Going, Going Green: Tarte Changes It’s Colors

I can’t stay away from Sephora.  It used to be difficult, being a green makeup artist, walking into Sephora and wading through pretty products with toxic ingredient labels.  But things are changing:  a line you didn’t like last year might just be unrecognizable today. Of course, there’s also something so satisfying about being left alone to PLAY in an entire store full of makeup.  To test the density of eyeshadow color, to feel a foundation’s  slip and texture…to SMELL the lipglosses.

Unlike buying  makeup from a department store, (where you’re stuck with it as soon as you use it)  Sephora’s generous return policy allows shoppers to relax about makeup.   So, with a relaxed frame of mind I recently waltzed down the Tarte aisle and was struck to see Sephora’s  green leaf   “Naturally Sephora” label hanging over the entire brand.  I’d previously tried only three of Tarte’s products, all from the “Health Couture” line: Lash Hugger Eco Mascara, Glam Gams, and Eco Cheek stain.   The rest of their products were heavily tainted with petrochemicals, parabens, and other less than sundry fillers (In fact, the Tarte brand scored a whopping 7-8 rating on the Skin Deep toxicity database)….and then suddenly……

A big green sign. What gives?  My heart pounded.  Could it be?

“Yes,” she said.   A rep for Tarte happened to be in the store and was as excited about the change as I was.  “The formulations changed at the beginning of the year, but we couldn’t advertise it until about a month ago—after we changed the packaging with the old ingredients list.”   She told me that Tarte’s products are now ALL paraben free, with many products free of dyes, fragrances, petrochemicals and phthalates as well.

I think my hands were shaking a little as I approached Tarte’s Natural Beauty 7 Piece Combination Set in FAIR (they had me at FAIR!)

It includes the new Age-Rewind tinted moisturizer (spf 15),  with a Foundation Brush, Pressed Powder, Pressed Bronzer, Concealer Wand, and Face Primer.  The seventh piece is the see-through recyclable zippered pouch everything fits into.

I read the ingredients a few times.  I wouldn’t eat the stuff, and you know my feelings about makeup.  I like to be able to eat it.  But it is FAR and AWAY cleaner than most cosmetic products on the market, and a VASTLY cleaner line than it used to be.   And I think that’s worth celebrating.

And yes, it all WORKS really well, too.  The Age-Rewind glows on the skin, feels silky smooth, and provides more coverage than any other tinted moisturizer I’ve tried, ever.   Comes in shades from Fair to Deep.   Blends easily, feels light, and pumps from the airless container.   Foundation brush is a nice touch.  The primer is professional quality: it actually feels like a slippery silicone base, and keeps your makeup in place all day.  (I still prefer aloe based primers,  but this one works really well).  The concealer wand is great for touchups , but it’s lightweight.  (Tarte’s got a great new pot concealer, though, that has fantastic density).  The powder and bronzer are small, but separate (important) and potent.  A little dab’ll do ya.  The bronzer’s not orangey, either, but it is highly pigmented, so use a light hand.

The new Tarte also has a “clean” waterproof mascara, called “Lights, Camera, Splashes” which I’m eager to try out on a few sobbing brides.   (Until now, clean waterproof mascara was an oxymoron!)

While I was there, I picked up the limited edition REFILLABLE Tarte eyeshadow palette called Femme Fatale.  The colors are dense and blendable and the palette comes with a two ended eyeliner as well as a nice double ended application brush.  Several shadows can also be used as eyeliners (with a small wet brush) or can be dampened for a fabulously bold effect.  I was surprised at how much I missed pressed shadows (I have a large green kit full of loose ones in every color); I vow to use this palette til it’s gone!  I love the refillable aspect, too–you can choose your own colors!

As usual, my enthusiasm comes with a grain or two of salt.  You STILL have to read the label, girls. There’s no getting around it.  Tarte has really cleaned up its act, but there a few products I just can’t get behind (for example, the Celebutante Dry Oil Shimmer Spray, which still contains BHT, a fragrance/masking ingredient used as a substitute for toluene.  BHT gets a 7-9 on SkinDeep.  Such a shame.  A fabulously delicious smelling product with avocado oil and gold shimmer.  Were it clean, I’d coat my body in it everyday of my life—alas).   So yes, Tarte is well on its way to being green, but tread carefully, friends.

Why do I bother reviewing anything that I wouldn’t eat?  Because, like you, I want to know what’s OUT THERE.  I want to know who’s trying to move in a greener direction, and how their products stack up. Perhaps you’re the kind of woman who can stick to a clean (organic, even) purely mineral line like Larenim or AfterGlow, and be a happy, healthy camper from there on out.  But there are some women who simply WON’T put up with powder all over their bathroom sinks, or whose complexions will not tolerate a plethora of powder.  I keep my eyes peeled for options.

