The tanned and coiffed models glistened in the setting sun and sashayed in the warm breeze down the daisy-lined runway. A random 70 degree day in April may be disdained as the negative effects of global warming, but it provided a beautiful setting for the Earth Week Fashion Event, hosted by Bui-Lavry PR last Tuesday.

The show was held on the rooftop of The Park NYC, a trendy Mediterranean Chelsea restaurant with sky lighting and brick flooring in the main dining area that makes you feel like you’re still outside. It was there that sponsors greeted you with “NO PLASTIC” bracelets from Everybodygreen.com and sign up sheets for environmental newsletters and causes with Aveda, The New York Post and Green Drinks.

With no access allowed backstage, I took the extra time to admire the art work. Yuko Ueno provided the butterflies, dragonflies and other insects that clung to her outfit and the trees in the reception area. Fabrice Covelli provided art installations of balls, like one made of unraveled yarn to illustrate the waste that we commit in the environment.

Fabrice Covelli’s symbolic ball of yarn

Veins are great for carrying blood to the various parts of your body, but not so great when you see them peeking beneath your tennis skirt. TriBeCa MedSpa has a solution just in time for summer. Stop by from now until May 31st for Zap-A-Leg. The Zap-A-Leg service includes a complimentary vein removal consultation and a 15-minute vein therapy session for $125. That’s $70 off the original price, if you didn‘t know!

TriBeCa MedSpa was voted the #1 MedSpa in the U.S. by DaySpa magazine and offers the expertise of New York’s top plastic surgeons, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and experienced medical estheticians in a spa-like setting. They provide an array of skincare services to rejuvenate and revitalize your skin while helping to prevent future damage.

WHAT: Zap-A-Leg
WHEN: Now through May 31st
WHERE: TriBeCa Medspa, 114 Hudson Street, 212.925.9500, www.tribecamedspa.com

Sixty percent of what we put on our skin is absorbed into the body, so the lotions we moisturize with could potentially give our bodies a lot more than just soft skin. There are many safe, healthy and green options out there, but with all the choices and factors to consider, it might get a bit overwhelming.

To help tame the wild world of natural and organic beauty, industry veterans Ann Francke and Barry King have wrangled in beauty products from around the world (some brands exclusive and new to the U.S.) and have brought them to one simple destination: Beautorium.com.

The newly launched web site not only has environmentally-friendly natural and organic products running the gamut (anti-aging to pregnancy, body care to hair care and aromatherapy to makeup), but it also acts as an informational resource. It offers counsel, tips and solutions on beauty issues, gives specific information on what ingredients to avoid and lists every ingredient so you know exactly what you’re getting.

Beautorium selects brands according to a demanding criteria:
• Most products are certified natural, organic and/or vegetarian by the world’s most reliable independent third party organizations.
• Products are not tested on animals and are cruelty-free.
• Products contain effective ingredients and with proven benefits
• Products are professionally and beautifully presented.
• Products have compelling brand and company personality.

They’ve done the homework, so all you have to do is shop.

If your order is over $75, Beautorium will include a free “I Am a Natural Bag” fair-trade burlap bag, which you can use instead of plastic bags (and let the world know eco-conscious cute is a possibility). With your order, you will also receive free samples from other lines, in a pretty (recycled) Beautorium box.

Shop now at Beautorium.com.

I never thought I would want to turn green until I attended the eco-conscious fashion show Teens Turning Green. The event, held at the Broad Street Ballroom earlier this month, was aimed at teenagers, but there was something for everyone to learn. The information we got about the dangerous chemicals lurking in everyday cosmetics and other personal care products was scary enough to make anyone want to change their lifestyle for the better.

The event was hosted by Zem Joaquin, founder and Editor in Chief of Ecofabulous, an online green guide, and Teens for Safe Cosmetics, a campaign organized by Judi Shils and her teenage daughter, Erin Schrode. Schrode, 16, and a native of Marin County, California, recently moved to New York City to pursue acting. She has a contagious enthusiasm for all things green, which is a natural extension of her real life.

Zem Joaquin, founder and Editor in Chief of Ecofabulous and event host
Source: Ecofabulous.com

“I was organic from day one,” says Schrode. “My mom has always been super eco-conscious. We carpooled to school, had organic cleaning supplies and even my mattress and bedding were organic.” Growing up in such an environmentally aware household, it’s only natural that Schrode is eager to spread the word about what she calls the “Dirty Dozen” plus chemicals that are in so many widely used cosmetics.

Though he doesn’t like to be considered an environmentalist (a title too official, in his eyes), musician Jack Johnson sure acts like one.

A humble member of countless organizations and causes, the Oahu, Hawaii native and former surf film creator has contributed to the Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund, the Red Cross and the Kokua Hawaii Foundation (a program that promotes environmental appreciation amongst school-aged children through interactive programs). To boot, his tour bus runs on bio-diesel fuel (a reusable, environmentally-safe material), and – with the release of his fourth album, Sleep Through the Static, Johnson has upped the ante.

The album was recorded using 100% solar energy, and is printed on 100% post-consumer waste recycled paper. It also carries the 1% For The Planet logo (dedicated to an organization that Johnson has been a member of since 2004, comprised of businesses and individuals who donate 1% of their sales to environmental causes around the world.)

In a world of it bags, the elusive Hermes Birkin has been and remains the most coveted handbag of all, thanks to the off-putting price – leather editions start at $9,000 and the difficulty in securing one – thanks to a interminable wait list. Yet, at the peak of his Ebay selling career, Huffington Post columnist Michael Tonello spent over $1,000,000 at Hermes over the course of a single year, primarily on Birkin bags – all for the sole purpose of making a profit in the busy resale market.

