Organic Spa Magazine’s “Organic Beauty & Lifestyle” Media Event 2014: The Best Of Green Spa Products And Philanthropy!

By Anne M. Raso

Organic Spa Magazine is not just about spas and the “green” health & beauty products they use and sell—this socially conscious publications also donates some of the proceeds from their publishing revenues and events to leading water charities. It was like a spa lovers’ dream to be handed a flute of champagne and wander around one of the top floor of the Mandarin Oriental. I started out with a couple of hand massages (after wonderful sea salt scrub treatments), my favorite being courtesy of Shea Moisture, who was partially there to launch a wonderful line of skin products made with acai and pomegranate called Superfruit Complex, not to mention a brand new makeup line that will be going into both spas and mass market stores.

Dozens of natural products and the spas a lot of them are sold in were on hand for media members to test. Eminence, a leading Hungarian skincare maker that dates back all the way to 1958 customized skincare for the press. Their products were in simple clear biodegradable plastic containers and most looked like ice cream and toppings to me. I was really tempted to dig in with a spoon even more after I smelled these products. I’ve already started on their Artic Berry Peptide Radiance Cream and I swear that my skin looks brighter in only a day.

Speaking of spas, the friendly folks from Acqualina Resort & Spa On The Beach in Sunny Isles Beach, FL, were there to discuss special yoga and health and wellness packages now offered at a bargain price. They have customized programs for three nights or more and are listed in The Leading Hotels Of The World and have prestigious Five Diamond Award. If you want a special itinerary of mat Pilates followed by a sauna, then a facial, then a hot stone massage, this is the place to do it. They feel that no spa lunch or service request is “too much” for their guests.

Some of the vendors at Organic Spa Magazine’s “Organic Beauty & Lifestyle” Media Event were more on the practical side and catered more to health rather than beauty. I am always happy to find natural ointments for the many cuts I get from tripping and falling on my knees in the cobblestone streets of the Meatpacking District or even just for the cuts I get on my feet from wearing new shoes (sadly, vegan leather is tougher on the feet than the real thing). At one of the booths, I discovered Columbia Healing Cream and Antiseptic Powder, which actually date back to 1877. This company was all natural and fragrance-free years before anyone else—not only do both products help heal cuts but they moisturize the skin. The products work simply with boric acid, talc and phenol, and the powder alone works on poison ivy, insect bites and razor irritation (besides minor cuts).

A newer company on the green scene was Me & The Girls Beneficial Organic Beauty, who were proud to introduce their new Bar Beleza Multi-Use Beauty Bar. It looks like a Chapstick but it is an all in one face primer and conditioning cleanser. It’s especially great for travel and one stick lasts for about 30 uses. Green tourism was represented at the Organic Spa Magazine “Organic Beauty & Lifestyle” Media Event as well, specifically through Morocco, Riviera Maya and India. There were handsome men from the Moroccan tourism board handing out mint tea that was a real treat. I was excited to discover exciting new lines from far away that are not yet sold stateside like Surya Brasil—a brand that focuses on animal and environmental preservation—and Africology from South Africa, a brand that uses African healing plants such as rooibos, aloe ferox, marula and African Potato.

I went home from the Organic Spa Magazine “Organic Beauty & Lifestyle” Media Event so relaxed I could not do anything but test out some of the take home items and lie back with a cup of green tea. It’s rare that a New York press event has that effect. If you want to learn more about Organic Spa Magazine and how it helps its readers live a healthy balanced and conscious life, go to organicmagazine.com. They even have free apps regarding spas, products and staying healthy.

Photos By Anne M. Raso