So I’ve finally gotten around to filming a requested makeup tutorial using the products I picked up from the MAC Magnetic Nudes collection. This is a very natural, everyday look and I absolutely love it. Hope you do, too!
Leave a comment below, thx for reading/watching!
“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13: 1-3
As you well may know, MAC’s beloved, cult-favorite mineralize skinfinish Stereo Rose is being repromoted yet again with the Fantasy of Flowers collection (releasing online January 30th, in store January 6 U.S.). There is so much hype surrounding this product (yes, I have a penchant for stating the obvious). But is the hype well-deserved?
I picked this beauty up last go-round. At my most pale I’m an NW 22ish, so I use SR as a blush rather than a highlight. It’s described as a “coral with golden bronze and a high frost, metallic finish.” Basically it’s a warm peachy color with gold shimmer and a very slight hint of pinky-rose tones (depending on the veining). The shimmer is definitely there but not disco. What’s great is that it will suit multiple skintones because the pigmentation is there. Due to the shimmer factor, you may want to avoid applying it on the apples of your cheeks if you have large pores. I think both warm and cool people can pull this off, although I think it flatters warm skintones better. But do I think it’s worth the hype? Not necessarily.
Perhaps it’s because I have a very cool skintone, but for me Stereo Rose is just okay. I like it. I’m glad I own it, and I use it with a fair amount of regularity. But I don’t love it, nor do I consider it holy grail. I gravitate more toward peachy-pink blushers than peachy-orangey ones. I prefer either matte or sheertone shimmer finishes to the metallic finish. Milani’s baked blush in Rose D’Oro is similar but not a dead on dupe (and it’s not as smooth). Stereo Rose can be a must-have for warmer or deeper skin, but I certainly wouldn’t overpay for it as some eBay sellers would have you do (I’ve seen this product listed for $100 USD!). Overall, I think there are many other fish in the proverbial sea; if you miss it, it’s not worth stressing about.
What do you think? Am I way off base? Or do you agree? Leave a comment below. Thanks for reading. p.s. it’s available and in stock right now on the Macy’s website if you want to get it early bird 🙂 click here
“You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You.” Isaiah 26:3
MAC has been busy lately, launching multiple collections the day after Christmas. My favorite is the Magnetic Nudes collection. This collection is all about looking very natural and glowy. My favorite!
This extra dimension collection consists of 3 mineralize skinfinishes, 3 blushes, 5 eyeshadows, 3 fluidlines, 4 lipsticks, and 5 lip glasses. I love the extra dimension formula as it gives a beautiful sheen without being glittery, chunky, or emphasizing skin texture to the extreme. I didn’t grab any glosses (I need a new gloss like I need a hole in the head, you know?), although steel kiss looked very unique. Overall I love this versatile collection. I get so much use out of these everyday, wearable colors. Below are descriptions and pictures of what I picked up (for reference, I am currently an NW22). If you are more into a bold look then you may want to check out Punk Couture which released the same day. It has dramatic, vampy lippies and bright, 80’s style pigments.
MSF’s
Superb (a repromote) is described as a peachy nude with multidimensional shimmer. To me it looks like a gorgeous champagne color that would suit just about anyone. It is very pigmented and long lasting. One swipe on the cheekbone with a fan brush and you’ll be glowing all day as if you just stepped off Mount Olympus. It’s beautiful, and if you like highlighters you will enjoy this product.
Fairly Precious is described as a peach with green pearl. It’s a true, warm peach highlight. This would best suit lighter skin tones in my opinion. Like Superb, it has a smooth texture. There was also Magnetic Appeal, which is a warm coppery color that would look beautiful on deeper skin tones.
Autoerotique is described as a dirty coral rose. This is a warm, easy to blend blush. As with all extra dimension blushers, the color payoff is subtle but can be built up. This is a very pretty and unique color.
At Dusk (repromote) is a stunning blush described as a dirty cool pink but does not look grey on the cheek. This is very flattering on lighter skin tones. Again, it gives a light wash of color but can be built up.
Amorous Alloy is described as a deep terracotta copper color with a metallic finish. I had not intended on purchasing any extra dimension eyeshadow from this collection, but the girl at the counter sold me on this unique color. It’s warm but not so warm that cool people can’t pull it off. This is another product that will look great on an array of skin tones and eye colors. The other eyeshadow colors were very pretty but seemed quite dupable to me.