Tonello recaps his madcap career as an Hermes reseller in his new memoir, Bringing Home the Birkin. He stumbled into the gig after a spontaneous move to Barcelona but quickly becomes an Hermes expert, first learning which items were most coveted from his buyers and later becoming a regular at stores across Europe.

So, bag-loving minds want to know…what WAS Tonello’s secret to securing a Birkin? The author breaks it down by classifying Hermes sales staff into laugh worthy profiles, including the ‘Incurable Romantic’ (a gay man in his thirties who enjoys flirtatious repartee) and ‘the Nazi’ (a cutthroat, driven type that abides by the formula) with notes on how to best approach each. And of course, don’t forget to buy – Tonello bought silk scarves by the dozens to prove himself as a credible Hermes shopper before asking to see Birkins.

Tonello is a first time author and while his memoir isn’t likely to win any lierary awards, it’s a chatty, enjoyable tome, flush with sassy and clever insight. To learn more about the author or to read a preview, visit www.bringinghomethebirkin.com. To snag your own copy, visit Barnes & Noble online.

Do you ever think back to that jean jacket and pant combo that you couldn’t get enough of? All that denim should not only be remembered as a tragic fashion moment in your lifetime, but an opportunity missed to be environmentally conscious.

It’s not too late to channel your inner Captain Planet. National Jean Company (NJC), veteran denim retailer, hosted a fashion show last Tuesday night featuring Earnest Sewn duds to introduce Make an Earnest Difference, a five-day drive that culminated in an in-store donation event at the Upper East Side NJC location. All the donations were added to Cotton. From Blue to Green, an initiative by Cotton incorporated to recycle denim and other cotton products into environmentally-safe insulation for underprivileged family homes.

Michael Press, president of Earnest Sewn, said that small boutiques and companies have been making organic products for years, but this is their effort to bring organic fashion to a broader audience.

A light tropical theme throughout the show illustrated the ease of green fashion, rejecting connotations of the heavy canvas-like cotton that we often associate with organic fabrics. Plaid, graphic and satin party blouses were paired with organic Earnest Sewn denim demonstrating the versatility of the jeans. The hair and makeup direction also emphasized that the look could be translated into any girl’s wardrobe.

The hair and makeup team focused on a natural, beachy look. The hair was “soft and uncontrived as if the humidity caused it to curl,” said James Geoia, senior stylist of Ben David Salon and the makeup was “bronze, bronze, bronze,” said Carla Castillo, lead makeup artist, who emphasized a sun-like effect on the skin by forgoing eyeliner for glitter gold shadow and painted a wet lip on models to conjure thoughts of water.

Mastiha Shop

It’s better than organic; it’s a tradition. From the Greek island Chios comes a natural remedy that works both outside and in. This resin from the indigenous Mastiha tree is one serious multi-tasker. Mastiha’s use in medical remedies and cosmetics dates back thousands of years. It was even used as the first chewing gum. Talk about a product history. The next big thing has been around since the letters B.C. This amazing resin can fight bad breath and gingivitis, strengthen hair and nails, heal and regenerate skin, ease ulcer pain and aid in digestion. And that’s not all! You can even use mastiha as a spice in many savory and sweet dishes.

Before you get ready to rack up those frequent flyer miles and head to Greece, just grab your MetroCard, head to the Lower East Side, and visit the first mastiha shop of its kind in the United States, simply (and aptly!) named mastiha shop. It’s nestled in like a regular at a bar on Orchard Street. The simplicity is chic and the results are real. Considering Chios mastiha is a Product Destination of Origin, it grows only on the southern part of one Greek island, and the whole process is hand-done and fair trade, the prices are more than reasonable. Store owners and sisters, Kalliopi and Artemis Kohas are both a wealth of information on their product and stand behind them for good reason: these products work.

It’s all-natural, an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial. Who knew that something so “anti” could be so positively good for you? All the products I’ve tried and tasted so far has just begun to fuel an addiction, albeit a healthy one. Just chew on mastiha tears to help even the most knotted stomach relax. Then dab on a bit of the highly recommended revitalizing mastiha and vitamin E eye cream. For a midnight snack, pair your favorite cracker with the mildly tangy and well-balanced flavors of their feta cheese spread.

Summer is highlight season, so get ready and get a little color in your life. DEX New York Beauty Atrium is offering clients a complimentary service of partial highlights done by their top colorists. You can get up to two colors and you’ll also receive a personal consultation.

DEX, created by Dexter Phillip, is a salon, makeup and photography studio all in one. As an entrepreneur, fashion stylist and image consultant, Phillip’s passion for the transformative arts of beauty and fashion led him to develop this beauty studio experience as an inspiration for industry innovation and the launch of his fashion forward modern mineral cosmetic line, DEX Modern Minerals. They offer professional makeup consultation and application, professional head shots, eyelash extensions, Brazilian relaxer, edgy cuts, celebrity lace front hair additions, Brazilian chocolate conditioning treatment and more.

Call 212.643.3188 to make your appointment.

WHAT: Complimentary Highlights
WHEN: Now until June 30th
WHERE: DEX New York, 224 W. 30th Street, 212.643.3188

For the past month, all this “green” talk probably has your head spinning. How and where do you start with all the changes? Here’s an event that’s sure to help.

This weekend, be sure to stop by the very first Annual Go Green Expo. Its the first and largest eco-focused interactive consumer and business showcase ever in NYC. Take Grandma and the kids (children under the age of 12 and senior citizens are free) through three full floors of 200+ environmentally friendly products, services and businesses. Learn about what’s next for renewable energy and green technology, sample the best in organic food and drink, such as Bumble Bar, Sambazon Acai and Theo Chocolate, and try on the latest in eco-fashion with Chico Bag, Change the World Together and LOVE is Organic Denim.

Bumble Organic Energy Bars
Source: Bumblebar.com