OMG, I’m on TV!! Actually, I’ve been playing around with video the last couple of days and have become much more comfortable speaking and showing my face on the screen (it’s harder than it looks!), and now that I have a macbook pro, it’s super-easy to use the built in camera to record videos…so you’ll be seeing more of me! And I couldn’t quite figure out a good way to review the Argan Oil that I use on my face, other than by showing my face!

Enjoy!!

Some things that I didn’t mention in the video – the oil is obviously initially “oily” but it soaks in quickly, especially if you don’t use too much. You should experiment with the right amount for your face, but I always use a lot…and I’ve only been through half the bottle in 4 months. And you can use this on your hair, cuticles, etc., but I never have. I mentioned that I do use it on the tops of my hands after I put it on my face, but I’ve never tried it on my hair, I’m not sure where or how I would do that. I can also see how it would be fabulous for elbows, mine always get really dry in the Summer…

Oh, and I’m 37, for reference

Have you guys tried it? what did you think?

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From the makers of Deux Lux, comes their little sister bag line, Tulu! From the moment I saw these at Moxsie, I was smitten. I love the interesting styling, and practical designs, AND the price point (they top out at $84).

When the lovely people over at Moxsie offered to send me one to review, I said “Yes, Please!” and chose the Havana Knot shoulder bag in Grey:

I received the bag yesterday, and took it out for an afternoon of Ikea shopping & dinner at my favorite vegan pizza place, Pizza Fusion. My favorite thing about this bag is how light it is – I can hardly tell I’m wearing it, which is wonderful once I get all my crap in there…it’s still pretty light, and easy to carry. You would never know it’s not leather unless you knew it wasn’t leather, it’s really soft and well-made. I was not sure it would be easy to get into as I’m not used to hobo-style bags anymore (I mostly carry satchels now), but it is, and the inside pockets hold all my essentials (phone, lipgloss, keys) within easy reach. I also THINK you can adjust the strap to a longer length, like messenger style, by removing it (one of the the circle fasteners has an opening) and undoing the knot. I didn’t try it yet, but I think that could work…here’s a picture of my outfit with it today (sorry I look so agitated, I was very hungry!):

For my first vegan handbag, this one is a winner If you’d like one too, or know someone who would love one as a gift, use code GRECHENLOVE through 1/1 for 15% off at Moxsie + free shipping in time for 12/24 if you order by 12/21!!

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This is a Green Grechen “classic” LOL but I thought it was worth re-posting for eco-beauty week, and I’m still obsessing over the new blues and greens by Sula I saw at Anthropologie recently…

If you’re not familiar, the Sula polishes just peel off so you don’t need to use harsh chemical remover. I was definitely skeptical at first, but as you’ll see in the video, it totally works!! And since I’m going out of town in a couple of days I’m going to go and pick up a fun color and won’t have to worry about finding nail polish remover, I’ll just peel the paint off when it starts to chip (although strangely enough, the Sula polish lasted quite some time without chipping).

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KEImatUXLA

(sorry that the video is a little blurry when I’m trying to get the close-ups, I was trying to do this by myself!) The only thing I would say about this is that I didn’t use a base coat (supposedly it’s not necessary with a water-based polish) and after peeling the polish off, my nails were extremely dry. I read on another website that if you don’t use a base coat, you should brush your nails with cuticle oil a few minutes before applying the polish. I actually do this every time, but only on my cuticles, using Solar Oil, but I didn’t use the oil on my nails. I would definitely suggest that you do that though…

*updated* I also did some research and came up with this list of non-toxic or water-based (or both) nail polish available online – if you know of any I missed, PLEASE let me know in the comments and I’ll add it to the list!

Water-Based Nail Polish

WaterColors nail enamel
Suncoat
Acquarella
Honeybee Gardens
Sula
Toxic Free Boutique

Formaldehyde, Toluene & DBP-free Nail Polish

Strangebeautiful
Priti Polish
Orly
Butter London
Lippmann Collection
Rescue Beauty Lounge
NARS
Adoree
nubar
Peacekeeper
Zoya
Chanel, Revlon, OPI, Sally Hanson, Rimmel, Calvin Klein, M.A.C., Avon, and many other of the “big” brand nail polishes are also “three free.” But this is only for relatively recent formulations – some of the older versions probably still have the chemicals in them (my Chanel polishes are probably in the older formulation category…they’re pretty old!)

