My Safe Make Up Guide

Posted on 20 March 2016 by dif4us

One of the most difficult things to Purify in your life is Make-Up! Because the ingredients are difficult to find, and then when you find them are difficult to pronounce, spell, or understand, you can have a difficulty knowing if something is safe or not. Then finding effective make-up that is also safe is another challenge of it’s own. The following are some brands and tips to help you through the transition.

So, just as a general rule, the following are usually safe to use:

  • Afterglow Cosmetics
  • elf Cosmetics
  • Physician’s Formula
  • tarte
  • Too Faced
  • The Balm
  • Urban Decay
  • Milk
  • Buxom
  • Bite
  • Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics
  • Make Up For Ever
  • Jane Iredale
  • and nearly all mineral formulations (Alima, Coastal Classics, Maia)

Again, there are tons of options out there and I won’t cover all of them, but these are some that I use or have used myself and feel comfortable sharing with you. I’m sure that there are some that are safer, but these are accessible and safe enough to meet the mark. As I use new products I will give you updates!

Eyeshadow –  The safest ingredients in eyeshadows today are the various pigments of iron oxide. Unfortunately there are many toxic ingredients as well, such as Aluminum Powder, Salicylic Acid, Silica, BHA, BHT, Butylparaben, Mineral Oil and Imidazolidinyl Urea Phenoxyethanol, Tridecyl Neopentanoate, Dicaprylyl Maleate, and Dicaprylyl Maleate.

  1. Physician’s Formula – The most popular version of PF eyeshadow is the Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Eye Shadow Palette. They come in a range of colors and with a light pearlescence but without the presence of glitter. The EWG gives this product a rating of 2 which green lights it for use, but be aware that it has some tocopheryl acetate and phenoxyethanol within it. However, you can find this product at any drugstore, grocer, or big box store for $8-10 which is great for those on a budget or just making the switch who want something easy.
  2. TheBalm cosmetics – Super cute eyeshadow palettes some with blush/bronzer and some without that rank a 2 grade on the EWG Skin Deep database. The palettes cost between $35-45 for nine to twelve colors and are always paraben and cruelty free. They also offer a ‘Brow Pow’ eyebrow powder for $15. Go to http://www.thebalm.com
  3. Stila, Urban Decay, and Smashbox all sell highly pigmented eyeshadow singles and limited edition palettes. You will have to go to an ULTA or Sephora to purchase these in person, but they are SO worth the money. Ranking a 2 on the EWG, they are safe for use, but other products by these brands might not be. Urban Decay is by far my favorite eyeshadow as it is super smooth and highly blendable, paraben free, and it’s so pigmented that a teeny bit just goes a long, long way!
  4. You also cannot forget budget brands like elf and milani. These can be found in just about any drugstore or grocer and are usually only a $1-3 each. They are perfect for the budget conscious and for college students, or parents purchasing makeup for their daughters and don’t want them to use trash. They eye singles, quartets, and huge palettes for the adventurous.
  5. Mineral makeup is also a great option for eyeshadow. They come in lots of colors already, but you can also custom mix your own, you can press them to make them easier to apply or travel with, and they’re completely natural and safe. The most popular brand is Bare Minerals, but don’t miss out on brands like Maia’s or Coastal Classic Creations, both which have a large product line and reasonable prices.

Concealer – Like all makeup, conventional products have toxins that irritate the skin and cause inflammation in the body. Some ingredients to look out for are Propylene Glycol, TEA, Alumina, Methylparaben, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A palmitate), and Fragrances. There are still some great options out there for concealers in both powder and cream, depending on which your skin is best suited.

  1. Coastal Classic Creations Concealer, Maia’s Mineral Galaxy Concealers, bareMinerals Well Rested for Eyes are all good powdered concealer options. If you have mature skin look for a cream formulation.
  2. Zosimos Botanicals Concealer and eye shadow base is a great little product. It has the density of a corrector with the feel of a whipped foundation. I don’t know how they did it, but I love it! Zosimos has sample sized, 1.75 g, of concealer for $5, or standard size, 10 g, for $32. I use Zosimos as a corrector and primer.
  3.  Tarte is my preferred concealer, they make two types – one is a creme stick, the other a liquid. Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof 12 hr Stick stands up well to wear, has never melted in my purse, works well on the under-eye area and the face, and can cover both blemishes and color disparity. Tarte Maracaja liquid concealer is a dynamite under-eye concealer. Put this on, set it with powder, and you look like new! It’s creaseless, won’t flake, smear, or migrate. Tarte also makes a color correcting palette, but I’ve not used it before. Their products can be found at ULTA or Sephora or purchased directly from their website, you’ll find the concealers will cost approx $25
  4. Make Up For Ever makes a few different concealers, but the one to get is the Ultra HD which will both correct and conceal. The Sephora website even has a video about how to best apply and choose concealer that is fab!

