I love me some Whole Foods; I just wish there was one much closer to where I live! I use their 365 brand Lavender Blend Body Lotion on a daily basis (I keep it desk side), and luckily took in the the latest offerings from Whole Body at Whole Foods Market this summer. I was glad to attend, so that I can share with you the ultra cool, healthy, and environmentally responsible brands and products that I encountered!
MyChelle
MyChelle Dermaceuticals has all the acoutriement of a high end luxury brand, while using clinically proven, natural bioactive ingredients to deliver safe and effective products that are an alternative to chemical ingredient beauty items. Some of the latest items, that we at FPD tested and LOVED are Ultimate Lash and Brow Serum, Sun Shield SPF 28 – All / Combination Skin, and the Vitamin A Plus Serum – All / Combination Skin.
Amazing Grass
I love family-run businesses; they always just have such a great story, and grass roots approach that is priceless; in the case of Amazing Grass, the grass roots idea is actually literal as well! Grown on a family farm in Kansas, a scoop of Amazing Grass in juice has four servings of vegetables,with the fiber dosage filling the tummy to create the sense of fullness. Not sure if you can do the green, veggie taste? Try the new Orange Dreamsicle GREEN SuperFood; it is really delicious, with a definite, but not overpowering taste of that orange dessert delight. I love it! It tastes good super duper cold; so fill your glass with at least 12 ounces of water and a handful of ice cubes. All of the AG products are certified organic, gluten free and vegan.
Azalea
Is a new line of all-natural feminine care products including tampons, pantiliners and maxipads comprised of 100% organic cotton. They also don’t contain any allergies, petrochemicals, are hypoallergenic, perfume and chlorine free, dermalogically tested, and not tested on animals. Honestly, I never really thought much about how this genre of products can seriously carry harmful pesticides and think about how closely we use them with our body! It is definitely something to consider — I know I will be more conscious of this when making my purchases going forward! And, these products perform 100% the same, if not better, than the popular brands – trust me on this one.
Green Babies
There is absolutely no need to settle, when it comes to your baby, with what you put on he or she, from the clothing worn to the bathing products used. Started in 1994, Green Babies offers adorable clothing, accessories, and body care that promises to use organic cotton and uphold the Whole Foods Market Premium Body Care Standards, as well as doing away with the the plastic compound Bisephanol-A (BPA), and phthalates, suspected endocrine disruptors. Any of the Green Babies offerings make a GREAT gift ( I am giving some of the body care items to my expecting friends) with cute graphics and items such as the calming bubble bath, smooth me detangler, and energizing bubble bath. Naturally, these products are all free of synthetic fragrances, parabens, and sulfates as well.
Gaia Herbs
Yes, as indicated in the title, Gaia does herbs, and does it well, BUT the brand also has teas and a Fresh Breath Spray made of organic herbs. So what is their differentiators? There are many for this top notch brand, but for starters, they have created an industry first through their “Meet Your Herbs™” offering, which lets you look up your bottle of herbs on their website in order to trace the regional origin, harvest story, and quality test results of theherbal ingredients in your particular batch (there is an ID on the packaging that you use to search with). Pretty cool, right? We thought so too! If only the garment industry could do the same thing!
Whole Foods 365 Daily Facial Cleanser, Gentle Skin Cleanser & Moisturizing Lotion
Here’s the deal: this stuff is very similar to what you would expect from the brand Cetaphil; BUT there are no parabens in all of the formulations. So yes, if you didn’t know, Cetaphil has parabens in it! Boo! I’ve tested all of these, which perform just like my beloved Cetaphil, but also meet the Whole Foods Market Premium Body Care standards, have a non-irritating formula, and are always at a super duper affordable price – nice! Look out for them in a Whole Foods near you, this fall!