Some people (like me) won’t be happy unless a cosmetic product is food safe.  Others just want something paraben-free.   It’s up to each of us to decide where to draw the line—we are all different shades of green.

Here are the specs provided by Sephora on the $54  Tarte Natural Beauty Combo Set

This set contains:
- 1.16 oz Clean Slate T5™ Infused Natural Primer
- 1 oz ReCreate™ Natural Anti-Aging Foundation with Wrinkle Rewind™ Technology in Warm Bisque
- 0.19 oz The Eraser 4-in1 Natural Concealer in Bisque
- 0.15 oz Provocateur Pressed Mineral Powder in Light
- 0.15 oz Mineral Powder Bronzer in Park Avenue Princess
- Travel Foundation Brush
- Reusable 7 Recyclable Makeup Bag

What it is formulated WITHOUT:
- Parabens (all)
- Preservatives (Primer)
- Propylene Glycol (Primer, Concealer, Powder, Bronzer)
- Petrochemicals (Primer, Concealer, Foundation, Powder)
- Phthalates (Primer, Concealer, Foundation, Bronzer)
- Sulfates (all)
- GMOs (Primer, Concealer, Powder, Bronzer)
- Triclosans (Primer, Concealer, Powder, Bronzer)

What else you need to know:
All products are free of fragrance, talc, MEA, DEA, TEA, and animal testing.

Here’s what Tarte Founder Maureen Kelly says about the brand now on their website:

Nine years later tarte is the leader in earth engineered™ beauty offering the widest selection of natural cosmetics full of skinvigorating™ ingredients including our proprietary t5 super fruit complex™ (a blend of the five most active, free-radical fighting super fruits), vitamins, minerals and natural fruit and plant extracts. But it’s not just about what’s in our healthy formulas; it’s what’s not in them that really sets us apart! We are 100% free of parabens, petro-chemicals, phthalates, sulfates and synthetic fragrances, just to name a few.

We don’t just stop at the formulas – our chic, runway-inspired cases and compacts are more then just pretty packaging. We’re helping reduce green house gas emissions one mascara at a time by creating components that are made from recyclable or post-consumer recycled material and can often be re-used to help reduce environmental waste. We like to say we’re doing the ‘leg work’ to help all of us minimize our carbon footprints.

Chameleon photo by Flickrs Kaibara87

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Everything’s Coming Up Rosacea: A simple spell can mend your Mean Reds!

Ah, the Mean Reds.  Holly Golightly wasn’t talking about rosacea, but she might as well have been.  Women who suffer from this patchy, flaky, highly sensitive, and unflatteringly rosy condition are perpetually unhappy with the appearance of their skin and have frequently given up hope.

Rosacea is a dastardly villain, and once afflicted, a woman can no longer apply her makeup as whimsically as the rest of society might. Foundation will often seep into enlarged pores while refusing to lay smoothly on the surface skin;  this can produce an odd effect: dozens of visible pinpoints of foundation interrupted by islands of scaly red skin.  And heaven forbid you wear a blush on top!  EEEEEEK!

What to do, WHAT TO DO??  If you suffer from rosacea yourself, you have undoubtedly sought the help of a dermatologist, and may already be doing something topically to treat the condition.

But what if you’re still red all over?

Close your eyes and say “Hocus Pocus”.

While you’re doing that, I’ll tell you a story.  I had a client recently with a FABULOUS face; sparkling green eyes, cheekbones to die for, and a mouth so large that I could count all her perfect teeth when she spoke. (She’s a professional singer, so she’s lucky).  Big lips, long lashes.  Great brows.  Fabulous face, yes.  Fabulous skin….not so much.

The poor darling had a serious case of rosacea, bless her heart!  Her usual routine is a smattering of powder across her face, lipgloss and masacara–she’s a 30 second makeup girl.  Unfortunately, the powder she was using was orange–and while she was sure that it was counteracting the red on her face, I was pretty sure it was just orange.  We had a tussle.  Hair was pulled.  Makeup was thrown.  Suddenly, a green cloud of dust rose up from my kit and settled upon her face.

Hocus Pocus. It’s a mineral based powder by Larenim (mineral spelled backwards) that is ACTUALLY GREEN.  Now have we all studied our color theory, girls?  What’s the opposite of red?  Is it orange?  Blue?  Purple?  Very good.  It’s green.  A fine dusting of light green powder across red skin works miracles.

We experimented a bit, and found the best makeup scenario for her to be this one:

1. Apply a thin layer of aloe vera (or an aloe based makeup primer such as Mod’s) to the face.  Pure aloe is soothing, won’t clog your pores, and dries down to provide a barrier between makeup and your skin.  If you use liquid foundation and have rosacea and/or large pores, you must use a primer.

2. Using a soft brush, lightly dust Hocus Pocus over the red portions of the face only.  You may use a concealer brush dipped in Hocus Pocus for red blemishes, as well.  Hint: if your face is still damp from moisturizer or aloe, let it dry first! (Otherwise too much green is absorbed.  Hello, Wicked Witch!)

