Natura: Brazil

The world of lotions, soaps and other beauty products is way over my head. Just give me a Dove bar and Neutrogena moisturizer any day and I’m completely happy. Here in Brazil, however, men and women alike have a fascination with Natura, a line of personal care products sold through catalogs and representatives in both South America and France, Avon-style (which exists here too). After trying out a bunch of samples, I’m *this* close to being dangerously hooked on this stuff, because the products smell like yummy fruit and make my skin soft — a girl’s constant battle; guys, there’s an entire line dedicated to you. All of their products, from soaps to fragrances, contain natural ingredients found in Brazil, like guarana, cupuacu and andiroba, each known for their different properties. To boot, the bar soaps are made from 100% vegetable mass, with sustainably planted palm olein as the base, but Natura’s planning to start using oil found from other native palm tree fruit bought from co-ops and associations that exist near their factory in northern Brazil. I also love that some bars have two sides, one for exfoliation and the other for regular washing up. Another new thing they’re hyping is the use of tapioca in their lipsticks, which already are 80% vegetable-derived — sounds so good that you can almost eat it. You can order from the company here, but you’ll need to read Portuguese to get through the process; if anyone stateside knows of a US hookup please, let us know.