Model/entrepreneur Josie Maran talks eco-beauty



Image: josiemarancosmetics.com.


Supermodel Josie Maran has landed plenty of coveted gigs, but she said finding nontoxic, natural makeup was almost impossible. To combat this issue, she started her own business, Josie Maran Cosmetics, and now is an eco-beauty enthusiast.

Read her story in Trendsetter: Josie Maran - March/April 2012 - Sierra Magazine - Sierra Club.

 

Argan oil seeps into major beauty products

Some major companies have injected argan oil, the popular natural beauty resource on the scene, into their brand new product lines. 

The rich oil originally from a variety of tree grown in Morocco contains fatty acids which strengthens the hair and softens the skin. 

Below are a few products hoping to generate sales with the guarantee of improving beauty through argan oil.

Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine promises to soothe the frizz and condition the hair with the addition of argan oil. 

L'Oréal Paris Colour Riche Lipcolour in Sea Fleur 630 retails around $8.95, and the argan oil keeps your kissable smile moisturized for hours.

Dove Nourishing Oil Care focuses on giving hair extra attention with the argan oil repairing damage from root to tip.

Get the eco-look: sky-high lashes

Glee star Lea Michele flaunts volumizing
lashes on the red carpet. (Image: people.com)

Since the eyes are the windows to the soul, sometimes we want those windows to exude more brightness. With the makeup industry pushing lengthening mascaras, lash enhancers, and false lashes, we now have a few eco-friendly choices to give our lashes some love.

The more natural mascara choices like the ones below may contain protein enhancers and hyaluronic acid, which helps with anti-aging and other beauty restorative processes. 

Some mascaras will not only maximize the lashes, but they can also be used with a serum or primer that acts as a lash-growing system with leaving it on overnight. It has to be applied with mascara to add the sky-high effect. 

DiorShow Maximizer Lash Plumping Serum & Primer (hyaluronic acid, protein enhancer), $28, sephora.com.

Sephora Collection Full Action Extreme Effect Mascara (argan oil, vitamins, etc.), $15, sephora.com.

bareMinerals Flawless Definition Volumizing Mascara (paraben & sulfate-free), $18, sephora.com.

Another alternative to getting luscious lashes are applying false lashes. Most are made from the harmless acrylate copolymer and water, but the glue might create havoc to the organic beauty goal.

Urban Decay Urban Lash, $15, sephora.com.

Some glues may be considered green because they don't have parabens or sulfates, but many still have formaldehyde, which earned the highest score of 10 in toxicity on the Environmental Working Group Skin Deep Cosmetics Database. 

A homemade false lash glue recipe from Yahoo! Voices has sugar, honey, water, and non-toxic white glue as the only ingredients in making an eco-friendly version.

Whether it's the mascara or the false lash, having long lashes always make the eyes pop.

CoverGirl ad for eco-mascara banned

The U.K. banned an advertisement for CoverGirl's NatureLuxe Mousse Mascara on claims of excessive Photoshopping.

The ad featured celeb spokesgirl Taylor Swift with dreamy skyhigh lashes that the U.K. Advertising Standards Authority said the ad was accused of making "superior performance claims." The promised "2x more volume" and "20 percent lighter" lashes were not accurate.

Swift's lashes were enhanced by Photoshop, but photo manipulation is used by many beauty ads.

Read my post on how CoverGirl's NatureLuxe line is not entirely eco-friendly.

Eco-holiday accessories

With 16 shopping days left, New Year's Day is quickly approaching and parties are already scheduled, so the must-have accessories are necessary for an eventful night. 

They include the pair of pumps to appear taller, the clutch to hold your belongings, the beautiful earrings, and the lip gloss for that midnight kiss. 

And the eco-friendly versions of these accessories can reduce your carbon footprint before the new year begins.

2b Alma Faux Suede Platform Pump (faux suede), $39.95, bebe.com.

Embossed Faux Crocodile Clutch (faux leather), $14.80, forever21.com.

 

Satin Gold Plated 3-Leaf Crystal Chandelier Earrings (handmade), $52, etsy.com.

LipSurgence Natural Lip Tint (paraben-free), $24, sephora.com.

CoverGirl NatureLuxe line contains parabens

Commercials of songstress Taylor Swift applying NatureLuxe mascara by CoverGirl have dominated the TV screen lately, but with the mention of natural ingredients, is it really natural?

