This one is for my ladies! Guys don’t be shy to read because this is some good information for the women in your life and I encourage you to have them think twice about their beauty routine.

I’m talking makeup.

Love it or hate it most of us ladies use it on a daily basis. Should we care about what we put on our skin? Is the price of beauty worth it? Do we have a skewed reality on what the value of makeup really is? It was learning the economics behind the cosmetic industry that initiated my investigation into this $50 billion dollar industry. I think I was watching an episode of Shark Tank when one of the “sharks” dropped the bomb (at least in my world) that the cosmetic industry has the largest markup when compared to any other industry. What they meant by that statement is that it could cost $2 to make a face cream that is sold for the very reasonable price of $150 (note the sarcasm), or that your favorite MAC mascara had a monetary value of $0.75 before they printed the MAC label on the tube and sold it to you for $20.

This broke my heart.  In my very early twenties, my favorite thing to do when I was having a bad day was to head down to Sephora and get a great new primer, mascara, or foundation.  And I would spend a good chunk of money, but chalked it up to being a “glamorous woman” and that this was vital to being the “put together” woman I aspired to be. Although I don’t value myself based on my Kim K contouring skills anymore, I still get excited about buying makeup. I am just a little more conscious of the products I choose.

This is a SLOW process. If you are using department or drugstore makeup your skin needs time to cleanse and readjust before you completely switch over to an organic/natural based makeup regime. I recommend checking out Mike’s Best Skin Care Regime for a great way to purify the skin.  Also, make-up organic or inorganic is expensive so do what you can as you are financially able to do so.

Side note: the way you spend your money says a lot about you. Support companies that care about your health not just a profit.

At the end of the post, I am going to give some of my own personal reviews on the products I use. I encourage you to check out the brands. But first I think it’s important for you to know what is going into your makeup and what is being absorbed into your skin.

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The Wild West of the Cosmetic Industry

After doing some research on cancer.org, I came across the startling fact that the cosmetic industry is NOT regulated. All testing is done by their own labs. We all know what that means. The lab is in bed with the company so the legitimacy of a product’s safety is still a mystery.

“In the United States, both cosmetics and drugs are regulated by the FDA. For drugs, the FDA requires that new products be shown to be safe and effective before they are allowed to be sold. This is not the case for cosmetics. Although the FDA requires that cosmetics be safe, it does not have the authority to require companies to test their cosmetic products (except some color additives) before they are put on the market. The FDA holds cosmetic firms responsible for confirming the safety of their products and ingredients prior to marketing.

Products that have not been tested must carry the label, “Warning — The safety of this product has not been determined.”

I decided it probably would be most helpful to tell you what chemicals to stay away from to help you start eliminating these harmful toxins. Kind of like when we were all alerted to high fructose corn syrup and that’s all we looked for when shopping for healthy products, it’s a starting point. To begin, the infographic above does a pretty darn good job of highlighting 12 toxins and exactly what they are.

In a 2007 report by the Breast Cancer Fund, it indicates that American girls are developing breast buds 18 months earlier than they did 30 years ago. Such studies link early puberty to phthalates, chemicals that mimic the effects of the female hormone estrogen and are commonly used to help makeup adhere to the skin.

Found in: Color cosmetics, fragranced lotions, body washes and hair care products, nail polish and treatment.

What to look for on the label: phthalate, DEP, DBP, fragrance

Formaldehyde, a neurotoxin (a poison that acts on the nervous system) was found in two popular products were recalled, the Brazilian Blowout Solution and the Acai Professional Smoothing Solution, due to dangerously high levels of formaldehyde in both products. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen (cancer causing). The company producing this product claimed it was “formaldehyde-free” but an independent lab in Canada found it have anywhere from 8%-12% formaldehyde. This chemical is not limited to these two products either it is

Found in: Nail polish, nail glue, eyelash glue, hair gel, hair-smoothing products, baby shampoo, body soap, body wash, color cosmetics.

