Consumer Choices: More than Meets the Eye

Or it it? Why do consumers make the choices they make? Is it really based on all the reasons that we think it is? People say that they only order "healthy" when they eat out or that they only want to put organic beauty products on their face or that they will only drink the wine made with the very best grapes. But are these the things that ultimately guide our spontaneous purchasing decisions? Or does it have a lot more to do with what we don't consciously think about?

Take product packaging for example. I'm no wine connoisseur myself, but I frequently purchase a bottle to drink with dinner. (Yes, I'm 21.) How do I chose which bottle to buy when the entire aisle 5 at Safeway is filled from top to bottom with various wines with names written in French, Italian, Portuguese and more?

Ultimately, I will be the first to admit, it comes down to aesthetics. Hey, that bottle has a picture of a crazy chicken on it - that seems appealing, or at least entertaining. Or hey, that bottle is shaped differently than the others-it looks kind of short and stubby - let's take pity on it and buy that one. What makes one bottle look classy and another look cheap? Is there any real basis for these distinctions? You decide...

Who Says There's Nothing to Do (With Kids)?

Check out Bay Area Kid Fun for a list of fun things to do! (Parents & Children)

The Monterey Bay Aquarium

Zeum

Children's Discovery Museum

Chabot Observaroty & Science Center

The Exploratorium
The Oakland Zoo

The San Francisco Zoo

McD's Pledges Allegiance to the Green Movement?

Much of the world is going green! We've mentioned here that cosmetics and skincare are becoming more aware of the advantages of organic products. Now let us mention that McDonald's has attempted to do their part as well.

They may not have claimed to be going organic, but they are attemping to be just a little more eco-friendly. McDonald's pledged to recycle/re-use the cooking oil in its restraunts. The cooking oil is used as an environmentally-safe biodiesel. This was breaking-news back in the summer of 2007!

But does this make up for past "travesties"? It was only a year and a half ago that McDonald's teamed up with Hummer to put mini-gas-guzzlers in their Happy Meals. Advertising Hummers to children? Maybe not unethical per say, but certainly not paving a green brick road to the future.

Whatever it is, it's definitely worth looking into. Maybe this should be one of the issues -- not that we don't have enough -- on the political battlefield. How do candidate's feel on cracking down on greenwashing? Who will be responsible for corporate responsibility?

Safe Cosmetics Campaign Spreads Nationwide

Do you remember when global warming was just a figment of the youth's/Democrat's/fill-in-suitable-demographic-profile here imagination? It was the pre-Gore war: raging liberal environmentalists vs. corporate America. Weapons of choice? Scientific journals and meek politicians, thrown in each other's faces like so many bits of confetti. And now look at it - 9 out of 10 Americans agree: we're in trouble.

Grassroots is where most mainstream movements gain momentum and spread. And now, after local campaigning and internal organizational efforts, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is moving to that grassroots level - nationwide.

We've been following their progress and have been impressed with their results so far. Apparently, harnessing teens is a big plus in grassroots efforts, as they have time, energy, and an enormous peer audience. Next week, in fact, Marin County is playing host to the 3rd Annual Teens for Safe Cosmetics National Summit where leaders will convene to spread awareness about the issues and teach how to further the campaign's goals.

Education being one of them - here is a recent finding, lifted from one of their newsletters, about triclosan, a common ingredient in antibacterial soaps, oh so popular in this winter cold season.

"Researchers warn that triclosan, a chemical used as an antimicrobial and preservative, acts as an endocrine disruptor. Exposure to endocrine disruptors can lead to early puberty, serious reproductive issues and breast cancer. Triclosan's hormone-mimicking behavior could also be responsible for harming aquatic wildlife, since this chemical is washed into our waterways."

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Mother Daughter Flicks for Every Occasion

It is always important to take a little bit of time out of your schedule and spend it with your loved ones. It is even more important to spend some real quality time with your mother and/or your daughter. A mother-daughter relationship is one that can never be replaced. "Mother-Daughter Movies: 101 Films to See Together" is a book that lists a ton of movies to watch with your mother or daughter.

