Lighter, healthier makeup is essential when the weather hits 80 degrees. But alternatives to the every day brands are available.
photo illustration by hayden crosby | rawr
At the store, the choices in products seem endless. Lipstick comes in hundreds of shades and there are hair products for every type of hair.
According to Green America, the average woman uses 12 personal care products daily and the average man uses about six.
Despite the heightened popularity of “green” products, herbal, natural and organic have blurred definitions, so not all organic products are created equal.
“Nowadays there are so many harsh chemicals in these products that can cause cancer, have an effect on your reproductive system,” University of Idaho junior Alexandria Weston said. “My sister Abby Blair taught me about a year ago to look on the ingredients before I buy something. If there are parabens, sulfates, or any ingredient that I don’t know of then I shouldn’t be buying it.”
Weston said her sister’s environmentally conscious advice has influence on her shopping habits.
“(My sister) is a naturalist and has a lot of wisdom. She’s always in my head when buying food or cosmetics,” Weston said.
UI Senior Dana Carlson said Moscow’s Co-op is the best place to find a wide variety of organic beauty products.
“I think you can also buy organic soaps at Mary Jane’s (Sweet Dreams), which is the really cute brightly painted building across the street from where the farmers’ market is held,” Carlson said.
Some students don’t pay attention to what is inside the bottle, and use the price as a deciding factor.
“I buy the cheapest thing that smells good,” junior Chase Young said. “I don’t really wonder about the environment and where it comes from, I just buy it and use it.”
An array of brands have refused to sign the Compact for Safe Cosmetics which means that these brands have failed to eliminate dangerous chemicals and carcinogens from their product lines that contain hazardous and cancerous causing chemicals. The following brands are owned by billion-dollar company called Proctor and Gamble and among the brands that have not signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics.
Proctor and Gamble, test on animals and have been criticized for weakening Europe’s laws regarding toxins in household products and lobbying against minimal labor standards in China. The company has not signed the compact and come from a harmful work environment with unfair labor practice.
Weston said she likes to keep her beauty routine simple, favoring a “less is more” mindset.
“I don’t wash my face with anything,” Weston said. “I try not to wear make up because I know what it does to my skin. I’ve learned to not really care what I look like if I don’t wear make up.”
When it comes to beauty products, students want to be sure they’re not only healthier, but also free from toxic ingredients. Many products harness the best science and nature has to offer.
Senior Dana Carlson said her interest in “green” products is growing, but they can be hard to find.
“I just started getting into organic beauty products about a year ago,” Carlson said. “There still isn’t a whole lot offered out there and it’s only in specialty stores, which is really frustrating. I want to be able to pick this stuff up at Rite-Aid (and)_not drive to Spokane.”
There is a mass amount of information regarding product reviews out there, especially with the internet consumption to this day of age. Safecosmetics.org is another place to find healthy alternatives and more information on health issues concerning the use of shower and cosmetic products.
More information:
Experts recommend: Sonia Kashuk’s, STARK skincare, Josie Maran, Clairvoyant Beauty, Alima pure, NVEY, Revolution organics, Tata Harper, Lavera, Weleda, Buddha Nose, Kahina, COOLA, PeopleTowels, YoungBlood, Trillium organics Avalon Organics, Sprout Skincare, Bare Escentuals, and Albabotanica.
Check out the link at : http://www.greenamerica.org/programs/responsibleshopper/companiesbyname.cfm
Isla Grazzil can be reached at [email protected]