Saturday, March 28, 2009

Ten Reasons to Use Organic Lipstick

I was having a very animated mental conversation with myself. One side of me kept asking, why should I bother with organic lipstick? The other was coming up with crazy answers. Though it started out as a serious conversation, somehow it branched out… But I still thinks the results are valuable to the organic community, and therefore I’d like to share them here.

My Ten Reasons for Using Organic Lipstick

1. According to some estimates a woman eats about 4 pounds of lipsticks over her lifetime. I think eating organic lipstick is much safer than consuming parabens, colors, fragrances, lead and other chemical cocktails… don’t you?

2. Supporting organic products supports organic farming, which in turns supports the environment, which we sort of need to exist…

3. Makes a statement and encourages others to emulate you, which in turns supports more organic products, farming, etc… (see 2). Not to mention, makes those others healthier.

4. You won’t have to panic as much if your two-year-old thinks your organic lipstick it’s a candy.

5. It may be easier to remove from the walls if your two-year-old thinks it’s a wall painting crayon.

6. You’ll look young and hip cause all things natural and organic are in.

7. Hunting for that elusive organic lipstick will make you discover tons of weird looking shops you never knew existed (or could exist...).

8. Similar to 4, but in the case where you happen to be the one craving a candy… (Note: I said you won’t panic “as much”… I didn’t say “no panic” ;) )

9. If you happen to smudge it all over your funky organic cotton shirt, the organicness of the shirt will not be compromised (also applies to organic makeup kit, organic purse and other organic items de-jour).

10. While there is an inescapable barrage of celebrities endorsing mainstream lipsticks all over the cable, you get to improve your research skills searching for celebrities who truly walk the walk and smooch organic. And then you get to say to yourself that your pout is every bit as healthy and environmentally responsible as Hilary Duff’s, (who is, apparently, a huge NveyEco fan!)

There are many other reasons, like recyclable packaging, free trade sourcing, no GMOs, no nanotechnology and the like… But I think the list above is enough to get you started ;)

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Mineral Makeup or Organic Lipstick?

Mineral makeup and organic lipstick go hand in hand together. While there are a lot of companies that use plant based ingredients, there are many companies now that chose to focus on the minerals. Thus in order to achieve the colors and other lipstick features, they add the inert minerals.

Technically these products cannot be called organic. Organic makeup or anything organic in general can only refer to plant based products, specifically to those farmed on organic farms. So people thinking that mineral make up and organic makeup are the same are mixing up two different concepts.

However, this is not to say that mineral makeup cannot be natural. Most of the components used in such makeup products are naturally derived minerals abundant in nature. And for the most part they are inert and considered safe. Examples of natural mineral makeup brands are Jane Iredale. They have a mineral based lipstick in the lineup as well.

Another popular online brand of organic skin care and makeup is Miessence. It is a brand sold through representatives and you can find plenty of them online. The point is that their lipstick (or lip cream) contains mineral based pigments.

So should you be looking for organic lipstick or mineral makeup line’s lipstick? My take on it is that you should first make sure that regardless of what the product claims in the promo, check the actual ingredients. There are way too many lipsticks claiming to be natural that contain questionable ingredients. And way to many mineral makeup lines riding the natural publicity wave but having questionable content.

Then, once you are satisfied with ingredients, test for nano particles. Many mineral based makeup products have very tiny particles. However, nano minerals do not act the same as regular sized minerals, and may actually be dangerous to health.

For ingredients, consult cosmeticsdatabase.com

For nanotechnology, unfortunately, you can’t read it off the package. There is no regulation yet for anyone to disclose if they use it or not. As I mentioned a few posts ago, Canada might come up with a legislation for control. But for now you just have to do the research and contact the manufacturer.

If you are really set on mineral makeup, check out Jane Iredale. They state plainly that they are natural and nano free. And that’s a good start. Especially when it comes to something like lipstick. This might not be an organic lipstick, but at least its trying to be natural.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Is Organic Lipstick Expensive?

Isn’t organic lipstick really expensive?