I Recommend

Riding in Cars with Boys
White Oleander

Freaky Friday

Stepmom

Amelie

A Little Princess

Whale Rider

Bend it Like Beckham

The Joy Luck Club

Moody Foody

Heres a quick list of what to eat to improve your mood!

In order to feel:

Calm, Upbeat, or Sleepy - Eat 100% Carbohydrate meal

Focused - Eat a lot of Protein and some Carbohydrates

Happy - Eat Omega 3-fatty acids (salmon, sardines, trout, herring, flaxseed oil, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts.)

Antioxidants: What's in, what's out, and what's (About) to come

It seems that just about everyone is really big on following health trends, and as many of you may know, antioxidants has been the latest craze! Antioxidants help to maintain health and prevent diseases such as cancer. Blueberries and pomegranates have become popular due to the fact that they contain antioxidants. All kinds of drinks and meals have been oomph-ed with the help of blueberries and pomegranates.

BUT why follow a trend when you can be a part of the trend-setting? Blueberries and pomegranates are currently in, but will shortly be on their way out! Its time to get your Acai berry and Goji berry fix!

Acai has been claimed to be ‘Nature’s Energy Fruit’ and one of the most powerful foods in the world. It is a small berry found in Brazil’s Amazon region. And, it is recommended by Dr. Perricone on Oprah.com - what more could you ask for?

Goji berries are found in subtropical regions of China, Tibet and Mongolia. They have been used for over 6,000 years to boost the immune function and promote longevity. Containing 19 amino acids (including the 8 essential ones) and essential fatty acids like omega-6, they fill in where many foods leave off. They also contain Vitamin E, which is virtually unheard of in fruits.

The Going Green Scene

But what does it all mean, this “Going Green” scene? Suddenly it seems that the entire country has been sprinkled with tree leaves in a surge of environmental concern. The major commercial cities that we live in are suddenly teeming with silver Prius hybrids. People are buying Lancome beauty products to reduce their carbon foot-printing. People are living with their thermostats turned low in the middle of winter and buying only organic tomatoes in the supermarket. Are all of these rituals and decisions that we make on a daily basis going to eventually impact the world? How much does the average consumer know about the production of these products and the actual effect that their purchases will have on the environment?

Mark Lynas from UK’s "The Guardian" says that “Some in the business community argue that the whole green consumerism thing is just a passing fad, a sort of climatic version of the dotcom bubble.” Yet, it seems that this new trend is creating a positive fervor amongst the American public to start making a difference in their own lives and start holding those in power accountable. Al Gore recently announced that he has finished an all-inclusive remodel of his house in Nashville to make it more energy efficient and has been praised by a building-industry group, the US Green Building Council, that his house is one of the “nation’s most environmentally friendly.” He installed solar panels, a rainwater collection system and geothermal heating. Is this the type of life-remodeling that we all should be doing?

"You're going to have people try to attack the messenger in order to get at the message. They have not been able to succeed," he told CNN from Norway, where he picked up the Nobel Peace Prize for his environmental work. ‘The only way to solve this crisis is for individuals to make changes in their own lives.’” Noble effort, Mr. Noble Peace Prize, but have consumers really developed a sudden desire to redo the years of destruction caused by previous generations, or are they just hopping on this “green” bandwagon because it is this season’s new black? Maybe only time will tell…

Another Chance for a New Year Resolve

The beginning of 2008 is coming to an end as the month of February is coming up. Most people around this time are considering a bit of spring cleaning and having thoughts about chocolates and flowers for their Valentine. It may have only been three weeks since we all celebrated on New Year's Eve, but I'm sure many of the resolutions that were made have already been broken.

The Chinese New Year is the answer to all of those who weren't quite ready to commit to their first resolutions. February 7th will mark the end of 'the year of the pig' and the beginning of 'the year of the rat.' It will also mark the very beginning of the 12 year animal signs cycle! A fresh start for everyone!

Anyone and everyone can partake in the festivities. Decorate your home with red and gold. Red symbolizes health and gold symbolizes wealth. Greet family and friends with red envelopes for good luck and wish them 'gung hay fat choy!' ('Wishing you prosperity' in Cantonese.)