It’s Physical is described as a brown with purple pearl. This has a lot of purple shimmer in it, more than you can see in the pot. I prefer using this all over the lid rather than as a liner. It’s a really lovely color that would suit many eye colors. The other fluidline that caught my eye was Our Secret, a metallic brown with red pearl. This is another beautiful color that I had set out to purchase, but once swatched it reminded me of Constructivist paint pot. I swatched them side by side at the counter and they looked identical on my arm so I did not buy it.
Morning Rose is described as a soft, cool rose creamsheen. This is a very wearable, everyday dusty rose shade (again, suitable for multiple skin tones). The rest of the lipsticks were mostly nudes, and since I don’t need any more nude lipsticks I did not purchase any.
Since my last toxic makeup review was on a high-end brand (Urban Decay-to read it, click here), I thought I would review a popular drugstore brand next. Below is a quick rundown of some of Revlon’s best and worst rated makeup products. The ratings were obtained from the Skin Deep database by the Environmental Working Group (which can be found at www.ewg.org/skindeep). The rating scale is simple, ranging from 0-10 with 10 being the most toxic product score. As always, please keep in mind that formulations in cosmetics are constantly changing. Consequently, I encourage looking up product ratings before you buy them either on Skin Deep or www.goodguide.com (which also includes the company’s eco and social responsibility ratings). While Revlon has quite a few low-toxin products (168 out of the 1022 current products rated), overall most of their products were in the moderate or high toxin range. For the sake of brevity I did not list all 1022 products, but here are various examples of Revlon’s products and their ratings, starting from the worst scores.
10: Hair color. Do you really want this absorbed into your head?
9: Colorstay Mineral Blush in Roseberry, Colorstay Blemish Concealer, Silky Powder Bronzer in Sunkissed Bronze, Age Defying Makeup Foundation with Botafirm for Dry Skin
8: Certain Moondrops crème lipsticks
7: Some Super Lustrous Lip Glosses (ex. shade Nude Lustre 040), Photoready Powder, ColorStay Foundation for Combination/Oily Skin
6: New Complexion One-Step Compact Makeup, Nail Care Liquid Quick Dry, Cream Blush in certain shades (ex. shade Rosy Glow)
5: Nearly Naked Makeup (ex. shade Warm Beige), PhotoReady BB Cream Skin Perfector, Illuminance Creme Eye Shadow (ex. shade 725 Va Va Va Bloom), Just Bitten Lip Stain & Balm (ex. shade Dawn), ColorStay Ultimate Suede Lipstick (ex. shade Flashing Lights), Colorstay for Normal/Dry Skin Makeup with SoftFlex (ex. shade Sand Beige), ColorStay Liner For Lips
4: Matte Eye Shadow (ex. shade Vintage Lace), Colorstay 12-Hour Eye Shadow quads in certain shades, Luxurious Color Eye Line (ex. shade Black Velvet), Lip Butters (many hearts may be breaking over this, these are so popular!)
