I saw some blurb about Kate Hudson and this celebrity stylist dude David Babaii doing a collabo on an eco-friendly hair care line. It sounds legit:

• Cruelty-free;
• Made without parabens, sulfates, petrochemicals or animal products;
• Ingredients include cupuacu butter, volcanic ash, blue algae, Polynesian white ginger;
• 10%  of all profits go to WildAid, a global wildlife conservation organization.

This appealed to my treehugger tendencies, so I decided to check it out. I fell in love! Not only does it leave my hair super soft and curly, it smells like coconut lusciousness. I’ve only tried the Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner so far, and I’m considering trying the Amplifying Whipped Mousse to set my curly styles, because as of now I use a not-so-green foaming setting lotion. Works great, but like I said before, I’m trying to reduce my eco-criminal activity.

Imagine my glee when I find out that as of June 1, 2009, this yummy stuff has been available at Sally’s Beauty Supply and Rite Aid. So now instead of driving all around the world (well, Ulta in Buckhead, but it’s still contributing to carbon emissions) or ordering online (shipping trucks = more carb emissions), I can pop around the corner and get my WildAid by David Babaii  fix. Does this count in my quest for an incredibly shrinking carbon footprint?

I almost hate that I’ve learned to read every label of everything I put on or in my body. I feel like I’m walking in a chemical minefield when I go in a store to find something as simple as lotion or soap or shampoo. Part of the reason I started going green (before going green was called “going green”) is my skin was being ravaged by harsh fragrances and preservatives in my health and beauty products, and I’m a product junkie. At some point, I thought I was going to be an ashy funk monster because I couldn’t find a deodorant, moisturizer or shampoo that didn’t make my skin burn.

The hilarious thing is I have an Auntie who started using virgin coconut oil on her skin and hair years ago. Everyone thought she was silly and should just go in the store and get a bottle of lotion like everyone else. I didn’t know what to think. Cut to years later, and guess what I’m using to moisturize my skin now? Mhm, Auntie knew what she was doing.

I discovered a treasure trove of organic virgin coconut oil at my favorite farmers market , and it is oh so heavenly. It smells super yummy, like the beach and freshly baked cookies, and it absorbs so nicely into my skin, leaving no greasy residue. I’ve also read that coconut oil has many health benefits:

• Has anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties;
• Keeps hair shiny, flake free and helps repair/regrow damaged tresses;
• Awesome for eczema and psoriasis;
• Helps prevent wrinkles and saggy skin;
• Good for digestion and weight loss;
• Boosts your immune system.

It’s great for my family’s dry, sensitive skin. I even put it on toast sometimes instead of butter! Sounds weird, but it’s oh so good.