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Beauty Blog: Make-up
We have some great old beauty blogs from when we started our blogging and believe many of you have missed out so here is on oldie but a goodie, enjoy!
What is Organic Make-up and Why Should You Use It?
“Most cosmetics pose no problems for most people.”
That is the assertion of Dr. Stehen Antczak, a chemist, who along with his wife Gina Antczak, are the authors of the book: Cosmetics Unmasked: Your Family Guide to Safe Cosmetics and Allery-free Toiletries(HarperCollins, 2001).
“But,” continues Dr. Antczak, “there is a growing need for information about the things that may, and often do, cause us harm, and it is important to see through the potentially harmful misinformation fed us daily by the advertisers who want us to buy these products.”
Dr. Antczak first got the idea for his book when a friend came to him with a bottle of cleansing lotion and a tub of moisturizing cream, and asked him which ingredient was making her face blotchy and sore. But when he took a look at some of the ingredients, he, a chemist, couldn’t even identify them. “The labels appeared to be written in some form of code using non-standard chemical terms that I could not understand.”
One of the chemicals Antczak did recognize was Oxybenzone (Benzophenone-3). And he found himself wondering why a chemical that was used in sunscreens was being put in a cleansing lotion.
He then started to do some investigation. “I wanted to know why there were six different preservatives in my shower gel and whether the sodium nitrite in the mouthwash was good for my teeth, or was it there to stop the manufacturer’s machinery from rusting?”
Well, this is an article on organic makeup, not a review of the Antczak’s book, but you get the gist. Today’s cosmetics (along with today’s food and today’s clothing) contains ingredients that are there for no other reason than to “stop the manufacturer’s machinery from rusting.” They are believed to be harmless to humans, but for some people, they aren’t.
So that’s one reason why you should use organic cosmetics. Another is simply that organic cosmetics are made from natural ingredients, that restore one’s harmony with nature. Yet another is that cosmetic firms typically try their creations out on animals, just to see how much harm they do… which is quite cruel on the defenseless animal, you will agree.
What goes into ... or rather doesn’t go into… creating organic makeup?
Organic makeup is simply...makeup without artificial chemicals...petrochemicals. Women can make makeup in their own homes, using ingredients that they grow themselves. (However, it’s a good thing not to experiment, but rather to get instructions from those people already experienced in creating organic makeup. Just because items are grown or produced naturally does not always mean they are safe!)
What are the techniques used in making organic makeups?
Grinding herbs - a blender or food processor will work nicely. A spice mill or coffee grinder can be used to pulverize roots, seeds and resins.
Infusions are made by steeping fresh or dried plant leaves in hot liquid (preferably distilled water.)
Emulsions can be made with a high-speed blender.
The thing with making your own cosmetics is that it takes time, care, attention to detail, and a vast amount of products that you may not be able to grow yourself. Which is where commercial businesses who sell such products come in.
Organic Wear is one such company, as is SkinBotanica.
References
http://safecosmetics.org/ : The Campaign For Safe Cosmetics
Bibliography
1. Cosmetics Unmasked: Your Family Guide to Safe Cosmetics and Allergy-Free Toiletries. Dr. Stephen & Gina Antczak. HarperCollins, 2001.
2. Ageless Natural Beauty: A Woman’s Guide to Feeling and Looking Beautiful Naturally
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October 19, 2009 Bookmark and Share
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