Get Green and Glamorous with Anya Sarre

The words glamour and green generally don’t go together. One look at TV personality and celebrity stylist Anya Sarre and you’d certainly think this true. Her cascading goddess curls, tanned-to-perfection skin, deliberately applied makeup, put together outfit, bold accessories, and sky-high heels signal Beverly Hills not pastoral ones. But, as we all know, looks can be deceiving.

I had the opportunity to meet the style guru at last week’s Bump Beauty & Style Event hosted by Club MomMe and sponsored by Quinny and Maxi Cosi at the new Kidville Brentwood. Anya without a doubt looks like and is a fashionista (even when pregnant!). But when we spoke, I found her approachable, self-deprecating, and much like my trusted girlfriend offering up her tried and tested tips. I quickly learned that while looking good is part of her job (hey, she’s in the image business and works with The Insider, Entertainment Tonight, and ShoeDazzle.com), she has tons of non-toxic and effortless chic tricks that everyday moms and women can employ to step out of the house healthy and in style.

Anya’s personal journey to greening her life and medicine cabinet really happened by accident, which probably isn’t that surprising considering her work centers around Hollywood glamour. When a guest at an event that she mistakenly thought was for the launch of a beauty product, Anya heard a lecture from the Environmental Working Group about toxins in everyday products. There, two facts got her attention.

(1) An average woman uses twelve personal care products a day and she used WAY more.

(2) A blood test performed on a sampling of babies of different social, ethnic, familial, and regional backgrounds born on the same day during the first hours of their lives showed they already had an average of 276 toxins and chemicals in their bodies, likely due to a mother’s use of these everyday products. (Be aware: if you see the word “fragrance,” an item can have many unknown chemicals that don’t have to be disclosed under trade secrets). 

Even though this was years before she ever thought of having a child, Anya instinctively knew that beauty shouldn’t come at the expense of one’s health or their family’s. So, she immediately went home and devoured the must-read No More Dirty Looks: The Truth about Your Beauty Products--and the Ultimate Guide to Safe and Clean Cosmetics, pulled up the must-bookmark Skin Deep Database, and started reading labels to make sense of what’s what. Needless to say, Anya parted with her beloved products, including her Chanel mascara, and started from scratch to recreate a non-toxic beauty closet.

Here’s what Anya found: “Even a self-proclaimed product whore can be glam and wear tons of makeup,” she says. “But it takes extra work in that you have to travel around with a Ziploc bag full of non-toxic products in your purse.” She recommends Ferro Cosmetics, Evolue Beauty, and Couleur Caramel mascara, but if you only switch one thing she encourages you to find a natural deodorant without aluminum. Her fave?  LAVANILA The Healthy Deodorant found at Sephora. Before ditching all your products, though, Anya cautions to take research into your own hands and educate yourself about healthy alternatives because something labeled “natural” isn’t necessarily so.

I, of course, couldn’t end our interview here because how often do I get to sit down one-on-one with a celeb fashion stylist. . .so I asked Anya to create the perfect outfits for the different stages of motherhood.

When you’re pregnant, Anya says to invest in the ultimate dark maxi dress, such as those from Veronica M., and pair it with a lightweight cardigan from J. Crew and layered necklaces. 

Immediately post baby, Anya swears every mother of a newborn should slip on “magical” Aziam pants with black long, layered tanks. It’s all about soft materials and slimming colors. 

For that in between time when you’re out of the newborn stage but still have a bit of leftover baby belly, the stylist suggests pampering yourself with an organic spray tan from Chocolate Sun because you look ten pounds thinner when bronzed. She also thinks you could invest in slimming undergarments from TC Shapewear to wear underneath a flowing top with trim pants like skinny jeans.

Once you have a baby or toddler on the move? Simple. Wear your favorite pair of flats with a dark stretch jean, layered tanks, a long cardigan, and fun tote from Toss. 

Anya’s best piece of style advice, though, is to make your closest chic and filled with clothes you love because you will reach for whatever you have hanging inside.

To learn more beauty and fashion tips from Anya, visit her Web site, friend her on Facebook, or follow her on Twitter.

~ The Other Sarah