When I heard that model and Dancing With the Stars castoff Josie Maran was launching a "green" cosmetics line, I was skeptical. How good could environmentally friendly products actually be?

Turns out my skepticism over Josie Maran Cosmetics was completely unfounded. Josie, the face of Maybelline for nearly ten years, really "walks the talk" - she's committed to a green lifestyle and seems to have a genuine passion for ingredients and packaging that reflect it (random trivia: I knew Josie's brother Nick in college, right around the time Josie was dating David Blaine).

The brand's tagline, "luxury with a conscience," is so appropriate. These products look, feel, and wear like any high-end line, and utilize eco-friendly concepts to great effect. I was impressed before I even opened the compacts! The products are packaged in these gorgeous metallic pink-gold compacts made from compostable/biodegradable corn-based resin, a renewable resource. And the outside paper packaging - recyclable, of course - is made from 30% post consumer content.

Inside, you'll find some really innovative formulas that eliminate possible "bad guys" without sacrificing quality. All are free of parabens and known toxins, and the majority are free of petrochemicals and fragrances.

Quite frankly, I was shocked by the quality of the products in this line. The eye shadows are velvety with great pigment and smooth application. Cinnamon (shimmery pink champagne) with Chianti (shimmery red plum) has become one of my favorite eye shadow combinations - garnering compliments for both the look and the actual products in my bag (that's how striking the packaging is!).

The Plumping Lip Gloss uses marine collagen to amp up your pout and comes in 6 lovely shades. My favorite is Brilliance, a sheer cotton candy pink. All of them have terrific texture, good pigment and a light, pretty scent. The lipsticks are just as good - creamy and moisturizing. I love the Rumi Joon shade, named after Josie's little daughter!

Honestly I could go on and on about this line; I was genuinely impressed by every product I tried, from the shadows to the lip products to the lightweight cream bronzer. If you'd like to give it a whirl but aren't sure what to choose, check out the limited edition Favorites palettes - My Favorite Lips houses 4 lip colors and 4 glosses, while My Favorite Powders holds 5 shadows (including Cinnamon and Chianti), 2 blushes, and a bronzing powder.

Overall, Josie Maran Cosmetics is an outstanding line and represents a real step forward for the beauty industry. Says Josie, "I want to prove that a cosmetics company doesn't have to sacrifice luxury and performance in order to create products that are kind to the natural and social environment." Her line really delivers. Try it. Just don't forget to recycle the containers!