Every Ecoista’s Must-Read: No More Dirty Looks
Do these women look like they need a Brazilian? We don’t think so. Photo: NoMoreDirtyLooks.com
Fans of the Brazilian blowout, beware. The very first chapter of No More Dirty Looks reveals the ugly truth about your favorite salon miracle: More likely than not, it’s chock full of carcinogenic formaldehyde. Siobhan O’Connor and Alexandra Spunt begin their book with an explanation of how their first-ever Brazilians—and the stink, frizz and fried ends that eventually followed—led them on a quest to discover what’s really in the hair, skin and beauty products they’d been using for years. What they found? Lots of really, really icky stuff.
The authors set things up with a whole lotta lowdown on the “Wild West” atmosphere that characterizes regulation (or lack thereof) in the beauty industry. Then they break down the baddies in common beauty goodies—phthalates, parabens, propylene glycol, SLS, talc, just to name a few—and, in plain English, lay out what they are, what kinds of products contain them and why they suck. The rest of the book is devoted to cleaner, greener, healthier alternatives—how to find them (or make them), how to use them and which ones they recommend most.
We’re in total agreement with most of their recs. Moroccan argan oil, for instance, is also one of our favorite free-radical fighters and inflammation reducers (find it in our beloved JMC cosmetics). We’re huge fans, too, of their chapter on nails, one area that’s often neglected by green-beauty guides. Biotin supplements, milk soaks, pure pumice stones—all easy to overlook, and all very effective alternatives to the formaldehyde and petrochemicals commonly found in nail “strengtheners,” cuticle softeners callous removers and the like.
And while the authors lean a little too much toward the learn-to-love-how-you-look-sans-makeup-or-hair-color side for our tastes, we do love the fact that one of their sections is titled “Resisting The Urge To Be Total Conspiracy-Theorist Wackjobs.” And that their book is the only one we’re reviewing that actually fits in our handbag—a plus for those beauty-emergency drugstore runs.
Siobhan O’Connor and Alexandra Spunt’s “Mayonnaise Mask”
1-2 tablespoons organic mayonnaise
½ an avocado
Dash of lemon juice
Mix all ingredients and work through clean, damp hair. Leave it in “for as long as you can stand it—40 minutes at the most.” Rinse thoroughly with warm water. Style as you normally would.
No More Dirty Looks ($14.95)
WEEK OF 6.13.11 FIVE ECOSTILETTO SUBSCRIBERS WILL EACH WIN A $14.95 COPY OF NO MORE DIRTY LOOKS!
Want more? This month, we cover green beauty, health, food, beauty (again), and parenting books, plus scored nearly $500 in freebies. Check back next week!
Natasha Garber is a contributor to numerous lifestyle publications, where she covers green events and event planning, sustainable catering and cuisine, and fashion and design trends. A passionate proponent of eco-conscious living, Natasha lives, writes, plays and parents in Los Angeles.
