Hey girlfriend, stop before you eat that organic apple and take off that toxic lipgloss!

Do you know that the products that you use to scrub and scour your face and slather on your body do not require FDA approval? It is up to individual companies to monitor what they put into their products but more often, cosmetic companies focus on marketing and packaging to sell an image. Makeup is all about fantasy, right? It is about projecting a highlighted image of yourself to the world. Cosmetic companies know that and lead spoon feed it to us. Now, I'm the first to admit I've (over) spent a bundle on high end makeup because it is fun (and a fun part of being a girl) but there is an alternative. Check out cosmetics from your local health food store - the display might not be as inviting but the reality is, mocha brown is mocha brown. There are two companies that stand out as the leaders in high end beauty products: Aveda and Origins. They not only care about your skin but they also respect animals and refuse to test on them (by the way, that incredible Pantene hair care line is not only a huge chemical offender but they also do a lot of testing on animals!) Aside from that, try boutique product lines or old European style products that stick to their old world recipe and have incredibly hip packaging. One of my favorite stores was Merz, in Chicago's Lincoln Square, they are online and in the last two years, opened a branch in the Loop inside Marshall Fields. AMAZING product lines and very fun. Guys, don't fret, you may not find Steel-Breeze-Suck-Your-Body-Dry-Antipersperant but there are some great natural shave creams and deodorants. Give it a try.