6 Tips to Care for Your Skin Better -- and Greener!

Buy smart packages. The packaging of your product has even more to do with how "green" it is than what's inside that packaging. Some plastics, such as PVC (marked by a "V" and a recycling code 3), are even harmful to your health. Learn the different recycling codes for the plastics that are environmentally safe and recyclable, and look for those plastics when shopping for beauty products. Or, even better, opt for glass. Glass is always recyclable and has no nasty chemicals that will end up in your product (as with PVC).

Google the manufacturer. Going green is a hugely popular trend right now, and lots of companies want to be seen as jumping on the bandwagon. They know that a little leaf and a claim of environmentally safe packaging will attract plenty of potential consumers. But just because the packaging makes these sorts of claims doesn't mean the company really means them. When deciding between brands, take a minute to Google their manufacturing processes to see which has a greener reputation. Do they test on animals? Do they use environmentally- and health-safe ingredients? Choosing wisely not only gives you a superior product, it also sends cosmetics companies a message about what consumers want.