Sweet Skin Treats

Our bodies' protective outer layer is under constant environmental stress, not to mention the pressure to be pretty. Your skin could probably use some nourishment about now. But remember: While many new cosmetics "flavored" with cocoa, tea and ginger smell good enough to eat, they're not. And because skin is a highly absorptive organ, it's best to avoid toxic ingredients, including:

*phthalates, linked to liver cancer in animal testing and developmental harm in lab animals; and

*parabens (methyl-, butyl-, ethyl- or propyl-), which mimic estrogen and stimulate growth of breast-cancer cells in the lab.

For the rest, read labels with The Green Guide's Dirty Dozen card in hand (downloadable at www.thegreenguide.com), taking care to avoid "fragrance" (a catchall term that can cover up the presence of phthalates).

Product Picks

Face: Rose Water & Vitamin C Face Day Creme, handmade in Brooklyn, N.Y., by Winifred McBride, smells of wild roses by the sea. Its smooth texture and slightly astringent feel go with rosewater's oil-fighting properties ($22/2 oz., at pharmacies and at select NYC boutiques listed at www.mcbridebeauty.com or www.stevenalan.com). Pungently floral, Iris Moisture Cream by Weleda also has organic jojoba, beeswax, calendula and witch hazel ($18/1 oz., at natural foods and drugstores or at www.usa.weleda.com). Origins' new A Perfect World Antioxidant Moisturizer with White Tea is light-textured with no parabens and a delicate apricot scent that comes only from plant essential oils ($35/1.7 fl. oz., www.origins.com).

Body: You can't go wrong with venerable Aubrey Organics; savor their Sea Buckthorn with Ester-C Nourishing Hand & Body Lotion ($12.95/8 oz., www.aubrey-organics.com). Rich and lemony, Aveda's Hand Relief contains echinacea, licorice, meadowfoam and aloe, and their "fragrance" is mixed from plants ($18/4.2 oz., $7.50 for handy 1.4-oz. travel size; www.aveda.com, 800-644-4831). Heal and pamper with Burt's Bees Vitamin E Body & Bath Oil, redolent of almond, lemon and rosemary ($8 /4 fl. oz., www.burtsbees.com). Chocoholics, kick up your heels! Cocoa Therapy Deeply Nourishing Body Butter by Origins is phthalate- and paraben-free. Comes in a pot like chocolate mousse, but won't make you gain an ounce. Despite potentially toxic and skin-irritating glycol ethers, it's a step in the right direction ($27.50 /8 fl. oz., www.origins.com).

For Baby: Mango and coconut add tropic sweetness to aloe, camomile and lavender in Druide's certified-organic Baby Soothing Skin Lotion ($12.95/6 fl. oz., www.druide.ca).

For New Moms: Tummy Honey Stretch Mark Prevention Cream is a golden beeswax belly balm (www.inventiveparent.com/tummyhoneystretchmarksolutions.htm).

Edible Energizers: Take a tea-and-chocolate break: Green Tea Lovers certified-organic Jasmine Gold Dragon Green Tea tastes of flowers and is rich in antioxidants ($9.99/3.5 oz., www.greentealovers.com). Organic India's certified organic Tulsi Tea, made from Holy Basil leaves and flowers, energizes ayurvedically, being caffeine-free ($5/25 bags or $8/100g tin, www.omorganics.com). Sumptuous, bittersweet bars of Divine certified fair-trade chocolate, from a farmer-owned cooperative in Ghana (www.divinechocolate.com), and Green&Black's delectably silky organic, fair-trade, shade-grown bars (www.greenandblacks.com) can be bought at mindful groceries like the Kitchen/Market in New York.

For a list of other brands with a conscience, see Tea, Chocolate and Moisturizers Product Reports.