Beauty Blog » Organic Makeup

A few short years ago, I had a slight obsession with a certain bath and body store. I’d wait for the annual sales and throw down serious cash for lotions and shower gels that smelled extremely strong in the bottle but never lasted more than an hour on my body. One day while on vacation in Canada I stumbled upon the Lush Cosmetics store and I was forever changed. The smell in the store almost knocked me over it was so strong but it wasn’t an artificial floral or candy smell (like that other popular mall standard). The scent was unique, I smelled rosemary and herbs and a clean soapy smell. It smelled organic and grown up.

So what makes Lush so unique?

“Our Core Beliefs

We believe in making effective products from fresh, organic fruit and vegetables, the finest essential oils and safe synthetics.

We invent our own products and fragrances. We make them fresh by hand using little or no preservative or packaging, using only vegetarian ingredients, and tell you when they were made.”

And you know what? They aren’t lying! You feel the love in every Lush product. Nearly all of their products are vegetarian or vegan friendly. On every bottle is a sticker with a picture and name of the person who made it by hand and the date they made it. Every single product I have purchased has improved by skin, my hair, or my mood. Sometimes all three! Let me introduce you to my all-time favorite:

BIG Shampoo $21.35

“Lemon-lime margarita shampoo adds shine and body to fine hair. The difference between a hefty, healthy hairdo and a lot of limp, lackluster locks? It’s this saucy, sassy, salty shampoo! BIG combines shine-enhancing citrus juices with the beautifying, hair-buffing impact of sea salt and genuine sea water for a body-building regimen your fine hair won’t sweat over.”

This stuff is fabulous. The scent wakes up up and it leaves your hair shiny and soft. You don’t even need conditioner! If I could marry this shampoo I would! Just kidding……or am I?

Shop for more shampoo at Smarter.com.

Yesterday at work, a woman came into my shop and asked if we carried “all natural mascara“.  I declined unfortunately because not only does the store carry hardly any eco-conscious cosmetics (it has mostly cool art and eco-friendly home stuff), but I have yet to see a mascara that would fall into this category.  What it did bring my attention to though were the eco-friendly, chemical free nail polishes and nail polish removers that we sell.  I never paid much attention to this line of products while working.  I guess because I am not completely convinced that chemical free nail polish removers work really.  Either way, it sparked an interest in the company that makes them and I started to do some research.  Priti is a New York based company that creates organic, chemical free skin and nail care.  Kim D’Amato, the founder of Priti has a 100% eco-friendly, sustainable, non-toxic, organic spa in New York’s Lower East Side.

The spa offers manicures, pedicures, facials, massages and waxings using only organic products and non-toxic polishes.  In 2005, D’Amato launched Priti Polish, a line of nail polishes that are formulated without DBP and formaldehyde.  The polishes are $12.50 and come in fun colors like Magic Man Iris, White Ballet Dahlia, plus the bottle is completely recyclable.

Along with the polishes, Priti makes a soy-based nail polish remover that is 100% biodegradable, derived from farm crops and does not contain any petroleum ingredients.

4 oz. Soy Polish Remover: $11.25

All products available at PritiNYC.3DCartStores.com

Lancome recently introduced its new Juicy Tubes Pure for all you gloss gurus out there.  Inspired by Elettra Wiedemann, a socialite, environmentalist, and Lancome spokesperson–not to mention she is a model as well as the daughter of actress Isabella Rosselini–Lancome has launched Juicy Tubes Pure Premium Unique Raw Elements, a ten piece collection that includes a new formula of the gloss made with ninety five percent natural ingredients and one hundred percent natural flavors certified by EcoCert without sacrificing one bit of the original sparkle and high intensity shine.  The new formula includes natural oils and shea butter emollient, it is also paraben free.  Being a Lancome first, the carton the glosses come in is 100% recyclable.  Okay, these are all great baby steps for the French company!  Unfortunately the eco-friendly glosses are only temporary since they are limited edition.  Shades include Sweet Soy, Ginger Root, Bare Honey, Lavendar Zen, and Rose Water…names to make Mother Nature proud.

Limited Edition Juicy Tubes PURE: $18, lancome-usa.com

Since we’re on the topic of green glosses, here are few others that may tickle your fancy:

Burt’s Bees Super Shiny Natural Lip Gloss ($6.29) is made with almond oil, simultaneously making your lips luscious, juicy and really moisturized.  Burt’s Bees are pros at this stuff.  They’ve been making natural, eco-conscious personal care products since 1984. The Super Shiny gloss is flavored with natural citrus oils and comes in four different colors including Pucker Berry, Sweet Pink, Zesty Red, and Nectar Nude.

Smashbox has created O-GLOSS, lipgloss with Goji Berry-C Complex ($22).  The naturally pink hued lip gloss is made with ginkgo biloba, pomegranate seed antioxidants, marine botanicals, moisturizing avocado oil and an exclusive formula of Goji Berry-C Complex.

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more Lancome lip gloss and Burt’s Bees lip gloss.
Discounts on Smashbox lip gloss.

We are all aware of the bad effects of phthalates in hairsprays, lead in lipsticks, parabens in moisturizers, and countless other toxic chemicals in skin care and makeup lines that are harmful to the human body. Non-profit health organizations like The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics have worked diligently to urge the cosmetic market to make full disclosures of ingredients, conduct pre-market safety tests and move away from harmful chemicals.  Many leading brands have come up with their versions of eco-friendly lines.  But we have to remember that since there is no government regulated authority to certify organic or natural products, there is no guarantee that the product line is 100% natural and safe.  Here are eight promising eco-friendly skin care and makeup lines that I found recently that are worth looking into:

1) KaiaHouse.com

An online beauty retailer who carries products that are safe, animal and environmental friendly.  It consults with the Environmental Working Group to verify the safety of every ingredient that goes into the products.  Kaiahouse has a wide assortment of makeup, hair care, skin care, anti-aging and vegan products. Every bottle of its “Save Your World” product saves an acre of rain forest in one year.  Another noteworthy product is “Speak Freely for Humanity” Vanilla lip balm (pictured above), every purchase of which contributes $1 to humanitarian organizations such as the Carter Center to help war and human rights victims around the world.

