An Organic Makeover

Green Guide 119 | March/April 2007 | Buyer Beware

by Maureen Ryan

What's inside your makeup bag? A shimmery lipstick, a full-proof foundation and a tube of black mascara? Now take a good, hard look at what's really inside your makeup bag. Read all the ingredients. Are the products you use every day safe?

Last year, Americans spent about $50 billion on cosmetics and toiletries, according to Euromonitor International, a market research firm. While looking good isn't a crime, it is certainly a matter of concern when those products contain numerous ingredients that have never been tested for safety. "I think women are shocked when they find out that the products they put on their skin and lips aren't tested for toxics," says Julia Brody, Ph.D., executive director of the women's health-focused Silent Spring Institute.

The United States Food & Drug Administration puts the onus on manufacturers to ensure their products are safe, stepping in only when enough consumers complain of adverse reactions, and the agency does not regulate terms used on cosmetic labels, such as "hypoallergenic," "all natural" or even "organic." While these undefined, misleading labels still remain an issue, state governments are working to hold cosmetic companies accountable for the ingredients they use.

California has taken the lead in the safe cosmetics campaign, implementing the California Safe Cosmetics Act as of January 1st. The act requires cosmetic companies to tell state health authorities if a product contains any ingredient—including "trade secrets" and "proprietary" ingredients—listed on California's comprehensive Proposition 65 list of chemicals deemed carcinogenic by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the Environmental Protection Agency or the National Toxicology Program and those considered as reproductive toxins by the National Toxicology Program's Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction. Proposition 65 includes the hormone disruptor di-butyl phthalate, a common ingredient in nail polish, and 1,4-dioxane, an EPA-designated probable human carcinogen that has been detected in trace amounts in shampoos, bubble baths and some cosmetics. Washington state legislators have introduced a similar bill, based on California's efforts, that if passed would go into effect January 2009. Later this year, the European Union will institute a policy called the Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals (REACH), which will require cosmetics firms collect comprehensive data on the possible risks of the substances to human health and to the environment.

It's too early to see if these pioneering efforts have yet benefited consumers nationwide, but Brody doesn't think that the bill's effects will be limited to Californians. "The California legislation has raised awareness among a lot of women that, right now, cosmetics aren't adequately regulated," she says.

Until then, smart shoppers can enliven their spring makeup bags with an organic makeover, reading the fine print and avoiding The Green Guide's Dirty Dozen chemicals (download the Dirty Dozen Smart Shopper's Card) and undefined, unreliable labels (download our Non-Food Labels Smart Shopper's Card) commonly associated with cosmetics. To get you started, we've uncovered some of the safest and most stylish products around.

Lips

Who doesn't love a good lip balm or a sexy lipstick? But many lip products are petroleum-based, which depletes a non-renewable resource, and petrolatum can cause allergic reactions. Avoid potentially hormone-disrupting benzophenone compounds in lip products with SPF, and watch out for phenol, a common lip-balm ingredient that can cause diarrhea, fainting, dizziness, and kidney and liver damage when absorbed or ingested in high concentrations, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Instead, create a safe—and sexy—pout with these:

Perfect Organics Super Moisturizing Shea Butter Balm ($3.99) and Vegan Lip and Cheek Shimmers ($18.99; www.perfectorganics.com, 800-653-1078); Suncoat Natural Lip Shimmer ($8.99; www.suncoatproducts.com, 519.780-0149); Carol's Daughter Natural Shine for Lips ($6; www.carolsdaughter.com, 877-540-2101); Dr. Hauschka Novum Lipgloss ($16.95; www.drhauschka.com, 800-247-9907); Gabriel Cosmetics Lipstick ($12.95) and Lipliners ($9; www.gabrielcosmeticsinc.com, 800-497-6419); Earth's Beauty Sheer Lip Glaze ($11.95, www.earthsbeauty.com, 888-586-9719).

