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Sustainability November 26, 2018
Who said you had to sacrifice beauty for sustainability?
Sustainability is important in all areas of life, but it’s especially relevant to us when it comes to our bodies. Having non-toxic bath, body and beauty products should be of the utmost importance because what we put on our skin can get absorbed into our system.
By definition, sustainable makeup is made from products that are easily replaced, which usually involves natural sources. These sources are not only eco-friendly, but they also may be healthier than other processed materials that commonly create makeup. Studies have detected parabens, a makeup preservative, in the breast tissue of breast cancer patients. Although the studies surrounding the topic have been conflicting, using plant-based makeup certainly can’t hurt.
If you’re looking for a place to start, here are three sustainable makeup brands to try for a healthier planet and a safer body.
1. Tarte Cosmetics
All of Tarte Cosmetics’ products “are formulated without parabens, mineral oil, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulfate, triclosan, synthetic fragrances and gluten.” From bronzer to deodorant, you can find all your beauty, body and skin care needs.
Also, if you’re vegan, you’re in luck! Many of their options are completely without animal products. Check the ingredients; Tarte will state if the product is vegan or not.
It is important to note that despite Tarte Cosmetics’ use of plant bases and avoidance of parabens, there are some ingredients in their products that are questionable. In their vegan shape tape contour concealer, for example, we can find 1,2-Hexanediol. This is considered to be safe by EPA but can also cause skin, respiratory and eye irritation according to PubChem.
However, their products remain better than most other makeup brands out there, and they continue to make steps in the right direction.
Created by Gabriel De Santino, Gabriel Cosmetics is “a global natural beauty empire.” He started his brand in 1992 with his first line of vegan, gluten-free and cruelty-free skincare products. He continued to expand into makeup with an acute understanding of the toxicity of most beauty substances.
What I like most about Gabriel Cosmetics’ website is the ingredients list. If you hover your cursor over certain chemicals, extra information pops up that lets shoppers know exactly where these chemicals come from. When browsing this gorgeous cream highlighter, I was concerned about its emulsifying wax and mica ingredients. But after hovering, I understood that the emulsifying wax came from “Aloe Vera Plant and Kelp” and the mica came from “phyllosilicate minerals,” or rocks with a specific silicon compound in them.
Most of Gabriel Cosmetics’ makeup seems safe, but I would advise some caution around a few of his seaweed cleansers. This gel cleanser has glyceryl caprylate, which can seriously irritate the eyes and is also “very toxic to aquatic life.”
Elate Beauty prides itself on cruelty-free makeup, ensuring that “no animal or person should ever be harmed” in making their beauty products. All of their products are 100% gluten-free and vegan.
While Elate Beauty strives for green beauty, their cruelty-free mission takes priority. They consider only 90% of their ingredients to be organic, as they “will always choose fair trade over organic if… unable to have both.”
That being said, all their brushes are made from bamboo, and their lipstick and cheek products seem fairly unharmful. The only potentially questionable ingredients are color additives and essential oils. Color additives are restricted in some areas but overall deemed safe by the FDA.
Essential oils can pose health concerns according to WebMD, but many of these concerns seem to relate to misuse.
Hopefully, these makeup brands will help you feel fresher and greener (and not because you bought Tarte’s jaded green metallic eyeshadow). Who said you had to sacrifice beauty for sustainability?
