Natural leaders: these four beauty insiders are making a difference in your looks—and helping the planet in the process

Shape, April, 2005 by Mary Rose Almasi

During April, Earth Month, the challenge for each of us is to do at least one thing that helps the planet. In the world of beauty, you have many options: Recycle containers from your shampoo/conditioner, skin-care or makeup products; educate yourself about botanical ingredients; and use products that create less waste. For each of the following beauty insiders, these actions are integral to their daily work ethic. Whether they're trying to improve the world by contributing less to overburdened landfills or by spreading knowledge about how to--respectfully--tap the planet's riches to look beautiful, these pioneers from different sectors of the beauty business all serve Mother Nature.

A champion for the planet

John Paul DeJoria, chairman and CEO of John Paul Mitchell Systems

John Paul DeJoria heads up one of the world's most successful hair-care companies: John Paul Mitchell Systems. But more important than the dollar value of this Southern California-based salon brand are the values of DeJoria himself. "Corporations can and should change the world for the better," says DeJoria. "We have the perspective needed to leave the world a better place." What that means for Paul Mitchell as a brand: philanthropy and a respect for the environment. The company harvests the organic awapuhi (a kind of ginger that helps soften and add shine to hair), used in Paul Mitchell products, without depleting natural resources. Paul Mitchell also uses giant solar panels to generate electricity for the company's Hawaiian awapuhi farm. Unbleached recycled paper and soy-based ink are used in product packaging whenever possible.

The vision of DeJoria, who is in his 50s, spans the world: Some of his projects include helping to fund the world's first environmentally friendly oil refinery in Tunisia and transforming the demilitarized zone in Korea into an ecopreserve.

DeJoria is also as passionate about animal welfare. He's donated thousands of dollars to Los Angeles' California Wildlife Center, which rescues and rehabilitates injured or orphaned wild animals.

John Paul DeJoria's Tips for Happiness

* Get your hair cut, styled or blown out at a salon. "Self-esteem starts at the top," says DeJoria. One of his favorite Paul Mitchell hair-care products: Tea Tree Special Shampoo ($9; call 800-321-JPMS for salons near you), which "literally makes your scalp tingle," thanks to oil from the tea-tree plant.

* Smile. Starting your day off with a smile makes all the difference, says DeJoria, who adds: "Happiness should come first, health second and wealth third."

* Read Be Nice (or Else!) by Winn Claybaugh (Von Curtis Pub., 2004), a book about making kindness a part of your daily life. "This book makes you feel good instantly," says DeJoria.

Minimalist guru

Mary Tkach, executive director of environmental sustainability for Aveda

If you had a relative who was in charge of environmental responsibility for one of the most earth-friendly companies in the world, you, too, might get a little anxious when she comes over. "My friends and family mostly apologize about things--like why they don't have a compost pile," says 47-year-old Mary Tkach, who's based out of Aveda's Minneapolis headquarters. After all, much of Tkach's focus is on recycling, with the goal that the company produce minimal and, eventually, zero waste. Tkach has helped develop packaging made from post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials. Now, all Aveda shampoo and conditioner bottles are made of least 80 percent PCR content, and the new Aveda Light Elements hair-care line is actually packaged in 100 percent PCR content. "If everyone knew the impact of their actions on the Earth, they'd change their behaviors, starting with wasting fewer natural resources," says Tkach.

Tkach also makes strong, lasting connections with indigenous people who supply the botanical ingredients used in Aveda products. One partnership is with the Maranhao tribe of northeast Brazil, who harvest babassu nuts (from Amazonian palm trees), which are used as a cleansing agent in some Aveda shampoos. Besides helping to replant the rainforest in which the Maranhao live (the forest has been decimated by rubber tappers and illegal logging), Aveda takes steps to give the Maranhao people the tools they need, such as linking them with local business "mentors," to help increase their economic development.

Mary Tkach's Tips for Healthy Beauty

* Delve into the origins of the beauty products you choose. Tkach's love of particular products is closely tied to the relationships she's formed: "For the company and for me personally, I can't help but care deeply about the indigenous people once I've met them." In her shower. Tkach uses Aveda Shampure Shampoo ($9; aveda.com) with its blend of aromatherapy essences. "I love the aroma, which is a mix of lavender and orange, but I choose this product because it contains babassu and I think about the people I've met in Brazil whenever I use it," she says.

* Surround yourself with the friends and people in your life who make you happy. Being happy radiates outward and can make you more beautiful, says Tkach.