New to my Etsy shop [editor’s note: the shop has closed]: Keys covered in words from a recycled old book (a paperback copy of “The Awakening” by Kate Chopin with yellowed pages and a missing cover). Here are two out of a dozen recently added to Miss Stefanie’s House of Crafts & Collectibles.
I’ve collected quite a lot of wine corks, with vague notions of getting crafty with them one day. My need for a better necklace holder was just the incentive I needed to upcycle a bunch. This was very simple: all you need are wine corks, a piece of cardboard, a glue gun, small nails, and a sawtooth hanger.
Cut a piece of cardboard from a cereal box, about 1-inch wide. Use glue gun to evenly apply glue to the back of a wine cork and place it on the cardboard to stick. Then glue a small amount to the side of the wine cork before applying the next, so the wine corks are glued to the cardboard and to each other. Continue until the cardboard strip is filled. When glue has solidified, gently push in a small nail into each wine cork. On the back of the cardboard strip, attach the wall hanger in the center. I applied my corks a bit unevenly so each side curves down a bit, but you could also make it straight. Voila.
In the style section for Sunday’s NY Times, the shopping snapshots feature showed cameo brooches and rings worn by stylish fashion editors and other taste-makers. I’ve long loved cameos and always like to see a vintage accessory appreciated. For me, it’s like is a tiny piece of art. I like that cameos are carved out of seashells and generally reveal one side of the subject in only one color but with much detail, providing a bit of mystery (find more about the beautiful art of carving them in this much older NYT story).
I also love mermaids and my mini-collection of cameos includes a mermaid cameo ring (pictured). It was an eBay find and I remember being thrilled to see it during a general search for cameo rings. Many others share my love of mermaids, but the mermaid cameo was an unexpected, double-the-pleasure discovery. (Like accidentally dropping a piece of chocolate in peanut butter and realizing they tasted better together?) This cameo one is set in a sterling silver ring and the siren is sitting with her arms wrapped around her tail, resting peacefully (and, I imagine, soaking up the sun’s rays before diving back into the sea).
When I was growing up, I was friends with a girl whose mom was an Avon lady. I remember trying out the makeup samples and coming home to have my mother tell me to wash my face — that I was beautiful just the way I was and didn’t need makeup. (Go, Mom!) She wore almost no makeup herself, so this lesson was an especially good one. But I saw images in magazines and on television of women in makeup and I wanted to paint my face and lips, too. I was absorbing the messages that makeup makes you more beautiful.
All these years later, I wear makeup (sparingly and unapologetically) and I also write about green beauty (because I don’t want my makeup to slowly poison me or you). I like the drama of a bright red lip color every now and then and I like the way the tinted moisturizer with SPF I use protects me from the sun’s rays while blending my skin tone. I wear makeup because I like the way it looks and also because it can be fun, in the same way it is for me to pick out what to wear each day.
But I got pretty fired up reading “Up the Career Ladder, Lipstick in Hand,” an article in the New York Times this week on a study that suggests women wearing makeup are perceived as more competent and more trustworthy. Certainly, we make impressions with what we wear — clothing or cosmetics. I happen to love fashion and enjoy choosing what to wear, but I know women who are disinterested in fashion — the difference is in personality. Yes, we show some of our personality with what we wear. But competence? Trustworthiness? Please, no!
The study involved showing photos of women with makeup and others without it, and respondents basically judged those with makeup as more capable. Maybe with a similar study on clothing, there would be an outcome like this as well. If you put a woman in a suit next to a woman in cut-offs and a tank top and asked a passerby to make a snap judgment on which woman seems more reliable or capable, the answer might be the woman in the suit. Or maybe not. Maybe the person taking the test would stop to ask, How the heck am I supposed to make that determination simply by looking at a person? I wonder if anyone asked that during this study on makeup.
I’m not even sure if comparing clothing to makeup in this scenario is fair, if only for the fact that our society requires that we wear clothing. Makeup? That’s personal. I wear makeup because I choose to, not because it’s expected of me or because it gives me an edge in the workplace. I hate to think that girls and women would feel that kind of pressure to wear makeup to make the right impression.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but you probably know that already. You’ve seen the pink ribbons on products and on apparel. If you watch NFL football, you’ve even seen players wearing pink shoes, gloves, and caps. Hoorah for pink! I will cheer from the sidelines with pink pom-poms at efforts to raise awareness and research funds for a dreadful disease that affects far too many.
