Why Organic & Natural Makeup is Better for You & the Earth

This post is about why organic & natural makeup is better for you and the earth!

We all know that processed food isn’t the healthiest for our bodies. It contains a lot of unnecessary additives to improve taste and shelf life. If you are health conscious you know that eating whole foods, preferably organic, is the best option when it comes to food. But what many seem to forget, is that if you care about what you put in your body, you should also be aware of what you put on your body.

The skin is the body’s largest organ and can absorb what you put onto it. Think about it! Nicotine patches, topical medication etc. are all placed on the skin and its active substances can quickly be absorbed into the blood stream. When I realized this I never looked at my beauty products and makeup the same way again. From then on, I always carefully read the ingredient lists before I chose to buy something and apply it onto my skin.

What I also discovered was that regular makeup was full of toxic chemicals that aren’t the best for the skin nor our health!
If you want to know what’s in regular makeup and why organic & natural makeup is better for you, then keep reading!

What’s in regular makeup?

To be honest, I LOVED using all those luxurious and beautiful makeup products from known brands! Great pigments, lovely scents, amazing results. But what I also noticed is that my skin didn’t like it so much. I often experienced break outs and clogged pores after using foundation, concealer and contouring products. I also found that certain brow products made my brows thinner after frequent use! *cries*

After some research, I discovered that almost all of my favorite makeup products contained chemicals that proved to be toxic. Also many of the brands ethical practices didn’t align with my values. I wanted (and still want) to use products that are kind to my skin and safe for my health. Also I didn’t want to support brands that test their products on animals for the sake of beauty and profit!

Before we start, I want to explain that the word chemical doesn’t mean that it’s necessarily bad. Natural ingredients also have chemical names. When I speak of bad chemicals, I usually call them toxic chemicals/ingredients. So now when you know this, lets get into why regular makeup isn’t the best choice!

1. Regular makeup contains harmful chemicals

Regular makeup almost always contains harmful chemicals. With harmful chemicals I mean ingredients that are potentially harmful to our bodies or the earth. They can be chemicals that extend the shelf life of a product, make the applying easier or give the illusion of silky smooth skin. They add such chemicals to make the product appealing to the costumer and therefore make more sales. But although the product is appealing to our senses, they often aren’t good for the skin nor our health.

Examples of some harmful ingredients in regular makeup products are synthetic perfume, artificial colors and synthetic preservatives. Ingredients like that have shown to be endocrine disrupting, skin irritating, fertility decreasing and bio-accumulative in our bodies and in the earth. So not only does the use of such products harm our own health, but the health of the planet too. The world is already so polluted and we are already exposed to so many toxic chemicals daily. We should really reconsider putting such products directly on our skin!

✧ Read: The Best Natural Shampoo and Conditioner

2. Often contains cheap ingredients

Regular makeup products often contain cheap ingredients. Companies use cheap ingredients so they are able to make more profit. Because why would anyone use the most pure organic ingredients in their product and then sell them cheaply and make no profit at all? Companies, especially big ones, do not think like that. There has to be profit somewhere and unfortunately the profit lies in using cheap synthetic ingredients. Even if it make the product work great, they are damaging to both our health and the planet. This is also why natural & organic makeup often is more pricey than regular makeup.

3. Doesn’t nourish your skin

Another consequence of using cheap synthetic ingredients in makeup is that they are not nourishing your skin. While they do work on the surface, the harsh ingredients can actually worsen the state of your natural beauty by irritating or drying out the skin, lashes or eyebrows. Having dry and irritated skin makes it easier for pathogens and bacteria to enter the skin and cause problems. Not to mention that it can cause faster aging as well.

✧ Read: How to make Bird Cherry Floral Water

4. Can cause premature skin aging

The most common reason to premature skin aging is damage because of free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules in search of their missing electron. This process creates oxidative stress, which damages our cells and DNA. Not only do many of the toxic chemicals have a harsh effect on the skin, but they also increase free radical production.

