I hate neglecting my feet once sandal season comes to an end, so every so often I like to scrub my feet with a homemade, natural foot scrub and then give myself a little pedicure. As I was painting my toes last night, the smell made me think: Are there eco-friendly nail polish alternatives?

Adria Vasil, of Ecoholic fame, recommends No-Miss and Suncoat nail polish. Though they aren't 100 per cent natural, she says, they're better than a lot of products on the market. Both are commonly available at health stores. Vasil also says that Revlon and L'Oreal's Jet-Set Shine are free of formaldehyde and toluene (two big environmental offenders that are often found in nail polish).

Also, a brief search on the Internet introduced me to Acquarella, described as water based and non toxic, and Peace Keeper (which also carries a vegan, biodegradable nail polish remover). Acquarella and Peace Keeper can be purchased online.

Prefer to get pampered by an esthetician? Bring your eco-friendly nail polish to the spa with you.

Here's to happy feet!

Give yourself the perfect pout!

We're all on a quest to find eco-friendly - or at least safe - beauty products. And if you've had the same experiences I've had, you know it can be a chore. I was recently sent samples of J.R. Watkins Natural Apothecary Lip Tints, and was very impressed with the product.

It's a typical beeswax lip balm with a hint of colour - nothing too overbearing. I found the Lip Tints moisturize while sprucing up my lips for a night out. An added bonus: they contain Shea butter, which is a natural ultraviolet sun protector.

They're available in four different shades (Tickled Pink, Strike-a-Rose, Simply Mauve-lous and Berry Charming). You can find them at Shopper's Drug Mart, Zellers and Keil's for $5.99 each. They also make a perfect gift.

What I love about J.R. Watkins is their commitment to using natural ingredients in all their products. The company also boasts environmentally friendly ingredients from renewable resources, and the avoidance of the use of chemical offenders such as parabens, sulfates and phthalates.

Is being eco-friendly on your mind when shopping for beauty products? Which brands would you recommend?