Lina Hanson - Eco-Beautiful: The Ultimate Guide to Natural Beauty and Wellness

I knew from a very young age that I wanted to become a makeup artist. When I was a little girl, I used to sneak into my mothers bathroom and try out all of her new cosmetics. Lipsticks, mascaras, perfumes, blushes, hand creams, body lotionsyou name it, I loved it! I was captivated by makeup. Id spend hours and hours in front of the mirror, copying the techniques and tricks I read about in her glossy fashion magazines.

Eventually I moved to New York City to pursue my passiona career as a makeup artist. I landed the dream job of assisting makeup artist Jeanine Lobell (the creator of Stila Cosmetics). She took me under her wing and truly taught me the trade. After spending 3 years working alongside Jeanine, I decided to pack my bags, give up my cute apartment in Manhattan, and drive cross-country from New York City to Hollywood. Today, I have a wide-ranging celebrity clientele and I work behind-the-scenes at red-carpet events, fashion shows, magazine shoots, and movie premieres

Moving from New York City to Los Angeles not only changed my career, it also opened my eyes to a more healthy way of living. Weekend activities like brunching at sidewalk cafs, sipping mocha lattes, and eating fattening quiche were quickly replaced with long hikes up Runyon Canyon and wholesome lunches of freshly made salads and juices. Trust me, when you go from wearing a bathing suit for 3 months out of the year to 9 months, you get in shape fast!

Soon I made even more changes: I began eating organic and locally grown produce, incorporated antioxidants and omega-3 oils into my diet, doubled my daily water intake, and reduced my sugar intake. Not only did my skin improve, but I had increased energy and clarity. And this newfound feeling of well-being made me want to be healthier and more conscious in other aspects of my life.

It also seemed that everywhere I turned, Californians werent just talking about getting healthy, they were also talking about going green. How can we help the environment? How can we use less energy? How can we stop global warming? How can each of us start making a difference in our own way? I wondered how I could make a difference. It was one thing to green my own lifestylerecycle more, drive less, use reusable water bottlesbut how could I make my concern for the environment a part of my work, my passion, my everyday trade?

At the same time, I began to notice a distinct shift in the cosmetics industry. Just as nutritionists were discouraging people from eating food that contained a laundry list of unpronounceable ingredients, there was also a heightened awareness of the potentially harmful ingredients found in many cosmetics. I discovered that there are many nasty and toxic ingredients listed right on the packaging of a lot of conventional makeup.

When I switched to an eco-friendly skin-care and makeup regimen, I saw big differences in my own skin almost immediately. I didnt have as many breakouts. The red spots I had had on my cheeks for years disappeared. In fact, my skin was glowing even when I wasnt wearing any makeup at all. That was when I realized how I could help the environment every day! Why not start using eco-friendly cosmetics in my practice? And thats exactly what I did.

When I first started doing makeup professionally, I could count on one hand the number of eco-friendly cosmetics products on the market, and they were mostly sold in health food storesnot exactly the sexiest environment for buying makeup. Now there are countless organic, pure mineral, and natural cosmetics companies that offer an impressive array of cosmetics sold everywhere from Sephora to Barneys to Target.

A few years ago, it was tough to get the look you wanted using nothing but green cosmetics because so few colors and varieties were available, and not every product worked for everyone. Many women might wonder if they will still be able to get that same look they love when they switch to eco-friendly cosmetics. My answer is, yes! You can be eco-friendly and still look beautiful. I call it eco-beautiful.

Eco-beauty is more than a buzzwordits a way of life. Becoming eco-beautiful is about being good to the environment and being good to yourself. Its about embracing your inner and outer beauty by using products that are from, quite possibly, the greatest makeup artist of all: Mother Nature. When you nurture your skin with natural products made from ingredients that are actually beneficial to your health, rather than harmful, it will show!

So many people these days pay close attention to what they put in their bodiesbut not everyone is as careful about what they put on their bodies. I want people to understand that you certainly dont have to sacrifice beauty by going green. There are countless, widely available, high-quality green cosmetics products that can help you achieve the look you want. The trick, as with anything, is to know how to do it. Thats where this book comes in. I will show you some extraordinarily effective techniques for creating any look you desire using only eco-friendly makeup. Theres no better feeling in the world than looking your best, feeling your best, and doing your best to help the environment.

Whether Im creating a red-carpet look for a celebrity attending the Academy Awards, helping a bride look perfect on her wedding day, or glamming up a friend who has a date, its a new and exciting experience each and every time I pick up a brush. And thats exactly what I want this book to be like for youa new and exciting experience every time you turn the page.

If theres one important thing Ive learned during my years spent working in the makeup industry, its that to be successful you have to continue to look to the future. And the future is looking more eco-friendly every day. So lets make it eco-beautiful!

Over the past few years, the green movement has hit our world like a tidal wave. From magazines to Web sites to blogs, its everywhere! Going green requires an active commitment to making the planet a cleaner, better place to livethereby ensuring a healthy future for everyone.

These days, being green is both fashionable and functional, and for many peoplefrom middle-class moms to movie starsenvironmental awareness is an integral part of everyday life. If the 1980s were about excess and the 1990s were about recovering from the 1980s, then the new millennium is about conservation.

Youve probably heard and seen countless lists of things you can do to help the environment: recycle, decrease your energy usage, eat locally grown produce, shop with reusable canvas bags, own one car (preferably a hybrid), and so on. Hollywood has certainly been at the forefront of this movement. Its next to impossible not to notice celebrities tirelessly advocating worldwide environmental awareness. From Halle Berry opting to use eco-friendly diapers to the cast and crew of Greys Anatomy using thermoses instead of plastic bottles on set, many celebrities are supporting environmental causes.

GETTING GREEN AND GORGEOUS

Some green habits are easier to adopt than others. While taking shorter showers may be a drag, using eco-friendly cosmetics couldnt be more fun! Its a great way to start greening your routine. Products that are made with only natural or botanical ingredients are better for both you