Fun fact: the average lipstick-wearer ingests nine pounds of lipstick in their lifetime. Not-so-fun fact: many mainstream, name-brand lipsticks contain carcinogenic, toxic ingredients such as Propylparaben, Retinyl Palmitate, and Tocopheryl Acetate.
I don’t expect anyone to know what any of these actually entail, but I promise they are just as frightening as their multisyllabic names, if not worse. I actually discovered this horrifying information as I sipped from my reusable straw, the top covered in the Revlon Super Lustrous Rose Velvet I had been wearing that day, and subsequently shed a tear for my favorite lipstick tube. The promise of Vitamin E and Avocado Oil tricked me into thinking it was good for me–oh, the shame. When considering products that we are putting on our faces, on our eyes, and in our mouths, it is paramount that we understand what exactly we are working with.
In addition to putting harmful chemicals in your body, some of these scary components may also be secret allergens. It is unlikely you have been tested for imidazolidinyl urea sensitivity, but allergies to our makeup often perpetuate a vicious cycle. We use powders and creams to cover up acne and redness. Some of us may not even leave the house without the concealer we swear by. But the acne and redness may actually be caused by the makeup we employ to hide it. Yikes. Yet, however disappointing (and mildly traumatizing), we can have our cake and eat it too.
Luckily for us makeup-wearers, there are brands out there that supply beautiful cosmetics with natural, organic ingredients. Some of them even feature eco-friendly packaging and gluten-free and/or vegan ingredients. A few popular, up and coming companies releasing these types of products are 100% Pure, Juice Beauty, W3LL People, Afterglow, and Real Purity. Be sure to check them out.
Makeup may often be a splurge, but as alluring as an $8 drugstore eyeshadow palette can be, it can be more harmful in the long run than we expect. Even swapping out your average lip gloss for a Burt’s Bees Lip Stain is a kindness your body will appreciate. The bottom line is: it is important to understand what we put in and on our bodies.
COVER PHOTO: Allure