Note: We were both satisfied with the eveness of the skin at this point; she could have skipped foundation and gone straight to gloss and mascara, but she was having photos taken, so we went for flawless skin.

3.  Use your loose/pressed powder or pressed foundation (Larenim and ZuZu have nice ones) and pat over face gently, don’t “smear” the spell.  And don’t forget undereye concealer!

4.  Finally, a little bronzer will warm up the skin.  You may think about blush.   Wait first.  Putter about the house for a bit.  See how long it takes for your skin to begin acting like the lunatic it is.  Seeing hints of pink after an hour?  You should probably skip blush altogether.

Now, I’m not usually a powder, powder everywhere kind of girl.  I like to hand mix mineral foundations with organic face creams or balm sticks to match my clients skin, and to leave a bit of a glow when possible.  AND I don’t like the look of packed-on powder that results from using certain lines.  That said, some skin prefers NOT to glow.

Some skin hates anything with oil (no matter how natural), and is quick to anger, so it’s best to be reasonable and do our best to keep it calm and soothed.   Aloe vera is great for this combustable fiend.  Consider using it everytime you use makeup.  And Hocus Pocus is makeup witchery at its best.  Other than that, ladies, watch the alcohol intake, which can set off a flushing of rosacea (I’m not saying ‘don’t drink’–I’m merely saying ‘observe the effects of your drinking’), the same goes for spicy foods and spicy men.

The Mean Reds may be with you for a while.  Some experts claim rosacea is genetic (having to do with the “Celtic Curse”), some say it’s bacterial, some say it’s dietary, and some are simply clueless.  We do know that it affects three times as many women as men, and that the years between 30-60 are fun times for the Mean Reds to develop.  The ensuing flakiness is certainly annoying, but (contrary to popular thought) your skin can be GENTLY sloughed, depending on your sensitivity, which will make your skin feel better to the touch. Yes, you may be a tad red after a gentle scrub, but what’s new?

As for the color of the Mean Reds?  Say a little spell, and watch them disappear!  Hang in there, girls.  We’re pulling for you!

All that Glitters is not Green: How to read between the lines

I really like fashion magazines.  There is a kind of art appreciation that happens while grazing through the seasonal spreads.  There’s often a story being told: Young, lithe girl finds herself in a dark forest in the middle of summer, wearing a bizarre conglomeration of haute couture and accessories au naturelle.  In this context, her bird’s nest bra looks….not out of place.

Fashion magazines are one part fantasy, one part delicacy, and ninety eight parts currency. They are not here for our aesthetic edification.  They exist soley to make consumers out of us, which is why I think it’s nice to view them exclusively in artistic terms, to appreciate the inspiration and vision that goes into the few extravagent vignettes tucked between the copious and predictably pandering advertisements.

Once in a while, I’ll read the copy, too, just for kicks.

The May 2009 issue of Elle magazine features “Face of Cover Girl” Drew Barrymore, and is calling itself the “Blue Issue” with a focus on designer eco-chic.   Intrigued, I dove in and was shocked to find a several page spread on green cosmetics!  Apparently, a large panel of makeup artists was chosen to vote on green picks, and the spread features the winners.

I had a mixed reaction: I was unsurprised by some of the winners (Physcian’s Formula Organic Wear for mascara and bronzer–two of their products which I’ve blogged about myself), and surprised to NOT see some of the greatest green lines on the market.  Dr. Hauschka, for example, was represented only by their clay mask, and 100% Pure (the cleanest line ever invented) was missing? Instead, there were several “winners” that I thought were “losers”.  I was glad to see the magazine devote pages of precious ad space to the concept of clean makeup, but that’s all it was: AD SPACE.

I thought about the magazine on and off all day.  I realize that a magazine’s first obligation is to advertising, not content.  (A number of “winners” had coincidentally rolled out large ad campaigns in recent months, including Physician’s Formula) While a concerted effort went into featuring lines which are branded as green, I doubt anyone went a step beyond–and say, looked at ingredients. (The green pick for tinted moisturizer was Josie Maran’s, which features a slew of questionable ingredients, including BHT, which pulls off a whopping 7 out of 9 offense on the Cosmetic Safety Database.  BHT is just another nasty substitute for toulene…ewww.)

That said, I noticed a few new “green” products which bear investigation.  The moral?  You have to find your OWN winners.  Never trust glossy pages with your health.  It’s not what they’re there for, and it’s certainly not what they’re good at.  They’re good at making you look, and making you buy.  If you don’t believe me, I’ve got a bird’s nest bra I’d be happy to sell you.

Check out Elle’s Blue Issue, and make up your own mind.  The underwater images are gorgeous, even if the Cover Girl isn’t green.