But here’s where I draw the line. So many of cosmetics being sold to women with pink ribbons stamped on the packaging contain toxic ingredients on the inside — and some of them are carcinogens. I want to applaud Avon, Revlon, Estee Lauder and other companies for what they are doing to raise awareness — and millions of dollars for research to find a cure for this disease — but not nearly as much as I want to sit their executives down in a room and ask, “What the f#$%?” Or, maybe I would hold it together and take a more calm approach: “Why are you selling products with harmful toxins, including carcinogens, when you know you can make safer products — when, in fact, so many other cosmetic companies are already making high-quality products without the toxins?”
That’s right. The good news in this rant is that there are companies making personal care products and cosmetics with safer ingredients. I use them. I don’t miss the makeup I previously used, before finding out about the dangers hidden in those tubes, bottles, jars, and compacts. I don’t feel like I’m compromising by using the better-for-you choices. You can also look up individual products to see how they rank for safety at the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database.
And the practice of the other companies fooling consumers into thinking a product with a pink ribbon stamped on it is a good one? It’s know as “pink-washing” and it’s disheartening (more on that here, from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics). But we all make choices with our wallets. Here is one: Would rather buy a lip gloss from a company that knowingly uses harmful ingredients (including known or suspected carcinogens) to make its products or from a company making lip gloss with safer ingredients? I always like to support the good guys (and girls).
Added: Support the Safe Cosmetics Act.
During a recent family visit, I found the high school ring of my cousin’s husband and suggested that my cousin wear it on a chain as a necklace. That’s when I wished I had my own high school ring. I wore rings in high school and had already developed a fondness for jewelry, but I had no interest back then in a high school ring. Then Mr. MVP told me he didn’t get one, either. So this sent me to Ebay and Etsy to search for castaway high school rings. I found this one on Etsy and chose it for its color (iridescent blue, so dreamy) and high school name (Pleasant Grove High, which sounds like the name of a school in a book that would be made into a dark indie movie with a really great soundtrack). The Etsy seller wrote that she purchased the ring with a lot of others from an estate sale; it was dirt-cheap and now I have it hanging on a black cotton string made from a recycled T-shirt, with two other childhood rings.
Original Meal:
Mixed grill with baby back ribs, flank steak, plus pasta and salad sides
Leftovers:
Grilled flank steak
Leftovers Meal:
Grown-up sloppy joe sandwiches
Making the sloppy joe stew: Chop a whole onion and a few cloves of garlic and saute in olive oil in a large stainless pot. Dice the steak and add it to the pot with a can of whole tomatoes, 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds, and salt and pepper. Simmer on low heat for 3-4 hours. Serve on baguette. Enjoy.
Yesterday’s meal: Burger and hot dogs, with side salads
Leftovers: A couple of burgers and a part of a sliced tomato
Today’s leftovers meal: Burger salad
This one is super-easy. Greens, tomato, sliced pickles, crumbled up burger. Dressing for the salad is blended mayonnaise, ketchup, salt and pepper (with a bit of pickle juice).
Another upcycling project for old pairs of jeans: covering seat cushions on antique chairs. I was given two of these from a friend with a love of chairs who was cleaning house (after finding another couple of antique chairs…). I simply sanded and oiled the wood and recovered the cushions with strips of denim from a recycled pairs of jeans.
Upcycled baseball shirts sell well on my Etsy shop—to girls like me who don’t like to wear boring and boxy tees to show support for the home team. So when I was given last-minute Dodgers tickets yesterday, I remembered I had set aside a thrift store Dodgers shirt for myself. I sewed on the denim braided neckline detail (denim from a discarded, recycled pair of jeans) in the passenger seat of the car, on the way to the game.
Vintage food tins used as planters at Venice Beach Wines.
In my quest to eliminate unnecessary products and waste, I have tried to cut down on shampooing. I’ve actually tried to stop shampooing altogether (google “no poo” and you’ll find tons of testimonials from those who have successfully stopped shampooing; there’s even a “no poo” Wikipedia entry), but I lost patience during the dirty, greasy hair phase. So now I try to shampoo once or twice a week and get through the in-between days with corn starch. There are plenty of dry shampoos on the market and I tried a few from the beauty closet when I worked for a fashion magazine, but most of these products contain artificial fragrances and other ingredients I won’t use. I read that straight-from-the pantry corn starch could be used and I’ve found it works just as well. I keep it in the bathroom and dip my fingers in the jar to apply to roots on non-shampoo days. Hair maintains its natural shine from healthy hair oils, while roots get a quick de-greasing. Until I try quitting shampoo again….