A good resource for everything nail polish related, including WHY it’s important to buy three-free or water-based nail polish: All Lacquered Up

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Hemp as an eco-friendly fiber is overlooked in most eco-fashion circles (including mine), but lately I’m searching for, and finding more and more interesting and wearable pieces made entirely or partly from hemp. (see today’s Must-Have for a bit of info on hemp, and also 5 Ways to add Hemp to your Life for more) I posted this Synergy Organics skirt as a Must-Have a few weeks ago, and was pleased to be contacted by one of the designers who sent me one to review!

I got this skirt last Friday and wore it all weekend – out to lunch on Saturday, then over to my mom’s for dinner, and again for a leisurely walk with the dog on Sunday. I think it worked equally well in all situations; it fits very well (even with my hips), moves easily, and hits right at the knee on me (I’m about 5’4″). You’re never going to be able to really dress this skirt up, but with heels and a button-up blouse it would make a cute Sunday morning brunch outfit, then with a tee-shirt and sandals it’s perfect for dog-walking.

This is my first item of clothing made with hemp (55% hemp and 45% organic cotton) and you can definitely “feel” the hemp. It’s not scratchy at all, but there is a texture and weight there that the hemp adds which makes it feel different – not as heavy as bamboo and not as light as a cotton jersey (or as soft). The combination allows it to hang well; it doesn’t hug my body at all and makes a perfect a-line. And it’s fairly opaque so you don’t NEED to wear a slip with it, but I always do (call me old-fashioned) when I’m “out” – a body shaping slip – because I don’t feel right without one!

Overall, I really love this skirt, not only that it’s made in Nepal under fair trade guidelines, and uses low-impact dyes, but the price is really great ($49) and the fit, perfect. Available at Planet Threads.

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I haven’t had a professional manicure in forever – I used to get one every two weeks many years ago and loved it, but it became too expensive AND my manicure didn’t last any longer than it did when I did it at home. So I started trying out different polishes to see what I liked the best and did my nails at home. By FAR my favorite nail polish is Chanel – I have 4-5 shades, my favorites are Vamp for Winter color and Ballerina for Summer (I constantly have this on my toes).

But alas, I’m tiring of the strong odor of both the polish and the heavy-duty remover I need to get the Vamp off my nails, and am starting to try and replace my old polish with new, eco-friendlier, non-toxic polish – starting with a water-based polish by Sula. I was especially intrigued by this one because you’re supposed to be able to peel it off, and I was also a sucker for the cute packaging LOL:

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KEImatUXLA

(sorry that the video is a little blurry when I’m trying to get the close-ups, I was trying to do this by myself!) The only thing I would say about this is that I didn’t use a base coat (supposedly it’s not necessary with a water-based polish) and after peeling the polish off, my nails were extremely dry. I read on another website that if you don’t use a base coat, you should brush your nails with cuticle oil a few minutes before applying the polish. I actually do this every time, but only on my cuticles, using Solar Oil, but I didn’t use the oil on my nails. I would definitely suggest that you do that though…

I also did some research and came up with this list of non-toxic or water-based (or both) nail polish available online – if you know of any I missed, PLEASE let me know in the comments and I’ll add it to the list!

Water-Based Nail Polish

WaterColors nail enamel
Suncoat
Acquarella
Honeybee Gardens
Sula
Toxic Free Boutique

Formaldehyde, Toluene & DBP-free Nail Polish

Orly
Butter London
Lippmann Collection
Rescue Beauty Lounge
NARS
Adoree
nubar
Peacekeeper
Zoya
Chanel, Revlon, OPI, Sally Hanson, Rimmel, Calvin Klein, M.A.C., Avon, and many other of the “big” brand nail polishes are also “three free.” But this is only for relatively recent formulations – some of the older versions probably still have the chemicals in them (my Chanel polishes are probably in the older formulation category…they’re pretty old!)

