My Picks Part 1: Makeup

One of the most frequently asked question I get is…”What do YOU use?”  People know that they can come to us for soap, deodorant, insect repellent, body butters and more…but for the products that we don’t make, are there some that I recommend?  Here I have created my full list of product recommendations from dish soap to mascara, complete with handy links.  If you’re wondering about additional products or categories, write in the comments and I’ll try to add them to my list.  Because there are so many different products and categories I’ve split this up in to a series.  So, here’s Part 1:
Makeup
While there are no certified organic options on the market, there are a few that come close.  Now, keep in mind that there are no perfect options.  There will still be mineral pigments, micas, or other ingredients that aren’t organic, but I’ve poured over countless brands and ingredients lists to come up with these recommendations.  Ingredients-wise, they are the best available.  Now, do keep in mind that I have not tried all of these products, so I can’t speak for how they will work for your particular skin.  However, most of these companies offer sample sizes that you can try before you invest in a full-sized product. 

My criteria
In addition to the obvious ones…parabens, fragrance, artificial colors, phenoxyethanol, ethoxylathed chemicals, propylene glycol, etc, here are my additional standards for choosing these products:

• No Grapefruit Seed Extract
• No Japanese Honeysuckle Extract
• No dusts that pose inhalation hazards
• No essential oils on my “avoid” list
• Adequately and safely preserved
• No carmine

I also tried to avoid titanium dioxide, although there are some products that do contain it.  (I have noted below if they do.)
Do keep in mind, just because I recommend one product, does NOT mean that I recommend the entire line. 
Foundation
Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques Creme Foundation
This is what I use on the rare occasion that I wear makeup. It gives light coverage and has a nice silky feel.  It also doesn’t irritate my skin like a lot of foundations do.  Natural Joy Beauty offers samples for $1 so you can try different shades and find out what works best for your skin.  Another great thing is that it contains non-nano zinc oxide, and, while it doesn’t officially boast an SPF, the zinc oxide naturally offers UVA and UVB sun protection.  No separate SPF face cream needed!
If you’ve ever talked to me about makeup, you know that I love Lauren’s line.  She’s local to me here in Utah, and I’ve spoken with her personally and know the extreme care she takes in creating her products and choosing her ingredients.
Miessence Translucent Foundation 
I have not tried this product.  It is a bit on the pricey side, but it also has a great ingredients list as far as makeup is concerned.  
Marie Veronique Everyday Sheer Coverage SPF 20 is a tinted moisturizer that also provides sunscreen protection.
Concealer
RMS Beauty Un-Cover Up

I have not tried it, but it gets some great reviews. (Some shades contain titanium dioxide.) She doesn’t list the ingredients on her website clearly for each product (just a master list of ingredients used overall) so here is an ingredients list that I found on another site for our perusal:

Lauren Brooke Creme Concealer
This is what I would use on the rare occasion that I wear makeup.
Earth’s Beauty Concealer
Really simple ingredients list!
Miessence Concealer
Also a really simple ingredients list.
Eye Shadow
Lauren Brooke Creme Eye Color
RMS Beauty Cream Eyeshadow
Eyeliner
Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques Eyeliner Pencils
(This is what I use.)
100% Pure Creamstick Eyeliner
I hesitate to recommend anything from 100% Pure because of their use of Japanese Honeysuckle Extract, among other issues (labeling inaccuracies, preservative issues).  However, this product appears to be good.  Lauren Brooke is my top pick, but if you couldn’t do it for some reason, this would be okay. 
Liquid Eyeliner
100% Pure Creamy Liquid Eyeliner
See above for my opinion on 100% Pure.
Mascara
Real Purity 
Blush
Meisha Cream Blush
RMS Beauty Lip2Cheek

Except for the “smile” shade which contains synthetic colorants.  Again, hard to find full ingredients listings on their website, so here it is:

For all Lip2Cheek except Smile: *Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, *Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, *Cera Alba (Beeswax), *Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), *Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, *Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, *Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernal Oil, Tocopherol (non-GMO), Helianthus Annus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Propolis Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, *Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Extract. May contain [+/-]: Titanium Dioxide CI 77891, Iron Oxides 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, Mica CI 77019

Some shades do contain titanium dioxide.  You may want to e-mail RMS and find out if there’s a shade you’re interested in.
Lipstick
Miessence Lip Creme
Lip Colors by Lauren Brooke
Coastal Classic Creations
Lip Gloss
Botanical Lip Gloss by Lauren Brooke
Lip Liner
Lauren Brooke Lip Liner Pencils
*Note: some colors contain carmine.
Primer
I don’t have any primers that I recommend.  That’s because they are primarily used for loose powder foundations, which I don’t recommend because of the potential to breathe in the mineral dust.
Nail Polish
A really tough one because even the “good” brands contain questionable stuff.  But, the bottom line is, you’re putting paint on your nails.  It’s a very unnatural thing in and of itself, so some chemicals are needed.  My standards for nail polish are completely different from those of my other makeup items because there are no nail polishes that would possibly meet the standards.
Aquarella is probably one of the best ingredients-wise.  However, it does take some special care to use it.
Honeybee Gardens is another option along the same lines.
Keeki Pure and Simple is another good one.  It’s marketed more for kids and teens but can be used by anyone.
Finally, there’s Scotch Naturals.
All of the above fall in to the water-based formulas that are somewhat high maintenance.  Adequate cleaning of the nail beforehand, doing numerous light coats, giving it a really long cure time, etc. And even then, it seems to quickly peel. 
If you’re looking for a nail polish that acts more like a “regular” nail polish, I’ve been impressed with the Mineral Fusion brand that I found at Whole Foods. (Can’t find it online for some reason to link to it.)  It dries quickly and is way easier to use than the watercolor brands.  The only downside is that it does contain some bad ingredients like phenoxyethanol. But it is at least tolulene-free. 
Any other categories in makeup?  Comment below and I’ll do my best! If you’d like me to take a look at a product for you, I’ll be happy to do so.  Please either post the ingredients list, or provide a direct link to the product.  
Tomorrow: Part 2–Cleaning Products

For more information about the chemicals in personal care products to avoid, visit our blog at http://bubbleandbee.blogspot.com and our Chemical of the Day Blog: http://chemicaloftheday.squarespace.com