Eco Chic: The Best in Organic Luxury

Made with purified glacial water (it’s rich in skin-saving and skin-soothing minerals), natural certified organic and pesticide-free ingredients, the non-toxic Strange Invisible Perfumes Hydro-Distilled Bergamot Lotion leaves skin silky-smooth and exquisitely scented.

What makes it pricey: Like every product in the line, the lotions are hand-blended in limited batches and the fragrances are hydro-distilled, which means the plant “essence” is gently extracted to keep the integrity of the botanical scent in tact. Sounds simple? The multistep (and very carefully monitored) process involves placing plant materials in a flask, filling the flask with water and then bringing that to a boil. As the steam rises, it hits the condenser and is sent down a glass tube into a funnel until the final step where the essential oil floats to the top of the hydrosol; the two are separated and bottled.

Derived from the conditioning oil of Rahua nuts collected from the Amazon Rainforest by the Quechua-Shuar tribe, Rahua Elixir is a frizz-fighting hair serum that revives weak strands and a dry scalp. Besides being a tried-and-true regimen of women from the tribe for years, the serum is also 100-percent natural, vegan, organic and wild-crafted.

What makes it pricey: According to Fabian Lliguin, CEO of the line, the luxury price point of the product reflects the unique ingredients and the way they are obtained—a process that he feels directly helps the planet. “The precious ingredients, like the Rahua, are made by hand deep in the heart of the Amazon rainforest, by talented people, using the same traditional techniques for hundreds of years,” he says. “Plus, the Elixir is 100-percent pure, without any silicone or synthetics added.”

A serious mix of Himalayan salt crystals and wild-grown argan oil, a fast-absorbing fatty oil rich in vitamin E, makes Ila Body Scrub for a Blissful Experience a luxurious exfoliator that nourishes while it softens. The company uses only natural preservative systems (like aniseed, cinnamon and balsam) in all of its products, and the essential oils are steam distilled, which allows them to be extracted without the use of any chemicals.

What makes it pricey: The scrub includes a long list of true, chemical-free organic ingredients that are 100-percent natural. In addition to distilling its essential oils, the argan oil is cold-pressed, which means it retains more of its nutrients. But the real differentiating factor is in the salts. According to the company, the Himalayan salt crystals they use actually have the power to strengthen your bio-energy field.

All of the line’s formulations boast the real deal in botanicals and holistic blends, but Tammy Fender’s Quintessential Serum (it’s the company’s most popular product) takes center stage for its ability to absolutely transform the skin and deliver a serious dose of hydration and radiance.

What makes it pricey: For starters, you won’t find any water or preservatives in this highly concentrated blend. The formulation, which Fender refers to as “food for the cells,” only features the purest in essential fatty and gamma linolenic oils, multivitamins and the anti-aging and aromatherapeutic properties of rose, chamomile and frankincense.

Certified natural, socially responsible and with the clinical data to back it up, Amala Rejuvenating Eye Cream goes to work on pretty much every under-eye perfection with a potent mix of beautifying botanicals like acai, licorice root and green algae.  

What makes it pricey: The antioxidant-rich and free radical-defender cocoa bean, a key ingredient in the cream, is sourced from a fair-trade farm in Peru. Plus, all the ingredients are custom-distilled, which helps the plants keep their potency.

Unique blue color and exotic scent aside, essential oil–packed May Lindstrom The Blue Cocoon’s balm consistency sinks into skin for an immediate hydrating and nourishing effect that delivers a guaranteed glow.

What makes it pricey: All of the products in the line are made from proprietary formulas—there’s no outsourcing, no labs involved and no fillers and everything is produced in “micro-batches,” which involves manufacturing in a studio, not a plant.

Earth Tu Face Exfoliant Mask’s multitasking magic works as either an exfoliator or leave-on product to make skin soft and smooth. Bentonite clay draws on impurities, while calendula and carrot seed soothe stressed skin.

What makes it pricey: The formula counts the trifecta of lavender, rose petals and chamomile as skin savers that help prevent blemishes, reduce redness and brighten the skin. An added bonus: They are all grown and hand-harvested at the company’s own garden.

The totally natural formula of Tata Harper’s Concentrated Brightening Serum smells so intoxicating you’ll want to keep slathering it on your skin, but it’s the hard-working botanicals that balance, bust pigmentation and help reduce the look of wrinkles.

What makes it pricey: This one little bottle has 35 active ingredients (the company claims most products only contain one to three), plus they stand by an R&D process that aims to fix a skin problem however it can via natural ingredients—not produce a product that hits a certain price per ingredient.

Clarify and hydrate skin with this delicately scented rose-infused nourishing oil-serum. Its unique lightweight texture goes on smooth enough to wear well under makeup, while it imparts a healthy glow.

What makes it pricey: Like all the products in the line, pure organic ingredients with a luxurious twist (champagne, caviar and truffles) take priority on the product label. What makes this serum special is its use of privately sourced carrot seed oil, an emollient that has a high concentration of anti-aging vitamin A.

Available July 2014