Hmm. What does the last step for our daytime regimen really mean? Most of us are probably thinking SPF or maybe even a moisturizer. This is true, and for years this has been the idea behind a healthy skin regimen but your makeup counts too and just like with your skincare, makeup ingredients are a BIG deal!
Let's think beyond our “skin care” products and understand our last step in the morning is our makeup. We tend to scrutinize labels and look for the healthiest ingredients for our “skin care” formulations, which is important for longevity of skin cells and creating a beautiful skin regimen... however, the makeup category seems to get missed, and in many cases, the ingredients in these foundations are not even looked at. Before we jump into this discussion, let’s lay the foundation (lol) of a healthy synergistic skin care regimen.
Let's look at makeup. Knowledge of ingredients is becoming greater than ever before.
The trouble is, that same level of awareness tends to not carry over to products in a makeup bag. It’s easy to overlook the ingredient deck of cosmetics primarily because we’re not looking for them to affect change in the skin, we’re merely looking at how well it performs in enhancing or downplaying certain features.
For the majority of those of you using makeup, it’s typically on the skin for a significant amount of time, used every day and most definitely impacts the overall health of the skin. It’s so important to be educated on what to look for and what to avoid in cosmetics.
For instance, when you want your foundation to last longer and if you want more coverage, water-based products are not going to last as long as an oil or silicone foundation. However, if you have problematic skin when using an oil or silicone, you may want to be aware of the base and use water-based foundation not to mention it clogging pores. Oh my lord, so much for you to know or look for right? NOT. Wear a mineral based foundation and you have the best of both worlds using healthier ingredients while wearing a long-lasting foundation that is most like skincare. Make sense? Geez, let's make it easy. Now if you were performing on stage or acting that's a whole other conversation.
Look into the ingredients your using in your makeup. While it has improved over the years, there are still many big cosmetic brands that use talc, harsh chemicals, parabens, parfum (synthetic fragrance) and other ingredients that may harm the skin, although there have been debates on this matter. These ingredients can be found in foundations, powders, mascaras, eyeshadows, lip products, highlighters and more. Below is a list of ingredients for you not to wear...
Talc, commonly found in cosmetics and makeup, has raised safety concerns due to potential contamination with asbestos, a toxic mineral. I have some knowledge about mining for minerals as my family owned a rock crushing business. My father wasn't a miner but worked similar to miners for crushing hard rock to make the roads we all drive on. His jobs always involved a "blaster" and a lot of large equipment like in this pic I'm sharing with you. His company shown here is crushing rocks (minerals) for a certain type and grade to use. Usually granite.
They then crushed rock/mineral to be transported to the buyer/supplier for their use. Not easy work.
You see, when mining minerals for makeup they look for soft rock.
Soft rock has glorious colors and benefits. Talc is soft rock (powdery) and found growing with asbestos and in my opinion there is no "clean" talc. I've been on many job sites and I just don't see how well soft rock can actually be cleaned for makeup once it hits the supplier. Many cosmetic companies claim to have clean talc but there is no way to tell. So many lawsuits have been filed by individuals who claim their illnesses were caused by using talc products contaminated with asbestos.
Be aware. The reason cosmetic companies like talc is because of it's soft substance for texture and it's ability to put on a great shine/shimmer due to it's reflective qualities.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Laureth Sulfate. Also known as an SLS's is a surfactant most commonly found in cleansers. It is also found in various makeup products, primarily mascara and is a known eye irritant (yes, in mascara!). These really irritate skin and is why we use a coconut substance to naturally add foam like found in Coconut Charcoal Purefect Skin Cleanser and Foaming Oil Body Wash.
Parabens. These are a widely used preservative. They prevent bacteria, mold and yeast from growing in cosmetic products, but they also contain estrogen-mimicking properties that have been linked to certain cancers. Although, to date, those concerns have not been (clearly) substantiated. Face It uses only preservatives that are naturally derived!
Petroleum Distillates (PEG/PPG). These are synthetic chemicals, including paraffin and mineral oil, known as comedogenics and carcinogenic. These can clog pores getting sebum stuck and creating bacteria.
Side note: Everything is a chemical from a hair strand to asbestos. It's about the toxic ones that are harmful we are bringing awareness to. When another pro or influencer speaks of chemicals as if all chemicals are toxic that is not true.
Synthetic Vitamin E. This is commonly found in cosmetic formulations and many lip products. This form of vitamin E is inferior and may cause free radical damage versus reversing or stopping free radicals. The same goes for vitamin C as it then becomes a skin irritant.
Parfum. This is one of the most widely used and somewhat of a catchall term that allows manufacturers to get away with using chemical instead of pure, natural fragrances like essential oils. They can also irritate sensitive and rosacea-prone skin.
Harmful Sunscreens. These are commonly found in cosmetic formulations with chemicals like avobenzone, oxybenzone and octinoxate, which have been found to be carcinogenic and endocrine disruptors. Most pro's refer to these as chemical sunscreens but since everything is a chemical I call them "harmful" sunscreens because of the harmful chemicals in them. Just use sunscreens without these harmful ingredients. I love powder sunscreens because it's made with sunscreen in it's purest form.. soft rocks. These are also "reef" safe because they are made without these awful reactive chemicals. A brand I love is Brush On Block. All of their sunscreens are wonderful and safe!
Clean minerals have purifying benefits and allow the skin to breathe, which is critical, especially for acne. Look for pure minerals formulated without the ingredients mentioned for a healthy, flawless look.
Another important factor when looking at mineral foundation options is that they are non-comedogenic, meaning they’re less likely to clog pores and cause breakouts. This can be particularly beneficial for individuals with sensitive or acne-prone skin. Sun protection is another plus, as many mineral makeup products contain minerals like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, which provide sun protection by acting as physical barriers against UV rays. We got creative with our foundations and concealer as they have light reflective ingredients from pearls so skin looks satiny and won't accentuate creases or lines. It's a beautiful skin finish! If you have mineral makeup that is settling or accentuating lines it's not the right one for you (chalky) or it's the skincare your using under it.
Mineral makeup for the win! This brings us back to, do you know your mineral
makeup? Wearing healthy makeup over your healthy skincare is not only clean beauty for the health of your skin but is also a better lifestyle change cosmetically. Mineral makeup gives the skin a more natural look, and in general, is a skin-friendly alternative to conventional makeup. I'm so excited for you to create a complete healthy, beautiful skin care routine from start to finish! Shop or schedule a free makeup session with us at www.faceitskin.net.
Be blushing ~Genelle
MUA, LE, NCE
Founder
Comments