Images courtesy of Flickr’s Vichysoisse of Verbiage and Elle Magazine

Flawed: What we do to appear Flawless

I have a secret, and I’m going to share it.  I have found a holy grail among “natural” undereye concelears.

I’m going to preface my disclosure with another disclosure:  my current favorite undereye concealer is not as clean as the company would have you believe (their slogan is “Clean-Natural-Beauty”)

I’m also going to rationalize my use of this product by confessing that I suffer from extraordinarily dark undereye circles: I’m an insomniac, my diet suffers the perils of bad timing and low blood sugar, and hey– dark circles are largely heritary and hormonal, anyway.  (Let’s blame science!)

I’ve tried everything out there, and if it’s clean and green, I’ve tried it twice.   I really DO love 100% Pure’s peach pigmented natural wand concealer (not available on their website, but on QVC):  I like the consistency of the product, ease of use, and edible ingredients. I carry it in my purse for touchups (a surprise blemish, a fixer for smeared mascara, etc).  But (for me) it’s simply not dense enough to battle the darkness that lies beneath…

To really achieve a flawless looking undereye–and by that I mean this: when the skin beneath the eye matches the skin above the eye (brow bone)–I prefer a two step product.   One pinky/peach step, and one yellow step.  Most makeup artists agree.  The pink cancels out the greenish or bluish aspects of your circles, and the yellow step warms the skin up, and brightens the undereye.  Combined, they are magical.

I found my new concealer a few months ago, while perusing the cosmetics section at Whole Foods.  A nice counter person asked if I needed help.  I told her I was deciding between the clean stick concealers of Gabriel or MyChelle.  She said, “You know, my favorite is Mineral Fusion.  It’s really thick.”

Now, some people don’t want to hear the word “thick” when it comes to makeup.  Some of you naturalists are no doubt wrinkling your noses at the prospect of smearing a heavy concealer anywhere but over a hole in your living room wall.   But to me, it was like hearing, “Circles, what circles?”

What raised a flag for me, (and the reason I have not written about this product sooner) is the company itself, Mineral Fusion.  A company backed by Whole Foods (who often sport an enormous display of the line, next to a teeny tiny display for the completely clean makeup line by Dr. Hauschka) Mineral Fusion is NOT  the poster child for organic, green makeup.

The lipglosses contain petrochemicals (polyethylene being the worst offender, scoring a 6-9 on Skin Deep’s toxicity guide: polyethylene is determined by the  “safe” for use on skin by the CIR, assuming a low skin absorbtion rate (despite studies that show tumors developing on the areas of application by both American and British medical journals), we STILL KNOW that everything on our lips we eat….that’s major absorption!  I’m going to say that WEARING Mineral Fusion’s lipgloss on your LIPS means you’re EATING polyethylene, a little, everyday.  Maybe it’s meant to be worn on the earlobes, instead.

And while Mineral Fusion products are paraben-free, who cares, if we’re going to be ingesting disgusting ingredients? (By the way, the company is a proud donor to the Pink United Breast Cancer Research Foundation)  So when the gentle counter person said “Mineral Fusion!”, I understandably hesitated.

Then I tried the creamy concealer duo in “cool”.  ACK!  It works like nothing else.

I asked to read the ingredients.  Argh.  Number seven (out of nineteen ingredients).  You guessed it.  Polyethylene.

WHY?? Why do they do it?  Is it possible that polyethylene is sooooo important that they can’t make a fantastic product without it?  Clearly, there are 18 other ingredients that make this product work.  Can’t we just leave that one out?  Or is it possible that they’re in cohoots with the polyethylene producers? Is this some kind of flouride rehash, waiting to be exposed?

I was miserable.  And yet, I had never looked so happy, nor so well rested.   I held a magnifying mirror up to my face, and even under the hideous glare of energy saving flourescent lighting, I was magnificent.  A flawed flawlessness.

I didn’t buy it.  I bought the heartily clean MyChelle concealer stick instead, which I wore dutifully for a week.  It’s fine, but it’s no match against the dark void which exists beneath my eyes.  I went back to my 100% Pure, sniffling with resentment and heartache (nothing was good enough anymore).  Then I stopped wearing concealer altogether.

That’s right.  The girl whose mantra has always been “Concealer makes you look happy” was willingly going about looking like a sucidal heroin addict.  Finally, seeing my sad circles in the mirror day after day caught up with me, and I genuinely began to feel sad.

So I bought it.  I’ve been wearing Mineral Fusion’s concealer duo for two weeks.  I look like a new person.  I look younger, happier, healthier.   Ironic, isn’t it?

How does this all relate to my previous blog about “being Beautiful” (capital B) and “acting Beautifully”?  I’m not sure.  There’s a balance to be struck, I suppose, between finding the products that make us feel beautiful, and finding companies who are willing to act beautifully, themselves.

