A great way to spice up your wardrobe is with a new hairstyle. Some of Your Daily Thread’s favorite mop top ideas are: sassy thick bangs, classic braids, messy buns and romantic ponytails.

Bangs

Fashion still loves thick bangs—thankfully for those of us who took the plunge earlier this year. Fringe will instantly sass up any outfit and blunt bangs add a feminine touch.

Get the look: Think 70s flashback when bangs were blunt, thick and below the eyebrows.

Braids

Embrace the braid revival—although we never believe it left. Braids are great for non-shampoo days or adding unique texture to a pull back.

Get the look: Try a braided crown, side-part fishtail, waterfall or piggy.

Buns

Last year we all wore our buns like top hats. This spring we pull the hair back low to the nape of the neck for a relaxed look.

Get the look: Take hair and twist into a figure eight knot before you fasten with a clip or bow.

Ponytails

What screams summer more than a laid-back ponytail?

Get the look: Rock a teased pony pulled back low with bobby-pins instead of a hair tie, or part hair into two large sections to twist at the nape for added volume.

Image via Flickr user stefanyalves.

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Your Daily Thread has an incredible team of writers and editors that keep the website running like one chic, green eco-machine! They keep the site looking beautiful and continue to provide the top-notch eco-news and threads we’ve all come to love.

Let’s meet the team! Each member will provide a different insight into their daily lives via a quirky personality trait or fact.

First up, Creative Director and Beauty Editor, Alissa Pittenger, reveals what beauty staples she can’t live without:

“[My] makeup bag musts all rate a 1 or lower on the Cosmetic Skin Database. This morning routine (1-6) takes me 5-7 minutes tops,” says Alissa. Look into adding number 7 to the queue for a hot date or a girls’ night out!

1. Aubrey Organics 100% Organic Rose Hip Seed Oil – to calm down any redness before makeup application (especially around the nose and chin).
2. Marie Veronique Organics Anti-Aging Oil Plus – deeply moisturizes and nourishes the skin. A great primer before makeup with its unique combo of anti-aging oils.
3. Tarte Dark Circle Defense Natural Undereye Corrector – amazing concealer! Never leave home without an application around the eyes and nose.
4. Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil – the best eyeliner anyone will ever try. Super smooth, it won’t tug on the eye area. Smudges like a dream for smokey eyes. Stays on all day without budging. Non-irritating to even the most sensitive eyes.
5. Smashbox O-Glow – allover color that could be better than Mother Nature’s natural flush. Use it on lips, cheeks and lids. Super quick!
6. Tarte Lash Hugger – a go-to mascara for day and night. Will never smudge or bleed. Add an extra layer at night for a jaw-dropping fake eyelash look.
7. Jane Iredale Nighttime Eye Shadow Kit – add a few colors from this palette for more drama at night.

Images via Etsy users TheLittleRooster and MushroomWhimsy.

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Discounted products include:

PlantLove Green Goddess Kit a thin and compact kit that includes Bamboo Eye Shadow (mocha shimmer), Thyme Eye Shadow (pale olive shimmer), Beech Eye Shadow (peach champagne shimmer), Lily Eye Shadow (light pink shimmer), Peony Blush (apricot shimmer) and Rose Blush (rose matte).

PlantLove Green Glamour Kit a thin and compact kit that includes 18 Eye Shadows (Swan, Sparrow, Pilican, Finch, Iris, Lily, Loon, Thyme, Ivy, Peacock, Bamboo, Marigold, Parakeet, Beech, Willow, Heron, Blue Jay, Dove).

PlantLove Blush in Peony an ultra fine and incredibly soft 100% natural origin blush.

PlantLove’s products are made without parabens, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, petro-chemicals and phthalates. Their award-winning packages are made entirely out of corn.

Shop at cargocosmetics.com!

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“In times of stress, we need something to lift our spirits. Honeysuckle is a captivating, stimulating color that gets the adrenaline going – perfect to ward off the blues,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®.

Earlier this year, Pantone revealed the 2011 color of the year: Pantone 18-2120, aka honeysuckle. No wonder our coveted beauty trend is bright pink lips! To achieve this runway look the eco way, check out our sassy suggestions!

