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When you go to the store to purchase beauty and skin-care products, does reading the empty promises scattered across the purposefully eye-catching artwork on the box influence your decision whether or not to buy?
Do you go after brand names just because of that name, not taking the time to look and see if the product has any potentially life-altering side effects?
If you answered yes to either of those queries, you likely are a victim of a sneaky-yet-successful marketing campaign. And if you answered yes, local businesswoman Valerie Mason-Robinson has plenty of relatively inexpensive, high-quality, "green" alternatives for you.
Mason-Robinson owns the newly christened Eden Organix salon in Highland Park, which boasts being "au naturel" in everything from its beauty- and skin-care products to the very floors its customers walk on.
"Everything in the store is organic," said Mason-Robinson, who hosted a grand opening for the store, located at 215 Raritan Ave., on June 30. "Eden means paradise, so we wanted to make sure everything is natural."
The first thing you notice upon entering the store is its unique wood-like floor. That's bamboo. The bags in which you receive your products? They're 100 percent natural, too — made out of recycled paper. But the products themselves are the true gold mine of "green."
To the left of the entrance is the moms and babies section, featuring babywraps made of organic cotton, natural nursing creams and holistic medicines. Considering the target age of Mason-Robinson's clients is women 26 to 45, that's a good place to start.
Go a little to your right and you'll find a slew of facial creams, perfumes (not just for the body, but for homes and linens, too), soaps and more. From big brands such as Juice Beauty to smaller names such as Essensa, Eden Organix has it all — and not just for women.
"We're catering most to women — moms — but we'd like to attract other clientele, too, even men," she said.
Men are not too inclined to fret about makeup or beauty products, but they might have interest in the salon's massage services, skin-care products, nutrition and wellness experts and seminars. Health is a concern for everyone, not just women.
And that's where the "green" aspect of Eden Organix really kicks into high gear. According to Mason-Robinson, being responsible about your own health not only helps you live a better life, it can be an example for others to follow suit in domino fashion.
"It's about being conscious of what you can in your everyday life," said Mason Robinson, who gives 10 percent of the salon's proceeds to help needy women's, children's and environmental groups. "What you can do in life (for yourself), you can do in the environment. You can learn to be more sustainable in your lifestyle. What you do can make a difference."
Eden Organix certainly made a difference and eye-opening first impression on Carla Gathers, a resident of the Somerset section of Franklin who popped in for the grand opening. Gathers enjoyed a sample of the salon's services, including chair massage and skin foundation for her face.
"I was very interested in the whole organic concept after seeing report on how makeup can do damage," she said. "I want to preserve my skin so I can be around a lot longer, and I was pleased (with my Eden Organix experience)."
Walking Gathers through the lavish process was one of Eden Organix's five-person staff, spa director Donna Spinelli of Bloomfield.
"We want to provide the utmost luxuries, so we need to show people how we can do that while still preserving Earth's resources," she said. "Everybody's gonna jump on this boat soon. We're just pioneers in it right now."
While Mason-Robinson hopes her pioneering spirit leads to increased visibility for both her store and the "green" cause, her ultimate goal is to help others so they, in turn, can help even more people.
She maintains that giving back to the community isn't just about 10 percent charity profits, freebies or helping your neighbor. Those are valiant ideals, but saving the world — everyone's community — one small step at a time is of utmost importance.
"It's not just about making you look beautiful and fabulous," she said, " but about helping those who can't help themselves. It's about leaving a legacy not just for you but for your kids and everyone who comes after."
Jeff Weber: (732) 565-7327; jweber@mycentraljersey.com
Aging is not something we are able to avoid, but it is something we are able to figure out how to do well and with the right natural skincare products we'll feel better about ourselves and our environment.
Posted by: natural skin care | August 11, 2011 at 05:06 AM