Green girly-girls

All my life, I've vacillated between being a laid-back, T-shirt and jeans kinda gal and a high-maintenance, fancy makeup and dyed-hair lady.

Call my closet schizophrenic. Thus, my eco-friendly choice has often been to use no beauty products at all and let my skin go wild and let my hair frizz out.

These days I'm finding a middle way, thanks to helpful green shopping blogs. I'm making a big list of organic, natural products to add to my daily regimen.

Plus, with a recent report finding trace amounts of lead in common lipstick brands, well, it's always good to have more options in the beauty aisle...

EcoFabulous suggests one lip alternative with Cargo Cosmetic's PlantLove collection. The botanical formula's container is made of corn and embedded with seeds so it can be planted after use. How cool is that?

Green Girl Guide recommends PeaceKeeper Cause-Metrics natural lipsticks and nail polish, and color me intrigued. The names are a little hokey (Paint Me Empowered), but 100% percent of proceeds go to women’s health and human rights advocacy. Pretty impressive, on top of non-animal-tested products without a bunch of harmful chemicals.

Ideal Bite mists on some eco-bouffant hairsprays for full effect. Plus there's a recipe for homemade spray made of lemon juice! I gotta try that, since I have a huge lemon tree out back. Free, all-natural hairspray, can't beat that with a stick.

TreeHugger has a super-handy guide to greening women's personal care. From deodorant to toothpaste to tampons, learn how to pick the most earth-friendly products, and get links for home recipes, retailers, and more.

And here are a few companies I really dig (not a paid advertisement, and I take no responsibility if you don't like 'em)...

Burt's Bees has amazing lip balm. If I'm wearing nothing else, I'm wearing that. Unlike a lot of sticks, it's not made of petroleum products or other non-renewable junk. It's natural beeswax with a touch of peppermint oil for tingle.

Body Time is a small company in Berkeley, CA, that I've been shopping at since college. I'm totally addicted to its lotions and soaps, which I get custom-scented with organic essential oils. I also love the mint scrub facial cleanser for a gentle, refreshing exfoliant.

L'Occitane en Provence sells delicious-smelling bubble bath and skin creams that evoke the French countryside. The company uses natural plant ingredients, and I applaud the Braille labels on all the products.