1. W3LL PEOPLE’s Nudist #3
2. INIKA Vegan Lipstick in Electric Red and Tuscan Tales
3. Jane Iredale’s PureGloss™ in Sugar Plum and PureMoist™ in Bridget and Susan
4. Afterglow’s Organic Lip Love Lipstick in Wink and Courage
5. Josie Maran’s Argan Oil Lipstick in Bambolina and Sole Love
6. Johnny Concert’s Narcissistic Lipstick in Star Killer and Redrum

For matching nail lacquers, we adore Sparitual’s vegan Dramatic High Notes Collection.

Photos courtesy of: Afterglow, INIKA, Johnny Concert, Josie Maran, Jane Iredale, Sparitual, W3LL PEOPLE and Pinterest

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When Josie Maran set out to create her makeup line, Josie Maran Cosmetics (launched in 2007), she wanted to create products that weren’t only great for one’s skin, but for the earth, as well.

Maran started modeling at the young age of 12, graced the pages of magazines such as Sports Illustrated, became the face of Maybelline and Guess, and worked with some of the top makeup artists around. Using what she learned from her life in front of the camera and from her green philosophy, she aimed to create products free of toxic and harsh ingredients. The result? An eco-friendly beauty line that can be used by everyone including industry professionals.

Josie Maran’s Argan Oil (which is used in a majority of her products) is a huge hit with followers of her line – not to mention it’s Maran’s favorite product, too! The Argan Oil is 100% organic and can be used for your skin, hair and anything else you can think of, really. “It’s all I use as my moisturizer now,” she tells us, noting that she also uses it for split ends. “At night I’ll put it all over and then wash it out in the morning. It makes your hair thicker, healthier, shinier.”

When heading out at night, Maran says she loves a dramatic “Hollywood Glam” cat eye with a bold lip, but opts for a neutral palette during the day. Starting with her Argan Oil as a moisturizer, Maran follows with a dab of foundation – she is “obsessed” with the Argan Matchmaker Serum Foundation – and a hint of Argan Color Stick on the apples of her cheeks and lips. Her final step? Curling her lashes.

What she stays clear of, however, is toxic ingredients and too much blush and bronzer. “I say stay on the apples of your cheeks instead of trying to bring it all the way back – it’s just really obvious…blend. Don’t forget to blend.”

So what does Maran predict will be hot in spring? Orange lips, healthy dewy skin, and “fun” bright eyes. For this look, Maran recommends her lip stain, Jive, which has a “peachy-orangey” tint. For face and cheeks, YDT recommends trying Josie Maran’s Argan Oil Daily Moisturizer with SPF 40 + and the Argan Color Stick in Rosey (which she wore during our interview at the grand opening of Sephora at The Americana at Brand).

*For product and packaging information please visit Josie Maran Cosmetics.

Images via josiemaran.com.

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Vitamins are the key building blocks to the structure of our cells. So when we deplete our bodies of these nutrients we see the effects outwardly first in our skin, hair and nails.

You hate vitamins, you say? But you want to look your best and age gracefully, right? So to get the most out of your beauty routine (while taking care of the rest of you), make sure the supplements you swallow and the beauty products you apply contain these key vitamins.

Wards off dry, flaky skin and scalp, reduces wrinkles and controls acne. Look for beauty products with at least one natural Vitamin A source like: apples, carrot juice or Carrot Seed Oil. Try Say Yes To Carrots’™ Moisturizing Day Cream. Take an organic multi-vitamin that contains the DRI* of 5000 IU. I recommend New Chapter® Organics One Daily’s vitamin series.

Prevents hair loss, inflammation and itchy skin conditions. Look for beauty products that contain a Vitamin B source like: honey, avocado or banana. Try Sensatia’s™ Wild Honey Day Barrier Cream. Since we need to account for all the B’s, take an organic multi-vitamin that gives you 100% daily value for Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin B12, Biotin, and Pantothenic Acid.

Reverses sun damage and wrinkles; stimulates collagen. Look for beauty products that contain natural Vitamin C sources: citrus fruits, Rose Hip Seed Oil, kiwifruit and these natural Vitamin E sources: Argan Oil, Jojoba Oil and Wheat Germ Oil. Try L’uvalla’s Age-Defying Cream. In a multi-vitamin, look for 75 mg of C and 30 IU of E.

Rids the skin of inflammation, acne and pre-mature aging. Look for beauty products that contain natural forms of omegas like: flax seeds, sunflower, pumpkin and olives. Try MyChelle’s Pumpkin Renew Cream. Take a vitamin supplement that contains a balanced ratio of Omegas 3, 6 and 9.

*All Dietary Reference Intakes courtesy of the FDA.

