Charmaine Cianciullo is THE go-to girl for all things natural beauty.  She is an organic esthetician, an activist for safe cosmetics, and the host of the popular video beauty blog Glamology – on which she discusses green beauty tips, products, and DIY beauty recipes. She is also the owner of Mint & Berry – an online eco beauty boutique.

This week, Charmaine took the time to answer some of my burning questions about eco-beauty and her new online shop:

1. As one of the most prolific natural beauty bloggers, what inspired you to start writing on this topic?

I grew up with very sensitive skin and for most of my life I had always assumed it was due to genetics, hormones, or the weather. After having studied to be a skincare therapist and learning more about the human body, skincare ingredients, and the cosmetic industry; I was shocked to discover that many of my beauty products contained toxic and harmful chemical ingredients. Not only were these harsh chemicals exasperating my skin condition but also poisoning my body. At some point I’d like to have children and don’t want them to be negatively effected by chemicals in my body.

Now I try to help educate and enlighten others on the potential dangers of conventional skincare products and suggest alternatives which are effective without long-term health risks.

2. What is the best advice you can give someone who is trying to green their beauty routine?

Don’t panic! While it is certainly good to reduce your exposure to harmful chemicals it can often be a shock to your skin. If you just started using organic skincare products give your skin time to adjust, even though the product may contain only natural ingredients you could breakout at first. Give yourself at least 2 weeks with any new skincare routine to adjust.

3. Why is it so important to use natural cosmetics and beauty products?

Our skin is our body’s largest organ; every single pore is like a hungry little mouth, absorbing whatever it touches. It may be surprising that the average adult uses 9 personal care/cosmetic products daily and is exposed to well over 168 potentially harmful chemicals each day.

Unlike food or drugs, cosmetics come under no government regulation in terms of pre-market safety testing for ingredients or even information on product labels. What’s most troubling is that according to independent studies, performed by the Environmental Working Group, 33% of personal care products have been linked to cancer, 45% are reported to be potentially harmful to our reproductive systems and/or fetal development, and 60% have ingredients that can act like estrogens or disrupt hormones.

Simply put, it’s important to use natural beauty products to reduce our exposure to harmful chemicals.

4. What are a couple of your absolute favorite products?

Here are 3 of my favorite non-toxic beauty products:

• Lemon Mint Cleanser by Karen’s Botanicals
• Revitalizing Treatment for Skin by Pomega5
• Organic Coffee Bean Eye Cream by 100% Pure

5. Does being a ‘green glamour girl’ have to be expensive?

It’s somewhat of a misconception that organic or green products are by their nature more expensive then conventional products. While this may be true to an extent; product pricing is more dependent on marketing then anything else. Conventional, big name brands, are often price their products in this way. However, there are many smaller, unique, and cult brands that produce truly great organic and green products often cheaper then store-bought brands. The problem is that small brands have lower marketing budgets so in most cases you won’t see their ads on tv or in magazines. You can use the google and sites like Skin Deep (cosmeticdatabase.com) to find these products.

6. What would you like to see in the future for the natural, organic cosmetics industry?

I’d love to see better availability, not just online but also in stores and pharmacies. Currently, there is only a handful (if that many) truly safe skincare and cosmetic products at most pharmacies; as the shelves tend to be dominated by conventional big name brands.

7. What made you decide to start your own store, Mint and Berry? Was it a scary decision?

I started Mint & Berry out of an inability to find a good online store that sold truly non-toxic beauty products that were both effective and affordable. There are several online beauty boutiques, many of which claim to only sell truly natural products but almost always their products are either not completely safe or are not affordable. It was a little scary at first, especially working in a niche of the beauty industry that is just starting to grow.

8. What advice would you give other women who want to start a web-based business of their own?

Use social media services like Twitter, YouTube and Facebook, to build your consumer base and connect with other women. It doesn’t cost anything, just your time.

9. What is some recommended reading you would suggest for women who want to learn more about going green with their beauty routine?

• Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry by Stacy Malkan

Probably the most important book written about the toxic nature of the beauty industry. This book is the inside story of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and its five year fight to pressure the U.S. cosmetic industry to use safer ingredients.

• Toxic Beauty: How Cosmetics and Personal Care Products Endanger Your Health . . . And What You Can Do about It by Samuel S. Epstein

This book details the ugly truth of the cosmetic industry in which diseases such as cancer, diabetes and other inflammatory diseases are caused through exposure to petrochemicals and synthetic toxins found in every day products.

• Organic Body Care Recipes: 175 Homeade Herbal Formulas for Glowing Skin & a Vibrant Self by Stephanie Tourles

A great do-it-yourself cook book for beauty products that are fun, simple, and deliver the same results as store brands.

Follow Charmaine on her blog Glamology as well as on Twitter, her Facebook Fan Page, and her YouTube channel to keep up with all that’s new in the world of organic beauty! And shop with her at her new online store Mint & Berry.

SPECIAL OFFER!

Get 15% off your entire order at Mint & Berry with the couponcode “EVOLVEDFASHION” at checkout!