I have conceded this round to Big Industry, but as soon as someone develops the same product without using polyethylene, I will drop Mineral Fusion like a bad habit.  Which is, for now, what it is.

eyepatch image courtesy of Flickr’s  eye-patch

Pharmacy Phresh Organic Makeup

I wrote some months ago about the seeming demise of the Physician’s Formula new makeup line called Organc Wear. After watching the ad campaign “How Green is Your Makeup?” unfold in magazines everywhere, I had eagerly anticipated its arrival in my local Walgreens, and was surprised how quickly the line fizzled, and was pulled, due to “lack of interest”.

Now, I’ll admit, I wasn’t thrilled with the orangey, loose powder bronzers, and I was disappointed that even the lightest tinted moisturizer didn’t match my skin. But guess what, kids?

They’re back, and they’re better. Organic Wear, a green makeup line by Physician’s Formula, is reentering the market place with better product and a price point that leaves plenty of green in your wallet.

The line now features a black mascara (with adorable and recycled packaging) that I’ve worn for two weeks. It’s a solid performer, a workhorse, that can withstand two coats without clumping.

They have three pressed eyeshadow duos, also in recycled (pressed paper) packaging. I like the brown/champagne duo for blue eyes.

They also……drumroll, please…..feature a tinted moisturizer with spf 15 for people with IVORY TO FAIR skin!  (previously the lightest shade was Fair to Light) Well, folks, this is a revelation. A premade tinted moisturizer for the truly fair skinned girl. It’s the only one I’ve found so far that really is what it says it is, and I try ALOT of tinted moisturizers. I’ll be equally thrilled when they come out with one for darker tones, but for now I’ll embrace the fact that the green line didn’t get swept under the carpet simply because it didn’t have a succesfful first launch.

The company clearly went back to the drawing board and figured out what was keeping them from performing.

EVERY green makeup line needs a mascara. EVERY green makeup line needs pressed eyeshadows and bronzers.

And now you can buy a great line of green makeup brushes (ECO TOOLS) as well as green makeup (Physician’s Formula Organic Wear) in your local drugstore (or Target). You don’t have to be rich to buy organic. You don’t have to be privledged in order to dodge dodgy ingredients. You just have to be willing to try.

And try again. I’m glad I did.

When Winter White Goes Wrong: How to make your neck match your face

Funny thing, necks.  We rarely give them much consideration.  When you think about it, your neck is merely a pedestal for the work of art that is your face, isn’t it?   Think again, girls.

Your neck is your face’s date to a ball. While you can arrive stag, wearing a scarlet gown that screams ‘look at me’, your appearance is more awe inspiring when you arrive with a gorgeous man who is wearing a matching scarlet hanky in his tuxedo jacket.  It says to the crowd, ‘Bask in the divine happiness which stands before you.  Admire our unity.’

Which is exactly what your neck should do for your face.  It is the man in the fabulous tux with matching hanky.  It UNIFIES the skin on your face with the skin on your decollete.  It’s not just a patch of go-between skin, your neck.  It is an isthmus of color.

I fear I’m losing you.  Here’s what I want you to do.  When you take your makeup off tonite, stand back and stare in the mirror with your robe open. (Not ALL the way, just the top bit)  Now, look–really LOOK at the difference in the color of the skin on your face, your neck, and your chest.  Sometimes you’ll see three different colors, sometimes just two.  But it is RARE to see only one tone.  There are reasons for this:

1. we use sunscreen on our face but not our neck or chest.  Therefore, our chests carry the effects of sun damage: freckles, sunspots, age spots, and a general darkness, thanks to all those cleavage baring shirts we love.

2. even though we forget sunscreen on our necks, the sun rarely finds its way there.  Therefore, our necks are nearly ALWAYS five shades lighter than our chests.

3. we’ve only recently begun to be vigilant about sunscreen on our faces, and truth be told, we often forget (especially in the winter) to apply it at all.  Therefore, our faces are often THREE or FOUR shades darker than our neck.

So what’s a girl to do?  Are we supposed to match the color on our necks, or the color on our faces?  If you choose a lighter foundation to match your neck, your chest won’t match (unless you apply makeup down the front of your shirt)  If your match the color on your face, your neck won’t match, and you’ll have that old telltale “Foundation Line”, even though you’ve actually taken the time to color match.

The solution? Match your tinted moisturizer or foundation to your face.  Then, use BRONZER to warm up the color on your neck. Simple as that.  Now, I go through bronzer love/hate phases.  Sometimes I like a snow petal look: a porcelain face with rosebud cheeks, skip the sun kissed look.  But if you’ve gone skiing, hiking, snowboarding, or have been just standing around outside admiring the winter, you’ve gotten kissed by the sun and your face is carrying a hint of red, if not an outright tan.  Bronzer (lightly applied) across the forehead, down the nose, on the chin, and at the cheekbones will mediate that redness, and then you’ll sweep it UNDER your chin and down the sides of your neck to close the deal.  And even if you’ve avoided the outdoors for the past few months, you’re likely not a porcelain doll.  You’ve got years of built-in color that’s just dying to be spread around evenly.