What to look for on the label: Formaldehyde, quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, diazolidinyl urea, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate, 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol (bromopol)

BHA and BHT stands for Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). These are food additives that are used as a preservative to keep food from spoilage. BHA and BHT can be found in butter, meats, chewing gum, snack foods, dehydrated potatoes, and even beer. These additives are approved by the FDA as safe for human consumption. However, they are proven carcinogens. They are also

Found in: lip products, hair products, makeup, sunscreen, antiperspirant/deodorant, fragrance, creams. Often times it is the amount of which we are exposed to these chemicals that is the real problem so that is why this one especially concerns me. If we are getting it from our food and our products we are constantly being exposed. BHA and BHT have been linked to endocrine disruption, organ-system toxicity, developmental and reproductive toxicity, cancer, irritation, allergies and immunotoxicity, bioaccumulation. There is proof that some people have difficulty metabolizing BHA and this can result in health and behavioral changes.  Basically our bodies CAN detox a tiny bit of toxins, but it did not evolve to be bombarded on all fronts!

What to look for on the label: BHA, BHT.

Heavy metals like lead, arsenic, mercury, aluminum, zinc, chromium and iron are found in a wide variety of lipsticks, whitening toothpastes, eyeliner and nail color, foundations, sunscreens, eye shadows, blush, concealer, moisturizers, eye drops. Some metals are intentionally added as ingredients, while others are contaminants. Exposure to metals has been linked to health concerns including reproductive, immune and nervous system toxicity.

What to look for on the label: Lead acetate, chromium, thimerosal, hydrogenated cotton seed oil, sodium hexametaphosphate. Note: products that contain contaminant metals will not list them on ingredient labels.

I highly encourage you to do some further research as well. Unfortunately (or maybe I should say FORTUNATELY!) many of these products have been banned in many parts of the world but we still sell them here in the US. Hopefully the more knowledgeable we all become the more these chemicals will turn into the next “high fructose corn syrup” and corporations will be forced to make healthier products for the population at large. So please do some research, I recommend checking out http://safecosmetics.org/.

Also, just because a product says natural or have those million dollar brand promises like “made from the best stuff on earth” doesn’t mean that they actually do! (This obviously applies to labels on food as well). Please read ingredients. Making sure the product is certified organic is the best rule of thumb and a good indicator that you can trust the product. I say product because a lot of brands have an organic/ chemical free product line and then a line of products riddled with chemicals.

This is called “greenwashing”. Working in the recycling industry, I see this all the time. Being green is very popular and many corporations look to jump on the bandwagon without putting in the infrastructure and work to actually be green! Unfortunately the cosmetic industry is no exception.  The truth is that no REAL change will take place until consumers demand it.  Your dollar is the only vote that really adds up and counts.

Organic Makeup

SO on a lighter note; I am going to do some product reviews on some organic and chemical free products that I love!

Here we go:

Lavera Natural Liquid Foundation
a brand out of Germany has many great products. I use their liquid foundation. It goes on smooth, has medium coverage, blends well and smells heavenly.

Lush, made in England (noticing a trend?), is God’s gift to men and women. Lush is a very popular brand in the States and claims that their products are so natural you could eat them. Mike and I love getting their scrubs and soaps as a treat to our skin care regimes. I use their Colour Supplement as a concealer.  I use Light Yellow but told you can mix different shades for the perfect match. This stuff lasts a long time. I use this almost every day and I have had the same small tub for six months.

Dr. Hauschka Skin Care Concealer is the brand and he and his wife created. They were the pioneers in this industry in the early 1930s in Vienna and London. This is an amazing concealer that I don’t leave home without. Perfect for blemishes and dark circles under the eye. Read more about this amazing company here: http://www.dr.hauschka.com/en_US/about-us/pioneers-and-rebels/. “When we developed these unconventional skin care products we naturally felt like rebels.” Elisabeth Sigmund, basically one bad bitch

BareMinerals Foundation SPF15 – Medium Beige 8g, one of the most notorious mineral based makeup brands in the world. I love using the faux tan matte for contouring, highlighting or just to make me look a little less like Wednesday Adams in December. Best part about this matte is that a little goes a long way.

