I was at first reluctant to do a post on makeup, because when it comes to my face, I’m usually au naturel.  Like most women, I definitely look better with makeup.  So it dawned on me at a young age that if I wore make-up everyday, I’d look “bad” on relaxed, no makeup days.  Alternatively, if people were used to seeing my “normal” face, then when I got dressed up, the make-up would really add a punch of glamour.  Now at 50 my glamour days are fewer and farther in between.  The occasional wedding, holiday or upscale play will bring out the makeup a few times a year.

Two things made me decide to post this short roundup.  First, most makeup has been shown to contain toxic heavy metals as well as a host of other toxins and carcinogens.  I find that a little crazy.  Even if you discount the tiny amounts absorbed through your skin, most of us eat a little lipstick.  Second, and the one that tipped the scales for me, I recently read in Veg News Magazine about an organic, plant-based, edible makeup line by Gwyneth Paltrow!  Full disclosure, I haven’t tried this brand new line, Juice Beauty, but it’s now on my list and I was really excited to share it.  Please leave a comment if you’ve tried it yourself.

If you’re already using a line of makeup that you love, you can check the ingredients in the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep cosmetics database. It’s quite comprehensive.

In the meantime, here is my personal very short list of cleaner, more sustainable makeup brands.

Honeybee Gardens – I particularly like their Truly Natural Mascara.

No Miss Nail Polish – I started on this brand quite a while ago and particularly like their Almost Natural Polish Remover.  Several companies have come out with even cleaner polish formulations (like Honeybee Gardens above), but I paint my nails so rarely that I haven’t needed new polish in forever.

W3ll People – A comprehensive organic makeup line that can be a one-stop shop for everything you need.  I personally like their powder foundations and blushes.

I would be remiss if I didn’t at least mention Dr Hauschka Cosmetics.  When I was initially doing research on cosmetics, this brand came up again and again as high quality with good ingredients.  Alas, my minimalist cosmetics approach never lead me to try it.  If you have, please share your thoughts in the comments section.

Hopefully this will provide a good starting point if you’re just looking into eco-friendly, non-toxic cosmetics.