Kinder, Cleaner Beauty

OK, so I’m not the most makeup-y person, but I do wear it every day. Not much, because I think as we get older, the less makeup the better. That’s what works for me. But beyond that, it’s what’s in our makeup and it’s how it’s made. Certain ingredients that we’ve all taken for granted are pretty darn scary when you really think about it. And I for one don’t want anything to do with products that are needlessly and cruelly tested on animals. So I’m sharing a little test I did this past weekend. See what you think!

These are the kinder, cleaner makeup options I swapped out for my tried-and-true go-tos. Truth be told, I did not see one difference in look, touch, performance. In fact, I did a test to truly compare them side-by-side which you’ll see at the end of this post. So about these products…

Juice Beauty: (Last Looks Blush, Lengthening Mascara) Love her (I do!) or hate her, but this brand is a favorite of Gwyneth Paltrow. So favorite she has actually designed a makeup collection with them. Juice Beauty was masterminded by a California team passionate about healthy lifestyles and organic products backed by powerful science. Its entrepreneur founder, Karen Behnke, developed a keen interest in personal care products after becoming pregnant with her first child at age 40. (Sound familiar?!?) She was astounded to find that although your skin absorbs over 60% what is placed on  it, there were few available products that married organic and natural formulations with a luxurious, high-performance experience. Juice Beauty does! I particularly love their mascara. It is 86% organic and not formulated with the ickies most other mascaras are, including coal tar dye — with risks that include severe allergic reaction, asthma attacks, headaches, nausea, fatigue, loss of concentration and nervousness. It’s also linked to an increased risk of Hodgkin’s Disease, non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. Yikes! These chemicals are absorbed directly into the bloodstream through the tiny pores around your eyes. I say… try this mascara! You will not miss the one you are currently using.

Beauty Counter: (Tint Skin, Touchup Skin Concealer, Color Pinch Cream BlusherOK, did you know that the USA has not passed a major federal law to regulate the safety of ingredients used in personal care (women’s!) products since….drum roll…1938! (WTF!) Over the past two decades, the European Union has banned more than 1300 chemicals in the formulation of personal care products…but not our country. Beauty Counter has gone beyond that and banned the use of more than 1500 questionable or harmful ingredients. They are lobbying Washington to do more and do it now. But back to their products which really deliver on a luxurious, lasting experience. And their packaging is really tip top. (Used Color Pinch on Lips!)

Hourglass: (Mineral Veil Primer, Arch Brow Sculpting PencilHourglass says they exist at the intersection of  science, beauty and luxury. They are an almost exclusively vegan brand. Their primer goes beyond traditional formulations, even concealing rosacea. For brows, the formula combines powder, pencil and wax to create the look of naturally fuller, defined brows. And wow does it! Love!!

So…I think I’m going over to the kinder, cleaner side. Why not? I can only imagine the chemicals my skin has absorbed over decades of wearing makeup. All basically invented by men. Hmmmm….

But let’s end on a positive note. I won’t diss my day-to-day makeup products. They perform. But are they good for me? Or you? It’s never too late! There are lots of kinder, cleaner brands out there. You can find them at Target or your favorite department store. But best of all  you can find them directly online — when it works for you. That’s a win win in my book.

Please let me know what you think, what you try!

So…I super hate Selfies…and my wrinkles. But this is me with half my face in old school makeup and the other half in kinder, cleaner makeup. Can you guess which is which? OK…my right is cleaner, kinder. I didn’t do any special blending. To me, it’s amazing how seamless the comparison is. Which means you don’t think you have to sacrifice finish and performance for safer beauty. Sounds good to me.

Photos by MP Allegaert

3 thoughts on “Kinder, Cleaner Beauty

  1. I know about 1938! Pretty scary because who knows what they were allowed to put into cosmetics back then. Fortunately the Beauty Biz has cleaned up its act ALOT all on its own. And it’s my right side. Even I had to keep reminding myself!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.