Talk to me about natural chemical free make up

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I'm wanting to switch as things run out to natural chemical free products. Has anyone tried a few brands and discovered some favourites they can recommend?

I know lots of good websites that sell the different brands, but are there any physical stores that sell the products as finding a foundation and powder that match and cover well I fear could get expensive by trial and error. Some have samples but they never seem to be the brands I want to try.

I'm going to avoid loose mineral powders as I've read they're not great for breathing in, so looking for a pressed, liquid or a stick foundation. Need one that isn't too sheer and that I can build up a bit as I have some pigmentation to cover. Price not too much of an issue I suppose, I'm currently using mostly Bobbi Brown stuff.

Mascara, black eye pencil, blush like a Nars Orgasm, bronzer like a Benefit Hoola, good eyeshadows and lip gloss/stain recommendations also very welcome if anyone has any!

Um, everything contails chemicals, even water is a chemical.
If you want products with short INCI lists (=few ingredients), be aware that 'natural' is an unregulated term and does not equal allergy free. In fact, theoretically, the more natural a product is, the higher its allergenic potential. 'Natural' ingredients tend to contain dozens or hundreds of different molecules, whereas synthetics are much more pure and could contain just one or only a few ingredients. See more here.

In general, you have to give up some properties if you go natural - the pleasant slippy feel of a good primer or cream is achieved with silicones. If you want natural perfumes, you have to accept that many essential oils have no longevity. I like mineral makeup and have liked many Lily Lolo products but their basic formula tends to be powdery though some are sold in pressed cake format. To make pressed powders, you have to add chemicals: typically powder binders contain alcohol, waxes, silicones or other ingredients (see here for a DIY) - so that's why many prefer the loose format.

I have a friend who is a cosmetics blogger specializing in natural products. I think she has given up on natural mascaras...

That would be a vacuum then! goes off muttering about the term chemical free

joins muttering....

www.senseaboutscience.org/pages/making-sense-of-chemical-stories.html

Ok ok settle down, I am aware everything is a chemical but I'm not sure what to refer to that category of make up as really. I'm also aware natural doesn't necessarily equal safe.

By chemical I'm referring to potential neurotoxins, carcinogens, endocrine disrupters, lead, etc. I'm just suddenly aware of how many things I'm slathering on daily, yet I'm so careful to only buy Green People stuff for the dc.

Thanks Frugal for the information, which blog is it?

Specialsubject thanks for that link, that is a very good site to balance out the scaremongering ones.

I'm happy if things contain natural or man made things if they are a low threat to humans. I'm worried about parabens, phthalates, and methylisothiazolinone. Perhaps it's all fine in the doses we use, but then so was asbestos and smoking, if I can avoid things that might be a worry then I'd rather do that.

the most dangerous chemical in the world is dihydrogen monoxide - kills more people than any others.

entirely fair point that some chemicals are more dangerous than others. and not all risks are known. But I don't think you'll find lead (which isn't a chemical) in any makeup sold today.

easy way to reduce exposure is to use less slap, of course!

I know what you mean by chemical free in "lay and'" terms

I tried Lilly Lolo, and love it. Instant convert to "tap tap" make up.

But it can take some getting used to and waiting a week for it to arrive is not the best purchase system for disorganised people like me.

layman

LAYMAN

for fuck sake iPad.

Get with the programme and stop making shit up.

I can still take you back to the shop you know. And you'll spend eternity switched off with all the other renegade IT products. Alone and unloved. Does that float your apps ? No, thought not.

I had the right keyboard switched on and everything this time.

Seriously, it is doing it on purpose to annoy me.

Ha ha Mutters, I have almost thrown my phone out a window over autocorrect!

I know I wish I could use less slap, since the dc I don't usually get around to mascara, eye shadow or perfume. Unfortunately an SPF moisturiser and some foundation I need due to hyperpigmentation, to hide it and stop it getting any darker. I'm rather self conscious about it.

I'm going to try Kimberly Sayer ultra light facial moisturiser SPF30 once my Olay stuff runs out as reviews seem good there.

I'll take a look at Lily Lilo thanks! Anyone tried Vapour, the stick or the foundation? Is Green People make up as good as their other stuff? I really need to find a physical store as it would be so much easier to match a shade

love the ipad rant...

be careful with SPF foundation and moisturisers. They can contain very tiny amounts of SPF which rubs off easily. Real sunscreen is a better bet - and much cheaper!

I think these people know what they are talking about...

www.bad.org.uk/for-the-public/skin-cancer/sunscreen-fact-sheet#spf-in-moisturisers

Thanks Special, just got around to reading that link, I suspected as much, I only use the Olay 30+ stuff in Winter, in Spring/Summer I wear 50+ and a hat if I'm going to be outdoors, although make up does not look great over that I must say and you look a pasty shade of white no matter how much bronzer you put on .