From the ingredient list, the answer is no. It's a marketing tool to say keywords like "honey" and "beeswax" to convince consumers the product is natural therefore implying it's also eco-friendly and healthy. 

But a touch of honey and beeswax doesn't mask the parabens in the mascara. The product contains ethylparaben and methylparaben, both chemicals considered endocrine disruptors by the Environmental Working Group.

CoverGirl revealed other products such as foundation and gloss balm under the line which also contain natural ingredients like shea butter and jojoba oil. The foundation doesn't contain harmful chemicals, but the lip gloss contains octinoxate, a low-level endocrine disruptor. The NatureLuxe Collection still ranks better than most mainstream cosmetics since it does contain various natural ingredients. 

Though the chemicals create a low risk, some women may experience major health issues depending on other factors such as lifestyle and genetics, and the problems usually start with their cosmetics.

Argan and hemp seed oils act as natural bronzers

Argan Face +Body Oil, $24,
sheaterraorganics.com.

Bronzers add color and sparkle to our cheekbones, but like many cosmetic products, they wallow in things like aluminum starch octenylsuccinate, which are usually nature-based ingredients, but they can be harsh on some complexions.

For alternatives, 100% oils can make skin more supple and soft as well as do the trick of bronzing. Hemp seed oil and argan oil are two popular choices for natural bronzers.

Equipped with essential omega-3 fatty acids and proteins, hemp seed oil is known to heal and rejuvenate skin while adding color and shine. A side note: the hemp seed comes from a certain type of cannabis plant in which there are 400 varieties.  

Hempz Natural Bronzer
Tan Maximizer, $18.49,
sunlessliquidators.com.

From the argan tree native to Morocco, argan oil is also rich in fatty acids and shows the same effects. A side note: the Morrocan government has reserved the argan oil production business for women only.

Both oils are dietary supplements, so ingestion may lead to the same results. But both tend to be expensive, so compare price with size and check ingredient lists.

Most and all of the oil in the product is ideal because some manufacturers may add other natural ingredients in the mix.

Organic liquid eyeliner

As the must-have cosmetic product of the time, the art of wearing liquid eyeliner has evolved from raccoon eyes to a polished look. 

Luckily, there are several liquid eyeliners out there without the synthetic chemicals and fragrances that can irritate the eyes.

Liquid eyeliner in brown, $16, lavera.com

Many organic eyeliners use natural ingredients that are soft on your eyelid skin which is a very delicate area.

Indelible Wink, $22, sephora.com

Different colors can be found ranging from everyday black to partygirl blue.

Liquid eyeliner, janeiredale.com

 Although many choices can be found online, there are still some available in stores that specialize in carrying natural cosmetics. 

ZuZu Luxe Vegan Liquid Eyeliner, $13.50, organichut.com

Natural skin care: cocoa butter

Cocoa butter is the essentially the fat extracted from cocoa beans and used to add flavor, scent, and a creamy texture to chocolate, ointments, and cosmetics.

Palmer's Cocoa Butter products, $4-$10,
available at drugstores

Though it has a faint chocolaty aroma and a soft cream color, cocoa butter is mostly known for its moisturizing properties that helps give our skin a healthy glow. 

At room temperature, it may be hard, but once on the skin, it melts at body temperature and easily absorbs into the skin.

Naturally, it contains Vitamin E, which is known for balancing and hydrating the skin by adding collagen. With the vitamin, cocoa butter can lighten the appearance of scars, blemishes, and wrinkles. 

Cocoa butter also helps restore skin overexposed to the sun or wind, meaning it's a good resource to have during the sweltering hot days as well as the bitter cold days.

Pure cocoa butter is generally found in the cream version, but there are also moisturizing sticks for people who want to use it for spot treatment.

Smell delicious with eco-fragrances

Perfumes and fragrances envelop us in a delightful scented aura, but they shouldn't contain so many chemicals to achieve that special scent. After Harper's Bazaar found bacteria, urine, and antifreeze inside counterfeit fragrances last year, people have focused their attention on finding a more natural fragrance.

revert eco, $9.99, rue21.com

Look for natural ingredients
Flower and fruit extracts, musks, and oils are major fragrance contents, so check if they dominate the ingredient list. 

You should be able to pronounce and know of most of the ingredients inside the fragrance for it to be considered natural. 

Stay away from harsh chemicals
Chemicals are used to dye color and retain scent in fragrances.

