ECO MAKEUP

 Pic Copyright of NVEY ECO

I've been thinking about doing a post on Eco makeup since I get quite a few questions from people wanting to learn more about the Eco or Sustainable products I use, in particular makeup and skincare products. I will be doing a follow up post on my top picks of Eco makeup and beauty brands. I'm happy to announce that I have recently joined forces and now collaborate with Undress Brisbane 'A Sustainable Fashion' event promoting and encouraging Sustainability in fashion. Lauren is a writer for Undress Brisbane and is my guest post on the hot topic 'Eco Makeup'. Here find Lauren's very informative post on all things 'eco' and the hidden nasties that can be found in many of our beauty products on the market.

What is ‘eco-friendly' makeup?

I recently decided it was time to restock my makeup arsenal. I’d finally scraped out the dregs of my mascara and tapped/shook/squeezed out the last of my oxygen… I mean *foundation. However, what I thought would be a routine in-and-out job at the shops last Saturday quickly escalated into a world of hurt. I found myself utterly ill-equipped to filter through the choice in makeup products available these days.

It took a good chunk of my morning to sift through the aisles. I was seduced by the promises of one beauty “staple” after another, charmed by the coquettish smiles of the glamazons working the counters and tempted by the world of “gifts with purchase”. I took one thing away from that experience. “Eco-friendly” is as much a buzz-word amongst the titans of the cosmetic industry as it is with the hippies who brew their own balms from pawpaw and berries. What is exactly is ‘eco-friendly’ though? And why should it matter?

A Google search will tell you, eco-friendly makeup comprises of all-natural ingredients - such as naturally occurring minerals and oils (e.g. iron oxides, talcs, mica, titanium oxides, rosehip oil, jojoba oil etc). These ingredients used to be foundations of the finest cosmetics. However, as with most mined natural resources, depleting stocks and the higher costs of extraction soon made it necessary to find easier and cheaper ways to manufacture the same products. They discovered synthetic polymers, artificial additives and chemical compounds so long they need to be abbreviated. Close inspection of most beauty products sourced from your local pharmacy produces a scary list of synthetically derived chemicals. I don’t know about you, but I only have one face, so I want to do as little damage as possible to my skin and to the environment (‘cos we only have one of those too).

Truly natural mineral makeup [uses ….] and has been around for a few years now. Due to the growing movement away from synthetic god-only-knows-what-that-is chemicals, there is a decent variety of natural mineral products available. I’ve gone completely natural with my beauty kit and whilst I can’t honestly claim to “look” any better (eco-friendly makeup sadly, has not made me look like Miranda Kerr), I definitely feel better. I find natural makeup to be just as, if not more, longwearing and less irritating to my sensitive skin. Make the switch and give these brands a go – Aveda, Bare Minerals, Kora. There’ll be a substitute for even the most discerning beauty critic out there.

Remember, just because your skin is your first barrier does not mean you should subject it to an onslaught.

Lauren is a writer for Undress Brisbane, sustainable fashion show. For more articles by Undress Brisbane writers, visit blog: www.undressbrisbane.com/blog

What a well written and an interesting topic for us to all learn more about what we are putting onto our skin and ultimately our bodies. Thanks for the wonderful post Lauren and I look forward to more collaborations with you and the Undress Brisbane team.  X Emily