Natural Makeup Blog

As I talk and work with women, I find more and more women who can’t wear makeup because of allergic reactions to the colors in them.  

Most traditional makeup uses synthetic colors that have been derived from coal-tar and are categorized into two groups - D&C and FD&C.  D&C stands for Drug and Cosmetics and can only be used in drugs and cosmetics, FD&C stands for Food, Drug, and Cosmetics and can be used in foods as well.  According to ratings developed by Environmental Working Group, coal tar has been found to have the highest hazard rating available with effects ranging from allergic reactions to reproductive toxicity and cancer. 

As these women have changed their makeup from synthetic coloring to natural colors and pigments, they have happily reported that all their allergic reactions have stopped and they can now wear makeup again!

Be sure to check the coloring agents used your product - especially if you have allegic reactions.  Healthy makeup that uses natural occuring and/or inorganic pigments such as plant-based concentrates or extracts, iron oxides, and micas are safest and best for your skin.

For years doctors believed that food and overall health had no relationship at all.  Now, we are all realizing how closely-linked they really are.  Of course, genetics and other things can have an impact but, for the most part, the condition of a person’s skin can actually be an indication of how healthy or unhealthy their diet is. 

In addition to using healthy makekup on the body,  what goes into the body can also have significant effect on the health of your skin.  We will be providing Healthy Diet Tips to help you create optimal health and beautiful, radiant skin from the inside out.

Another article about synthetic fragrances from the Natrual Ingredient Resource Center:

Musk Ambrette, whose chemical name is 2,6-dinitro-3-methoxy-4-tert-butyltoluene, is a common fixative ingredient that is currently added to fragrances in order to slow their evaporation, thereby making it more attractive to the consumer. It is found within most fragrances at a level of 1 to 3.5%. The chemical is also used to a lesser extent as an artificial flavor in compositions such as cherry, nut, spice vanilla, and mint.

Primary demyelination means that the insulative myelin sheath surrounding the nerve cell connections are slowly being worn away. Degeneration of the axons means the actual connection from brain cell to brain cell is being destroyed by the chemical.

The following article was taken from the Natural Ingredient Resource Center regarding synthetic fragrances:

Toxins in Synthetic Fragrances

In 1986, the National Academy of Sciences targeted synthetic fragrances as one of the six categories of chemicals that should be given high priority for neurotoxicity testing. The report states that 95 percent of chemicals used in fragrances are synthetic compounds derived from petroleum. They include benzene derivatives, aldehydes, and many other known toxics and sensitizers, which are capable of causing cancer, birth defects, central nervous system disorders and allergic reactions. 

The Institute of Medicine place fragrance in the same category as second hand smoke in triggering asthma in adults and school age children.

When choosing natural makeup and skin products, look for companies that use only natural, plant-based fragrances.

One of Natures’ fabulous ingredients for skin is Organic Jojoba Oil.  Jojoba oil comes from the beans of the plant Simmondsia Chinensis and can be found growing in warmer areas such as Southern California, Arizona, and Mexico.  It is golden in color and one of the most ideal oils for the skin.   Jojoba oil is more like a liquid plant wax and, as such, its stability and shelf life is considerably longer than most plant oils. 

One of jojoba’s best qualities for the skin is its ability to absorb into the skin much like our own natural skin oils.  This absorption capability allows for greater moisturization and skin protection. 

When looking for healthy makeup, be sure to look for products that contain this wonderful oil.

A great ingredient to look for when choosing natural makeup is plant-derived Allantoin.  Allantoin is recognized as being very beneficial for skin.  It is used as a safe and effective skin protectant because of its ability to stimulate new and healthy tissue growth.

Allantoin can be found in botanical extracts of the comfrey plant, mammal urine, or chemically synthesized.  The healthiest and most natural source comes from the comfrey plant.  Comfrey is an herb native to Europe and is a widely used plant known for supporting skin health. 

When looking for skin care products, make sure to check how the allantoin is derived to make sure you have the healthiest ingredients possible for your skin.   

It has been said that over the course of a lifetime, women can ingest up to five pounds of lipstick! 
With this in mind, finding natural lip products that contain healthy, non-toxic ingredients is a good idea. 

Many lipsticks have oils in them that have been derived from boiling cow remains and using the lard, or from petroleum-based oils (mineral oil, petrolatum, vaseline, petroleum jelly) - not things most women want on their lips.  These oils are widely available and very cheap, but not very beneficial for the skin.

The best oils to have in a lipstick are moisturizing, organic plant-based oils such as castor oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil, or olive oil, and plant-derived butters like shea butter or kokum butter.

Look beautiful in the most natural way. The best thing to having good makeup is appearing to not have any makeup at all. Apply natural foundation on your face as a base for the succeeding elements. Choose a foundation that is preservative-free and is perfect for all skin types.

A good foundation will cover blemishes and uneven skin tones to give you a smooth and radiant-looking complexion. The Lauren Brooke foundation is made up of certified organic jojoba oil infused with flower essences, certified organic extracts of neem, olive and raspberry. It also has pure pearl and silk powders that will moisturize, protect and soothe your skin.

Facial skin is very delicate. Extreme care must be taken when applying anything on it. Make sure you only apply natural mineral makeup with pure ingredients. These won’t cause any skin problems or leave harmful elements behind. Pure mineral makeup is composed of the finest and purest ingredients.

These components are carefully selected from different areas of the globe and are mixed with care. All you get is exquisitely gentle makeup that is good for the skin but will also give you the beautiful look you want. Appear radiant every time you go out. Only use natural makeup on your face.

‘Organic’ has become a very popular word over the last several years, but what does it acually mean?

For thousands of years, organic agriculture was the only option available for food production.  With the technological advances brought about by the industrial revolution, farming methods were also industrialized in an effort to increase crop production and animal growth through the use of chemical or synthetic compounds.  Although technologies have had many benefits to our lives, we are now finding that these chemicals are having serious negative effects on both our environment and our health. 

Organic agriculture efforts are now seeking to find ways to find and use technological advancements that support sustainable, healthy farming methods while eliminating methods which have negative impacts on society and the environment. 

Research has found that plants grown organically have been found to contain greater amounts of bio-available vitamins, nutrients, and anti-oxidants.  When choosing natural makeup, finding and using products that use organic plant oils, extracts, and other plant-derived ingredients ensures that you will have the beneficial vitamins and minerals your body can actually use and benefit from.