FALL 2008
Return to Index
At Home
Pg 31 - A NEW MAKEUP MODE
Cosmetic companies are finally offering greener options. Here's a round-up of new products that stand out.
By Rona Berg
What is organic makeup? Well, that's really hard to say. Requirements in the U.S. for organic food are strict, but there isn't a specific standard applicable only to cosmetics and personal care. When I asked a cosmetics chemist friend in Los Angeles about this, she naturally reached for an appropriate driving metaphor: "If there's no speed limit, how can anyone tell that you are speeding?" In fact, they can't.
Maybe it's easier to talk about what organic makeup is not. Organic (and eco-friendly) makeup should not contain synthetic FD&C dyes, artificial fragrance, or petrochemials (including parabens). It should be free of nano-engineered ingredients or GMOS. But perhaps the real question is what do we want our makeup to be? Most women are drawn to makeup that's gentle, non-pore-clogging, non-irritating (even to sensitive skin), easy on the environment, and, of course, easy on the eyes! And therein lies the paradox: we want beautiful, natural makeup to make us look more naturally beautiful.
Here are six great new brands of eco-friendly makeup. Though they may not all be organic, most come pretty close.
Josie Maran Cosmetics
Former model Josie Maran grew up in Northern California, where her parents encouraged an organic lifestyle. She grew up without makeup, but as the face for Maybelline for 10 years, she learned how to wear it by working with professional makeup artists. After her daughter was born, Maran realized that she wanted to apply her healthy lifestyle to makeup. She wanted natural, organic, non-toxic makeup, but she didn't want to sacrifice the sophistication and pretty palettes that she loved. She wanted the line to look-and feel-luxurious and natural. And guess what? It does.
Josie Maran cosmetics are formulated with skin-saving ingredients like avocado, jojoba, olive, argan, and soybean oil; beeswax; and shea butter. The colors are soft and subtle. Lipsticks are designed to glide on in a thin layer so that you don't deposit more color than you need. The cream blush-one of my personal favorites-warms the skin with a supernatural hint of color, and it's fragrance- and paraben-free. Much of the packaging is corn-based, recyclable, and/or biodegradable.
Physician's Formula Organic Wear
Who could predict that the first truly green mass-market makeup line would be launched by Physician's Formula, the king of old-school, color-corrective makeup? Or that it would have Ecocert certification, and that all ingredients would be 100 percent nature-derived? But wait-there's more. The packaging is completely recyclable (blush, bronzer, pressed powder, and eye shadow come in paper compacts, using 93 percent less plastic than the traditional plastic version). Not only that-they're really cute. And you can't beat the price.
You can pull these babies out of your purse, give yourself a touch-up in public, and feel really good about flaunting your eco-chic compact to the world (or in my case, fellow travelers on the New York City subway). My personal favorite: the Matte Finish Mineral Veil, a powder foundation with an all-in-one easy applicator brush attached.
Dr. Hauschka
The Dr. Hauschka skincare line is a huge cult favorite, and for good reason. It is BDIH-ceritifed, biodynamic, contains organic ingredients, and loaded with botanicals-who doesn't love the silky soft Rose Day Cream, one of my all-time personal favorites? Plus, they've just launched a line of holistic home remedies based on healing principles of homeopathic and anthroposophic medicine. But the makeup still flies a bit under the radar, and there's no good reason why it should. Maybe that will change, now that they've expanded the line to include volumizing mascara-I'm totally addicted! There's also a surprisingly non-oily treatment stick concealer, and a host of other products. The lipsticks are loaded with lubricious shea butter and carrot extract; glosses contain moisturizing sea buckthorn; and pencils are softened with rose wax, a signature ingredient. The powders are a special favorite of TV makeup artists because they contain oil-absorbing kaolin clay and tapioca powder to prevent shine under bright lights and cameras.
Organic Glam
OG (as it's known to makeup mavens) is the latest import from the London-based Organic Pharmacy, a stylish green apothecary that offers natural and organic health and beauty products. The new makeup line is built around a classically elegant core palette that's designed to flatter all skin tones and focus on a natural (rather than a super-trendy) finish. All products contain a hint of shimmer to warm the skin, and a tiny dab of one of my favorites-the liquid shimmer highlighter-will create the illusion of a lift under the eyes. There are treatment ingredients, too, like arnica and eyebright in the under-eye concealer that help reduce puffiness. Everything contains antioxidant vitamins E and A to protect the skin.
Von Natur
This is a funky, earthy natural line from Portland, with an absolutely astonishing range of beautiful colors. Because it is certified vegan, the Von Natur folks don't even use beeswax in their products, instead relying on plant waxes and organic olive oil in their concealers and lip products. The organic standard is very high-even the foundation is 85 percent organic, which is unusual, and the products are loaded with essential oils.
Mineral Makeup
Mineral makeup is one of the hottest trends to rock (!) the beauty industry in years. It caught on, initially, because it is the only makeup benign enough to apply after cosmetic dermatology or surgery procedures. Most mineral makeup lines do not contain fillers, synthetic dyes, or other sensitizing ingredients that may absorb into or irritate the skin. Mineral makeup, if applied dry, looks light and subtle. For a more dramatic look, apply with a damp brush. Note: look for "micronized" mineral makeup, which means that it's finely ground, and avoid "nanoparticles," which may be small enough to absorb into the bloodstream and possibly damage cells. Brands to look for include:
Jane Iredale: A glamorous range of eye and lip colors, including a 24-karat gold eyeshadow-no kidding!
Bare Escentuals: The powder foundation offers coverage that's light but true. (Tip: Make sure to sprinkle a bit in the top of the jar first, and gently mash with brush to refine the powder.)
Laura Mercier Mineral Makeup: The eponymous makeup artist's Mineral Eye colors and Mineral Cheek colors are absolutely irresistible. (Tip: Apply cheek color with a kabuki fan brush for the most natural application.)
Youngblood: It isn't easy to find great pencils that glide smoothly onto the skin, but these are really exceptional. Not too greasy, not too dry-just right!
Mineralogie: Silky soft eye shadows come in a range of trendy, eye-popping colors, including gorgeous greens and bronzy neutrals flecked with gold.
Susan Posnick: The fabulous Color-Flo, Posnick's all-in-one brush/powder dispenser, applies just the right amount of foundation every time.