A good resource for everything nail polish related, including WHY it’s important to buy three-free or water-based nail polish: All Lacquered Up

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As promised, here are some pictures of my Gypsy05 organic cotton maxi dress – the one we’re giving away) courtesy of The Trend Boutique:

I haven’t actually had the opportunity to “wear” this yet (although this week it’s supposed to get up to 70 degrees here), but I really loved playing dress-up ! I got a size large in this dress, and it suits me fine, but The Trend Boutique recommends sizing down. Honestly, I could have sized down, but I don’t think it was necessary. I’m a pretty “hippy” size 12, so if you’re not “hippy”, and lean more towards a size 10, I’d definitely go for the medium.

I LOVE everything about this dress: the organic cotton is super-soft, the fit is great (although I couldn’t find a bra that would work with it – so I’m bra-less), and the detailing is beautiful. It is a bit long for me, but I’m short (about 5’3″), so I had to wear platform sandals with it. I’m actually going to take it to my tailor and see if they can hem it, I’m just afraid with the metallic detailing at the bottom, it will ruin the way the fabric hangs to get it hemmed.

I cannot WAIT to actually be able to wear this in warmer weather, I have a thing for maxi dresses, and tend to live in them more than anything else over the Spring/Summer months.

You can save 20% on this dress at The Trend Boutique with code “grechen20″ (this is good only on orders over $100), but don’t forget to enter to win one through our giveaway here – contest ends February 13.

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Okay, so this is my first video post…be gentle!! Actually, it’s just the shoes and my voice for now, my hair is such a mess, I need to wait until my next cut/color appointment before I let you see my face LOL. So, I’ll post an outfit picture and more of me in a week or so, but until now, here are my thoughts on my new TOMS Shoes:

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xi7-Mj6vMRM

Now, in case you don’t know about TOMS already, it’s built on a one for one business model: you buy a pair of shoes, they give a pair of shoes to a child in need. Simple. No percentage of profits or percentage of sales, just a simple buy one, give one. Since starting in 2006, TOMS has given 10,000 pairs of shoes to children in Argentina, 50,000 pairs of shoes to children in South Africa, and this past holiday season, gave 37,000 pairs of shoes to children in Ethiopia. I love the simplicity, yet profound impact of the TOMS Shoes business model – brilliant.

As I mentioned in the video, these shoes had to grow on me a bit. When they first came out two years ago, my initial reaction was “no thanks, not for me.” They reminded me of the slippers my grandfather used to wear, and didn’t really look like something I could incorporate into my wardrobe. But since I received these, I can’t stop wearing them. I still don’t think they’re THAT flattering on me (I love them on girls who can wear skinny jeans, with smaller calves than me) but I wear them anyway. When I took this video, I was wearing them with a knee-length black skirt and thought the outfit looked generally cute; I got quite a few compliments on the shoes wearing them this way!

My TOMS Shoes are also very comfortable – kind of like I’m wearing slippers. And if you’re asking why I chose the blue sparkley ones, instead of something more subtle if I wasn’t sure I could incorporate them into my wardrobe? Simple, I just wanted a super-fun pair of shoes. And whenever I wear these, I can’t help but smile. Mostly because I know that my purchase directly benefited a child in need, but also because they’re sparkley…I do like to be girly sometimes!

Oh, and the video was taken with my new Flip MinoHD video camera. I’m obviously still getting the hang of taking videos, but the Flip is SO easy to use it’s silly…I love it.

And P.S., use code GRECHEN for 15% off TOMS Shoes at their website.

Anybody else have a pair of TOMS? Do you love them? what color did you get?

Related articles by Zemanta

• The business of doing good: Q&A; with Blake Mycoskie
• TOMS’ One for One Shoe Program
• TOMS Shoes Nominated for the Cooper Hewitt People’s Design Award and they Need Your Vote!
• Tom’s Shoes Buy One, Gift One to Aid Ethiopia for Christmas 2008

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I have talked about, Interviewed, and Reviewed SPUN Organic clothing before…but now it’s time for a follow-up, and some new pieces…(these are just random pictures from outfits I’ve snapped recently – sorry for the brightness/color quality!)

You can get all the SPUN pieces at Fashion Ethic and save 30% right now with code “grechen30.”

(this code expires 10/20 – after that, use grechen20 for 20% off)

I have a few of these v-neck tees. I like them, but on me, the sleeves are a bit tight, and the bottom of the shirt, around my hips, is also tight. But my upper arms and hips are abnormally large, so the fit is probably not typical. The deep v is awesome, as is the color selection, and price.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my SPUN cardigans!!! I have two and usually wear them open, over dresses, but tried it this way and love it!

