Green Is the Cool Shade for Summer
Photo: Getty Images
By Carrie Asato
There are many ways to go green to reduce your carbon footprint—recycling, taking the bus, bringing reusable bags to the grocery store. To further help the environment, consider switching to organic makeup. It can be good for your skin too.
Common ingredients in makeup are known irritants and carcinogens, such as parabens and lead. Many of these preservatives can aggravate sensitive skin, irritate eyes, and even lead to cancer. In fact, preservatives found in cosmetics are a leading cause of skin problems.
But the road to organic makeup is still under a little bit of construction. Currently, companies can call their products “natural” without any clear definition to the term. There is help on the way though. Later this year, an organic standard for cosmetics will be finalized. Qualifying companies will be able to use a sticker on their products, which will identify them as natural.
In the meantime, looking at the ingredient list and label will provide clues to the product being organic. Key words to seek out include:
•No artificial preservatives
•Grapefruit seed extract
•Phenoxyethanol
•Potassium sorbate
•Vitamins A (retinyl) and C (ascorbic acid)
•Free from synthetic dyes, perfumes, or talc
A good choice is mineral makeup, which contains minerals that are good for the skin such as zinc and magnesium. Several traditional cosmetic companies are starting to offer their own mineral product lines.
Another perk of going organic: Some products even come in environmentally-friendly containers, with minimal or recyclable packaging.
May 3rd, 2008 / Trackback