3: Certain shades of PhotoReady Concealer Makeup, PhotoReady Cream Blush (ex. shade Coral Reef), PhotoReady Mousse Makeup in certain shades, ColorStay Whipped Creme Makeup in certain shades, Colorstay Aqua Mineral Finishing Powder-Translucent, ColorStay 16-Hour Eye Shadow Quad (ex. shade Bombshell), Age Defying with DNA Advantage Cream Makeup, and nail polishes scored at least 3, at most 9
2: Super Lustrous Lipstick in many but not all shades, here’s a few: Sky Pink, Wine with Everything, Violet Frenzy, Peach Me, Smoky Rose, Coffee Bean, Apricot Fantasy, Sassy Mauve, Just Enough Buff, Cherries in the Snow; Photoready Kajal Intense Eye Liner & Brightener (ex. shade Purple Reign), Grow Luscious Waterproof Mascara, Custom Eyes Duo Shadow & Liner Palette (ex. shade Naturally Glamorous 020), Custom Eyes Mascara (ex. shade Blackened Brown 003), ColorStay Ultimate Liquid Lipstick in many but not all shades, here’s a few: Nude, Perfect Peony, Premier Pink, Prized Plum, Stellar Sunrise, and more; PhotoReady Eye Primer & Brightener, PhotoReady Makeup foundation (all shades)
1: ColorBurst Lipstick in the following shades: True Red 090, Rosy Nude 065, Fuschia 030
0: Remover for Lash Adhesive, Color Allure Nails, Medium nail glue
Please note I did not include products considered by Skin Deep to have an old formula (more than 3 years old), and also that not all shades of the same product will have the same score. Approx. 16.4% of the products I viewed were low toxin, which is honestly more than I thought there would be. But Revlon can certainly do better! Poor scores resulted from toxic ingredients such as multiple parabens (linked to reproductive toxicity, hormone disruption), BHA (linked to cancer, organ toxicity, hormone disruption), methyl methacrylate (linked to developmental toxicity, for example, fetal exposure in utero, breastfeeding infants, direct application exposure while still developing), and many more. Good Guide (www.goodguide.com), which rates product health, social, and environmental responsibility 0-10 (but with 10 being the best, no-toxin score) gives Revlon the following overall ratings: Health 1.9 (extremely poor), Environmental 3.9 (poor), and Social 3.9 (poor). Visit their website for more information.
Do what you wish with this material. Perhaps it will spur you on to changing your Revlon purchasing habits. If you feel inclined to take further action, there is a form letter on the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics website that you cane-mail to Revlon asking them to remove harmful chemicals from their products. They also have more information on the kinds of toxic ingredients in Revlon products as well as their linked health concerns (and much more). Here is the page: http://org2.salsalabs.com/o/5500/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=15670
What did you think of Revlon’s ratings? Were you surprised? Please leave a comment below with your thoughts, questions, and requests for other brand reviews. Be good to one another and thanks for reading.
MAC Center of Attention MSF. Divine Night Holiday Collection 2013. Photo by somethingtoconsiderblog.com
MAC Cosmetics has now launched their Divine Night Holiday color collection in the US. In this collection are three highlighting mineralize skinfinish powders. I picked up Centre of Attention (I’m so proud of my restraint!) and thought I would share my thoughts on whether or not this $33 beauty item is worth the dough.
This MSF is priced at $33 rather than the usual $30 due to the limited edition packaging. This includes lettering on the box as well as the pot in gold instead of the usual white. Is that really worth an extra $3? I’m not so sure. The design of the mineralize skinfinish itself is also unique as the usual veining was foregone. The base color is a soft peachy pink that is finely milled. Inside is a square filled with a 14-karat gold glitter.
The color payoff of this MSF is rather disappointing. I found both colors to be quite sheer, with the gold being a bit more prominent. Since the pink is so light and sheer I would think it is better suited for paler, cool-toned skin. At first it reminded me of MAC’s Play It Proper, but when swatched side by side PIP is much more pigmented and more of a true pink without the peachy pull. CoA is very powdery. The yellow gold applies much like a pressed pigment. It is very chunky glitter, and while I applied it to the tops of my cheeks it most certainly did not stay there. After a couple of hours the gold glitter was literally all over my face (perhaps my oily skin has something to do with that). I found it applied a bit better when using a wet brush and placed on my lids over a creamy eyeshadow base. Because the gold is so coarse and gritty, when swatching the two colors together it is much more pronounced. Maybe that is why I did not find the color of mixing the two to be very appealing (and they really didn’t blend). As you can see in the pictures and video below, swatching one or two layers of the product was hardly noticeable on my light skin. I considered adding more layers to the swatches but that seemed misleading. What you see in these pics is truly what you get.
Now before I sound completely doom and gloom, I would say that the peachy pink base color is beautiful and provides a very subtle, flattering sheen. If you do not have a pinky highlight then this might be worth the money for that alone. As for the gold, I can’t say that it is all bad just because it didn’t suit my skin tone and larger pores. If you can pull off very large, yellow gold then you may love this product.
I definitely recommend trying this product in person before buying if at all possible. Overall I did not find Centre of Attention to be impressive, which is shocking as I have an unnatural love for MAC’s skinfinishes and beauty powders. I wanted to love it! But there are much better permanent MSF’s, and the next great limited edition collection is always just around the corner.
