The farm animals don’t seem to mind me sans makeup, and for the most part, I nourish my skin with essential oil serums and that is the extent of my daily regime. That said, there are times that a girl just wants to get “dolled up”. It feels good and there is nothing wrong with doing things that make you feel good.
The issues that I do have with cosmetics lay within the ingredients themselves. The thousands of synthetic chemicals that have been cooked up in a lab to make our various potions as cheaply as possible. That’s the problem.
Cosmetics is a multi billion dollar industry. A lot of studies are out there to prove that there are “safe” levels of use for these chemicals. This also means that there are “unsafe” levels. The issue isn’t about using one product that contains a handful of toxic ingredients, it’s about using 10, 15 or 20 different products, and hundreds of chemicals. We are being assured by studies that are measuring safety by individual products and not looking at the bigger, real use picture.
How do you weed out the good from the bad?
There are resources available for getting the “dirt” on your favorite cosmetics or those that you are considering. The Environmental Working Group has a database of over 60,000 products rated based on their ingredients. Products rated 1 are best and 1o are most hazardous. This is a useful tool but you should still read the ingredients and decide for yourself which products are suitable for you and your family. Like food, you have to read the labels. Checking up on the integrity of the company itself is also a good practice. You can find a list here of some products that should be avoided.
Green Cosmetics Brands
Regardless of what any companies marketing, advertising and packaging says, you need to look at the fine print. Rather than improving their ingredients, some unscrupulous companies have employed devious “greenwashing” techniques to fool us into thinking they are greener . Words like “pure” or “natural” mean very little on packaging. It’s what’s under the hood that counts.
green•wash (grēn’wŏsh’, -wôsh’)
Used to describe the act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service. (Source: stopgreenwash.org)
There are a few brands that I have researched, tried, tested and feel quite confident that their product and company intentions are worth my dollars.
When making my decisions I look for 100% natural & preferably organic ingredients. The ingredients list should contain the natural botanical & essential oils names. Cosmetics that I have in my little makeup bowl right now come from (in no special order); W3ll People, Vapour Beauty, Ilia Beauty, Sappho and Living Libations.
Top Two Skincare Products
My daily regime does not typically involve makeup. The skincare products that I do use every day come from Living Libations, a Canadian Company. Their Roseglow Lover Lips is my favourite lip product. Moisturizing with a hint of color. I have quite a few of these for keeping my lips moisturized when working outdoors.
The second product is Seabuckthorn Best Skin Ever. This is the best multipurpose skincare product that I have ever tried. I have been using it for over three years, and have gifted it to family at Christmas because that’s how wonderful I think it is.
This body and face product is “all-in-one” for cleansing, exfoliating and moisturizing. Contains pure organic and/or wild crafted ingredients: Seabuckthorn oil, golden jojoba oil, virgin coconut oil, tamanu oil, lavender, vetiver, grapefruit, and palmarosa essential oils.
Don’t be scared by the word “oil” either. I break out easily and was worried that an oil product would be a nightmare. My skin is more balanced and this oil works like a dream. No breakouts.
For a spa like experience at home, massage the oil on your face and neck and then place a very warm facecloth over your face and neck. A minute of bliss. Remove the cloth and gently wipe away the excess oil with the cloth.
Canadian Suppliers
When I am a truly satisfied customer I am more than happy to let people know where I get my stuff. In this case, I feel even better about it because the suppliers are Canadian retailers and we all really need to make a conscious effort to support our local economy.
Living Libations – I will come right out and say it. If I could own every single product and slather myself in them daily. I would. I love everything about this company and have tried (and use) a lot of their products. I can’t always afford to treat myself but let me say this. When you compare their thoughtfully and lovingly crafted products to expensive “full of chemicals & promises” cosmetic counter lines, it is an amazing value for an pure & luxurious product. I cannot sing their praises enough. Plus, they are Canadian!
Clementine Fields – I have only been a customer of this Canadian Retailer for about a year. They carry a wide range of natural cosmetics and skin care products. My order came wrapped beautifully and they make their customers feel special. They offer a wide selection of samples so that you can try before you buy the full full size product. This is particularly helpful when trying to determine what shade of foundation you need.
The Green Kiss – The Green Kiss is a Canadian on-line retailer of natural beauty products. They have excellent service and a nice range of products.
