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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Oh, The Sweet Smell of Success: A natural deordorant that really works!

It’s 9am.  It’s the end of June, and it’s 65 degrees.  Did I happen to mention this is San Francisco?  It’s not SUPPOSED to be warm in June!  I’m supposed to be wearing a scarf and mittens right now!  Mark Twain once mused, “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.”

Putting bothersome global warming issues aside for a moment, let’s talk about the real reason I’m taking notice.  Sweat.  Two years ago I made the decision to give up my paraben laden, aluminum based deodorant.  I had used the same brand for about 20 years.  Wow.  That’s product commitment.  It’s also an incredible amount of toxic buildup: a chemical compound  applied daily and directly to the skin, in the area of the lymph nodes– skin that sweats, opening its pores like a welcome party for increased risks of breast cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.  Oh dear.

It was time to shut that party down.  While I had tried natural deodorants in the past, I always placed my good sense of smell above my good sense, and found each natural deodorant lacking in protection.  But my concerns about parabens  grew greater when a dear friend was diagnosed with breast cancer.  So, two years ago, I decided to give it another go.

After 6 months of natural deodorant trials, I could find NOTHING clean that worked consistently for me.  It’s not as though it’s 100 degrees in San Francisco; I don’t sweat heavily, nor is my sweat particularly pungent.  I had tried at least 12 different natural deodorants, and finally, I simply gave up.  I bought a mainstream deodorant containing aluminum and all sorts of harmful ingredients but which DIDN’T have parabens.  It worked.

I’ve gone along, stink-free for a year and a half, occasionally complaining about the deodorant market, but unwilling to go through another trial.  So what that I’d eventually lose my memory and then my mind?  At least I smelled nice.

But then it happened.  I got a tip.  “The Healthy Deodorant” by Lavanila, (found at Sephora) is aluminum free, paraben free, and “100% natural”.   But does it work?  I’m here to tell you– indeed it does.

The scent is vanilla lavender, but frankly it smells a bit sporty.  Which is fine.  I’ll pretend to be an athlete.  What I love is the silky/creamy texture of the solid stick, the fact that it’s nice and clean, lasts all day, and WORKS.

Yes, it will leave a small white mark on your black t-shirt.  We’ve handled that before.  It’s fine.  What you need to know:  If you go for a run (why are you running in the heat when you could be strolling?) you will probably want to freshen up before going out to dinner.  It’s strong, but not THAT strong.  It’s strong enough that you don’t have to worry when you’re riding the city bus and it’s packed.  It’s strong enough that you can sit at the beach and smell only salt water in the air.  It’s strong enough for me.

Here’s the list of ingredients-notice there are no petrochemicals, phthalates, propylene glycol, mineral oils, silicone, synthetic dyes, sulfates, aluminum or parabens.

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice (Aloe Juice, Water), Propanediol (Corn Derived), Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Sodium Stearate (Coconut Derived), Silica, Carrageenan (Seaweed Derived), Stearyl Behenate (Coconut Derived), Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon Peel Oil), Inulin (Artichoke Derived), Saccharomyces Ferment, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide (Sugar Derived), Yeast Beta Glucan, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Usnea Barbata (Lichen) Extract, Valeriana Officinalis Root Extract (Valerian), Hydrastis Canadensis (Goldenseal) Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract (Goji Berry), Botanical Fragrance Blend.

Photo courtesy of Flickr’s Nikita Hengbok

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

Happy New Face: Green Brushes for the New Year

I don’t like change. But sometimes I love it.

Over the years, I’ve spent a small fortune on the actual tools of my trade, namely, finely crafted makeup brushes. The handles are a very nice (probably endangered) wood, and the brushes are all animal hair (sable, goat, pony).

I have two full sets which I keep in tip top shape. One set is 10 years old. I swore I’d never need to replace them, and I didn’t intend to…..but here’s what happened–I met someone new.

Oh, I’ll never get rid of my professional sets (they’re well worn old friends and I also hate to waste), but I will begin to recommend the new wave of eco and vegan tools available to those of you who need a few brushes in your arsenal, and I’ll begin to use the new brushes for my own makeup application.

Several green makeup lines have brushes or puffs that accompany their products, and so far I’ve been unimpressed by most, preferring to use my own tools–but I was incredibly surprised to find a new line of affordable (cheap, actually), environmentally delightful, and unbelievably soft brushes that do the trick.