Beauty Fusion - FAFI

I just picked up the February issue of Teen Vogue and stumbled across what I like to call 'Beauty Fusion!' Eva Chen from the Beauty Blogger team at Teen Vogue talked with FAFI. FAFI is an amazing artist AND a guest creator at M.A.C.

FAFI adds her raw urban edgy style to a few cosmetics. The products have her familiar 'grafiti-esque' pop art graphics and all the different hues and shades of the cosmetics are much like her artwork.

Power to the Consumer! Cosmetics Purchases Require Self-Education and Awareness

It appears that the media is trying to strike fear into the hearts of cosmetic and skin care consumers. However, what it really ought to be is ‘a word of caution,’ and a step towards taking the time out to educating ourselves. Consumers see news headlines that read of the latest chemical scandal or the latest finding of cancer caused by certain ingredients and soon there after millions of people tossing out all of their products, growing wary of future purchases. They become nervous, skeptical, and sometimes just plain freaked out.

Now the question has arisen: ‘Is Natural and Organic Skin Care Safer?’

We often assume that the products on the shelf are safe - why else would they be there? Consumers want to trust that the products have been run through series of tests and passed with flying colors. What most people don’t know is that there is no real regulation from the FDA when it comes to cosmetics. Scary, huh.

The best thing for a consumer to do is to simply become more aware of the products they are using and its ingredients. Just about any company can say they are ‘organic’ or ‘natural’ but a savvy consumer can read the label and discover if it is, in fact, true. Also, it benefits shoppers to learn more about the certification that is required for a product to be considered organic or natural. Knowledge, as always, is power.

Organic Beauty -- Making a Comeback

Organic Beauty is making a comeback in the way that fashion trends and fads often do. Few people may know that the concept of 'looking beautiful naturally' has been around for nearly sixty years. However, the increasing popularity of wanting to use safe-natural ingredients will never go out of style.

Liz Hancock reports in her article “Organic Beauty: All-Natural Women”, that Weleda, Dr Bronner, and Dr Hauschka were the few initiators and are now thriving in this day and age. Being environmentally aware has become a standard and is allowing for the take-off of new beauty-brand launches.

It definitely has not always been this way. Dr Emanuel Bronner, the founder of Dr Bronner Soaps, was criticized and labeled a crackpot for being such a forward thinker. 'Supporting environmental, anti-communist and pacifist causes' has become mainstream and supporters won't be labeled crackpots, but rather eco-friendly reinforcements.

The beauty products that were produced back before the 19th century were typically home-made and were unable to last. Today’s beauty products are made with a touch of sophistication with the help of savvy technology. The process and ingredients may be a little different, but the general idea to keep the products safe and natural has remained.

Organic Beauty may seem like a rising trend, but it has been around for quite some time. It's time for all of us as consumers to take notice of it, the way we do with the environment and other common issues of the world.

Three Notable Predictions in Beauty for 2008

There's something about a New Year that gets people thinking about health. We make countless resolutions to stop smoking, start dieting, and so on. (The month of January is a field day for makers of dietary supplements and anti-smoking aids.) It's also the month that we start thinking about the coming year, making predictions about everything under the sun. This being a blog on organic skincare, let's take some forecasts for the beauty industry in 2008.

Increased demand for preventative skin treatments. The shift to a healthier, more natural lifestyle and the confidence that people can improve their complexion through natural, preventative treatment, especially for skin issues that previously called for highly chemical "cures". Companies that specialize in organic acne treatments may emerge to fulfill this demand.

Other predictions - Beauty niche going mainstream? From the Telegraph: "Organic, plant-based ranges such as Dr Hauschka, Jurlique, Spiezia Organic, Weleda, Neal's Yard and the Organic Pharmacy have enjoyed something of a niche market until now. But this year they are going mainstream."

Trust becomes a major factor for beauty care purchases. From RealSelf: "2008 will be the year in which trust in what's inside a beauty product begins to matter just as much as other attributes like brand, packaging, and formulation."