I tried out some bareMinerals foundation this week at JL just to see what mineral make up was like. I'm not sure how it rates on the toxic scale compared to others, think Lily Lilo is better as doesn't contain Bismuth? Asked the lady to do my forehead half with the liquid and half with the pressed compact. Walked around with it for awhile and went home and looked in the light. Both were a perfect match to my skin colour. I couldn't tell the difference between the two but they did both end up collecting in my frown lines after awhile which didn't look great. Is that always the way with mineral make up or does a good primer/moisturiser fix that?

Have a look at www.naturisimo.com

Or
www.beingcontent.com

There is Bellapierre pressed foundation. That has great coverage.

In terms of liquid foundation, have a look at Lavera, Vapour, Studio78.

There are cream foundation sticks from Wall3, Vapour too. Worth a look.

My personal favourite is RMS beauty Uncover with their setting powder. Very natural. And their eyeshadow a are amazing.

Lily Lolo pressed eyes shadows are brilliant too. Easier to use than the loose ones.

Watching with interest. I am trying to use more "natural" make up and also ditch anything paraffin based or with SLS due to a skin condition. It's not easy!

I like moogoo anti ageing cream and full milk (?) cream, very nice. People rave about their sunscreen, too. Moogoo shampoo and conditioner are great for my scalp and hair.

I am currently looking for a BB cream substitute. I have tried mineral makeup in the past, and thought it was cakey, itchy and settling in my lines. Not the look I want to go for... I am contemplating getting one of the
Lily Lolo tester kits, but I would much prefer just walking into a shop and trying things out!

Thanks MrsF I'll have a look at those.

I know Pippi, I just want to go in to a store of all these brands and try them out/have someone match them to my skin. Does anyone know of a physical store that sells any besides bareMinerals?

By the way I discovered some interesting free iPhone apps to help you check how a product measures up on the 'toxic' scale, Skin Deep and Think Dirty. Only problem is that one is American and one is Canadian, so not a lot of UK/Euro products listed yet, but you can scan barcodes of things you have then upload and they'll add them. I'm also not sure if products have different formulations in the US vs EU as some ingredients are banned in the EU and apparently not much is banned in the US?

I have recently started using products from Tropic Skincare. If you watch The Apprentice, you may remember Susan Ma from a few series back, selling her own cosmetics on a market stall, Lord Sugar invested in her and she has a range sold by party plan as well as online now. It is all as natural and free of nasties as possible (I'm going to avoid the use of the c word altogether as I'm a chemist and it is a bugbear of mine!). The products are lovely, it's a mixture of skincare and make-up. The only foundation is a mineral powder, but it does give a good finish and a degree of coverage. My friend sells it, you have small parties (max 6 people) where you try out all sorts of products and get advise about what suits you. Might be worth a google to see if anyone near you is doing it.

Apple. Yes Being Content is a shop in Marylebone. V good.

Bellapierre can be bought in some stores. Have a look on their website for stockists.

Another one which can be bought in Planet Organic and Wholefoods is Green People. They do a mineral powder (pressed). They have also started doing a DD cream (daily defence cream). It's like tinted moisturiser with spf and anti age stuff.
It goes on amazingly smooth and covers better than regular tinted stuff without being heavy.
I normally use Bellapierre or RMS beauty. I have just bought the Green People cream and tried it for the first time yesterday. I rate it.

I'm a convert to the Inika range- mineral make up, better ingredients than bare minerals and much nicer finish too, I think.

Not sure about a physical shop, but you can order a sample of their liquid foundation from their website, and then Naturisimo do the best price I think, and often have a 10-15% voucher code floating around. (There are reviews on the Naturisimo site too).(

Love the liquid foundation, pretty pleased with the powder, the primer is different to primers I've had before but feels like it does my skin good, and the illuminising powder (think that's what it's called) is lovely.

Hope you find something you like!

Damn in MrsF, why didn't I decide to go green when I was living in London! That Being Content place looks amazing and I do miss Whole Foods.

Now I'm up near Manchester . It looks like House of Fraser sell Bellapierre though so I can go there at least.

I think I'm going to begin with ordering a few Lily Lolo samples as I'm lazy they're cheap and I can try it at home over a few days and walk around my garden with a mirror without getting strange looks.

I like Dr Hauschka make up. I think they sell in John Lewis now. I buy all toiletries from Lucy Rose Organic Beauty (online) and Planet Organic (online with stores in London).

Beauty without Cruelty is still going and they have made mineral make-up for years. Their mascara is shite though.

Elysambre is also good.

Une at Boots used to be good.

Dr Haushka do a nice kohl type eyeliner pencil, I like rms beauty for cheek/lip tints, highlighters, eyeshadows and concealer. Real purity mascara is by far the best natural mascara I tried, and I have tried many.

Ooh, I just saw that Moogoo have launched their make up range in the UK! www.dustygirls.co.uk

Also received 2 Inika liquid foundation testers today. I have to say I don't like the smell! Will give it a try tomorrow, after doing a patch test over night.

TK Maxx is good for natural skincare but you have to read the labels - I recently picked up some fab day cream for £3.99 that's replaced my Balance Me and DR Hauschka stuff. Never heard of the brand before but the ingredients were good (for my skin anyway).

Being Content used to do a sample service if you want to try things out but aren't local.