natural beauty

In honour of Earth Month, we thought we would clear up a few things first. As we all become more aware of the environment, climate change and all that jazz, there's been a huge surge in green cosmetics. Now, just about anyone has a natural, organic or certified organic collection or product that they want you to know about. But before you buy, it's important to know the rules and regulations around claiming to be natural, organic and certified organic.

Natural: This is the tricky one because, as we stand currently, there are no regulations around the use of the word natural in the Australian beauty market. Saying that, truly natural beauty products should feature at least 90 percent of naturally-derived ingredients and be free from all synthetics, but as there is nobody policing it in Australia, you need to be careful. The Natural Products Association was founded in the US in 1936 and they represent over 10,000 retailers, manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors of natural products, including those in the cosmetics industry. In order to gain their seal of approval, a personal care product must: "be made up of only, or at least almost only, natural ingredients manufactured with appropriate processes to maintain ingredient purity," should not be tested on animals and furthermore, should use "biodegradable ingredients and the most environmentally sensitive packaging." If it does all that, it gets the seal so keep your eyes peeled for the logo. And always check the ingredients list.

The lowdown on organic and certified organic . . .

Carly Rae Jepsen is moving on from her hit "Call Me Maybe" into a new beauty deal with Burt's Bees. The singer will be the face of the new Güd Red Ruby Groovy line, and the first celebrity spokesperson for the natural-beauty brand. Burt's Bees hopes her strong pull with Generation Z, along with her social media presence, will bring their products into a younger demographic. The new line will include a shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and body wash with the scent filled with fruity notes of grapefruit, black currant, apple, mandarin, and papaya. "I've always been attracted to things that smell feminine, and I like things that are energizing," Carly Rae told WWD. "I feel very womanly, and it makes me sort of ready to take on more."

It's no secret that Teresa Palmer and her very gorgeous bestie Phoebe Tonkin are two Aussies taking LA by storm. The pair advocate clean living, and even moderate a website dedicated to health called Your Zen Life. It was only a matter of time before the beauty world came knocking to learn more about Teresa's secret to flawless skin and natural approach to makeup and cleansing (she loves using sweet almond oil as a makeup remover), and much to our delight, Into The Gloss profiled her over the weekend. Read the highlights below, but be sure to check out the entire article and snoop her poolside beauty shoot as photographed by Emily Weiss.

• On face oil: "I'm using avocado oil, which also helps get rid of redness or any little dots. Or if you've got a pimple, it gets rid of the scars. It's great."
• On event ready eyes: "And if my eyes are still puffy after I clean my face with cold water, I'll get caffeinated tea bags, soak them in water, freeze them, and take them out 15 minutes before I’m doing my makeup or getting it done for an event."
• On dark circles: ". . . I get quite dark circles; it's hereditary. I've tried to fix it with my diet — adding things to my diet, taking things out of my diet, different makeup and face creams, whatever — but it is, unfortunately, something I have to live with."

Sounds like a superhero and you know what? It kinda is. Goe Oil is a rescue balm of sorts that can be used anywhere and everywhere — a bit like your trusty paw paw ointment. The one pictured here is Jao Brand Goe Oil ($40), and it is 100 percent natural — no nasties to speak of. But what's in it and how does it work, you scream? Keep reading.

There's nothing quite like solid perfume in a tin. The perfect addition to your handbag for those moments when you need to (or just want to) smell delicious. Our favourite model-turned-aromatherapist, Indah's Teisha Lowry, has collaborated with Australia designer Alice McCall to create Heartwood ($39). Inspired by Alice's beautiful Babooshka Spring Summer 2012-13 cruise collection, Heartwood is a mix of the designer's favourite scents — tuberose, rose and Australian sandalwood. Divine.

"There’s no truer way to express oneself than through your very own scent, and I have to intimately get to know a person before I capture the very essence of them in a jar," says Teisha of her time spent with Alice in Bali. "Signature scents become our own personal geography . . . nothing is more memorable than a smell. Heartwood truly captures some of the intimate memories held close to Alice’s heart."

Don't you just want to melt and then put the contents of this little tin behind your ears, knees and elbows? Available from tomorrow at all Alice McCall boutiques and online over at Indah.

Whenever a celebrity visits Australia, there's a good chance they go home with paw paw ointment in their carry-on. It's our signature rescue fruit (containing peptides, enzymes and antioxidants), but did you know some brands sell their paw paw ointment laden with petrochemicals? Naughty! It's a good idea to check the back of the tube or tub before you buy your next top up or give to an international guest, just to be sure it is natural. I'm loving Natralus Natural Paw Paw Ointment ($4.94) right now, I can really taste, smell and notice the difference in consistency from other paw paw ointments I've used that contain naughty stuff. It also has double the amount of paw paw compared to most others — which is a big bonus. Natralus Paw Paw Ointment has other lovely, skin nourishing ingredients like shea butter, cocoa butter and olive oil; so you can use it anywhere. I like to use mine on my elbows and knees while I'm sitting at my desk.

Coconuts. Those round balls of tropical goodness are having a bit of a moment, with celebrities including Lara Bingle and Jesinta Campbell claiming they eat the insides, drink the water and lather the oil on their bodies. Now I'm no celebrity, but I joined the coconut love society (I should trademark that) about six months ago and let me tell you, it's a very special little nut. Yesterday I met with ex-model and inspiring businesswoman, Teisha Lowry, founder of the organic beauty range, Indah. She is so pretty I forgot my questions, so it's lucky she's a wealth of knowledge on essential oils for skincare, and, coconuts. A qualified aromatherapist, Teisha produces body butters and balms, but her bestseller is her hand pressed Extra Virgin Coconut Oil ($15). To find out everything you need to know about coconut oil, keep reading...