A good makeup not only has to allow us to offer a natural look, but it must achieve it without synthetic ingredients derived from petroleum.
- Natural makeup: no plastics or endocrine disruptors
- What are PFAS: contaminants in makeup
- How to choose a natural makeup without toxic products
- Makeup that uses sustainable packaging
Showing oneself as one is part of the ideal of natural beauty, but on special occasions we like to put on a mask of perfection. The colorful and obvious makeup has not disappeared, but the dominant trend is naturalness, that is, to go makeup without looking like it; That’s why brands use slogans like “light base”, “natural tone” or “nude look”. The problem is that this naturalness is contradicted by the fact that the products are loaded with ingredients that are not respectful of the skin and the environment.
NATURAL MAKEUP: NO PLASTICS OR ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS
According to a Greenpeace report, 75% of makeup contains plastics in solid or liquid form. Plastics not only do not bring any benefit to the skin, but end up polluting the environment (sewage sludge is used among other things to fertilize agricultural land).
Other problematic ingredients are polyethylene glycols (PEGs), which increase skin permeability; perfumes, preservatives and synthetic sunscreens, which can be endocrine disruptors, and silicones, which alter the delicate fatty balance of the skin and accumulate without degrading in the environment.
WHAT ARE PFAS: CONTAMINANTS IN MAKEUP
When we put on makeup we hope to hide or hide imperfections and enhance the beauty of the face. What we do not expect is that we deposit on the skin the same irritating and potentially toxic chemicals that are found, for example, in Teflon pans.
This is the shocking finding of a study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters. The researchers analyzed 231 makeup products and found that more than half contained various perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl compounds (known by the acronym PFAS), including some that were not mentioned in the ingredient list.
These toxic substances are found in Teflon (the nonstick plastic that covers pans) and stain-resistant coatings. PFAS can be linked, even in small doses, to a number of health problems: they can alter the immune system, increase blood cholesterol, blood pressure and the risk of preeclampsia (a life-threatening pregnancy complication for both mother and baby) and kidney and testicular cancer.
In addition, PFAS are persistent environmental pollutants, so when the face is cleaned, they will continue to be a problem, as they will be washed away to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
HOW TO CHOOSE A NATURAL MAKEUP WITHOUT TOXIC PRODUCTS
The most sensible thing to do is to eliminate exposure to these chemicals. The makeup most at risk of containing them are lipsticks and products that are presented as water resistant. To avoid them you can read the list of ingredients: they can appear with names that include “perfluor-” or “polyfluorine-“, but often they are not declared in the composition.
The way to get rid of PFAS, plastics, polyethylene glycols, ftlates and other petroleum-derived ingredients is to choose products with recognized natural certification, such as Cosmos, Ecocert, Cosmebio, AIAB, NaTrue, ICEA or BioVidaSana.
Natural make-ups use, for example, beeswax, shea, vegetable oils, aloe vera, rice powder, white clay, harmless pigments of mineral or vegetable origin and aromatic plant extracts.
Certified natural makeup can perfectly hide pimples, dark circles, blemishes and other inequalities on the face.
MAKEUP THAT USES SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING
On the other hand, when choosing a product, in addition to the ingredients we can take into account the packaging to reduce the environmental impact. Glass is the best and if there is no choice but to take a plastic container, it does not need to go in a cardboard box. Products that allow you to replenish the content are recommended.
If you use natural cosmetics, it is logical that you also use utensils made of natural and recyclable materials to apply them or to remove makeup, such as bamboo brushes and reusable cotton wipes or pads.
Remember that, although the ingredients of makeup are natural, it is advisable to remove it before sleeping so that the skin breathes and recovers at night.
