Guest Post: Five Great Eco-Friendly Beauty Products

A wonderful and encouraging trend in our modern society is the "green" or ecological movement. So many people today are aware of, and concerned with, issues such as sustainability and recycling, and being good to the earth. This awareness can also extend to the beauty products we use, and here we'll list five of the very best choices:

First on the list is a very popular item in many cosmetic bags - Primer Potion by Urban Decay. Buy it because it works, and because it helps you look amazing; feel good about buying it because it's 100 percent cruelty-free and vegan!

Our next item comes from a company that has a well-established history of providing environmentally friendly products which are also perfectly gentle and provide excellent care for your skin. The Body Shop began in 1976 in the coastal town of Brighton, England, UK and very quickly became popular internationally due to their quality and ideals. Their line of facial care products that feature Tea Tree extract is especially popular among their fans. Try the Skin Clearing Facial Wash which reviewers rave about saying that it "tingles and refreshes, and does a great job of caring for oily skin without causing dryness".

Number three on the list is a line of beauty products available at Target by Sonia Kashuk who is a popular make-up artist and entrepreneur. One of the most frequently reviewed and highly rated items is her Lashify Mascara. A really fun/convenient special feature of this mascara is that is comes with a lash comb built into the handle, and of course we have to rave about the price - around $7 for a tube. Girls who love it rave that it creates length and volume, without being messy or clumpy, and it has incredible staying power while still washing off easily with soap and water. The fact that all of her products are safe for the environment and cruelty-free is simply icing on the cake!

Our fourth selection comes from another company with a great history of being dedicated to the environment long before it was a popular trend in the mainstream. Kiss My Face is proud of their motto "Passionately Natural - Incredibly Effective" and they provide a selection of products that demonstrate this. One of their most popular items is the Start Up Exfoliating Face Wash which features a delicate yet effective blend of certified organic herbs and essential oils that work to clean your face brilliantly, and the smell is amazing.

You can't be beautiful without a clean and healthy mouth, so, number five on our list is a toothpaste which works double-duty to keep your teeth, and the planet, happy! Once upon a time, Tom's of Maine was sort of a specialty store and you couldn't buy their products just anywhere. Thankfully, nowadays their popular offerings are easy to pick up in a great number of shops and mass retailers, and for reasonable prices. Again, eco-friendly and cruelty free are just two of the features of their products, and you really can't go wrong with anything from their line. One of their most popular toothpastes is the Whole Care with Cinnamon and Clove. Reviewers say "it's different from the traditional mint toothpaste, but in a good way! Very refreshing and leaves your mouth feeling clean and fresh".

We hope that these options give you inspiration (if you aren't already) to go out and try shopping with our planet in mind. You'll find that it's easier now than ever to select products which are effective and reasonably priced, as well. Good luck!

This post is by Stephani Rockwell, who is a freelance writer and content contributor for her site about dining tables.