As you know, we LOVE moms almost as much as we love organic beauty products. Organic Beauty Now is teaming up with Epic Change, the masterminds behind Tweetsgiving to put together a very special Mother’s Day campaign called “To Mama With Love.”

This campaign harnesses the power of Twitter and blogs to honor moms across the globe, and raise funds for one remarkable mama to change the world. We hope to raise $50,000 in just one week to fund a home for 50 children in Mama Lucy's village in Tanzania.  The contest starts May 3rd and ends May 9th, 2010.

Here’s how it works

• Create a heartspace on tomamawithlove.org to show a mama your love, and donate $20 or more in her honor. You can include photo, video, writing, and artwork. 
• Send out a link to the heartspace you created.
• Organic Beauty Now will donate $1 for every tweet that mentions #tomamawithlove up to $2000 to fund the first room in the children's home.
• Organic Beauty Now will give away 5 gift cards worth $50 each. Anyone that follows @organicbeauties on Twitter during the campaign will be entered to win.
• You can view the tagged tweets and heartspaces on  tomamawithlove.org

Our friends over at Organicbeautynow have even offered our readers 20% Off! Just use coupon code: TMWL20 for 20% off, good May 3-15 at organicbeautynow.com

As wedding and prom season quickly approach, that age-old question comes into play: How am I going to do my hair?  Getting the perfect hair style for any special occasion can be a tricky art.  There is a lot to take into consideration such as what style to go with and what style will be most fitting for your “look.”  For this one-shot deal, you don’t want to get it wrong!  Below, Latrice Strader, master hair stylist & owner of Washington D.C. based salon and spa, Destiny De’ve knows how stressful an up do appointment can be, and offers a few simple tips to make sure your up do’s don’t turn into do up don’ts! 

• Down and Dirty:  There is some prep work that you should be aware of before getting your up do.  You may want to be fresh and clean when you go to the salon, but try to resist the urge to wash your hair the day of your up do.  “Hair that’s a day or two old is easier to work with,” says Latrice.  “When hair is too soft, it doesn’t hold curls or tease as well.”   When planning for a glam hair style, forget the rule “lather, rinse and repeat!”

• Avoid a Wardrobe Malfunction:   Wear a button-up shirt or a top with a loose fitting neck when you go in for your appointment.  There’s nothing worse than trying to maneuver out of a small neck hole while keeping your tresses in tact!  “Some women are so distracted with everything else on their mind that they don’t think about the shirt they are putting on over their head the morning of an up do,” says Latrice.  Stick with an easily escapable top, or you might end up having to cut yourself out of one of your favorite blouses!

• Think Total Package: Make sure you consider your entire look when selecting an up do.  Although choosing a hairstyle based on your face shape or hair-type are both effective techniques, don’t forget to factor in what you will be wearing for that special occasion.  Think about the top of your dress and what would flatter it the most.  “Strapless gowns generally look nice with some romantic waves or loose curls hanging down, whereas dresses with busy tops would look the best paired with a French twist or sleek pompadour ponytail,” advises Latrice.  Do a run-through by fixing your own hair as close to how you want it as you can, along with trying on your complete ensemble (shoes, bag, jewelry, the works), to see the whole picture.  You may discover everything doesn’t fit together quite like it does in your head, and you’ll want to be able to rethink things ahead of time. 

• Don’t be afraid of hair accessories:  Never underestimate the power of a well-placed accessory.  If you see a piece in a store or magazine that attracts you, ask your stylist if it can be incorporated into your up do.  Again, think total package.  “If the rest of your look is simple, playing up your face with a stunning flower or sophisticated headband can add some high drama to your look,” says Latrice.  But just don’t go overboard.  You want one show piece that’s going to stand out, so don’t do this if you already plan on wearing an elaborate dress, necklace or other attention-grabbing piece.  Simplicity is the key here.

• Inject some personality:  You should still look like yourself (albeit an even more devastatingly beautiful version of yourself) for your special occasion, so try to incorporate some of your own personal style.  “If you always wear your hair down, maybe try an up do with a part that has some face-framing locks falling down,” Latrice says.  “This way it’s similar to your typical look, but with some added glamour.”  You will have pictures from this event for the rest of your life, so you probably want to be able to recognize yourself in them.  Not only is it important to look like you, but also if you have an up do that fits your personality, you’re more likely to feel beautiful, and therefore more likely to work it!

• Honesty is the best policy:  If you are not 100% happy with your up do, don’t keep it a secret from your stylist (chances are he/she can tell just by looking at your face).  Let them know how you really feel so they can make changes before it’s too late!  “You may not want to sound rude or demanding, but your stylist would rather know if things aren’t looking like you imagined,” says Latrice.  “They will be able to adjust the up do for you better in the salon than you will be able to do yourself at home.”  That being said, keep in mind up dos are works in progress, and may look a little crazy at some points.  Feel free to ask questions if something concerns you, but remember that an up do generally doesn’t look chic and polished until the very end, when the final spritzing and smoothing is administered.