For live swatches watch the short video below. What did you think of this product and the collection as a whole? Do you disagree and absolutely love it? Leave me a comment below. Thanks for reading.
Products are available at MAC stores, counters, and on-line at www.maccosmetics.com
This product was purchased with my own money. All opinions are my own.
“Search me, O god, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24
MAC Centre of Attention MSF in Packaging. Photo by somethingtoconsiderblog.com
MAC Centre of Attention MSF Divine Night. Photo by somethingtoconsiderblog.com
MAC Centre of Attention MSF Divine Night. Photo by somethingtoconsiderblog.com
Pink 1 layer swatch
Pink 2 layers
Top: MAC Play it Proper, Bottom: COA (pink)
Top: CoA Gold, Bottom: Pink
Top to Bottom: CoA gold and pink swirled together, gold, pink
Up for your consideration are the Tinted Mineral Moisturizer and Refining Finishing Powder by Juice Beauty. I spotted these in Ulta awhile back, and since I’m always on the hunt for effective low-toxin products, I thought I would give theses a shot. Here’s a bit of background on Juice Beauty in case you are unfamiliar.
Founded in California, their goal was to create healthy and effectual personal care products. They have created antioxidant and vitamin-rich, organic, juice-based formulas that strive to be more effective than their high toxin-counterparts. Using juice as a base eliminates the need for petroleum derivatives that many other companies use, which suffocate the skin and frequently contain harmful chemicals. Juice Beauty is a certified organic brand, so you can purchase their genuinely natural ingredients with confidence. But enough chat about the company. How well do the products actually work?
The Gist
The tinted moisturizer has an SPF of 30, which is a bonus so no added sunscreen is necessary. Obviously the ingredients are a major plus. Not that all of my makeup is completely natural/organic, but I prefer anything that goes all over my entire face to be as natural and low-toxin as possible. It is very moisturizing, and since I am an oily girl, I do not use any supplementary moisturizer with it. This leaves the skin with a very dewy finish. For dry skin this is great; however, if like me you are more slippery, I would recommend using the refining powder to set it. The loose powder is very light and leaves the skin with a very natural finish (as in the middle ground between dry and oily). It does not look cakey, and for me it seems to last all day, even in the summer. Not everyone cares for loose powders, but they do not bother me if they perform well. I noticed it settled a bit into my smile lines throughout the day but not terribly. I saw no noticeable difference with how it looked when I used a primer underneath or not. The refining powder scores a 2 (low toxin) on the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database. The tinted moisturizer scores a 2 in the shade ivory, 3 in sand and tan (which puts them just into the moderate range). For more information on what these ratings mean, visit http://www.ewg.org/skindeep
Application
For the tinted moisturizer, I dot it all over my face with clean fingers and then massage into the skin. I usually then go over it with my Bare Minerals precision face brush just to even it out. I apply the refining powder with the Bare Minerals flawless face brush, tapping off any excess product into the cap.
Overall
If you’ve been burned by tinted moisturizers that lack any semblance of coverage, this will not disappoint you. However, if you are in search of a full coverage product, this (or any tinted moisturizer for that matter) is not the item for you. While the price point is a bit steep (the tinted moisturizer retails for $29 for 2 oz of product; the refining powder goes for $22 for .28 oz), you get plenty of product. Could the health score of the tinted moisturizer be better? Of course (in the darker shades that is). So if you are really uncomfortable using anything other than low-toxin products, you will want to pass on this. Overall I think you get what you pay for: high quality, natural products that do pretty much what they say they do. And if you purchase them from Ulta and are dissatisfied, you can return them for a full refund or store credit (at least here in The States).
Have you tried them? Leave a comment below with your thoughts and skin type. Of course I purchased these with my own money and these thoughts are my own. Thanks for reading.