Even if the quantities of the harsh chemicals in the products aren’t high, you will still apply them daily. Sometimes even multiple times a day depending on the product. And naturally, overtime this will take a toll on your skin. Your skin has a protective layers, which some of the chemicals are design to dissolve and penetrate so the other ingredients can enter more easily. While this will give you the desired makeup effect, it will create cell damage to your skin. This will in turn lead to premature skin aging, wrinkles and fine lines.

5. Animal testing

Many regular brands out there test their new synthetic ingredients on animals first, to see if it may cause a reaction on human skin. This is cruel in so many ways and also really unnecessary as there are alternative testing methods out there. Today many ingredients are already tested and considered safe! Such ingredients to not need additional testing. Still some companies add new synthetic chemicals to their product anyways and test it on animals. It is surprising how many known brands still do this. Here is a list of some brands that still test their products on animals!

6. Hazardous for the earth

Not only are many chemicals in regular makeup toxic for our health, but it affects the earth negatively too. When you remove your makeup every evening, all that you’d applied goes down the drain. Eventually it ends up in our Eco-system. As some of the synthetic ingredients never break down, they will stay there and pollute the earth for a long time, if not forever. I don’t know about you but I don’t want my bright pink eyeshadow to pollute our ecosystem and harm other living beings, just so I can look smashing one evening.

Another way makeup is harmful to the earth is that so much of it comes in plastic packaging. Plastic in fact NEVER breaks down, but instead breaks UP into a million small pieces. Those so called micro-plastics pollute the earth, sea, animals and end up in our food chain so it eventually comes back into us. Yep, we eat and breathe micro plastics daily because we have been so careless with using this everlasting material.

Some chemicals to avoid

Now that we have talked about those ”toxic chemicals”, which ones are actually toxic? There are loads of toxic chemicals that you should avoid in makeup. But here is a list with 10 common and harmful ingredients. The list could be much longer, but that’s going to be a blog post for another time!

BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) & BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene)
Used as an synthetic anti-oxidant and preservative. It can cause skin reactions and is classed as a possible carcinogen. It is also endocrine disrupting, toxic to marine animals and bio-accumulates in nature.
DEA (diethanolamine), MEA (Monoethanolamine) & TEA (triethanolamine)
Used as foaming agent and pH adjuster. May have carcinogenic effects, is toxic for our organs, skin irritating and damaging to the environment. Together with certain other ingredients it can form nitrates, which are known to be carcinogenic. DEA is already prohibited by the European Comission due to the health concerns. However this chemical is still allowed in the US.
Parabens
Used as synthetic preservative. They are endocrine disrupting because it mimics estrogen in the body. Because of this, parabens increase the risk of developing breast cancer. Parabens also have a negative effect on the reproductive system and fetal development. The European commission has already restricted the use of parabens and some of them are even banned in Denmark due to the health concerns.
PEG (Polyethylene glycol) compounds
Used as thickener, softeners, solvents and moisture carriers. PEGs are synthetic petrochemicals that contain impurities that are hazardous for the planet, as they don’t biodegrade. Two of those impurities are ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane. The impurities in PEGs are also carcinogens and respiratory irritants. As PEGs also enhances the skin penetration it makes it even more harmful in a product with other toxic chemicals. They also interfere with the skins natural moisture balance and can therefore cause premature skin aging.
Petrolatum or mineral oil
Used as a lubricant or emollient. Petrolatum is a cheap ingredient and doesn’t nourish the skin in any way. It forms a layer on the skin and traps moisture and other ingredients under there. This can lead to clogged pores. Petrolatum can also be contaminated with impurities that are carcinogenic. It can furthermore cause skin irritation and allergies. Petrolatum is extracted from crude oil, which makes it bad for the environment.
Phthalates
Used as fragrance carrier, accelerates absorption of other ingredients. Phthalates are also used to make plastic more malleable. This chemical could be hiding under the ”fragrance” label. They are known to be endocrine disruptors and harmful to the environment as well. A tip is to avoid beauty products stored in plastic, as the phthalates from the plastic container can leak into the product.
Propylene Glycol and Butylene Glycol
Used as moisture retainer. It’s a penetration enhancer and surfactant, meaning it makes it more easily for other ingredients to penetrate the skin barrier by altering the skin structure. It is classified as a skin irritant and is expected to have toxic effects on our organs.
Silicones
Used to soften, smooth and moisten. Silicones sits on top of the skin and seals it of, not allowing anything to be absorbed. This can also trap dirt and dead skin cells, leading to dull skin and breakouts. They do not nourish the skin in anyway and only smoothing it temporarily by filling in crevices. Silicones are also harmful to the environment as the bio-accumulate, polluting the ocean and earth.
Synthetic Colorants (FD&C colors)
Used to give color to a product. Synthetic colorants are derived from coal-tar which is carcinogenic and contaminated with heavy metals. Synthetic colorants can also cause skin irritation and allergic reactions. They are listed CI with a 5-digit color number (however note that natural colors also have a number like this, so be sure to look it up!)
Synthetic Fragrances
Used to scent a product. The sneaky thing with perfume or fragrance is that the exact ingredients of the fragrance don’t have to be listed on the ingredient list. This is to keep the formula secret from other brands. That means that it could be composed of hundreds of different chemicals that will remain unknown. Fragrance is one of the top known allergens and can cause allergic reactions, headaches, dizziness and possibly be endocrine disruptive.

