One Green Expert's Top 12 Picks + A Goodebox Giveaway

We love the idea of getting beauty, fragrance and all these other subscription boxes in the mail. But when what matters most to you is the safety and sustainability of your beauty products, its hard to find a service that curates their brands as hard as you’d like! Goodebox is a subscription box service that works with only green and clean brands – many of which have been featured here on the Chalkboard. We asked their founder, Aysia, to tell us about the products and brands that are personally impressing her, since we know she sees so much great stuff come across her desk! Here are Aysia’s top 12 picks, plus a huge giveaway  for up to ten Chalkboard readers!

Let me just say, this was a difficult list to make.  Every single brand we work with, and all of the products included in Goodebox, perform and are clean and effective. That said, of course there are a few that work really well for me personally that I’m  happy to share here. Are they for you? If you’re late 30s with combination skin, no real issue with break outs, starting to see fine lines, crows feet, and other (ahem) signs of having laughed a lot and spending too much time in the sun, with dry, curly hair and you wear minimalist makeup, these picks may well be a fit.

Suntegrity Tinted SPF 30 Moisturizer: I actually reaffirmed this today as a must-have product for me.  Having squeezed the last drop from my tube, I was tempted to try one from another brand. There was no comparison.  Suntegrity provides just the right shade and amount of color to help blend out redness and uneveness without being heavy, sinking into pores or looking like makeup at all. It leaves my skin looking clean, even and slightly dewy. Win.

Revolution Organics Freedom Glow Beauty Balm in Blushed: If I had to pick one item not to live without that helps me go from looked tired and pale to refreshed and healthy with a slight flush to the cheeks, this is it.  It’s easy to apply, and a tiny amount lends just the right amount of dewy color, again, without sinking into pores and it stays put all day long.

Rare Elements Pure Shampoo and Essential Conditioner: A package deal, really, and major therapy from root to tip, this duo makes my hair and scalp feel as healthy as they ever have. The shampoo deep cleans, dissolving dirt and oils that clog follicles to reduce fall out and encourage growth, and the conditioner provides rich moisture and nutrients to the scalp and each stand.

Londtontown Nail Lakur: I’m not very nice to my feet and I don’t often take the time to freshen up my pedi. That said, their 5 Free Lakur  (no formaldehyde or formaldehyde resin, toluene, DBP or camphor – all nasties to avoid) provides on-trend colors along with natural shades, doesn’t dry out my nails and stays put for weeks…no joke! If you do happen to have dry or brittle nails, they have a really nice nail conditioner as well.

La Bella Figura Paris Perfume Oil: How to pick just one when I love everything they make! Although I love all of their skin care, I’ll diverge here to mix up the list and go with a scent. Paris makes me smile, dream of travel and feel a little more lovely while I’m wearing it. It’s subtle, feminine, and the perfect blend of city and nature. Even though it’s natural, it has staying power yet it’s never too strong. And let’s face it, there’s not a lot worse that nose-burning, headache-inducing, harsh, synthetic perfumes. Why go there when there’s an option like this?

Kahina Giving Beauty Antioxidant Mask: This just feels so good and it shows when you’re done. No dried out, sticky, peeling mess to suffer through, it’s cool and refreshing, providing a deep clean and deep moisture simultaneously while imparting a healthy dose of cell-protecting antioxidants. A great way to get your glow on pre-event.

CV Skinlabs Calming Moisture: It’s like giving your face a drink! As a redhead, my skin tends to be on the sensitive side, with occasional redness and even though I have an oily T-zone, the skin on my cheeks and under my eyes tends to dry out quickly. This cream is the ideal pre-makeup moisturizer for soothing, all-day hydration. Their Body Repair Lotion is their below-the-neck counterpart for your driest body skin challenges.  

Arcona Cranberry Toner: Toner is not a step to skip in your beauty regime. It removes any left over dirt or product residue, tightens pores, and a good one, like this, will also impart water-soluble nutrients and hydration to boot.

NATURAL CALM MAGNESIUM SUPPLEMENT: It took me a little while to learn how to use this to greatest effect and to love it. Mixed with a little warm water, it readily dissolves into a fizzy, tart drink that works wonders on frayed nerves and never fails to help me nod off at night.

Preserve toothbrushes: With an easy-to-grip handle, perfect reach, soft (or firm) bristles, and fun colors, they come in their own travel case, and are made from recycled yogurt tubs that often go unrecycled. The pièce de résistance? When the toothbrush reaches the end of its useful life, you can send it back to Preserve to be recycled into something new!

Blissoma Amenda Solar Repair Anti Aging Serum: As someone who’s done some damage to my skin from too much sun as a very stupid teenager, I’m always on the lookout for something to help repair and prevent further assault. This super rich, thoughtfully blended serum features pomegranate extract, shown to help repair UV damaged cells, paired with a host of other actives in a quick-absorbing, low-scent serum that I wish I could submerge myself in from head to toe daily. 

Ladybug Jane Lip Balm: My lips seem to be perpetually chapped and as someone who just can’t seem to not bite at peeling skin on them, this lip balm is a life saver. It keeps them soft, moisturized, stops the peeling, and it tastes fantastic with zero guilt about licking it off to reapply.

I could absolutely go on, but alas, I’m out of room!  It’s fun, and a privilege, to work with leaders like these in the clean beauty market – proof positive that it’s not only possible to have healthy beauty that performs, but it’s happening.