We all know H&M for their budget-friendly, fashion-forward clothing. Now get to know their new skin care line! That’s right! H&M has introduced a collection of bath and body products made with certified organic ingredients and organic packaging! The line includes shower gels, body scrubs and body lotion in either Lavender & Mint (which I’m dying to try!) or Raspberry & Melon scents. There’s also a vanilla lip balm to round out the skin care collection.

The collection also includes toiletry and makeup bags in cheery colors, just in time for spring! The skincare items will retail for $4.95 each, while the makeup and toiletry bags will be $4.95 and $7.95 each, respectively. These eco-friendly items will hit H&M stores this month. I know you can’t resist, so what items will you be picking up?

Not much about soap is exciting. Some are interesting, but you can’t really say it’s provocative. Unless you’re talking about the naughty & nice collections from Villainess Soaps.

Villainess is a bit naughty because they have scents named after deadly deeds like Pyromania, which gives off a sweet, smoky odor and uses poppy seeds as a mild abrasive. I bought my younger sister a bar of Silk & Cyanide for Christmas, which gives off the scents and flavors one experiences while slowly being poisoned. She cautiously thanked me for my trouble.

Villainess is a bit nice because all their products are cruelty-free, and they operate through a full-disclosure policy about all materials used in manufacture. It’s kind of like how the arch-enemy details all her nefarious plans to the hero before she engages the unnecessarily slow-moving crane toward the shark tank.

Villainess Soaps and cosmetic products are hand-made in Waverly, TN by people who are truly passionate (and a bit evil) about their ideals. The soaps are nicely priced and arrive in un-sculpted hunks of glorious texture, color and odor. Ask your local beauty biz if they’ll stock some, or just visit their website at www.villainess.net to see what devilishly clever new things they’ve devised.

Photo: Villainess Soaps

As you know, beautyschools.com loves organic, natural beauty products. And, what could be more natural than wearing no makeup at all?

After Election Day and Michelle Obama’s appearance in a memorable red and black number, I was reminded of another fashion statement she made a while ago. She told Chicago Sun-Times columnist Mary Mitchell why she chose to occasionally forego a daily makeup regiment.

“I want people to get used to my face more naturally so that I don’t have to do that every day. Who’s got time to put eyelashes on and all that?”

I guess that’s probably easy to say when you have a complexion as naturally radiant as the new First Lady’s. What about the rest of us who aren’t able to roll out of bed with glowing skin?

There are a few great products out there that give you coverage, but allow the natural character of your skin to show through. That way, you can show the world your natural beauty and still put your best face forward.

Mineral makeups that you brush on are great for achieving this look. Right now, I’m into Bare Escentuals. I just brush it on in the morning and it lasts all day. It takes about 2 minutes and it allows my freckles to show through (but still covers any nasty blemishes). And, it’s made of 100% pure minerals so my skin doesn’t absorb any toxins.

Since Beautyschool.com has made a commitment to focus on an all natural, eco-friendly  approach to beauty, then you will love this post! I am always searching for the next green beauty product. But, I found one in the most unlikely of places – my pantry!

You have heard of baking soda and how powerful cleaning agent it can be. You can clean your kitchen, carpets, bathrooms and now – your hair. After reading one of my fav blogs, Eco Chick , I found a post on using baking soda as your shampoo or adding baking soda your shampoo to add an extra cleaning kick!

So the next time you want to cleanse your hair and you don’t want to grab a chemical concoction shampoo – then just add baking soda to your hair care routine. It is all natural and can go a long way in the cleaning department.

I am steadily making my way towards a lifestyle that can be maintained with the use of fewer chemicals on my skin and in my household. There has been so much chatter lately on the chemicals in cosmetics and how they are potentially harmful to humans and/or the environment (check out this article on chemicals in beauty products), that I’ve been making conscious efforts to read labels and make safer decisions on the products I purchase.

It can be difficult, though, because it seems like choosing “natural” or “organic” products would be the safest route to go, but a lot of that is marketing hype. I did find a great article about the definitions and regulations in organic beauty product labels. Looks like this summer there is finally going to be a regulating body for products labelled “natural” so not just anyone using coconut oil as a single ingredient can tout “natural” in their product labelling unless they meet other strict requirements.

However, I’ve discovered a unique new beauty product that doesn’t actually have any chemical ingredients, so I know it’s safe for my skin and the environment. It’s the Jane Iredale Magic Mitt.

My grandmother got this for me on Mother’s Day, and I was truly intrigued. It’s a soft wash mitt that you use with only warm water to wash your face – no soap or cleanser needed. It’s supposed to be better for your skin because their are no chemicals to affect the pH balance of your skin. This is important because a normal skin pH balance is what helps block harmful bacteria from entering your pores and causing blemishes and infection.

Thanks for reading the BeautySchool.com blog!

So, does it work? I thought since I wear mineral makeup it might have a better chance of working than if I used a liquid foundation, but I was skeptical that warm water and a fancy wash rag could remove my eye makeup. But, I’ve used it for four days now, and ALL my makeup has been coming off easily (and visibly on the mitt!). It has a nice gentle exfoliating effect too. My skin feels just as clean as if I used my cleanser, but I don’t get that tight, itchy, almost-too-clean feeling either. The verdict? I will continue using the Magic Mitt.

This change means I’ve successfully cut out another 35 mostly-unpronouncable chemicals from my daily beauty routine! Since I’ve already recently switched to Avalon Organics Vitamin C Toner, my next challenge is to find a new, more natural moisturizer!