Do you know someone whose presence is instantly uplifting? In the world of green beauty, that person is Sarita Coren. She’s the multi-talented voice behind Edible Facial, a photographer, writer and brand consultant.
What makes Sarita so special isn’t simply what she’s doing—although what she does is pretty darn impressive—it’s how she’s doing it. Sarita is a force of positivity and encouragement, working to maintain high ethical standards across the green beauty industry.
There’s so much that goes on behind the scenes. Whether the topic du jour is greenwashing or jargon best practices (is it clean, green, natural or nontoxic!?), Sarita is right there in the thick of it, using her influence not for shallow self-promotion, but for the long-term wellbeing of this industry.
Oh, and did I mention she does all that while raising five kids? Yep, that’s how she rolls.
So please join me in my admiration for this dynamic woman:
TBP: You always find amazing indie beauty brands to share on Edible Facial. What do you look for in a natural beauty product?
Sarita: There are so many great natural beauty products now! Before I agree to review a product, I look at the ingredients first and foremost, but I also want to know who is making the product and how well they know skin and formulas. The more I learn about skincare and formulations, the more I want someone experienced, responsible, and knowledgeable behind the products.
TBP: What does clean living mean to you? Do you “live clean”?
Sarita: I’ll be rebranding soon and my site will be called “the hub of clean living” so that is a great question and one that I ask myself often. In some ways I do live clean and in other ways, I’m still a work in progress and likely always will be.
To me, living clean is so much more than eating healthy and choosing clean household and personal care products. Living clean is about cleaning out the thoughts and emotions that no longer serve me. It is about getting to the root cause of everything–from relationships to parenting to any health concerns–and starting the healing from the source.
Everything begins and ends from Source, which is our sacred and divine origin. So clean living is about tapping into that force as much as possible and living from there.
TBP: You cover wide-ranging topics from natural cleansers to emotional wellness, yet your transition between subjects is seamless. What’s the connection between inner and outer beauty? And is this connection affected by getting older?
Sarita: I love your questions! I think I answered some of this in the last question. Ultimately, I believe everything emanates from one place and when we tap into that force, there is no transition between inner and outer beauty because they are one and the same.
To clarify, this has nothing to do with religious beliefs or with any belief system at all. This is going beyond our human “beliefs” and deepening it into a Universal Wisdom that doesn’t distinguish differences among people. I hope that makes sense.
As for getting older, I am still in progress and in process. It doesn’t end at a certain age. However, I am the sum total of all my experiences–and this gets deeper and richer over time.
Also, it’s easier to let go of old hangups. Something that would have burdened me years ago, I can say now, “this isn’t worth my time and energy,” and let it go. I have different therapeutic and spiritual tools at my disposal today than I did in my 20s that have proven indispensable to my growth as a human being.
So yes, as my tapestry deepens, the connection between inner and outer beauty deepens. I’ve come to realize there is no gap.
TBP: How do you think the green beauty industry can better serve American women in 2016 and beyond?
Sarita: I think that the current natural consumer wants truth and honesty above all else. I hope to see core shifts in marketing from steering clear of exaggerated claims to letting go of terminology that doesn’t support us.
Words like “beach body ready,” “anti-aging,” “flawless skin,” “erase wrinkles,” and other phrases have become such common terms that we have stopped noticing how much they’re contributing to a dissatisfied state rather than a state that is enthralled by our own glory–not from an egoic perspective, but from the recognition of the wonder and wholeness of the human body.
That said, I’d love to see green beauty embracing natural aging as a positive progression, more diversity in ad campaigns, think: people of many colors, ages, shapes, and sizes, and more positive messaging the likes that would make Louise Hay proud.
Finally, greenwashing needs to go. Brands that claim to be natural better be able to prove that they are, and “green beauty” will become the new “beauty.”
Soon, non-green brands will have to stick labels on their bottles that say: “Contains chemicals that may prove harmful to your health and to the environment” OR “Produced in a facility that does not treat its workers fairly.” Because we need to be aware before we buy. I wrote about that here.
TBP: I was really touched by your How do I do it all? article. You have five kids, run a successful business, and are an influencer in an industry you obviously care a lot about. You’ve got a lot going on! Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give to your 25-year-old self?
Sarita: Thank you! That means a great deal to me and that’s another great question. I’d tell my 25 year old self who was clueless about what she wanted to do with her life not to worry and that every step in the road builds valuable wisdom and experience that the next step would depend on. I would also give her a big hug and say thank you.
