Mommy Scientist Series: Makeover Your Makeup (Part 4)

Ok, so now we’ve tackled our facial cleansers in Mommy Scientist Part 2, our facial moisturizers in Mommy Scientist Part 3, and now on to another biggie…our makeup. As I have with my other skincare products, I thought about which makeup products I use most often and started there.

I change the eyeshadows and eye liners I wear daily, but two products that I use consistently are tinted moisturizer and mascara.  I don’t need a heavy foundation, but I do need a product that provides a tint of color to even out my skin tone.  I also need it to have some physical sunscreen in it, specifically titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, although I also always use another sunscreen as well. As many of us know, finding the perfect foundation or tinted moisturizer can take a lot of trial and error and it is hard to part with something that you know works for you.  Unless you start reading the labels on these products, then it gets a little easier.

Physicians Formula 100% Natural Origin Tinted Moisturizer

The choices for organic makeup and makeup with cleaner ingredients are definitely greater than they were say, five years ago.  Before shelling out big bucks for some of the more expensive brands, I decided to start at the drugstore.  Physicians Formula has a whole line called Organic Wear, so I started with their 100% Natural Origin Tinted Moisturizer.  I liked that it was fragrance and paraben-free and that it used titanium dioxide as an active sunscreen ingredient.  Unfortunately, my skin didn’t love it.  The coverage was fine, but it didn’t blend great into my skin.  You’ll sometimes find that with certain sunscreen ingredients, like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, they’ll leave a bit of a white-ish film on your face, depending on the other ingredients used in the product. I just couldn’t get the color right with this product.

Andalou Naturals Skin Pefecting Beauty Balm

I actually snagged a tube of Andalou Naturals Beauty Balm at Marshalls, also known as my second home.  I’m always on the fence about trying beauty products from there, but I had heard good things about this brand so I made kind of an impulse purchase. Luckily I’m not regretting it so far.  This product has SPF 30 (with zinc oxide being the active sunscreen ingredient), is organic, non-GMO, and free of phthalates, parabens, and sulfates.  It doesn’t have a lot of color, but it does even out my skin tone nicely.  It absorbs well and doesn’t leave my skin feeling greasy.  I’ve been using it for a few months now and would definitely re-purchase.

Mascara

Mascara is definitely in my top three of makeup items that I cannot live without.  My eyelashes are really light, so mascara has always helped to open my eyes up and make them pop more.  I’ve tried many mascaras in my time, from drugstore to the more high-end, but I really hate spending a lot of money for something that I have to replace every few months.

Up until recently my holy grail of mascaras has been Maybelline’s Volum’ Express. Unfortunately, it was recently discontinued, but I think this might have actually been a good thing for me.  See this mascara, and many others, have those pesky little paraben ingredients in it, and many also contain formaldehyde releasers, SLS, coal-tar, and phthalates.

Physicians Formula Organic Wear Mascara

I decided to start my attempts at organic mascara in the drugstore and I knew that the Physicians Formula Organic Wear Mascara had a lot of good reviews. I have to admit that initially I was not super impressed with this mascara.  It didn’t give me the volume that my Maybelline did. But on the positive side of things, it also did not make my eyelashes crunchy and it was easy to take off, using my Coconut Oil Eye Makeup Remover of course!

I stuck with it, and I’m glad I did because this has become a good, everyday mascara. It darkens my eyelashes nicely and does a decent job at lengthening.  Sure, it doesn’t give me massive amounts of volume, but I also wasn’t applying gross parabens to my eyelashes anymore.  For special occasions I’ll probably add a coat of the “bad” stuff, but for everyday wear I’ll definitely stick with the Physicians Formula mascara.

Conclusion

When you think about switching over to cleaner beauty and skincare products it can feel overwhelming. There are so many new products and brands out there that it can be hard to know where to start.  Whether it is your makeup, your skincare products, or the cleaners you use around the house, it is always best, in my opinion, to start slowly. Look at what you use consistently. Next time you run out of that product, start looking at cleaner replacements for those things. It may take a little trial and error, but I think that you’ll find that these cleaner products are not only better for your health, but also for your wallet.

I still have a ton of different beauty and skincare products on my list to try. There are many companies, big and small, that are realizing the demand for healthier products and are putting out really great things. With that being said, I have a special surprise for you! I’m going to give you a bonus edition of Mommy Scientist that will contain lists of cleaner beauty and skincare products that I’ve seen recommended from various trusted sources. Stay tuned and thanks for reading!

Miss anything?  Catch up here!

Mommy Scientist Part 1: Why I’m Overhauling My Skincare Products

Mommy Scientist Part 2: Your Guide To A Cleaner Facial Cleanser

Mommy Scientist Part 3: Using Oils As A Facial Moisturizer

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