If you’re wearing your hair in a ponytail, don’t forget to sweep a little bronzer on the back of your neck as well.

Avoid the line.  A little powder bronzer is all it takes to even out the whole of your complexion.  Remember, you’re more than just a pretty face.  (You’re a pretty neck and chest, too)

Here are a few bronzers I particularly like:

100% Pure Cocoa (that’s right, chocolate) Pigmented Bronzers

Physician’s Formula Organic Wear Bronzers (the pressed versions only, available at Walgreen’s) My favorite is the neutral bronzer with pink bits in it. Never orangey.

Dr. Hauschka’s Bronzing Powder: super light and silky!

top photo courtesy of flickr’s Juicy Carolina

Super Face: The Secret Power of Natural Pressed Powder

First, a disclaimer: I’ve spent years discouraging women from using powder on their faces, and I’ve taken a good bit of flack about it from those women who feel incomplete without it.

My point? It is no longer the 18th century, Ladies. We don’t need to be surrounded by a dust cloud of powder to absorb our bodily and facial oils– we bathe! (The aristocrats who inspired over-powdering were the same folks who covered themselves in stick-on moles to cover up pock marks acquired from sexually transmitted diseases…and I seriously doubt stick on moles are coming back any time soon)

Furthermore, while a powdered face may indeed add a polished finish when you’re wearing a ballgown, it does NOT belong on your face when you’re wearing yoga pants, a jogging suit, or jeans and sneakers. It is unacceptable to powder our three dimensional faces into a two dimensional plane. It looks dry, fake, and completely cartoonish. While you’re at it, why don’t you shave off your eyebrows and paint them back on?

Let your skin breathe. Let your face glow.

–That said, I am going to recommend three brands of natural and healthy pressed powder. Why? Because there are some worthy new and natural brands out there, and because a good powder can make you look ethereal, softening your features by refracting a hazy angelic light.  And there’s nothin’ wrong with looking angelic.

One of the main reasons I’ve steered my clients from powder is because so many popular formulas are chock full of gross stuff that ends up settling in fine lines and wrinkles, not to mention clogging pores with extended use. If you’re going to wear powder, it should actually improve your skin.

My meters for great face powder include: Flexibility, Finish, and Fine Line-Proofness.

1. For Flexibility, you want a pressed powder. Lots of mineral makeup lines have clean loose powders: Loose powder is a one time sort of thing, used to “set” your makeup. Women who use powder throughout the day (because they’re frequently oily, or because they’re intent on maintaining a polished look) need to be able to carry in their purses.

2. For Finish, you want powder that rests lightly upon the skin. You don’t want the powder to be so fine that it enters the skin. Look for non “nano-particle” lines. Nano particles are often present in makeup lines that require you to buff powder into your skin, rather than letting it rest above the skin, using dimethicone (a natural silicone). Steer clear of bismuth oxychloride, while you’re at it. This popular mineral makeup ingredient is an irritant for many women’s skin, causing itchiness and, in some cases, cystic acne.

3. For Fine-Line Proofness, you want a silky powder. You don’t want your face to look ashy, sparkly, chalky, or dry. When you find a great pressed powder, you should be able to roll the puff lightly across your t-zone to take off shine, or sweep it across your entire face for a smooth finish. Look at your skin 30 minutes after you apply powder. Are your wrinkles more or less noticeable? Does your skin appear softer or does it look dry, caked, or flaky? Touch your face. Does it feel smooth and silky?

Here’s my new favorite pressed powder, by the company that makes my favorite clean liquid eyeliner.
ZUZU LUXE Dual Pressed Powder & Foundation (talk about flexible!) comes in 9 shades, for every skin tone!

Use as a pressed powder for touch-ups, or as a foundation with a matte finish. Available in 9 shades for any complexion (see color chart, and and refer to brief descriptions below). 10g compact is $21.95 each.

Ingredients: Mica, Zinc Stearate, Octyl Palmitate, Squalane (vegetable derived), Lecithin, Dimethicone, Silica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Grapeseed Extract

Here are two other great powder choices:

100 Percent Pure Peach Pigmented Healthy Glow Pressed Powder:

100% natural pressed powder made with rice powder, fruit pigments and light reflective pearl powder to make skin appear luminous. SPF 20 protects your skin from UVA and UVB rays while antioxidants protect against environmental damage. Does not contain preservatives, artificial fragrances, synthetic chemicals or any other toxins. Truly, 100% Pure.

color: White Peach- fair skin tones
Peach Bisque – medium skin tones
Golden Peach – golden, deeper skin tones

Ingredients: Rice Powder, All of the following fruit pigments : White Peach, Golden Peach, Apricot and Papaya, Vitamin E (a-tocopherol), Lavender Flower Powder, Eucalyptus Leaf Powder, Silk Powder, Fresh Oyster Pearl Powder, Vitamin A (a-palmitate), Vitamin C(ascorbic acid), Pomegranate Seed Oil, Avocado Butter, Rose Powder, White Tea Powder, Grape Seed Powder, Silica (Natural Mineral)
SUNSCREEN ACTIVE INGREDIENTS: 12% Titanium Dioxide and 6% Zinc Oxide

Larenim Mineral Airbrush Pressed Powder:

Comes in many shades. The great thing about Larenim’s product, as well as Zuzu’s is that they can be used as foundations as well as powders! This company uses no bismuth oxychloride, nanoparticles, or any chemical fillers or preservatives.