Your Daily Thread makes no health or medical claims to the above statements. Before taking dietary supplements, always consult your doctor.

Photos courtesy of Etsy user Polly Jones.

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Let’s face it. We all know how hard it is to step away from our tried and true beauty routine to try something new. And when that something happens to be “green” beauty products, we aren’t quite sure what to expect. Like eating tofu for the first time, using a natural lipstick or body cream (or even shampoo) may seem unfulfilling. The texture’s not what we’re used to. The smell is…well, odd. And it may even look funny.

But you know switching from cosmetics with questionable ingredients (like parabens) to something healthier is the right choice. So, how do you make the change without feeling cheated? It’s about changing your mindset. Here I’m going to lay it out for you – what you will give up to go green with your beauty and personal care routine:

- Liquid foundation. If you’re like me, you grew up old school. Foundation didn’t mean some powdery stuff that got all over your counter and clothes. It came in a neat little bottle and you applied it with a sponge. What the heck is a Kabuki brush, anyway? Most mineral makeup is in powder form because it’s closest to how nature offers the product and because liquid products are harder to preserve. Once water is added to any product, the stakes are much higher when it comes to bacteria. Although some “fake” mineral brands have the same synthetic preservatives as liquid foundation, it’s not really necessary. So, put down your cosmetic sponge and pick up that Kabuki brush. You’ll be surprised by how beautiful mineral foundation really is.

- Five year-old mascara. Okay, in all reality, you shouldn’t be hanging on to any mascara that long–even mainstream brands don’t last forever. But with natural mascaras, it’s even more important to toss it after two to three months. You don’t want an eye infection, do you? I didn’t think so.

- Long-wear lipstick. I’ve always been slightly afraid of a lipstick I could apply at 7AM and wear clear through till Midnight—two days later. What the heck is in that stuff? You’ll find none of that in the natural cosmetics camp. Sorry.

- “Fragrance.” We’ve come to use “fragrance” as interchangeable with “scent,” but in the natural realm, “fragrance” is a buzz word for “hiding something.” Fragrances used in beauty products are often derived from synthetic sources and can contain some of the more questionable ingredients that made you go green in the first place. Look for products scented with essential oils instead.

- Bubbles. I don’t understand it, but for some women this is the hardest news to accept. Bubbles are part of the American dream now. Natural shampoos don’t contain Sodium Laurel Sulfate (SLS), so the bubble quotient will never be as high as with drugstore brands. But here’s the important news: bubbles don’t equal clean hair. SLS (originally used in garage floor cleaners), produces mounds of suds while it strips your hair of the healthy oils it needs. That squeaky clean feeling your hair has after shampooing is actually a bad thing. Go for a gentle, natural no-SLS hair cleanser and see how much healthier your mane will be.

- $3 nail polish. This is a pet peeve of mine. Why does natural nail polish have to cost so darn much? The very least I can find is $7 a bottle, but the more popular brands can cost upwards of $14. I guess this is what is meant by the “high price of beauty.”

- And finally, chemicals that are linked to everything from cancer to lowered infertility rates. Need I say more?

Todra Payne is a celebrity makeup artist turned healthy beauty expert. Although her makeup artistry has appeared in countless fashion and lifestyle magazines, her passion is educating women on the health benefits of “greening” their beauty routines. She is a speaker and author, as well as the founder of The Healthy Beauty Project.

Images courtesy of Katie Armour and Flickr user mirjan.

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True Story: the first idea we ever had for an article for Your Daily Thread was a roundup of the best TRULY natural mascaras. It only took us 700 + articles to get there but hey, better later than never, right?  Mascara is such a staple for most women when it comes to cosmetics, and who wants junk like parabens and other stuff so close to their precious peepers?

So without further ado (as this has taken long enough as it is), here are our team’s favorite truly natural mascaras tried, tested and approved.

Mineral Fusion Lengthening Mascara

This product is great for daytime with its subtle look, clump-free application, and quick dry without smearing, bleeding or running. Argan oil plumps and curls and the patented V-shaped brush delivers the product evenly.  We love Argan oil.
……

Tarte Lash Hugger Mascara

You don’t need gross stuff on your lashes to make them look luxe. Tarte’s Lash Hugger proves it.  We love this for evening…a dramatic fake eyelash look. It’s also sans clumps, bleeds or runs, using Rice Bran wax to lengthen lashes and a brush-type applicator to comb through them. The recycled aluminum package is a bonus.

Honorable Mention…

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Homepage image courtesy of Etsy

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