2)  CosmeticsDatabase.com is a safety guide to cosmetics and personal care products compiled by researchers at the Environmental Working Group.  It has a searchable database of cosmetic and skin care lines with scores of 1 to 10 for product safety and levels of toxicity. So we can either type in the name of the product we are interested in and verify it’s safety level it or simply search for a safe product line from the listed categories for hair, skin, nail etc.

3)  TeensTurningGreen.com is a non-profit organization that educates young women to make healthy choices and commit to a healthy environment.

A division of the org called Teens for Safe Cosmetics works to bring about greener alternatives in cosmetics.  They have been vociferously active in trying to ban the presence of lead in lipsticks which is associated with learning disabilities, miscarriages, low IQ and behavioral problems.  Teens Turning Green collection of safe cosmetics consisting of facial masks, body butters, cleansers, toning mists etc is sold at Whole Foods Market (http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/).

4)  Kahina-GivingBeauty.com

Kahina Giving Beauty is a line of natural skin care whose main ingredient is argan oil, derived from the Argania Spinosa tree indigenous to Morocco.  Argan oil has come into wide prominence recently for its anti-aging properties due to high content of antioxidants, essential fatty acids, carotenoids, ferulic acid, sterols, polyphenols, and vitamin E.  Argan oil is even suggested to protect against skin cancer and improve the appearance of some skin disorders such as eczema and psoriasis.  The ingredients of the Kahina line come from women’s cooperatives from around the world and 25% of the profits go toward initiatives that improve the lives of the women. The line includes serum, cleanser, lotion and plain argan oil which is said to be the secret weapon of Moroccan women to reverse signs of aging.

5)  100PercentPure.com

As the name suggests , 100% pure is a line of skin care and makeup derived from 100% pure, vegan ingredients without addition of any synthetic chemicals, chemical preservatives, artificial fragrances, artificial colors, harsh detergents or unhealthy toxins.  Their exhaustive collection includes tinted moisturizer with SPF 20, lengthening and conditioning mascara, caffeine eye cream, pure peach pigmented concealer to name a few and can be found at ULTA , Skin-One (with free shipping) or its website.

6)  JosieMaranCosmetics.com

This line of pure, gentle but effective makeup founded by the well known model Josie Maran, claims to be different from other earth friendly lines in the sophistication and luxury that it delivers.  It comes complete with bio-degradable packaging and is talc, paraben and petrochemical free.  You can check out this collection at Sephora and Barneys.

7) IAmaPeacekeeper.com

Peacemaker Causemetics ‘s line of eco and health friendly cosmetics was founded in 2002 and has been featured in numerous magazines like Marie Claire, Teen Vogue and The Oprah Magazine.  It is the first cosmetics line that donates 100% of its profits after taxes to women’s health and human rights advocacy organizations.  Shipping is free on all their orders.

8)  JuiceBeauty.com

Juice Beauty, offers organic beauty solutions created from an antioxidant rich organic juice base backed by age-defying technology.  All its ingredients are 95% certified organic and are procured from sustainable and organic farms from around the globe.  It offers a wide array of products including it’s best selling Apple Nutrient Eye Cream and SPF 30 Mineral Light Moisturizer. Featured in Allure, Vogue Japan, Elle and other top Magazines, Juice Beauty can be ordered online from the website or can be found at Sephora.

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more organic makeup and organic skincare.

The funny part is when I think “beauty products” the last thing that comes to mind is “DIRTY HIPPIES”.  Don’t get me wrong I love me a furry tree hugger, but that is sort of the point, being a hippie usually entails a disdain for all things superficial and materialistic. Historically hippies do not shower much,  shave much, comb their hair much .. so on and so forth. Of course, this is a gross generalization but that is the general consensus. Which is why I can’t decide whether these “Dirty Hippie Products” are a stroke of original marketing genius or doomed to failure?

Well in my quest to feature more organic beauty lines I wanted to showcase their line of completely VEGAN chapsticks!

Called the Kissin’ Sticks - these chapsticks are all vegan-certified. Comes in three flavors: hemp (of course, lol) cool crush with orange and mint, and orangecickle with orange-vanilla blend.

Price $3.25

(If you are interested in checking out these Dirty Hippie Products, click on the image or links above)

Also, if this does not tickle your fancy there is apparently a ton of Discount Organic Lip Balms to choose from - Click the link & have fun!

Natural, pseudo-natural, botanical, natural mix products - it’s all very puzzling for the consumer embracing the organic lifestyle especially with so many types of natural skincare products to choose from.

“Instant Radiance, Brilliance, Shine, Youthful” these are some of the promises many skin care products on the market promise. More and more consumers have become chemical-wary, prefer returning to basics and have become disillusioned by the hundreds of anti-aging, chemically produced creams and lotions giving us that artificial boost.

The skin care and organic beauty trend has turned into a craze. In Britain the organic market has almost reached 2 billion, with a 30 percent increase in the number of health and beauty licensees approved by the Soil Association; the New York Times recently highlighted sales of organic personal-care items reached $350 (176m) in America.

Many organic skin care products are vying for our attention in the burgeoning organic beauty market - what do we know about what’s organic and what’s not?

Answer: The main chemical culprits to avoid in cosmetics are glycol, parabens and sodium lauryl sulphates.

If your makeup contains any of the following then it is NOT organic.