Organic Makeup

  Organic makeup is a term often used when referring to makeup that is all natural or not synthetic.   It may be difficult to tell whether or not the organic makeup purchased is 50% organic, 70% organic, or 100% organic. Organic makeup that is only 50% organic may contain many of the same synthetic chemicals that you had intended on staying away from. The issue arises in the labeling. Organic appears on many cosmetic labels today. Just because the word organic appears on the label doesn't necessarily indicate that the makeup is 100% organic. Organic on a label can simply mean that some parts of the ingredients are organic.

There is little enforcement in the cosmetic industry to follow state or federal regulations regarding organic makeup. It really becomes up to the consumer to educate themselves on label reading and ingredients. Cosmetics firms are ultimately the groups responsible for proving that their product ingredients are safe, and many do an excellent job at informing the consumer.
    Sometimes a product just has simply too many ingredients. Look at fragrances for instance. A fragrance may have as many as 200 chemicals components. Some of these ingredients may be natural while many are not. A cosmetic company will not list all of the ingredients. There are just too many. The makeup company will list the ingredient fragrance. In one makeup application from start to finish it is likely that you used as many as 175 chemicals . So how do you know the product that you purchase is "organic"?
What to Look For When Purchasing Organic Makeup
  1. Look for the USDA seal   for certified organic.   This seal indicates that the makeup is 95% organic or more. A product that is below 95% organic cannot use the USDA seal.
  2. If there is no seal on the packing, read the ingredients. Ingredients are listed in the order of amounts. Where are the organic ingredients listed in the ingredients?
  3. Is the word "organic" listed on the makeup, but not in the main label? This may indicate that the organic makeup contains 70% or below organic ingredients.
  4.   Educate yourself. Parabens are one of the most commonly used preservatives in makeup. While many people are not affected with this preservative, it can cause skin irritation. Sodium laureth sulfate, commonly found in cosmetics and soaps as a foaming agent, can also cause skin irritation.
Other synthetic ingredients to avoid:
  1. Imidazolidinyl urea and diazolidiny urea: preservatives that can cause skin irrations
  2. Methyl, propyl, butyl, ethyl paraben: extends shelf life of cosmetics; may cause skin irritations
  3. Petrolatum products: (petroleum jelly) commonly found in lips products; may interfere with the body's own moisturizing mechanism leading to even drier lips.
  4. Propylene glycol: moisture-carrying agent in cosmetics that may be a skin irritant
  5.   PVP/VA Copolymer: water proof and water resistant ingredient found in sunscreens, mascaras, and lipsticks; a petroleum derived chemical
  6. Synthetic colors: look for FD&C or D&C   followed by a color and number.
  7.   Synthetic fragrances: may be listed simply as "fragrance' on the ingredients; may contain as many as 200 chemicals; may cause skin irritations and dryness
  8.   Triethanolamine: used to adjust pH in cosmetics; may cause dryness
Organic Makeup
  With the diversity of ingredients and clever marketing in the cosmetic industry, finding organic makeup that is truly organic can be an overwhelming and time consuming task.
Always look for the   USDA Organic Seal as your guide for the highest use of organic ingredients in organic makeup. Without the seal, education is your only option.   I would invest in a cosmetic ingredients dictionary. ( Skin Care & Cosmetic Ingredients Dictionary by Natalia Michalun with M. Varinia Michalun)
  Research web sites for organic makeup. Finding a reliable organic cosmetic company will take the time aspect out of purchasing organic makeup. I recommend the following as excellent sources for providing the consumer with quality organic makeup