It happens more than I want to admit, but stories about the FDA and the toxins found in so many American cosmetics and personal-care products have become quite prevalent in the last few years. After reading an article in The Guardian a few weeks back, I couldn’t remain silent anymore. If cosmetic companies continue to include harmful ingredients in their products, then what alternative do makeup-wearing women have against this loosely regulated industry? A lot of mainstream companies claim to be organic, but even then, “organic” is used more for marketing purposes rather than consumer awareness.
I reached out to Julie Longyear, herbal chemist, organic aficionado, and the founder of natural skincare line Blissoma, to point me in the direction of truly organic beauty lines. NatureOfBeauty.com, SpiritBeautyLounge.com and NuboNau.com are three online beauty retailers who only sell organic and vegan lines and come highly recommended by Longyear. Here are a few highlights I found on each organic-friendly site.
If you’re in the market for anti-aging products, check out Spirit Beauty Lounge for hair and skincare line, Intelligent Nutrients. Their products are food-based, certified organic, and contain more fruit oils than I knew existed. Nature of Beauty carries a bevy of cosmetic and personal care lines including Jane Iredale, Clarisonic, and Blissoma. While I love discovering new brands, it’s nice to see not all mainstream lines contain potentially harmful ingredients. I found makeup line, Ilia on NuboNau, another brand that is certified organic, as well as gluten and dairy free. Ilia’s lip colors are gorgeous and I don’t think it will be long before my lipstick drawer is full of their lip colors.
Although many of the brand names are new to me, it’s comforting to know their products live up to their names. But don’t take my word for it. Check out the sites and discover your new favorite beauty line. You don’t have to throw away all of your makeup, but slowly replacing your old products with organic, environmentally friendly products can make a big difference in the long run. Conscious consumption never looked so good!
