Is organic makeup better for you or is it a hype? or marketing strategy?

Question

Recently, I really been into makeup. However, I have read some articles and books on how skin is a good way for chemicals and other foreign substance to enter your bloodstream (i.e. topical medication + patches) and sometimes it is better than ingesting. So, that give me quite a fright because I used many commercial makeup that's full of synthetic chemicals and many are probably hormone disrupters! However, the "mineral" makeup that's supposedly be good for your skin (and health) also contains some byproduct/ contaminants that's bad for you . It's also more expensive than regular products. So, my question is should I invest into organic makeup? Is it really better for you HEALTH ( hey, I rather be healthy than pretty)? Do the FDA regulate the makeup well? Or should I just "quit" makeup all together? And how often should I wear makeup?

Please answer with substantial evidence and a valid source. Thank you!

Answer 1

I use Arbonne International products for those vary same reasons.  Arbonne is pure, safe, and beneficial.  They do not test on animals, they are vegan certified (no animal byproducts), dermatologist tested, hypoallergenic, they do not use mineral oil and are Swiss formulated.  Arbonne is not completely organic or natural, but I have found there products very safe to use.

The safe cosmetics org site I do not find to be very reliable.  I have looked up several products only to find that they have the wrong ingredients listed or they have products listed that do not exist for a certain company.  I did a lot of research and double checking from this site and I cannot recommend it.  Use at your own risk, there is false information.

FDA does not regulate any cosmetics and it is pretty scary that a product can go out on the market and cause harm.  The only way to remove the product is if the company voluntarily removes it.  Arbonne does their own testing on actual humans and has products sent out to dermatologist to test as well.  I have never dealt with a company that has such high standards, great customer services, and are so willing to answer any questions you have.

Answer 2

I'm right along with you.  They way I am starting to choose my make up is to look for the ecocert lable.  Physicians Formula is the first company to gain that certification.  I think 98% of the ingredients are from organic ingredients.  Look for what the products don't have...they should advertise this.

Answer 3

Yes, it is safe to assume that any chemical that you put on your skin will get absorbed into your system.

Makeups are not required to go through any kind of FDA testing because they are not selling a product that is being ingested.

This goes for lotions and creams to.

There are many chemicals in non-organic makeups that can mimic estrogen and other hormones in the body. They also can have harmful chemicals (like petrolium based chemicals) that can get absorbed into your system.

Same thing with shampoos and conditioners.

It isn't about non-organic makeup being bad for you per-say its about all that your typical person is exposed to throught the day.

Just think about all the chemicals that we are exposed to on a typical day.

You shower with petrol based soaps shampoos and conditioners that are loaded with chemicals and frangrences. We brush our teeth with aspertame and flouride we lather on some chemical makeup and lotions and deoderants. Then we spray on some perfum. Then we put on our clean clothes that have been washed with petrol based products that are heavly perfumed and fabric softend. Out we go into a smog filled drive to our offices that have been sprayed for bugs and tables sprayed with cleaner we eat hormone and chemical loaded foods .....Well the list goes on. If you think about it its a pretty toxic world we live in.

Its a matter of trying to eliminate as much of that as you can in order to maker yourself healthier ( not to mention the planet, organic is definelty much "greener"). If it was just makeup, I'd say I wouldn't worry about it. But its not. SO why not do something to help ease the chemical load on your body and go organic as much as possible.

I use a mineral make up that is organic and natural. And I love the stuff.

Its not bare minerals either. Watch out for talc powder too. Thats bad for you too.. They've found it in ovarian tumors.

Well, i could go on and on.

Heres the website to the makeup I use and I adore it. Its worth every penny.

http://www.larenim.com/

I where makeup when I feel like it. I would say if your using a natural make up you could also where it whenever you felt like.If your not gonna use natural I would wear it only when I had too.

Answer 4

Organic is better for your health.  But real organic.  Not the wishy-washy way some companies try to pretend to be green.  ( A claim "natural" is not regulated at all, and saying "contains organic ingredients", may just mean they sprinkled a 0.01% of some organic juice into it...)

Basically, main-stream cosmetics add a lot of ingredients that have no business being on your skin:  parabens, acrylomites, sodium laurel, fragrances etc.  Many of these are carcinogenic, irritant and directly linked to other health issues.  The FDA does not regulate cosmetics industry, so the companies are free to add anything they want.   The term "fragrances" alone can mean any of thousands possible synthetic chemicals.   And yes, they do absorb into your bloodstream...  And just think of all the lipstick you eat!

You can read this article http://www.organicmakeupandskincare.com/... if you want to know key things to avoid, if you can't go right out organic.

Also, don't confuse "mineral" and "organic".  There is lots of talk about "mineral" now.  I am not saying it's all bad.  But mineral, by defenition, is derived from minerals.  Some companies add minerals that are synthetic.  When we talk about "Organic" skin care, we usually mean plant source.  So, when looking for "organic", you are looking for botanical extracts.  

There are a number of certificates that you can look out for.  These mean that the product met at least some standard (usually a percentage of ingredients that is organic).  

Here are some certificates:  http://www.organicmakeupandskincare.com/...

When you are looking for mineral makeup, it's really particle size, shape, density and composition that are important.  The tinier they are, the more likely to penetrate into your skin, your lungs, etc...  Treehugger has a good take on it:  http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/03/...  

Basically, avoid things like parabens, bismuth oxychloride, nano-sized ingredients, synthetics, talc, petrochemicals...    Again, pay attention to labelling.  Usually by "organic" they just mean that they have organic ingredients.  The rest can be quite a suspect.  As you can probably tell, I haven't bought into the "mineral hoopla".  I hear that Afterglow is rather natural...  but even their ingredient list starts with mica, iron oxide, titanium dioxide, and only then do organics come into play.  (Ingredients are always listed in the order from most to least).  So what's so organic about that?

Of good organic makeups, I would recommend Dr. Hauschka.  They have been in business since the sixties, they use biodynamic (that's even more stringent criteria then organic) ingredients.  They have pricy, but pretty safe foundations and other makeup products.  

Physician's Formula rolled out an "organic wear" line to general stores.  They are EcoCert certified.

As to how often to use makeup:  I practically never wear a foundation.  I use preventative skin care, so I don't really have to.  (And I'm basically thirty).  I occasionally wear makeup if I go out: some mascara, some lipstick...   Prevention will take you much further, and actually addressing the issues on the skin instead of covering them up will make your skin serve you much longer.

You don't have to give up pretty for health.  If you do pretty the healthy way, it'll just add up :-)

If you want more ideas, come and visit my blog, I blog about Organic Makeup and Skin Care   at http://www.organicmakeupandskincare.com/

Other resources:

http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/  database of cosmetics ingredients...  

http://www.safecosmetics.org/ campaign for safe cosmetics -- you'll be amazed how many mainstream brands are not signing.

Hope this helps.

Answer 5

The first post's advice is really great!

The #1 ingredient I avoid in all cosmetics/beauty products is the various parabens.

They're banned in Europe for the strong link with Cancer. They're in almost every commercial cosmetic product in the states...especially Neutrogena.

the EWG has a really great database listing the ingredients (and their safety) of thousands and thousands of companies and their products