guest post: 5 natural beauty picks
For those of you who have vowed to 'take better care of yourself' this year or 'be more green' or even just 'try harder' as it relates to your appearance, this post is for YOU. Today Emi (my BFF in BK) is here with her top five natural beauty picks, plus a couple bonus items. Take a look and let me know if you might consider adding any of these to your routine. I personally super into the one above and want to definitely try it out.
5 Natural Beauty Picks by @emilyschapman
I can't remember when exactly I became a conspiracy theorist, but my obsessions with finding more natural options really cemented while speaking with Gina Solomon, Deputy Secretary for Science and Health at the California EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) a few years ago while working on a documentary series for PBS. I found out that there are
85,000 chemicals in the consumer market
and a tiny fraction of those have actually been tested as safe for human use, and even less is known about long-term use when these chemicals are combined.
You clicked on this because it was supposed to be a light read, right? Alright. Let's get down to business. I've been trying natural alternative beauty products for well over a decade and I've found a
major
improvement in quality and selection in just the last few years. In many cases for the products below, I actually prefer their performance to the mainstream, even high-end options. Full disclosure: I am a documentary producer. I'm not a makeup specialist nor am I a scientist. If you are, please chime in!
Here is my process: when I'm reading labels, I prefer less ingredients and I like to know what those things are, but if it's a complicated product, I'm going off of where they are carried or the company's philosophy to see if I'm comfortable with slathering it on my face.
So here you go, the five (+1) natural beauty picks I am loving right now:
1.
Pacifica Lipstick in Tenderness
I've been careful for a long time to only buy natural lipsticks, since most of it I will end up eating, and many of the department store brands have lead and other gross things. I love the color of this one, and it stays put.
2.
I've been devoted to Maybelline Full and Soft since high school, and it was the last chemically thing to go in my medicine cabinet. And good riddance. This one is buildable, natural looking, and absolutely stays put even through a sticky New York summer. I also love Pacifica's concealer.
3.
Mineral Sunscreen
I could write an entire post on mineral sunblock. I WILL write an entire post on mineral sunblock!!! But not til summer- here is your winter vacation cheat sheet: Chemical sunscreens
and they are
. I use mineral sunblocks. Many make you look white as a sheet, but I like these two options:
and
for my bod. Derma e is great because it at least claims to be
and still doesn't leave a white cast.
4.
I've tried to make a homemade version of vitamin c serum a few times and never quite felt fully confident in the result. It involves checking the ph balance and knowing what chemical reactions are happening in order to do more good than harm to your skin... Vitamin C is supposed to reverse the effects of sun damage and remove fine lines if applied properly. I recently took an unprecedented plunge into this expensive version thanks to a gift certificate and these rave reviews on my favorite beauty blogs.
5.
Earth Science Radiant Skin Masque
I bought this on a whim at the Park Slope Food Coop and it has changed my face. I actually look forward to using it, which I do twice a week.
Kinda beauty & totally amazing bonus round:
6.
I've tried a lot of natural deodorants and none of them did it for me until I found this one. This too is approved for NYC summatime.