Info on the company found at http://www.juicebeauty.com
Skin Deep database: http://www.ewg.org/skindeep
Interested in seeing how these products look on the skin? Watch my YouTube video:
Hello, Lovelies! I’m back with another makeup brand review. I previously reviewed E.L.F. Cosmetics (to read this review, click here). This time we are looking at Urban Decay and spotlighting some of their best and worst health rated products. As usual I use www.goodguide.com and www.ewg.org/skindeep to get these ratings. Below I have listed current ratings as of this writing. Don’t forget: product formulations are constantly changing so you may want to double check scores before purchasing. For Good Guide (gg), 10=no toxin, 5-9=low toxin, 3-4=moderate toxin, 0-2=high toxin so the higher the number the better. As for Skin Deep (sd), the ratings are opposite of Good Guide; 0=no toxin, 1-2=low toxin, 3-6=moderate toxin, 7-10=high toxin so the lower the number the better. I included prices if available, but don’t fret, ebay and amazon are always loaded with discontinued makeup. I included ratings on d/c’d products in case you have them in your stash. Let’s highlight some of their low-toxin products first. Urban Decay has quite a few low-toxin products.
The Best:
24/7 glide on lip pencils in all colors except Wicked (gg 7, sd 1 or 2); $19
Lip junkie lip glosses (gg5+); $19
Naked 2 eyeshadow palette of 12 shadows (all shades score well except for Blackout-gg 4; could not find score for Bootycall); $50
Most of their false lashes (gg 8); $15
Urbanglow cream highlight in the shades sin, wicked, and brown sugar (gg 8); $24
Cannonball ultra waterproof mascara (gg 8); $20
24/7 glide on eye pencils in the shades: zero, lust, perversion, ransom, rockstar, stash, demolition, underground, yayo, flipside, gunmetal, graffiti (gg 6+, sd 2); $19 (some shades are on sale on www.sephora.com for only $6!)
Eyelash primer potion (gg 8) $20
Meltdown Make-Up Remover (gg 8); $24
Lipsticks in the following shades: gravity, trainwreck, jilted, vinyl, voodoo, wanted, buzzkill, requiem, revolution, midnight cowboy, lovechild, hot pants, rush, sellout, naked, apocalypse, peroxide, confession, and gash (gg 6+); *note: these are the old lipsticks, not to be confused with the brand new Revolution lipsticks that, to my knowledge, have not yet been rated.
Ammo eyeshadow box/palette – 10 Shades (gg 7); $34
Eyeshadow singles in the following shades: buck, darkhorse, roach, woodstock, foxy, baked, virgin, zephyr, s and m, smog, loaded, lost, tease, naked, verve, evidence, asphyxia, toasted, freelove, rockstar, blunt, bust, mildew, x, ydk, peace, flash, pistol, fishnet, bender, scratch, snakebite, busted, vanilla, mushroom, gravity, shattered, bordello, height, secret service, half baked, swf, radium, sellout, kush, snatch, suspect, last call, abc gum, psychedelic sister, acdc, twice baked, gunmetal, sin, grifter, midnight cowgirl, chopper, oil slick, stray dog, polyester bride, midnight cowboy, rodeo, midnight cowboy rides again, and the stardust eyeshadows (gg 5+); $18. *Note the older formulations of these shadows have much worse scores
Eyeshadow Primer Potion in sheer nude, eden, and greed (gg 6+); $20 (greed is on sale right now at www.sephora.com for only $10)
De-slick, All Nighter, and Dew Me setting sprays (gg 6); $14-29 depending on size
Revolver fragrance Oil (gg 6)
Guardian angel spray moisturizer SPF 8 (gg 6)
Stardust sparkling lip glosses in andromeda and space cowboy (gg 6)
Midnight cowboy body shimmer lotion (gg 5)
Rollergirl eyeshadow palette of four shadows (gg 5)
Worst:
It would take too long to list all 500 or so poorly rated products, so I’ll highlight a few.
Naked 1 palette of 12 shadows (gg 0); $50
Urban brow styling brush and setting gel (gg 4); $20
Urbanglow Cream Highlight in the shade Moonshine (gg 4); $24
Many eyeshadow colors (too many to list), here’s an example of a few: cobra, blackout, chase, maui wowi (gg 0-4), $18
Big fatty waterproof mascaras (gg 2-4); $20
24/7 glide-on shadow pencils (gg 4); $20
The black palette (gg 4)
Loose pigments (gg 0)
Surreal skin mineral makeup and Surreal cream to powder foundations (gg 0, sd 3+); $31 and $35 respectively
De-slick mattifying face powder (sd 3); $32
Naked skin beauty balm (sd 5); $14-34 depending on size
Afterglow glide on cheek tint (gg 3-4); $24
24/7 Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner (gg 0); $19
Ultraglide lip glosses and xxx shine glosses (gg 0)
These bad scores are due to ingredients such as silica, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), propylene glycol, triethanolamine, and multiple parabens. These are linked to health concerns such as cancer, organ toxicity, hormone disruption, and cellular level changes. Overall, Urban Decay health product ratings are 2.8, their social responsibility rating is 3.2, and their environmental responsibility rating is also 3.2 (none too impressive).