Why Natural Makeup is Better

Now we’ve come to the more fun and inspiring part! Here are some reasons why organic and natural makeup is better for both you and the earth! I do want to note that I’m talking about true organic & natural makeup products. Because there are a lot of brands out there that claim to be natural when it’s far from the truth!

1. No toxic chemicals

One big reason why organic & natural makeup is better, is because it doesn’t contain chemicals that are toxic for our health or the planet. Instead of synthetic ingredients, they contain naturally sourced and organically grown ingredients. For example, essential oils are used instead of synthetic perfume, to scent the product naturally. Essential oils are natural plant compounds that are fully biodegradable and also smell divine! Also natural products do not contain synthetic preservatives. What they do contain are natural preservatives, like sodium levulinate, glycerin and Aloe vera. Again all these ingredients come from natural sources and the most come from plants! To give natural & organic makeup color, natural pigments from fruits, plants and iron oxides are often used.

Another great benefit to organic & natural makeup is that it contains high quality oils instead of cheap and toxic oils like mineral oil. These are not only better for the environment, but they also truly contains nourishing qualities that you skin will love.

2. Quality ingredients that nourish your skin

Instead of cheap filler ingredients or harsh chemicals that don’t do anything for your skin, organic and natural makeup contains a lot of nourishing ingredients! Organic & natural makeup can actually be beneficial for the skin and will enhance your natural beauty in the long run. Not just make you pretty one night and break out afterwards. Imagine having a mascara that nourishes your lashes with quality oils instead of drying them out! This becomes reality when you switch to organic & natural makeup.
Also many of natural makeup products contain antioxidants. Antioxidants actively fight oxidative stress that free radicals create. This means that it will not contribute to premature aging like regular makeup does. Your natural makeup will nourish your skin and make you look pretty at the same time.

✧ Read: How to Make Natural Lip Balm – Natural Lip Balm Recipe

3. Great for sensitive skin

Regular makeup can contain a lot of harsh chemicals which can be skin irritating, especially for those with sensitive skin. Organic and natural makeup is better because they do not contain these harsh chemicals. They do not contain unnecessary fragrance, no synthetic coloring or mineral oil that can clog up your pores. Instead they often contain nourishing oils that are great for sensitive skin! The products are often scented with essential oils, which are 100% natural and have many skin healing properties. Although it is important to know that some people with sensitive skin can react to essential oils, so if you know you have very sensitive skin maybe skip the fragrance all together. But generally, organic and natural makeup is much better and gentler for those with sensitive skin.