For the last couple of years, I have found myself eagerly awaiting the day the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Sunscreen Guide comes out, so I can forward the link to everyone I know. Protection from the sun? Important. Protection from harmful chemicals in most sunscreen products? Equally important—but so many consumers are unaware of the dangers inside the bottles and tubes. I remember being shocked to find out about all the unnecessarily harmful ingredients found in most sunscreen products by “trusted” brands, but then I was relieved to discover safer alternatives that are effective in blocking those dangerous rays. I’ve tried a lot of the sunscreens that test well and personally favor the Badger line. I keep the sunscreen stick (pictured) in my bag and also use the SPF 30 lotion. Find more information, recommendations, and results of tests on other sunscreen products from the Skin Deep’s Sunscreens 2011 report here.
In her later years, when her own cooking days were behind her, my grandmother would say, “That looks good enough to eat!” just as dinner was served. Oddly, I now hear those words (in her charming voice) when I think of beauty products. Since learning about the toxins in so many of the beauty and personal care products on the market, I have switched over to brands made with safer ingredients—in my perfect world, makeup really should be good enough to eat. And when it comes to lip products, well, let’s be honest here—you ARE eating what you put on your lips. A new study released yesterday by Environmental Defence Canada reveals that popular cosmetics tested contain toxic heavy metals such as lead, nickel, and arsenic. Gulp.
But now for the (non-toxic) silver lining: There are terrific alternatives to the toxic products you want to avoid. The Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep website tests products and ranks them for safety. Lip products that just might be good enough to eat? Right here. And you can take action by asking your representative to support safe cosmetic legislation here as well.
Kate Moss has the ability to make almost anything she wears look desirable, from a handbag to lipstick. Seeing her smoking-hot new ads for Dior lip products makes me want slick, pink lips. But since greening my life, my beauty choices are now toxin-free, which means shunning most commercial makeup brands (including Dior). My favorite “green” products (safer, without harmful chemicals) for shiny pink lips inspired by the Kate Moss pout seen in the ads:
Jane Iredale’s PureGloss in Candied Rose, Pink Candy, or Cosmo
Jane Iredale’s PureMoist lipstick in C.J., Daisy, or Sabrina, topped with Jane Iredale PureGloss in Tourmaline
RMS Beauty’s Lip Shine in Bloom, topped with Jane Iredale PureGloss in Tourmaline
Hemp Organics Lip Tint in Kiss, topped with Jane Iredale PureGloss in Tourmaline
100% Pure lip gloss in Juicy Pink Grapefruit
I couldn’t resist these blue-framed sunglasses, found in a thrift store box of old sunglasses—some vintage and all marked below five bucks.
I have already phased out cosmetics and personal care products that contain harmful chemical toxins in favor of safer alternatives. Recently, my green beauty experiments have led me to the kitchen, to use pantry ingredients that are actually good enough to eat (see previous post on olive oil). For a facial exfoliator, I’ve begun to use baking soda weekly or as needed, simply blending about a 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda with water and gently rubbing the paste on my face using a circular motion. It’s safe, easy, effective—and a lot less expensive than other facial washes and scrubs. I’ve also filled an empty shampoo bottle with distilled water (DIY distilled water: boil filtered water, let cool, use) and a tablespoon of baking soda and use it instead of traditional shampoo a few times a week.
(Public service footnote: Learn more about this from the Campaign For Safe Cosmetics and find out what’s in your products from the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep website).
I read a report today that Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld loves chocolate but does not eat it. (This immediately brought to mind the story of Peter, AKA No Coffee Guy, whom I met during a weekend at Fire Island. Before going out one night, Peter’s housemate was brewing a pot of coffee and Peter commented about how good it smelled. But when I suggested he grab a cup, he replied that he didn’t drink it. He loved the smell, he said, but didn’t drink it. Then he added that he had never tried it. Loved the smell but had never tasted it? He could not provide a reason why and I was puzzled. Not trying crack? I get that. But coffee? That was the first sign that Peter was going to be a drip. Yes, pun definitely intended!) Back to Mr. Lagerfeld. He is quoted in W magazine as saying that the smell of chocolate is enough for him, that he can eat chocolate with his nose. Puzzled again. Barring a serious health issue, how bad can chocolate be when consumed in moderation? Mmmm, rich, dark chocolate. I consume some every day and savor every bite, even if it’s only one tiny piece. Lagerfeld finished by saying he would love a perfume based on chocolate. Someone should send him Cacao, the beautiful perfume already made by Aftelier Perfumes. As with all of her other amazing scents, Mandy Aftel uses only natural ingredients (no synthetics), and this one has a base of chocolate and vanilla with citrus and jasmine sambac top and middle notes—all to make it absolutely intoxicating and, well, delicious.
Stef McDonald 