ECOTOOLS offers bamboo (sustainable) handled brushes; the bristles are made of Taklon (a vegan, cruelty free synthetic); recycled aluminum forms the ferrule (the metal bit around the base of the bristles, and the company also has natural cotton/hemp linen cosmetic bags.

ECOTOOLS offers a 100% recycled aluminum retractable kabuki brush for only $7.99 (while major green lines offer their non-green kabuki brushes at around $30).

If you’re using mineral makeup, go ahead and get at least one of the 2 ECOTOOLS sets:

1. A Bamboo 5 piece travel set for $9.99. I love the brushes in it: Powder brush, concealer brush (great for liquid, cremes or minerals), an eye shading brush (almost identical to my expensive one in both appearance and effectiveness), and a baby kabuki (which I prefer to the retractable one, anyway–it’s super small but works well). The fifth bit is the snap-shut travel pouch made of hemp and cotton. For $10 BUCKS?? Don’t even think twice about it. What a great green tool kit for an incredibly great deal.

2. A 6 piece set for $12.99. You’ll need these brushes, too: Blush brush, eye shading brush (if you get both sets, you’ll have two of these-use one for darker colors, ie crease colors, and one for your light all over eye color), angled eyeliner brush, concealer brush (you’ll have two again, you can use one for your blemish formula concelaer and the other for your under eye concealer. And YES, THEY SHOULD BE DIFFERENT FORMULAS!), lash and brow groomer, and the snapping travel pouch.

You can buy the brushes separately, as well, and make your own perfect kit. Something else I like from this company: The machine washable, bamboo powder puffs. They’re super soft and also have a little strap on the back for your fingers. You get 2 for $2.99. PLEASE!! (you can check them out at eco-tools.com, new products launching January of 2009)

I don’t like change. I like my old brushes. But it’s a new year, and, as usual, I seek the new while clinging to the old. Change keeps us on our toes. Change keeps us invigorated, informed, eager. And sometimes change is just plain good for the world. … Happy New Year!!

How Now, Brown Brow: The Art of Filling

I recently wrote about the extreme importance of careful brow plucking and shaping. Today we’re going to chat (actually, I’m going to lecture) about the two most oft employed methods of brow FILLING, and then I’m going to recommend two green makeup lines that address these methods.  I promise you will NOT look like a comedy act if you follow a few guidelines.

METHOD ONE: Filling in the brow using a brow pencil.
NOT a fan. Why? Because the result looks drawn on, and the brow, rather than looking like hair looks like a WAXY smear (brow pencils are like crayons, and remember, brows are just your regular hair, attractively perching on your face for the purpose of framing and lifting your eyes, in addition to being tools of expression. Eyebrows should look like HAIR. Brow pencils also transfer color too quickly, too thick, and too dark. Give them up.

METHOD TWO: Filling in the brow with a non-waxy brow gel or paste
With a little care, BEAUTIFUL results! Use an angled brow brush (not the super stiff toothbrushy bristle brow brush, but a finer, softer-yet-still stiff angled brush). Dab your brush in a pot of the paste in a color that is (unless you’re blonde) at least three shades lighter than the darkest part of your hair. If you have warm chestnut tones, chose a light brown that has a hint of warmth to it. (A great light red brown=TAN) If your brown hair has a lot of blonde, choose a neutral light brown (A WHEAT color). Dark brunette? Go for a medium brown– trust me, your existing hair with provide the depth, we’re just trying to provide the “fill” in a way that won’t make you look like Groucho Marx. Start making soft dashes, filling in any sparse areas. I usually begin at the arch, go down to the tail (which usually needs the most help) and then go BACK to the beginning. The place you first begin will have the most amount of color. Many women already have nice, strong beginnings, and just need help with the finish.

METHOD THREE: Filling in the brow with a powder eyeshadow
My favorite method. It’s FOOLPROOF! Such a soft, subtle effect–you will appear as though you came out of the womb with magnificent brows– Use your angled brow brush and tap it into an eye shadow. YES, an EYESHADOW that is several shades lighter than the darkest part of your hair. You will think to yourself: ‘This color is WAY too light to do anything’. Do it anyway. Thank me later. Follow the above application.

Finishing touches: I always love to brush a little loose face powder across the brows after they’ve been filled in. It lightens and softens them even more. Brows love powder!

For a great brow pot, I love 100% Pure’s Eyebrow Gel. They also offer a great vegan brow brush that gives great results.

For eyeshadows, you can feel free to use your green loose mineral shadows (Larenim has a great selection) but if you (like me) prefer a pressed eyeshadow and want a few great colors all in one palette, I think you’ll love Eco Nvey’s eyeshadow palettes (they have 5 great palettes, or you can buy the shadows individually). You’ll also adore 100% Pure’s Cocoa Pigmented Eyeshadow palette!