Meet Master Hair Stylist & Owner of Destiny De’ve, Latrice Strader

Latrice Strader, a native Washingtonian, is the owner/master stylist of Destiny De’Ve Salon and Spa located in the revitalized neighborhood of Columbia Heights in Washington, D.C. Latrice began her career as a stylist by enrolling in her high school’s cosmetology program. During the summer months she worked as an assistant to master stylists which help her to perfect her craft. Latrice graduated from high school as a stylist and began working on historic U Street. During her 12 year tenure, Latrice built a reputation for her expertise in multi-cultural styling and fashion forward styles that demand attention.

Jurlique

On Earth Day, Jurlique will take 25% off all orders placed via Jurlique.com and will donate a portion of all sales to help support local botanical gardens in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.  The donation will be used toward protecting and preserving these urban sanctuaries that cares for thousands of varieties of flowers.  For those of you in New York, Jurlique will also give away free day passes to the New York Botanical Gardens with every purchase made at the Jurlique Concept Store and Spa located at 477 Madison Avenue.  Can’t decide just what to purchase?  Consider the limited-edition Earth Day Bundlewhich contains 4 of Jurlique’s best-selling products: Lavender Hand Cream, Rosewater Balancing Mist, Balancing Day Care Cream, and Herbal Recovery Gel.

Burt’s Bees

This April, Burt’s Bees celebrates 40 years of Earth Day with a nod to none other than their namesake and co-founder, Burt Shavitz.  On April 22^nd, 2010, Burt look-alikes will take to the streets of New York, handing out samples and urging folks to be as eco-friendly as Burt in honor of the 40^th anniversary of Earth Day.  Passing out free “Burt” beards and hats, the Burt look-alikes will help transform the crowds into “Burts” themselves.  Look for them near Rockefeller Center and in Central Park.  Burt’s Bees will also be offering people-powered natural smoothies at a “Bike Blender” station in Times Square (the pedaling action actually powers the blenders), where visitors can stop by and enjoy a smoothie featuring natural ingredients.  Not in New York? Log on to www.findyourburt.com for more information and to learn ways you can be more eco-friendly!

Josie Maran

Looking for an eco-beautiful way to celebrate Earth Day?  Stop by your nearest Sephora and get your hands on Josie Maran’s new Magic Marker Lip and Cheek Stains!  If you’re looking for the perfect punch of color for spring and summer, consider it found!  Each vivacious color is named after a passionate dance, but you don't have to know the steps to get your heart pumping…just apply to lips or cheeks for instant gorgeous color that stays put.  Like all of Josie’s formulas, the stain is free of parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, and phthalates and comes in a recyclable tube—pretty for you and the environment!  Then really get in the green spirit by logging on to www.kelly-confidential.com to see the eco-beauty tips Josie recently shared with Kelly Ripa for Global Green!

Y'all know I'm always on the lookout for awesome companies that try to have a good moral conscience and use natural, healthy and safe ingredients. My latest obsession is KORRES. It's a Greek company with roots in the first Homeopathic Pharmacy of Athens.  In fact their first product was an aromatic herbal syrup with honey and aniseed.  Cool, right? Anyway, the company today offers more mainstream products but holding to their natural roots. 

I'm obsessed with the Guava showergel.  It's a creamy foamy showergel.  The gel is packed with aloe, wheat, shea butter and vitamins.  Why wheat you may ask? Well, wheat contains an abundance of B vitamins, which improves regenerative properties found in healthy skin. 

Love the scent of this too. It's very sweet but not overwhelming. 

Price: $19.50

Where to buy: Sephora.com

*A product was given to us for consideration of this review*

I have a new obsession–Lavera's Eyeliner. It's honestly velvety soft. Ooohh. It gives the smoothest application without dragging or skipping. It's made with beeswax, vitamin E and natural pigments. In a nutshell it's awesome. The black is seriously awesome it's such a dark and rich color. I also checked it on the Cosmetic Database and it's got a great score (meaning it's safe and healthy to be putting close to your peepers!

I love the brand's makeup so much because they use certified organic ingredients whenever possible. They never use synthetic preservatives, dyes or fragrances. And especially no genetically modified ingredients or petroleum based ingredients. Do you know why that's important? Because your skin absorbs 60% of ingredients put onto the skin and it's absorbed into your bloodstream within 15 minutes.  

It's prob because they're a European company and those Europeans have got higher standards than us over here! 

Available for purchase on Target.com and Lavera.com

When it comes to “going” green, most people think it’s going to cost a lot. And let’s face it, after the year we’ve all had, who can afford it?

Luckily, there are some really easy and inexpensive ways to go green this year.  For instance, did you know that switching from liquid to bar soap is one of the simplest ways to go green and actually spend less?

Fact: Bar Soaps use less packaging – most are usually packaged in recyclable cardboard boxes – and weigh less than their liquid soap counterparts. Meaning they need less fuel to transport and take up less room in landfills. According to Country Living Magazine,“Substituting one bottle with a bar in each U.S. home would keep 2.5 million pounds of plastic out of landfills.” Also, less of the product goes down the drain during use, so you get more bang for your buck.

So next time you browse the soap aisle why not consider picking up a bar of Yardley of London all natural or Botanical soaps.

One of my fave drugstore soap brands are Yardley of London.

Available at your local supermarket or drugstore Yardley soaps are all less than $3 a bar.