Face

Among the problematic ingredients in foundations, concealers, powders and blushes are paraben and formaldehyde-based preservatives. Both have been shown to irritate skin, and the known carcinogen formaldehyde, present in small amounts in preservatives such as DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea and quaternium-15, can evaporate from liquid products. Synthetic fragrances, often used to mask the chemical odor of some products, may contain hormone-disrupting phthalates. Choose the following safer products:

Foundations and Powders

Real Purity Crème Foundation ($23.99) and Powder Blush ($12.99; www.realpurity.com, 800-253-1694); Zuzu Luxe Oil-free Liquid Foundation ($22.95) and Blush ($14.85; www.gabrielcosmeticsinc.com, 800-497-6419); Dr. Hauschka Translucent Make-up ($32.50) and Rouge Powder ($26; www.drhauschka.com, 800-247-9907); Earth's Beauty Satin Powder SPF 15 ($24.95) and loose powder Mineral Colours Blush ($11.50; www.allnaturalcosmetics.com, 888-586-9719); Miessence Bronzing Dust ($25.95; bodysoul.mionegroup.com); Aveda Uruku Cheek-Lip cream ($14; www.aveda.com).

Concealer

Gabriel Cosmetics Concealer ($11.50; www.gabrielcosmeticsinc.com, 800-497-6419); Earth's Beauty Undereye Light Concealer ($12.95, www.earthsbeauty.com, 888.586.9719)

Eyes

Your eyes are one of your most sensitive body parts, so eye cosmetics, full of potentially irritating substances like talc, can be especially problematic. Some mascaras, especially lash-building ones, have been found to contain the mercury-based preservative, thimerasol, which may cause allergic reactions and is a known neurotoxin. Petroleum-based ingredients, such as nylon and polyester, are also common in lash-building mascaras as they promote thickness and lengthening, but they have also been found to trigger contact dermatitis.

Dr. Hauschka Mascara Intermezzo ($23.50; www.drhauschka.com, 800-247-9907); Suncoat Natural Mascara ($15; www.suncoatproducts.com, 519.780.0149); Miessence Pure Black Mascara ($20.50, bodysoul.mionegroup.com); Gabriel Color Eyeshadow ($10.30; www.gabrielcosmeticsinc.com, 800-497-6419); Nvey Eco eye shadow ($24, econveybeauty.com)

Applicators

Cosmetic brushes are made with either real animal hair or synthetic materials, the most common of which is a trademarked polyester fiber called Taklon. Unfortunately, neither comes without a cost. In addition to animal humanity and welfare issues, animal fibers undergo chemical processing for sterilization, while synthetics are derived from petroleum, a non-renewable resource. Organic cotton pads, cotton balls and swabs, when suitable, are a more eco-friendly choice. Otherwise, choose products with other eco attributes, such as animal cruelty certifications (Leaping Bunny) and recycled content.

Grassroots Organic Cottonballs and Rounds ($2.95 and $3.49, www.grassrootsnaturalgoods.com); Organic Essentials Cotton swabs ($5.49, www.drugstore.com); Aveda Face Powder Brush uses Taklon fiber and a handle containing 30 percent renewable flax fibers and 63 percent post-consumer-recycled polypropylene ($32.50; www.aveda.com); Dr.Hauschka Rouge Powder Brush uses "humanely gathered goat hair" ($38.95; www.drhauschka.com, 800-247-9907); Leaping Bunny¬-certified Earth's Beauty Kabuki and Blush brushes are also made with humanely gathered goat hair ($14.95; www.earthsbeauty.com, 888-586-9719)

Makeup Bags

Finally, makeup bags made with polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, can leach hormone-disrupting phthalates and brain-damaging lead onto your brushes and products within. These stylish cosmetic cases can house all your cosmetics and save the earth, too:

AnandaK's Organic Cotton Makeup Bag ($21.95; www.organicselections.com); Global Girlfriend's Lace Cosmetic Bag made by a women's cooperative in India ($12; www.globalgirlfriend.com); Her Design's "Ever Green" organic cotton cosmetic bag ($19; www.her-design.com)

Resources

For more brands of safer cosmetics, see the Lip and Eye Makeup Product Report

Source : http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/119/makeup