Now look at your gorgeous self in the mirror and practice raising one perfect brow.

Photo courtesy of Flickr’s Gotbaby

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.

Say Cheese: Whitening without frightening

White teeth do a lot of talking. They talk about their owner; they say ‘Hey, she’s healthy, she’s neither a smoker nor a heroin addict, and she practices good hygiene.’ Furthermore they say…..‘She’s happy.’

It may seem as though I’m obsessed with the ability of cosmetic products to make us look happier. Maybe you’d rather look younger. Fine, white teeth will also make you look younger. Our teeth naturally yellow with age, thus whiter teeth take us back to our prime. One of the easiest ways, in fact, to take a couple years off the face is simply to whiten your teeth. Doesn’t matter if your teeth are crooked, if you have a hideous underbite, or are missing a few teeth altogether. Whiten them up, and reap the compliments.

A few of you out there have greyish teeth, rather than yellow stained teeth. This is often due to tetracycline poisoning (from an antibiotic you took as a child or your mother took when she was pregnant with you). Don’t waste your money on tooth whiteners; the staining is from within, and if you’d like a great white smile (a dear friend of mine is very shy about her greyish smile) then chat with a dentist about veneers. It could change your life.

If, however, like many of us, your dingy smile is due to the accumulative effects of coffee, red wine and blueberry pie, then whitening your teeth is easy as…eating blueberry pie. I get compliments on my teeth quite often, by women. (Men will say, ‘Nice smile’…but women are more specific. They say, ‘You have really white teeth’) They ask what I do. Do I get them professionally whitened?

That’s not my secret. While I think a professional whitening job can immediately improve a woman’s self esteem, it’s expensive (up to $500) and the ingredients are a little iffy for my taste. Speaking of taste–ewwww…. would I ever want to swallow that stuff? I don’t even use toothpaste with flouride! And skip the drugstore whitening kits, they’re full of gross chemicals, too…unless you just have to have results this weekend.

The best thing you could do for your smile and your health is to make a decision to whiten your teeth every single time you brush, using a non toxic method.

Here are a couple of my favorite teeth whitening tricks:

1. Use food grade peroxide to swish and spit with. (It won’t stick to your teeth to whiten them, but if you brush your teeth while it’s in your mouth, you’ll get an oxygenated tingling and foaming action that gently lifts stains).

2. Use baking soda as toothpaste. It’s cheap, it works, it whitens. (It absorbs stains and scrubs them away) Put a drop or two of food grade peppermint or spearmint essential oil in a cute one cup container of baking soda. Tasty! It’s a natural abrasive, and the feeling of clean after you brush (dip a wet toothbrush into the powder) is the cleanest you will ever feel. Very similar to getting a professional cleaning. Do it for two weeks and you’ll notice a whiter smile. Then do it for the rest of your life because it works and it’s natural.

3. If you hate home made stuff, try my favorite powdered packaged toothpaste, Eco Dent Extra Brite (I like powders. Gels and pastes disappear too quickly, and whitening is about getting rid of stains. Peroxide bleaches, but powders SCRUB. This company makes a couple formulas; I like the whitening one, because they added peroxide! You just flip the cap, and sprinkle a modest amount on your wet toothbrush, and brush (If you wet the toothbrush after, you wash away powder). While I’m not a fan of the foaming agent sodium lauryl sulfate (the oceans need less foam, not more), this toothpaste is fluoride free, it whitens, and it’s natural.

ExtraBrite Tooth Whitener, Fluoride Free helps brighten teeth naturally while providing low abrasive action, natural effervescence and natural cleaners. Premium Oral Care Products. Mint without Fluoride. polishes with Less Abrasion. Baking Soda Toothpowder. Naturally Effervescent. Better than Pastes! Natural Effervescence and Peroxide make it better! Less Abrasive. Helps Prevent Plaque. For a great smile, brush with Extra-Brite twice daily for 2-3 weeks. Then maintain your new smile with Eco-Dent Daily Care. 100% Natural Ingredients.

Suggested Use: Apply small amount to moistened toothbrush. Brush as usual. Not recommended for children under 12.

Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda), Tartanic Acid, Calcium Carbonate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Magnesium Carbonate, Calcium Peroxide, Sea Salt, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (Coconut Derived), Hydrated Silica, Natural Flavoring Oils, Guar Gum, and Myrrh Extract.