When it comes to shopping for beauty products Whole Foods might be one of the most overlooked resources. I for one am in a Whole Foods almost every week and the beauty section ususally doesn’t register in my head till I’m on line to pay and see it out of the corner of my eye! I went to an event the other week though which was basically set-up like a mini trade show to showcase some of Whole Foods’ beauty brands and I have to say I was impressed. Here in NYC drugstores are increasingly carrying the same high-end brands (think Bb) that you’d find at Sephora so the options tend to be $25 Bb shampoo or $3 Pantene with very little in between. Whole Foods does a great shop at filling that in-between price range and all of their products are vetted to be natural or organic and free of parabens and all those other chemicals that we worry about being in our skincare, deodorants, hair products, etc.

Some faves are Avalon Organics (check-out their Lavender Moisturizer), Pangea Organics (their Bar Soaps’ packaging can be planted in dirt and it will grow! I must have done something wrong with mine though because last summer I tried planting it in the Hamptons and nothing ever came of it…), MyChelle (they’re actually partnering with a few other brands to offer customers at select Whole Foods the opportunity to get a free skincare analysis using an Imaging System. It snaps a picture of your face and gives you a complexion profile with an eight point analysis focusing on skin irregularities, wrinkles, texture, p-bacteria, pores, age spots, UV spots, and vascular areas taking into account your age. It then recommends products for you to use, which is awesome for people who get overwhelmed by all the choices).

I also wanted to mention Everyday Shea. I met the founder at the event and he was such an awesomely genuine person. The brand focuses on fair trade and donating some of their profits to help disadvantaged children by giving them bicycles to give them an incentive to stay in school. While all their products are safe for tots, their Baby Lotion is particularly adorable!