That’s an interesting question. The one that pops up now and then on the forums of people considering shifting their makeup into a more natural stream.

The short answer is – not really.

Sounds counterintuitive? Maybe. The reason you might be asking this question is because it’s drilled to our heads in the mainstream press that natural things are expensive and that cheap is good. Both are blatant lies. What are you comparing the lipsticks to? A good quality organic lipstick should not be compared to a teenage oriented bargain brand at a discount store. And as to the goodness of those – I don’t even want to get into it…

A good quality organic lipstick should be compared to good quality regular lipsticks. Most high quality lipsticks in a department store sell for over $20 a tube. You can find plenty of fantastic organic lipsticks at that price and below. There are even lip products, like Physician’s Formula Organic Wear, that is under $10 and is very good (it’s called the lip veil).

Best way to get a good lipstick the cheap way is to bargain hunt online. Many websites have price comparison by major online retailers. Then there is of course ebay, where prices can be downright dirt-cheap, especially if you live in the US.

Many online retailers have free shipping policies for purchases over a set amount. If you buy more than $50 worth or so. So add the lipstick to your skin care purchase. Many retailers have discounts, holiday specials, etc. Don’t discount those. The savings can be quite considerable.

People who claim that organic makeup is expensive are often comparing it to cheap pharmacy brands. Well, let’s get real. Comparing NveyEco organic lipstick to a cheap chemical concoction that leaves pigment on your lips is like comparing a car to a scooter. Yeh… sure they both ride and all. But they just aren’t the same thing…

Thursday, March 12, 2009

The Lesser Known Organic Lipsticks

You most likely already heard the names of the big players in the organic lipstick market, such as NveyEco, Dr. Hauschka, Logona, etc… And I promise to do a detailed post about these big players in the very near future.

But today I figured it’s time to spotlight a few lesser known brands. To boost their potential, so to speak.

And what interested me about all of them, is their commitment to organic. These are really pure natural and organic lipsticks. Most of them are certified organic by third parties and therefore have to keep up their game.

So, without further ado, here we go:

Jasmin Certified Organic Lipstick

Jasmin is an Australian company dedicated to bringing a complete range of organic skin care and makeup products. All their products are certified organic by the Organic Food Chain, which is the Australian Government Accredited Agency. The OFC logo is only permitted if the number of organic ingredients in the product is or exceeds 95%. This is not your average “made with Organic Ingredients” claim. This is saying something real. All Jasmin products contain at least 95% organic ingredients. Many even more. And all are 100% natural.



GreenPeople Certified Organic Lipstick

This is the first UK certified organic lipstick, and it boasts no less than 99% certified organic plant-derived ingredients. Winner of Natural Health Beauty Awards 2008 this healthy and gorgeous lipsmucker is naturally free from petrochemicals, synthetic colourants and preservatives and comes in three shimmering colors – Red Shimmer, Glitzy Bronze and Soft Pink.



Hemp Organics Lipstick

Available in 32 different colours these lipsticks are made with Hemp Seed Oil and Organic Beeswax. These are free of petroleum, wheat and gluten (for those with sensitivities) and are made in USA. These lipstick are 95% or more organic. They also manufacture Karma Gloss (a 97% organic lip gloss) that can be applied on top for glossier look.



Primitive Lipstick

There is nothing primitive about these lipsticks. Completely natural selection without any petroleum derivatives or nano sized minerals. They come in 8 colors. Though it seems to only be available from select online retailers, most of them are eager to send very cheap samples so you can test these for yourself.

Miessense Organic Lipsticks

Miessense is a certified organic brand of skin care and makeup products. These lipsticks are certified by the Biological Farmers of Australia and therefore contain (excluding water and salt) at least 70% organic plant ingredients. There are no synthetics in these products – all the makeup is plant and mineral based. Miessense is distributed through representatives. You will find many of their websites online. Nine natural looking colors are available in this range.