EPA has named several chemicals that frequent our beauty products, especially fragrances, that can cause respiratory distress, be possible carcinogens, and depress the central nervous system. 




Some are listed below:

• acetone  
• formaldehyde
• toluene
• ethanol
• camphor
• ethyl acetate
• benzaldehyde, benzyl acetate, benzyl alcohol
• musk amberette, musk xylene, musk keytone (natural musk is fine)

Compare prices and scents

If there is a particular fragrance you want that is not natural or not in your budget, compare scents and prices with more natural options to still get your ideal scent.

The Environmental Working Group created a report on the chemicals found in commonly used fragrances:

http://www.ewg.org/notsosexy

Remember fragrances will still contain some chemicals, but the fewer the better. And watch out for the particular chemicals in the list above.

Organic & natural mascara

Ultra Black Organics, $9.95, ulta.com

Mascara defines the eyelashes perfectly, and since we like to bat our eyes whenever our heart desires, we would like a more natural option. 

Chemicals taint mascara to the point we get stinging eyes or tingling noses from the smell. 

Now with a surge in eco-friendly cosmetics, natural mascara is hitting the scene with fewer or no chemicals. 

Common ingredients include fruit extracts and oils, which can be found in various other beauty products, but we don't necessarily think of these inside our mascara. 

Some companies even use ingredients grown organically without chemical pesticides or fertilizers and include recyclable brushes. 

Natural mascara also is a product that can be the same price as regular mascara, so price is usually not a factor. And it might be more prevalent in specialty cosmetic stores rather than the local drugstores.

Marie Claire natural beauty product spread

Just received the November issue of my fave mag, Marie Claire, and there's a whole section on natural beauty products!

Marie Claire, Nov. '10, Victoria Beckham

They even tell you about the harmful chemicals to stay away from that can be found in many cosmetics!

 Natural beauty product spread

Natural facial cleanser: African black soap

With so many products promising to repair blemishes and zap pimples, you want a mild cleanser that not only makes the promises but does the job. One little known natural beauty secret is the African black soap.

Nubian Heritage African Black Soap, $3.79, The Vitamin Shoppe

Used as a major beauty product in West Africa, black soap is known as a gentle and effective cleanser for the face and body.   

Black soap could be made from banana leaves, palm tree leaves, and various other parts of trees and plants. The ingredients are then burned in a kettle or pan. 

To solidify the soap, water is poured over the mixture with shea butter, palm oil, and other oils. 

The soap can help ease acne, relieve eczema and psoriasis, and moisturize dry skin. Also, the soap leaves you with a softer impression than other soaps that may be too harsh and drying to your skin. 

Black soap can be found at many local natural food markets, health stores, and drugstores. Be aware of some bottled liquid black soaps that can be too watered down that you wouldn't benefit from its natural properties.

Eco-lovely nail polish

Whether they're short and stubby or long and slender, we like to paint our nails with an array of different colors. The problem: we became immune to that harsh chemical smell.

Nail polish is one of the cosmetic products that probably will never be naturally pure simply because it's paint, but there are major chemicals lurking in our polish bottles. 

Nail Lacquer, $6 each, americanapparelstore.com

The chemicals are known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and they are emitted as gas from certain liquids and solids.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the concentrations of VOCs are generally higher inside than outside. Some side effects include eye, nose, and throat irritation, headaches, and, at a dangerous level, organ damage.

Since many household products such as cleaners and aerosol sprays contain VOCs, we can lessen the exposure with choosing a nail polish free of these chemicals.  

One step is to avoid the following VOCs:

• Di-n-butyl phthalate or dibutyl phthalate (DBP)

• It's a plasticizer, meaning it makes plastics soft and flexible. It can be found in a variety of things from raincoats to floor tiles. EPA has not classified DBP as a carcinogen, but studies have found one health effect may be liver damage. 

• Toluene 
• It's usually added to gasoline to improve the octane ratings, but it can also be used as a solvent in paints and cleaning agents. Chronic inhalation of toluene can lead to fatigue and throat irritation.

• Formaldehyde
• It's widely used to make building materials and household products as well as glues and paints. Watery eyes and difficulty in breathing can be side effects. 

Remember nail polish is going to usually contain chemicals, but DBP, toluene, and formaldehyde are the top three toxins that may affect your health overtime if overexposed. 

Some toxin-free nail polishes can be found at American Apparel, Whole Foods, and certain drugstores.