So judge for yourself if Urban Decay is the right brand for you. Most of their low-toxin products, while costly, are highly pigmented, beautiful, and have great staying power. And remember that not all high-end makeup makes for good health quality products.
What are your thoughts on Urban Decay? Leave a comment below. As always, thanks for reading.
“Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the most high, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling for He shall give His angels charge over you to keep you in all your ways.” Psalm 91:9-11
Marc Jacobs is launching his own beauty line, Marc Jacobs Beauty. When I got the e-mail from Sephora about this it piqued my interest. The collection preview on Sephora’s website consists of Style Eye-Con No. 7 Plush Shadow palettes (7 refers to the number of shadows), two Style Eye-Con No. 3 trios, the Lust for Lacquer Lip Vinyl Sheer lipgloss, the Magic Marc’er Precision Eye Pen liquid eye liner, and the Lip Lock Moisture Balm. The full collection will be available August 9 and will include 122 products. I opted for the shadows.
The No. 7 palettes are a better value. At $59 you get seven shadows in a range of finishes and .24 oz of product. This comes out to about $8.50/shadow; not a bad deal for a high-end eyeshadow. The No. 3 trios cost $42 for only three shades (though I am unsure of the product weight). For an additional $17 you get four more shades. Also, I was not in love with the choice of shades in the available trios. If you are going to spend money on a high end product, you better love it.
The seven shadow palettes preview come in two color ranges: #202 The Tease and #204 The Starlet. Tease is chock-full of with purples and pinky-tones: a purple sheen, matte grayish purple, matte pale pink, iridescent champagne sheen, metallic pastel pink w/gold shimmer, matte bright aubergine, and deep aubergine w/iridescent shimmer. Starlet has a larger range of shades: a metallic muted lilac, metallic champagne pink, metallic dark copper brown, metallic bright copper, metallic gold, metallic bluish silver, and metallic gunmetal gray. I purchased The Tease (see below for swatches and additional pics).
The packaging is very slender, glossy, and lightweight. This would be a great palette to travel with as it is much less bulky than, say, the Urban Decay Naked palettes. This can easily be stored in your purse and has a mirror inside. The downside is that, even though it comes with a fabric protective case, as soon as you touch it there are big time, noticeable fingerprints. This makes it look not so sleek and dirty in a hurry.
As for the shadows themselves, overall these are great. The colors are absolutely beautiful. Most of the shades are smooth and easy to blend; the shade #7 is the only one that is gritty. Some have better pigmentation than others. I find numbers 2,3, and 7 need to be built up a bit, but once they are they provide a gorgeous finish. I wish the palette would have included a matte mid-tone brown for blending, but it does offer a couple of matte shades so it is not all shimmer and sheen. These shadows have great staying power (I’m an oily girl, so that’s saying something!).
Is this palette worth picking up? If you are in the market for high-end eyeshadow and could use an easily-blended palette to spice up a neutral collection-sure. While not all high end makeup equals high quality, this definitely is (and it’s certainly more affordable than Dior). Plus purples look great on every eye color. It can be found here. If you already own plenty of decent shadows then I wouldn’t break the bank for it. Remember, at some point it’s just makeup. You don’t need it to be beautiful.
Have you purchased any of the Marc Jacobs Beauty products? Let me know what you got and how you like it in the comments below. Thanks for reading.
