Sure, we’ve all heard that we need to be cautious about what we put in, on or even near our bodies, but how seriously do you ever really pay attention? Yes, I switched my water bottle to glass, I eat organic and I stopped buying things made with parabens. All that made me feel pretty dang good about myself. Then I got pregnant.
Suddenly the stakes became a lot higher. When I saw that little pea during the first ultrasound I began to wonder how anything even slightly toxic might affect something so tiny. Turns out I was right to become a lot more concerned! Did you know that 60 percent of what you put on your skin reaches your bloodstream?? Needless to say, I went on a mad beauty product purging spree when I learned that, ditching all the offensive lotions, hair products, cleansers, sprays, body washes, gels, nail polish, nail polish remover – everything I could think of. Again I was feeling really good about myself. But I skipped one important step. I just couldn’t quit my tried and true makeup products. Having to give up wine, chocolate and my favorite concealer?? That just felt like too much.
Until I started doing even more reading. I was rather dismayed to discover that the European Union currently bans 1,328 chemicals from its cosmetics but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has banned or restricted only 11! Cosmetics made in the US include lovely things like plasticizers (chemicals that keep concrete soft), degreasers (used to get grime off auto parts), and surfactants (they reduce surface tension in water, like in paint and inks). Petroleum-extracted cosmetics ingredients, commonly found in mascara, may cause contact dermatitis and are often contaminated with cancer-causing impurities. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN recently released a report calling endocrine disruptors a “global threat” to fertility and the environment. propylene glycol, methylparaben, and propylparaben, all of which are considered endocrine disruptors and are often found in foundations. They say women eat 7lbs of lipstick in their lifetime. Most of that is filled with parabens, harmful dyes and petroleum. Joy.
Even though I loved the bag of makeup tricks I’ve gotten comfortable with over all these years, now that I’m breast feeding, I realized the easy way out is just not worth it. Thankfully, no less than three people recommended the natural, organic makeup line W3LL PEOPLE. I’ve been taking the line for a test run these last few weeks and have to say I’m pretty happy with the results!
What I ditched:
> Mascara
> Tinted moisturizer / BB cream
> Lipstick
> Cream & Powder Blush
> Eyeliner
> Concealer
W3LL PEOPLE is made of a botanical complex of aloe, chamomile and green tea intended to move and breathe on the skin and eliminate the creasing you get with a lot of makeups. It doesn’t contain any of the baddies; fillers, parabens or petroleum-derived ingredients. But enough about all that – I know you’re asking does the stuff work??
I give the line an enthusiastic two thumbs up! There are a few products I’m particularly smitten with. I’m far from a makeup aficionado so I like anything that’s fool proof – and that describes the Narcissist Foundation Stick to a tee. It offers just enough coverage but in that subtle, no makeup kind of way. It also doesn’t crease! For a mama with her fair share of exhaustion lines I really appreciate that. Similarly, the Brightener Stick offers its only little magic touch. A swipe across the check bones and down the bridge of the nose offer just the right amount of glow to make you look refreshed – not overly sparkly.
The Mulit Sticks for Eyes, Cheeks & Lips are super convenient – no need to carry a ton of products. The Hypnostist Eye Pencil goes on really easily and stayed put pretty well. But if I had to pick, my favorite item out of the whole line is the Bio Extreme Mascara. Mascara is part of my daily uniform. I feel naked without it. The W3LL PEOPLE mascara still gives me the thick, dark lashes I crave. They also give you a nice little curl – love that. Sure, it might smudge a bit more than my old chemical laden waterproof mascara but the inconvenience of double checking the mirror once or twice a day is worth the peace of mind.
So I say to all of you holding onto your favorite makeup products for fear of not finding something “good enough,” consider your fears assuaged. You can get “eco makeup” that makes you feel just as lovely as the stuff stuffed with “baddies” as W3LL PEOPLE calls them. And because you’re doing something good for your health you’re going to feel and look good inside as well as out. That alone is worth making the switch!
How about you guys? Have you tried “natural” or organic makeup products? Have you found any clear winners? Now that I’m on this bandwagon I want to build out my entire makeup bag!
images 1 and 2 via here // original photography for apartment 34 by aubrie pick // styling by bianca sotelo
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