all the time. To add some color to the lips, consider Cargo Plant Love Botanical Lipstick ($20 drugstore.com). The plastic tube is made from corn, and for every purchase, Cargo will donate $2 to St. Jude Children's Hospital.

Who knew toothpaste could be good for the environment? Jason Sea Fresh Toothpaste - Deep Sea Spearmint (grassrootsstore.com) is created with algae and sea salt. It is also fluoride and preservative free. At only $7, the smiles will be endless with this toothpaste.

Looking to nourish your hair and keep the planet cool? Hair care company Paul Mitchell has come up with climate-saving hair products. To complete the look, try Paul Mitchell Hold Me Tight finishing spray. It leaves hair polished and is great for the environment with a low amount of volatile organic compounds. All of Paul Mitchell's hair care products will give you confidence wherever you go; your hair will look great and the environment will be in better shape.

These are just some of the many beauty products that will leave our planet a little greener. Some think it important to understand what makes products bad for the environment. Reading the labels and watching out for dangerous chemicals like mercury, petroleum and potassium will help in choosing the right products, according to a recent article in Seventeen magazine. To be sure a product is really organic, look for the USDA Organic seal. Stay away from hair products containing SLS and SLES because, like skin, hair absorbs everything put in it.

If at first you don't succeed, try again. The first eco-friendly product you try may not be fit for you, and it may not be at the right price. Shop around and experiment until you find the product that is affordable and suits your needs.

For 15-year-old Jaelyn Brazil of Lancaster, using these "green" products is a no-brainer.

"I use eco-friendly beauty products because if you can help the environment and help your style at the same time, I figure, why not?," Jaelyn said.

Although it may not seem like you are doing much, every little thing you do goes along way. By choosing natural, chemical-free products, our skin will have a glow, our hair will shine, and the earth will be a little bit greener than before.

Why go green?

Most Americans go blithely about their grooming routines each day, using an average of nine separate products with 126 chemical ingredients, according to Skin Deep, the online cosmetics safety database created by the Environmental Working Group. Products are not required to be tested by the Food and Drug Administration before they go on the market.

So consumers can make informed decisions about what to buy and what to avoid, cosmeticsdatabase.com has information and safety reports on more than 41,000 personal-care products. You'll find, for example, that many mass-market toothpastes rank 5 on a scale of 1-10, 1 being safest, 10 most hazardous to your health. The ingredient getting the bad rap is sodium fluoride, which EWG says is linked to cancer, developmental and reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, endocrine-system disruption, organ-system toxicity and irritation of skin, eyes or lungs, among other things.

Green beauty on the Web

organicbeautymagazine.net
organicdivas.com
beautorium.com
cosmeticsdatabase.com
thegreenbeautyguide.com

E-mail: freestyle@lnpnews.com