Currently obsessed with Avalon Organics

In an attempt to tame my inflamed, temperamental skin, I've turned to natural resources for help.  I usually have pretty good skin (thanks, mom!), so I'm not sure if it's age that's making my skin so VERY sensitive these days, or the random weather conditions that always plague New York, but I can tell you that the skin problems I've been having are far from pleasant.  As much as the product junkie in me wants to spend a lot of money on fancy lotions and potions to help solve my problems, I've found that Mother Nature usually has better options than man-made, chemical-laden concoctions.  In my efforts to naturally help alleviate my skin problems, I've tried plenty of brands that are out there, but have recently fallen in love with Avalon Organics.  I must admit the price tag is one of the things that's appealing to me about this line, but more than that, there's such a variety of efficacious skin care products that can be used on even the most sensitive types.  Finding products that are natural AND effective?  Kind of a big deal.  Here are some of my current faves from Avalon Organics:

For the face:
Vitamin C Renewal Moisture Plus Lotion Broad Spectrum SPF15 ($18.99) has a pretty long, self-explanatory name, but let me expand on its name a little.  Besides the SPF and the Vitamin C, it contains nourishing ingredients like sunflower, borage, and jojoba oils.  The Vitamin C tag teams with lemon bioflavanoids and white tea to make it a powerful antioxidant against future stressors on the skin.    

For the body:
CoQ10 Repair Ultimate Firming Body Lotion ($17.99) is one of those gems that you can't think can't be found in a natural product.  Typically when you're trying to rectify less-than-firm skin, you think you have to buy an expensive cream from a pushy saleswoman, but this product doesn't force you into the lion's den that is a department store sales floor.  This product relies on ingredients like aloe, avocado oil, chamomile, echinacea, lavender, shea butter, and coconut oil to give you firm, moisturized skin.  It aids in collagen and elastin production in the skin, making appear tighter and firmer now and in the years to come.

     
For shower time:
Olive & Grape Seed Shower Gel ($11) is an unscented shower gel that I like because it moisturizes my skin, without interfering with the perfume that I put on after the fact.  I actually can't stand when a shower gel smells REALLY good, but then doesn't come in a perfume, so unscented is the way to go a lot of times.  Also, this formula contains olive oil and grape seed oil, so it moisturizes deeply but doesn't feel like there's a residue left on my skin.  

For shaving:
Anybody who has shaved their legs after they've had a sunburn knows that gentle, unscented, lightweight shave creams are few and far between.  Aloe Unscented Moisturizing Cream Shave ($8.50) the skin, does not further irritate it with perfumes, and rinses clean away.  It's sort of like shaving with conditioner because it's so lightweight and leaves the skin feeling moisturized, but not greasy.  
All the products listed above are free of parabens, sulfates, petroleum, and artificial colors.  They all contain vegetarian ingredients, and are never tested on animals.  These products are just the tip of the iceberg, since this is a full line of skin, body, hair and baby care items.  A quick stroll down their section at Whole Foods and, I promise, you will find it hard to resist taking some of their products home.