Mascara –  Mascara can contain lots of toxic chemicals including Petroleum Distillates, Phenoxyethanol, Propylene Glycol, Styrene PVP Copolymer and Sodium Polymethacrylate, Triethanolamine (TEA), and the hardest to get away from in mascara – Parabens, like Methylparaben and Butylparaben. Thankfully, it is possible to find safe mascaras.

  1. Maia’s Mineral Galaxy Mascara, Coastal Classic Creations Mascara – mineral mascaras made with beeswax, jojoba oil, and iron oxide. Very safe and gentle.
  2. Bare Minerals Flawless Waterproof mascara – made like any other mineral mascara but with the addition of phenoxyethanol to make it waterproof, which is a skin and eye irritant. If there are occasions that you need a waterproof eyeliner, use this one, but please don’t wear it everyday!!
  3. Afterglow Cosmetics Organic Infused Pure Soul Mascara – This brand is great for people with allergies as it’s gluten and soy free, paraben, sulfate, fragrance, phthalate, triclosan, quaternium, dye, petrochemical, and GMO free! They’re also certified organic, fair trade, and cruelty free.The 9.8g / 0.35 oz tube is $24 and can be purchased here with a 90 guarantee.
  4. Tarte Amazonian Gifted mascara/Too Faced Lash Injection Mascara – don’t wear everyday or if you have sensitive eyes/skin as these formulas also include phenoxyethanol, but are great longwear mascaras, so for the times that it’s necessary…it’s a good way to go. Tarte’s creates a very dark, full lashline. Looks like you have naturally lush lashes. Too Faced Injection has a polymer wrap and gives a thicker and longer look to your lashes. If you cannot tolerate falsies, or don’t/can’t wear them for whatever reason, then Injection is an option for you
  5. Physician’s Formula Organics Lash Boosting or Natural Origin only – don’t use the others of this brand. These are thin and dark with a great brush that has no trouble getting down to the roots.
  6. Younique – Green Tea fiber mascara – I couldn’t cover mascara and not Younique. I haven’t used these myself, but I have a friend who is a consultant and while the product isn’t in EWG, I have run all of it’s ingredients through the database. They are all safe! So, for all you Younique lovers, take a big sigh of relief, your consultant is telling the truth when she says their makeup is relatively safe to use.

Lipstick –  One of my favorite bits of makeup is lipstick, I love my cherry apple red lipstick! Of course, with lipstick, gloss, and balm, you must be aware that anything you put on your mouth will inevitably go IN your mouth, so it MUST be non-toxic. In fact, studies show that women will ingest over four pounds of lipstick in their lifetimes and even more if you wear it daily. Some of the common things you’ll find in conventional lipstick Parabens, BHA, BHT, Sunscreen-Oxybenzone and Octinoxate, Padimate O, Retinyl Palmitate, Synthetic fragrances, Petroleum Wax and Synthetic Oil.

  1. Obsessive Compulsive Lip Tar – This stuff ain’t coming off! If you need a longwear lipstick, here it is!! It’s thicker than your average ‘stain’ but doesn’t leave lips tacky like a gloss. Condition lips before use for best results, brush is included, and don’t be scared off by the price, a lil bit goes a long, long, long way!!! EWG rank 2, You’ll only be able to purchase this product places like ULTA and Sephora or from the website
  2. Bite Lipstick – I like the matte lip crayon, but it also comes in a matte pencil, creme lipstick called amuse bouche, a pearl lipstick called opal creme, and a line and define pencil. The idea behind Bite is that you could eat them if  you wanted to. See more
  3. Buxom – Buxom is the younger, bolder Bare Escentuals, and they sell two lip products that I’m over the moon for. Really! I always have at least one tube in my purse at all times, usually another stays in my train case bc you never know when you’ll need to pick up and leave! They’re more gloss than lipstick, but they’re THICK, and highly pigmented. Buxom calls them Lip Cream and Lip Polish. They’re basically the same product, but the Cream is like a patent leather stiletto – bold and sexy, and the Polish makes a pearescent pucker, a little sweeter and more casual. To see more about them go to the Buxom website or fine makeup store.

Blush –  for blush and bronzer, you’ll likely get the most bang for your buck with mineral formulations, unless you’re on a budget and need something really cheap. Personally, I use an elf blush that I LOVE that was less than $3 for the better part of the year. I definitely suggest having a look through the ‘approved’ brands to see what works for you.

Nail Polish –  Nail polishes frequently contain formaldehyde, DBP – dibutyl phthalate, toulene, formaldehyde resin, and camphor. Here’s the brands that I use:

  • lauren b
  • trust fund
  • Nina
  • Zoya
  • OPI
  • Essie
  • China Glaze
  • Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure (only this one)
  • Jamberry nail wraps are safe too 🙂 (vinyl sheets, non toxic, five free)
  • I’ve heard GREAT things about Aquarella and Honeybee Gardens but haven’t gotten to try them yet, but if you have the opportunity, they’re pretty nice!

Thank you for taking this make-up journey with me! Soon to come are Household cleaning guides, individual reviews, and more! 🙂

 

A Bientot! ooo

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