English: Makeup before attendance. Српски / Srpski: Шминкање пред наступ. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
“That which is striking and beautiful is not always good, but that which is good is always beautiful.” -Ninon de L’enclos
Have you ever stopped to think about what is in your makeup? Unfortunately we cannot assume that if a product is allowed on the shelves it must be okay. In fact, it may even be toxic. Thanks to being born the only girl in a house full of boys, makeup has never been that important to me. Still, I like to get dolled up on occasion, and I want to feel good about what I am putting on my face. This post is not an alarmist scare tactic. Rather, my opinion is that people should be educated about their products so they can make an informed decision. Below is a list of personal care ingredients that are suspected toxins known as the “dirty dozen,” a brief description of the serious health concerns to which they are linked, and resources for finding non-toxic products.
BHA & BHT
Parabens
DEA-Realated Ingredients
Dibutyl phthalate
Formaldehyde-Releasing Preservatives
PEG Compounds
Coal Tar Dyes
Petrolatum
Siloxanes
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Fragrance
Triclosan
While each ingredient affects us differently, some are known carcinogens, linked to organ toxicity, as well as birth defects, hormone disruption, cancer, skin rashes and irritations, allergens, asthma, and reproductive problems for both genders from either direct use or in utero exposure. I enjoy makeup, but it is absolutely not worth those risks. Some argue that many of these ingredients are considered low risk in small amounts. However, people are not just exposed to them in a one-time use product. Unfortunately, most personal care products contain one or several of these toxins, from lipstick to shampoo, lotion, soap, and more each and every day (not to mention toxins in other products such as food and cleaning products). I would rather yield to the Precautionary Principle and limit them as much as possible. It seems inconceivable that these ingredients would be allowed in so many of our products.
“Most consumer products are unregulated in the U.S., so manufacturers are allowed to use hazardous chemicals without demonstrating the safety of the products and without labeling them as toxic.” (Malkin, 2007). Stronger regulation of cosmetic ingredients would help reduce or eliminate the risk posed by these components from the products that we put on our skin. As the skin is our largest organ, the majority of what we put on it gets absorbed into our bodies. Some of the ingredients above help products penetrate more deeply into our skin, causing us to absorb even more. Many in-depth resources have been written about toxic ingredients and the lack of laws regulating their use, such as the references listed below. If these ingredients are in so many products, how can they be avoided?
If you are like me, trying to decipher the ingredients list on a package can make your eyes cross. What’s more, many of these products are listed under multiple names, such as the many types of siloxanes (generally they are listed as words ending in “–siloxane” and “–methicone”). Luckily there are search engines available that provide information on the safety of product ingredients. I use Good Guide at www.goodguide.com and Skin Deep at www.ewg.org/skindeep. Each site pulls up a detailed rating regarding ingredient safety and toxicity. Good Guide even has an app for smart phones. Although I have found the regular search engine works a bit better, it is convenient to have it at my fingertips in the store. It has enabled me to avoid purchasing a product with a low health rating numerous times. Before you think this message is all gloom and doom, be encouraged that many products are available with safe ingredient alternatives (both affordable and high end). And if you are motivated, you can take action.
-Urge your country’s leaders to pass legislation for safer personal care products. If you live in the U.S., contact your representative and encourage them to co-sponsor the Safe Cosmetics and Personal Care Products Act of 2013 (H.R. 1385) here: http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5500/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=13369.
-Support health-conscious businesses by purchasing their products that have safe ingredient ratings. Do not assume that if a product is labeled “natural” or “organic” that they truly are. Companies recognize that many consumers are interested in healthier product ingredients. They are trying to capitalize on that, labeling products as natural and organic which are not. This also happens due to the lack of regulation. Also do not assume that just because a company makes certain products with low-risk ingredients that all of their products will have the same rating.
-Reduce the number of products you use each day. And remember, you do not need makeup to be beautiful! The times in my life I’ve worn the most makeup were when I was most insecure, which is no good reason to wear it.
Don’t be discouraged. Many companies are making the move toward safer products for their consumers; products that work just as well if not better than the toxic alternative. It simply takes a little extra time on our part to find them. Each time we purchase them, we send a message that toxic makeup should be a thing of the past. Companies will make what people will buy. Thanks for reading. Please let me know your favorite low-toxin personal care products in the comments below.
“Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” 1Peter 3:3-4
References
Malkin, S. (2007). Not Just a Pretty Face: The ugly side of the beauty industry. Gabriola Island, BC, Canada: New Society Publishers.
Something to Consider 