Pigments to Avoid in Your Makeup

For a change, let’s not talk about the dangers of artificial preservatives. Chance are if you are reading this you’ve already came to the conclusion that you want to avoid them. That’s why you are looking for organic makeup, right?

But there is a whole other aspect to makeup that is just as toxic. The artificial colors used.

So what colors should you definitely avoid in your cosmetics?

Start with coal tar colors. These chemicals are derived from coal byproducts. They are usually labeled as “D&C” and “FD&C” colors. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies FD&C Green 3 and Blue 1 as potentially carcinogenic, while Red 33, Yellow 6 and Yellow 5 may cause cell mutations. The Environmental protection agency lists coal tar in general as a human respiratory toxin. Even the FDA warned consumers back in the early nineties that coal tar may be carcinogenic. It is currently not banned in the US. But it is banned in EU and Canada.

These colors are more likely to be present in mascaras and hair dyes.

Organic and mineral makeup products tend to rely on safer mineral and plant-based alternatives, which is why they are a safer choice. Even though those ingredients come in tiny quantities, with repeat exposure and use of multiple products they add up. So if you tend to wear makeup a lot, check your ingredients. And if needed, buy a safer alternative.

Organic Makeup

Just because a girl wants to go green doesn’t mean she has to look bland. Face it – makeup is part of our lives. We are expected to wear it at the office and at parties. At weddings, at anniversaries, at meetings and conventions… Not to mention that a properly done makeup makes us feel gorgeous in general. Which is no small matter.

Obviously, I am not anti makeup. I love it.

But I want my makeup pure. Organic makeup would be best.

Because there is no reason to put dangerous chemicals and hormone disruptors just to look better. Health and beauty do not have to be mutually exclusive.

They cannot be. Nature wouldn’t allow that.

And now there are more organic makeup brands popping up then ever before. The successful launch of Organic Wear by Physicians Formula proves that the demand for purity is great, and even the big names are jumping on the bandwagon. (Albeit you have to beware of the greenwashing effort – a topic I’ll discuss at more depth in a later post. But if you are curious, just google it.)

Though Organic Wear has been much talked about, there are many other worthy (and worthier) players in the organic makeup market. And raising awareness about these brands is what this site is about.

So let me officially welcome you to my organic makeup blog. Feel free to send me questions and leave comments. I am sure this will be an exciting journey.

And a very pretty one :)