I Scream, You Scream: Fabulous Eye Cream

Some mornings I wake up looking like I’ve been abducted by aliens.  My face is puffy, my lips are dry, and my skin is coarse.  Worst of all: Thousands upon thousands of fine lines emanate from the corners of my eyes, and the skin beneath my eyes is a crepey mess.   These are the ugly physical  manifestations of a dehydrated body. Yes, we should all drink more water.  But don’t talk to me about that when I’m staring at the Mohave Desert in the mirror.  Give me solace.

Give me eye cream, immediately.

A good eye cream can make you feel better instantly. It IMMEDIATELY quenches your skin.  I find if I can just lay my hands on good eye cream on a bad morning, that the day begins to look up within five minutes. The crepey-ness is gone, the thousands of new crow’s feet retreat, leaving me with the one set of laugh lines I’ve earned.

My eye skin plumps up, the sagging skin firms, and the whole shebang is taken care of with just a little cream! My current favorite eye cream is 100% Pure’s Acai Eye Cream. It’s clean, it’s green. It works.  100PercentPure.com makes two great eye creams: One formula relies primarily on coffee, to rev up the eye, and the other uses the antioxidant (and anti aging) power of concentrated acai (a groovy south american fruit) to restore youth.

My advice?  Don’t wait for an alien abduction.  I’m a HUGE fan of eye cream; use it DAY AND NIGHT (it’s rich and thick and essential and also preps your skin for that concealer I know you’re wearing!) and I try as many different ones as I can.  You’ll know a good eye cream by its power to make you feel better as soon as you massage it in. Take that, aliens!

Come on, Get Happy: Concealing the Shadows

The one thing–and I do mean the ONE thing–that makes the biggest difference between looking haggard/sad/hung over and looking fresh/happy/sober is this….are you ready for it? Concealer. Bobbi Brown had it right when she called concealer “The secret to the universe”. A good concealer covers your circles, firms your bags, and brightens your face immeasurably. When proving the powerful effects of concealer to a client, I like to apply it to only one eye and hand them a mirror. The reaction usually goes something like this:

“Oh my god. I look like I’ve been punched under the other eye. I had no idea my circles were so dark. But THIS eye….makes me look younger. And happier.“

Is it really possible to make someone look happy by hiding their circles? Or a better question: How do dark circles make us look unhappy? What do they suggest?

Dark circles are a visual indication that someone is suffering in their life somehow.

When we see people with dark circles, we make a mental note of it (even if only subconsciously). Of course, as a society, we tend to let those sufferers slide when we learn something about their situation.

New mothers are certainly happy (right?), but they don’t sleep. They have shifted from a state in which they worried only about themselves to one in which the weight of the world has been heaved (all 8 pounds of it) onto their shoulders. We understand their suffering, and expect their shadows and worries to be temporary. They never are.

Students are happy (right?), but they rely on all-nighters to study for exams, write papers, and participate in college culture (read: drink). We understand that they’re working hard now so that they may one day be unfulfilled in their jobs and turn into responsible citizens. We expect their shadows and worries to be temporary. They’re not.

Entrepreneurs are happy (right?), but they worry constantly about their investors, their loans, their mortgages, and whether or not their first business success will prove to be a “flash in the pan”. We applaud their talent and their bravery, and expect their shadows and worries to be temporary. Ha!

So look around–happiness doesn’t always show up on our faces in ways we might expect. Happy people often look unhappy, and here’s another blow–unhappy people look even worse, which doesn’t do anything to help their mood.

Dark circles are largely hereditary and hormonal. They are partially influenced by skin tone (the fairest tones and olive tones often have it the worst), and partially affected by lifestyle (stress, lack of sleep, diet). Circles are caused by a collection of blood under the surface of the skin–and no, surgery to cauterize those blood vessels is NOT the answer.

When I was 12, I found a natural recipe which claimed to bleach undereye circles with a blended mixture of raw potatoes and yogurt. It worked. That is to say, it bleached my SKIN, thereby lightening my purple shadows a shade or two. If having slightly paler purple or green circles is enough to inspire you, then rush out and buy some potatoes. What really works, though is makeup. It is easy, it is effective, and it has the added bonus of making you look happy. I will leave my house without lipstick, without mascara, and without blush. If I ever leave my house without undereye concealer, rest assured that it is on fire.

