This is the latest question, (well) actually I have been asked this before and when it comes to make up, in my tiny opinion, less is MORE.
While beauty may only be skin deep, the cosmetics you apply to your face aren’t. They’re absorbed into your body, and they don’t stop there: when you wash your face, chemicals in your makeup—including plasticizers, coal tar, and formaldehyde—go down the drain, affecting soil, water, and wildlife. With eco-conscious women everywhere waking up to the fact that what you put on your body is as important as what you put in it, sales of natural and organic cosmetics are skyrocketing, with projected revenues of $7 billion in the US in 2008—up from $1 billion in 2007—making it the fastest-growing segment of the cosmetics industry. This is good news!
Often I found that a little lippy or a stroke of eye shadow really makes the world of difference when it comes to needing a bit more self esteem. Now I’m not saying that beauty comes from a product, rather some days it just merely HELPS!
Lets talk about makeup. Some of us start with a concealer and then we add a foundation, then possibly another layer of concealer. Sometimes we even go for a bronzer, then a stroke of blush, swish. Our eyes are then lined, and blended. Eyeshadow brushed on and layered, then move onto lengthening and darkening our lashes with a rich blend of mascara. We finish it all off, by lining and painting our kissable lips then spritzing it all with a finishing spray.
WHOA. Let’s just think about this entire process for a minute. First there is our time to consider, if you are a person who has logged in your hours in front of the mirror or in the car you may actually have this whole process down to fifteen minutes, but for some it’s a 30 minute deal. That is valuable. This is your time.
Now let’s think about clean skin, raw divine skin with nothing on it. You just stepped out of the shower, where you washed your face, in order to save time and water, you are on the green wagon! Now you are standing in front of the mirror and inspecting. Hmm, looks good, clean! You reach for your toner, your moisturizer, maybe even eye cream and sunblock… Then you start layering your makeup on top of all of that…
I only do this so you, (we) can honestly start to think about all of the components that you, play with, that you adore, that you might possibly use on your beautiful-one of a kind face! The average woman uses at least 15 products a day each containing about 10 different chemicals. Only a small percent of the 10,500 chemicals used in beauty products have ever been tested for safety, however one-third of these are known to cause cancer. Research shows that skin can absorb as much as 60 percent of whatever is applied to it. (I use 9, sometimes 10 and this includes my toothpaste and I am a true minimalist, coming from the modeling world and having my face painted everyday was just too much!) As you begin to paint your face, stroke by stroke with rich and vivid colors it may be wise to consider what is actually in the products that create the LOOK that you are trying to achieve.
Here are a list of products that I once adored, that you may love as well… and some of the ingredients that you may want to look out for:
Ultima II by Revlon (there are about 50 products that are potential hazards to our health.) I have completely eliminated this name from my beauty bag.
Clarins: CLARINS ONE-STEP FACIAL CLEANSER (ALL SKIN TYPES) loaded with methylparabens (Hazards: Allergies/immunotoxicity, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Biochemical or cellular level changes).
KIMORA LEE SIMMONS CHOCOLATE SHIMMER POWDER: has the methylparabens and titanium dioxide (Hazards: Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Occupational hazards, Biochemical or cellular level changes).
MAX FACTOR 3 COLOR MAXEYESHADOW, BAJA BRONZE 160: has the methylparabens and silica (Hazards: Cancer, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Persistence and bioaccumulation, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Biochemical or cellular level changes).
ESTéE LAUDER COLOR INTENSITY QUAD MICROFINE POWDER EYESHADOW: has the methylparabens, silica, titanium dioxide and BHT (Hazards: Neurotoxicity, Endocrine disruption, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs).
Enough with the bad. As you read and learn more you will begin to see what to buy and what to avoid. Here are a list of Eco, clean makeup lines that are shooting close to perfect, but I think progress is better a statement.
Jane Iredale
Josie Maran
Afterglow Cosmetics
Belle’s Botanicals
Nude Skincare (My all time favorite!)
You are beautiful and deserve clean fresh skin. Don’t settle, or buy something compulsively as the sales girl persuades you with a slogan. Clean skin is worth it, your health is worth it. Start slowly, ask for a sample and then move onto throwing out one product at a time, and then purchase as you go, invest. Again I will say, start slow, make simple change. Once you begin not only will you notice but those around you will as well! Just wait and watch.
simply beautiful you.