Here I’m wearing a SPUN organic cotton tank top, with Toggery organic cotton pants and an Ever organic cotton hoody I live in these. I wear them to bed, I wear them under stuff, I wear them to work out…

This is another new piece – it’s kind of a sweatshirt style, but cooler. I also wear this constantly. It’s super-soft, the fit is great, and I really like the way it can be dressed up or down. (this is dressed up lol)

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I wrote about Kate D’Arcy’s new venture, Lux Green Living, a few weeks ago, and now, I am excited to review a few organic cotton pieces from Toggery, Kate’s clothing line!

First, the french terry lounge pants. This has basically been my uniform whenever I’m home: Kate’s pants, a SPUN organic cotton tank top, and this Ever organic cotton hoody when I’m a little cool, and Ethletic “chucks” when I walk the dog. The pants are 93% organic cotton and 7% spandex; and thank goodness for the spandex…it’s what pulls everything in! I feel like the pants are more wide leg than flared, and I did have to cut an inch or so off the bottom – I’m short. They roll up a tiny bit at the bottom, but it’s not noticeable at all. I love that they’re low rise, but not too low rise, and incredibly comfy…

I also got this great organic cotton ballet neck tee (available at Greenloop in the “rust” color I have). I love the longer length, the color, the neckline (I think the ballet neckline is flattering on most), and how soft it is. Here are a couple of outfits from last week with this top:

On the left, I’m also wearing a pair of James Jeans I’ve had FOREVER – I think they’re my oldest pair of jeans, Repetto BB Ballet flats, and a Jenny Yuen “Hitchcock” bag. On the right, I’m wearing J Brand “Kat” wideleg jeans, Sportmax clogs, and the Jenny Yuen bag again.

I also got this great cowl neck dress – again, in organic cotton. The reason I’m in side view on this one, is that it’s a little too short for me to wear without tights for my taste…and it’s been way too hot here to wear tights. So I just snapped this picture to give you an idea of the general fit. I think for Winter, I will wear opaque black or brown tights, wear the dress belted, with a grandfather cardigan over it all…sounds comfy!!

I am so pleased with my Toggery experience so far…everything fits very well (for your information, I’m always a large on the bottom, size 32 or 12 jeans, and mostly a large on the top, but I can sometimes take a medium on top). All the pieces I received were larges – I could have gone with a medium in the long sleeve top, to cut out some of the scrunching, but I tend to like things for Fall/Winter longer and “scrunchier” – it’s just more comfortable! Also, everything’s been washed multiple times already and I don’t think anything shrunk…

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I’ve received quite a few bamboo pieces to review (scroll down for more reviews) this Eco-Month on Grechen’s Closet, but Lizzie Parker’s are definitely the most “fashion-forward” and unique of the bunch.

The “Short Twiggy” in “hotpants” has been getting me through the weekends, and walks with the dog. And it “dresses-up” quite nicely as well:

I love it tucked into to this high-waist skirt from American Apparel (more outfit details here) – it gives it a more “styled” look than they way I usually wear it – with my Splendid lounge pants or jeans. This top is made from 95% bamboo and 5% lycra, so it holds it’s shape exceptionally well, is really flattering on, and so soft and comfortable.

The “mtv” shirt is also really fun to wear:

It’s difficult to see from this picture, but it’s banded around the bottom, so it HOLDS everything in…seriously…and drapes out a bit in front. I have to wear a tank top underneath because the armholes are large, but I think this would be a great swimsuit coverup as well – if you size up so it hangs a bit lower. Again, this is made from 95% bamboo and 5% lycra. (outfit details)

Another Lizzie Parker staple in my wardrobe is this simple tank:

Although it’s really not so simple…It’s not available anywhere online, and I don’t have a more detailed picture, but it’s a racerback style, with thick hems and an extra-long style. It’s snug, so it’s super-easy to layer with; I also love to wear it with my Organic Cotton cardigan by SPUN, as well as under dresses. (outfit details)

Check out more places online to buy Lizzie Parker and her own website for more details on her collections.

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