Physicians Formula Organic Wear, organic wear, I use this exact mascara. I used to use Lancôme and Benefit’s “they’re real” mascara and I have to say this is comparable. This is a great mascara but I do find that I must apply coats lightly and make sure they are dry before applying a new coat. This is the recommended way to put on mascara anyway (for your longest thickest lashes). Another reason why I recommend this brand is because it is readily available at any local pharmacy/ CVS/ Riteaid. One time on a road trip to Vermont, about five hours in, I realized I left all my makeup home. Although this was a hiking trip, I didn’t want to look like Gollum in woods of Vermont. So I stopped at Wallgreens and was able to pick up this mascara and my two-and-one bronzer for about $15 dollars. I use their Gentle Wear 100% Natural Origin 2-in-1 Bronzer & Blush, this is such a nice finish and everyday bronzer and blush. Sometimes I put them on the brush together and highlight my cheek bones and forehead to just give me some dimension. Other times I use separately to just strictly bronze or blush.

Burt’s Bees, another easy to find brand, I really do love Burt’s Bees (despite the weird vibe I got after watching the Burt’s Bees documentary. If you saw it you know what I mean). I LOVE this line of lip crayons. So perfect to get your Kylie Jenner lip game on point. I have tried Sedona Sands and Napa Vineyard and I am so obsessed. It is a matte finish but still creamy like a lip gloss. I also use their lip shines which are my go to, I use Whisper every day!

RMS Beauty, Rose- Marie Smith is a makeup artist who according to her website “After many years in the fashion and make-up industry, [She] learned a lot about the impact of daily exposure to chemicals in beauty care products. [She’s] seen what works and what doesn’t live up to its promises. [She] see[s] the results of taking a quick-fix approach to looking good. [She] know first-hand the price our health can pay in the pursuit of beauty. [She] realized that what women need is a cosmetics line that is as pure as possible, one that creates a solid foundation for anti-aging and long-term beauty.” That is does. I use her Living Luminizer and at a price of $38.00 for .17oz I was skeptical if it was worth the high price tag. Although I am sure this has a huge markup as well, it is certified organic and it is GOREGOUS for highlighting. Also, it is a cult favorite by the industry anyway. You can ask any make-up artist.

Tarte Cosmetics is probably one of the most commercialized all-natural brands in the cosmetic market. It was founded out of the one bedroom apartment of Maureen Kelly the CEO in 1999.  All of Tarte’s products are formulated without parabens, mineral oil, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulfate, triclosan, synthetic fragrances and gluten, just to name a few. This is also a high performer. There is no compromise for health with Tarte’s ability to give you perfect coverage, great color and the glamorous look you are used to (or looking for!).  I love their Amazonian clay waterproof brow mousse, it gives you a great shape without that horrible overdone eyebrow paint job that every girl dreads which always seems to be unbeknownst to her.   I think there is a Buzzfeed article out there with some painful examples.

Anywho! So these are a few of my favorites. I love and use all these products and I am so happy with all of them and my skin is happy too. Since our skin absorbs 60% of what we put on it, it is vital not to settle for the ingredients that are compromising our health. I must be honest, at first I started slow because I didn’t think that makeup could have that much of an impact on our health. However, after researching it became one of those things where I can’t go back to my old ways. I can’t knowingly put those chemicals on my skin and not feel a ping of guilt.

While make-up right now is not being condemned in any PSAs or treated “as bad as a cigarette”, and honestly it may never be, that isn’t a reason to discard the facts. By using department store and drug store make-up you are exposing yourself to cancer causing chemicals on a daily basis. Exposure is the key word especially if you are pregnant or using any main stream soaps, lotions or creams on your baby. Developing babies and expecting mothers are the most susceptible to the dangers of these chemicals.  Remember, if you are eating processed junk, slathering on your skin, and being over-exposed, your body will become overwhelmed.  This can disrupt hormonal balance and throw the entire body off.

Your health is being compromised for a profit, a profit on a product that already has 300% mark-up to begin with. The only one winning is the corporation. You are more than a profit. You are a human being.  Remember, the only vote that truly counts is the one you make regularly with your dollar.  Support companies that have high standards, and you will contribute to growing awareness and sustainability.  If you REALLY want to do something for yourself, others, and the environment, start by getting yourself in check and eliminating toxic make-up products!