Green beauty panel and pampering on 5/13

Sure, you've heard your shampoo might have unhealthy synthetic chemicals in it. But scary stories about one chemical or another -- contained even in supposedly "green" personal care products -- hits the news so often that many people throw up their hands and just keep using what they've been using, health scares be damned.

Now L.A.'s getting a green beauty event based not on fear, but around organic fun. Organized by Opportunity Green, "Beauty and Sustainability: An Eco-Evening of Networking, Pampering and Discovery" brings enviro-health education together with a fun night of pampering, complete with organic appetizers and wines, manicures from water-based nail polish company Acquarella and mini-facials from paraben-free beauty company Jurlique.

When: Tuesday, May 13, 7:30 to 10 pm
Where: lululemon athletica, 334 N. Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills
Cost: $20, of which an unspecified portion will be donated to the Breast Cancer Fund. RSVP online.

The night will feature a panel of experts, including Stacy Malkan, co-founder of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and author of the "Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry." (Read her recent interview with Grist here). Joining Malkan will be Rachelle Carson (a.k.a. Mrs. Ed Begley Jr.), Jolene Anello of Jurlique, Renata Helfman of Venice's Vert beauty store, and Mark Deason of Acquarella.

I'm most curious about the Acquarella nail polish, having recently read Sarah van Schagen's review of "less toxic" nail polishes from major companies. Van Schagen's conclusion: "The chemical smell from all of these suggests that pursuing your polish habit may not be the best bet for your health." However, she stuck to the major brands, none of which are water-based, as Acquarella's line is. Will Acquarella nail polish work as well as the "regular" stuff? RSVP online to attend the event and find out.

Opportunity Green, originally an annual green business conference, is keeping busy lately. Its launch party last night for Room 367, a green business networking event for young professionals, brought out a diverse crowd of twenty- and thirtysomethings to talk enviro-biz over organic wine and appetizers (above). No news yet, however, on when the next Room 367 event will take place.

Bottom photo by Siel