4. Often uses more sustainable packaging

Organic & natural beauty brands are more conscious of their impact on the earth as being green is a main focus. I often find that natural brands have more sustainable packaging, which is super important! Firstly, when things are stored in plastic for a long time, chemicals from the plastic can leak out and into the product. Even more so if the product contains oil. Glass, metal and paper containers do not have this problem. Also, plastic is hazardous for the planet and the more we can avoid it the better. Unfortunately, not all the natural makeup comes in sustainable packaging, but if they do it’s a great advantage for both our health and the earth!

✧ Read: 27 Ways to Reduce your Plastic Waste

5. Cruelty free

As true green beauty products have a big focus on health and sustainability, they do not test their products on animals. Natural ingredients are already tried and tested and do not need to be tested again. That is why natural makeup is a better choice for the animals as well! Be sure to watch out for greenwashing and always research if a brand truly is cruelty free before you chose to blindly believe something.

6. Not harmful for your health or the earth.

We shouldn’t have to chose between looking pretty in makeup or being healthy and avoiding toxic chemicals. You can do both!!! Because today there are amazing organic & natural makeup products on the market that can do the job more than great. And they don’t contain chemicals that can harm our health or pollute the earth. Organic & natural makeup makes it possible to be creative, look stunning, be health conscious and earth friendly at the same time!

The ingredients in organic and natural makeup are much better for the earth because they come from nature in the first place. None of the ingredients will pollute the environment, because they are biodegradable and non toxic. Also organic ingredients are grown without the use of pesticides which is again a great thing for both our health, the earth and all its living inhabitants.

Watch out for greenwashing!!!

Greenwashing is when a brand uses the word natural or green on products that aren’t natural or sustainable at all. They simply use the words as a marketing tool to trick customers into thinking that they are making a better choice. The word natural does not have any regulation at all and can be used freely. Even on products that are far from natural and maybe contain one or two natural ingredients. That’s why it is important to always look at the ingredient list and see if a product truly is as natural and green as it claims to be!

Instead of looking for the word natural, it is better to look out for the label Certified Organic. Certified organic is a strictly regulated label. A fun fact is that the EU organic label is stricter than the USDA organic label. An EU-certified organic product contains at least 95% ingredients that have been grown organically and without the use of pesticides.

Last Thoughts on Natural Makeup

Beauty shouldn’t go before health. But you shouldn’t have to chose one or the other! I think that beauty should go hand in hand with health, and that is possible when you choose to use clean beauty products. By using organic and natural alternatives, you will do your skin, health, beauty and earth a favor! Organic and natural makeup still deliver great results, with beautiful natural shimmer and pigment, so you can enjoy doing your makeup and create beautiful looks without the expense of your health or the planet! Here I’ve created a soft and natural make up look with only natural products!

Don’t be discouraged if you find that all the makeup and beauty products you own contain harmful chemicals. Instead of throwing it all away (which would be a waste of money and product!) you can simply finish what you have and find a natural alternative of what you run out of. This is both a way of not overwhelming yourself when going natural and to not waste any product or money you have spent on products you’ve always loved.

Nature as inspiration

I also want to make clear that this post isn’t written to make you fearful. It’s written to educate and inspire you to make better choices for yourself and the earth! Knowledge is power and the best advice I can give is to stay critical and not believe that every ingredient in your makeup is there because its good. Do your own research and then make the decision yourself. Also don’t feel forced to switch to expensive organic beauty products if you can’t afford it. You can also get creative with DIY options! (I once forgot my eyeliner and blended cacao powder with coconut oil to use instead!)

Unfortunately because of lack of regulations, it falls upon the consumer to double check the ingredients in the makeup they buy. When we buy clean makeup we signal to companies that that is what we want! When we spend money on clean products the companies are going to notice our preference, which hopefully leads to more natural makeup products! And by going natural we are doing our skin, our health and the health of the entire planet a favor!

Also, do not hesitate to send me questions about products you are currently using or a ”natural” product you want to buy that you aren’t sure about. I would love to help!
I hope this article inspired you to go natural with your makeup <3

Love, Bo

➨ Visit EWG Skin Deep Database to check if ingredients are safe to use.

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