The concealer I currently use (and no, it is NOT green) is Bobbi Brown’s creamy corrector/concealer. It is the very best mainstream concealer on the market. Trust me, I’ve been around. On the department store end of things, I have tried Dior, Chanel, YSL, Nars, Estee Lauder, Lancome, Armani, Laura Mercier, and Trish McEvoy. From drugstores I have tried Physicians Formula, Covergirl, Mabelline, L’Oreal, Max Factor, and Almay. (Circles plagued me from a young age). For some time now, I have been obsessed with finding “green” concealer options. I will not stop until I find one that I can feel good about using everyday for the rest of my life, even if I have to make it from scratch myself. (I guarantee there will be no potatoes in it).

Here’s what I’ve tried so far:

Suki Concealer in Flax or Linen: I used this liquid product at a fashion show, and didn’t like the way it went on. (I worked with another artist and she had the same experience): it tended to “roll” under the eye, rather than gliding and blending. Also, limited by two tones. Really? There are only two colors of women out there?

Josie Maran: I’ve written about this one before. Three stick shades, all of which are too tan/orange for a fair skinned person, and too light for a dark skinned person. Application was fine, but I didn’t find it “buildable”, without it looking cakey, which is important. Also, I hate having to read labels when a company brands themselves as clean.

Dr. Hauschka: The wand is a popular concealer tool, and you can’t fault ol’ Hauschka on ingredients, but the coverage is too sheer, and the shades (there are three) don’t embrace even a majority of the population…except maybe the population of Germany.

Eco Nvey: I was SOOOO excited to try this little pressed pot of concealer (nice and green) BUT with only two shades to choose from…..are you seeing a theme yet? I will say that the consistency of this one was great. It was buildable, creamy, and blended really nicely, but the lighter shade looked positively yellow on me, and I wouldn’t get tan enough for the darker shade even if sailed around the world twice.

Sheer Cover: I was curious about this mineral makeup brand a while back. I had tried Bare Minerals, (who hasn’t?) and found their recommendation for powdered undereye concealer to be suitable for only those women who are naturally very moist/greasy under the eye (who is?). Sheer Cover had a selling point: a two toned creamy concealer with less offensive ingredients than most on the market. Result? It works. It’s buildable, blendable, and moist. And here’s a shocker: they offer a shade that matches my skin. It’s a decent option for women who are already using their mineral line, though I won’t continue to use it (not green enough for my blood).

If I’m willing to compromise a little, I’m willing to compromise a lot. Until I find my dream green concealer, I’m going to keep using the one I love. Everyone’s got their sticking point. Concealer’s mine.

Lipstick with Benefits: Peacekeeper Cause-Metics

I get excited about things sometimes. My sister in law (who studies chimp behavior) says that I make crazy breath-y noises just like excited chimps when I see something I’m wild about. Maybe I’m just wild, but I was “chimping” at Whole Foods when I found them carrying a fabulous new lipstick/nailpolish line called Peacekeeper. Peacekeeper has about 20 great shades ranging from shimmering pink to basic nudes, from coppers to vamp red.

The “lip paints” look like regular lipsticks, feel smooth, silky and moisturizing on the lips and are TOTALLY clean!!! Here’s the ingredient list: beeswax, carnauba wax, candelilla wax, shea butter, castor oil, jojoba oil, grapeseed oil, tocopherol (vitamin e). THAT’S IT!!!! (the pigment comes from iron oxides)So I’m in the midst of painting my inner wrist in a bunch of gorgeous shades (the names are great–”Paint me Wise”, “Paint me Compassionate”, “Paint me True”) when I notice something else. The front of the lipstick box says “All distributable profits, after taxes, support women’s issues.” Really?

Really. There’s a little slip of paper inside that explains: “We are a lean, mean, fund-raising machine. PeaceKeeper is the first line of cosmetics that gives all of its distributable, after tax profits to women’s health advocacy & human rights issues. Monies are use to fund organizations, events, and programs addressing these issues including but not limited to those of Wisdom Says…Inc. In addition, monies are used to support individuals directly affected by these issues through grants and scholarships.”

(Visit www.iamapeacekeeper.com to learn more about programs they support.)

PeaceKeeper’s mission is to help the millions of women and children around the world who suffer a life of forced servitude, physical or sexual abuse, gender inequality, and more.

I am completely inspired by this company to do more. They put the “cause” in cosmetics, and it’s about time! Darryl Hannah and Julia Ormond are spokesgirls for the company and Ana Gasteyer and Bonnie Raitt are on board, too, with their kisses in the “Kiss Museum”…..

Peacekeeper also offers nail polish without toulene or formaldahyde, and none of the products have parabens or ANYTHING NASTY!!!! They even have lipglosses without polybutene. Hello Dolly! My lips are back!!