Holistically Katie

Yay, another topic I feel greatly passionate about, and that is non-toxic, organic beauty! A while back, I shared my non-toxic skincare routine with you all on my blog, and recently decided I want to extend on this topic of organic skincare and beauty products with a post all about my favorite non-toxic beauty brands.

First, I want to touch on a few reasons why you may want to consider switching your conventional makeup to more natural brands. There are a plethora of nasty, harmful ingredients lurking in beauty products that most people do not know about. I am going to list the top toxic ingredients you need to look out for, as well as the reasons why to avoid them, and then go on to share my all-natural beauty routine and brands I adore.

1. Parabens. Parabens are a preservative used to prevent bacteria in cosmetic products. However, they are also are associated with increased risk of breast cancer, and tumor growth.
2. Synthetic colors. These are commonly found in eye shadow pallets. Unfortunately, the colors are derived from petroleum or coal tar sources, and are a human carcinogen.
3. Phthalates. Used to plasticize products, commonly found in things like lip palm. They mimic human hormones, and can cause reproductive abnormalities.
4. Lead. This sounds so horrible and probably makes you think of those old wooden pencils, but lead is still used in foundation and lipsticks today. It is associated with reduced fertility and is a proven neurotoxin.
5. Formaldehydes. There are a lot these that are used, particularly Quaternium 15 is a common one used in mascara, eyeliners and pressed powders.
6. Carmine. Carmine comes from dead, crushed up bugs. It is commonly used in lipsticks, and lip glosses to make up the pigment. If you ever see a vivid red color, it is more likely than not that carmine was used to make it. Although Carmine is probably the least offensive on this list, it still weirs me out that is is made up of insect bodies and eggs. It also has been associated with allergic reactions, headaches, dizziness, and irritation to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract.

Now, time to get in to the fun part which is discussing how I do my standard, natural makeup look which features high quality brands that do not use any of the above ingredients in their formulation. I do this look during the school week, when I am going to class or work. During the weekend if I am going out, I use more makeup but for the purposes of this post, I will be showing this natural look below:

I’ll go through the products/brands I use in order of how I apply the them! Starting off with concealer, I use the RMS Beauty “un-cover up” under my eyes and on any blemishes. As you can tell from the swatch, this is a very lightweight product that is not greasy, blends very smoothly, and I love that you can build up the product to the desired coverage you need. I just ensure to wash my hands thoroughly before using this product, as you can see you use your fingers to dab it on.

I also want to mention this Bio-correct cover up by W3ll people because I also enjoy it, but not as much as the RMS product. I like the formulation, but not the consistency. It is also harder to build up the product, so I sometimes use it as an added layer to the RMS.

Next, I use some bronzer, specifically the Mineral Fusion bronzer. I love this product. It gives the perfect amount of tan, without looking fake or overdone. This product is cruelty free, hypo-allergenic, gluten free, and even contains beneficial compounds for the skin such as pomegranate, red tea, white tea and Vitamin C and E. It’s always great when a product is not only natural, but also can benefit your skin too!

Next up is another product by Mineral Fusion, which is there eyeshadow trio. I don’t use the dark brown color to the far left, but I do use the other two colors to brighten up my eyes and inner corners.

It applies so easily and the purple color compliments my brown eyes. Since eyeliner is applied so closely to our eyes and lash line, it is important to be aware of all the chemicals in traditional eyeliners. They can irritate the skin and the eyes, but most people don’t think twice slathering on their Mac eyeliner pencil.

Now, onto mascara. I have had a really difficult time in the past finding a good all-natural, cruelty-free mascara that is effective. I am happy to report this botanical, organic mascara by Wild Nettle Apothecary is wonderful. If you read the description on Etsy for this product, you will see that all the products are made in small batches, using fair trade organic sources. This mascara can even help give you longer lashes, by nourishing them with nutrients and antioxidants contained in the plant-based oils and plant extracts in this mascara.

Before:

After:

Last, but not least, I use these multi-functional products for my cheeks and cheek bones. The first is this Tata harper cheek tint which can also be used as a lip tint! This product is creamy and luxurious, and although Tata Harper is an expensive brand, the investment in this product was worth it for me.

I also enjoy this highlighter, the Pacifica multi-use Rainbow crystals highlighter which can be used on your cupid’s bow, brow bone or cheek bone as a shimmery highlight.

That’s it! This routine takes about five to ten minutes depending on which steps I include or skip. I really hope you guys try out some of these brands or products. I cannot emphasize how important it is to make the switch to non-toxic and organic beauty. Your skin, hormones, and immune system will thank you down the road!