Perfect Organics Vegan Lip and Cheek Shimmers

There are seven lovely shades of these vegan organic lipsticks for you to explore. Doubling as a chick shimmer these come in natural shades and are free of toxic offenders. Though not certified, the ingredients are completely natural, and the company is a signatory of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. Smooth and glossy, these are recommended by the National Geographic’s green guide.



Now these should get you started on an off-the-beaten-path organic beauty quest, don’t you think?

Sunday, March 8, 2009

If Organic Lipstick is Not Your Thing, at Least Move to Canada

Buying organic is a great option when you have it and when you know about it. More and more women everyday realize that splurging on an organic lipstick is an investment in their health. But what about people who don’t have the time to do the research? To read ingredients? To pull back the veils of marketing and see the real stuff that they are getting? Shouldn’t they be protected too?

That’s a trick question. Of course they should be. Of course there should be rules and regulations where a woman can go to a beauty counter, pick up any products she wants and feel safe about it.

Unfortunately that isn’t so. And the lobbying groups behind the beauty industry are very powerful at insisting that things remain that way.

But the tide of change is upon us. And the tipping point towards social responsibility and consumer protection is coming closer.

A few really encouraging signs of the change have recently emerged in Canada. Canadian government has given indication into its willingness to tighten the rules and at least limit the free-for-all in the chemicals and new technologies field.

First, In January 2009 Canada gave strong indication that it will become the first government in the world to require companies report their use of nonmaterial. More than 800 consumer products containing nanomaterials are sold around the world. Nanotechnology in cosmetics shows up in powders, lipsticks, sunscreens, anti-aging creams and more.

Nanotechnology is a new science, and it involves crashing particles into such tiny peaces (often less than 0.000001 centimeter in diameter) that they acquire different properties than their bigger counterparts, and thus their health and environmental effects are presently unknown and potentially dangerous. They can easily penetrate the bodily systems due to their small size.

The fact that presently these technologies are unregulated and inserted at will into anything and everything is a terrifying notion, and if the Canadian government follows through on this anticipated step at regulation we will all breath a little easier.

The second commendable, though still “potential” act on the side of the Canadian government is the proposal for regulation of siloxanes D4 and D5. For a small explanation of what these are I found this paragraph from the official government site very telling:

“Siloxanes are an ingredient found in most personal care products on the market in Canada. They are also used in many other applications such as textiles, paints and coatings, antiperspirants, sealants, lubricants, plastics, non-medical ingredients in pharmaceuticals, silicone polymers, food additives, surface treatments for wounds, and medical devices.”

While the site does not actually state what siloxane is (a form of silicon) I find it alarming that this man-made compound is found in so many things that are part of our daily use. Just think – your lipstick contains the same ingredients as plastics, lubricants, sealants, paints and coating… Appetizing, isn’t it? No wonder women opt for organic lipstick when they can.

I applaud the government for actually looking into the matter and realizing that the combined effect of all these products can cause a major havoc on the environment. I also hope that they can make the logical deduction that if something can cause issues for the “municipal wastewater streams” consuming these products in food and skin-care products can mess up our internal systems just as well, if not more so…

So, what does all this mean?

It means the tipping point is near. The consumer cry for safer products is getting louder. Though people are willing to search for organic alternatives and invest in organic lipsticks, in the fast paced modern world they cannot be expected to always look out for the lurking dangers in their daily products. A tired mom shouldn’t have to be an ingredients expert just because she’s buying shampoo for her baby. And you shouldn’t need a chemist degree to figure out the health impacts of a compact powder.

And governments that want to stay relevant, have to step in and do their job. That's why we elect them in the first place. To protect the public. Not the corporate interests.

And yes, these particular steps are really small. And really tentative. And they aren’t even sure steps yet.

But they are steps in the right direction.

PS: Just as I was writing this I read a newsflash that Canada is also proposing to add Pigment Red 3 (2-Naphthalenol), a carcinogen, to cosmetics ingredients Hotlist. Though it is found in very small number of cosmetics (reportedly a nail polish and some soaps, no specifics where given), the proactive step is very commendable.