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Organic Lip Gloss: Treating Our Planet With Respect
If treating our precious planet gently is important to you, then consider using earth-friendly makeup, including lip gloss. By choosing organic products you cast a consumer vote against pesticides and for the natural methods that have sustained our species for tens of thousands of years.
Further, the unconscionable practice of animal testing is weakened if we are alert and refuse to buy products from companies who mistreat animals.
And there’s a personal reward for being environmentally responsible … you are preserving your health.
So What’s The Big Deal About Chemical-Filled Lip Gloss?
Lip gloss seems like such a minor item in busy lives that are filled with hundreds of details and products. But have you ever noticed that after you eat your morning danish that your lipstick and lip gloss are gone? Where did they go? You ATE them! That means that whatever was in those innocent-appearing tubes is now freely roaming through your body.
So, what are the common ingredients in most lip gloss formulas?
* Petroleum jelly: many women may not realize that petroleum jelly is made from the black oil that bubbles up from the ground. Yes, your car loves it and thrives on a steady diet of black gold. Your body – not so much.
* Synthetic preservatives like parabens. There are many varieties of this common preservative with ominous-sounding chemical names like “butylparaben”,” methylparaben”, and “propylparaben”. They are frequently used in beauty products because they prevent the product from spoiling and thus extend its shelf life.
The problem with parabens is that they are “xenoestrogens” or substances that behave like estrogen does in the human body. Researchers have linked them to breast cancers and reproductive problems.
Others argue that the amount of parabens in a tube of lip gloss is small – and they’re right. But there’s no denying that these chemicals are stored in the human body. And considering that our society is awash in a sea of chemicals and we have no idea of either the long term effects or how they react with each other. Prudence dictates that we reduce our chemical load as much as possible.
* Artificial colors and flavors: have you ever noticed “Red Dye #2” on food labels? That particular dye is made from coal and tar. Sounds tasty, huh? There are other “numbered” red dyes as well as other colors but they all have the same basic composition and they don’t promote human health at all.
* Traditional lip products may contain alcohols, aluminum, lead, aluminum, cadmium and silicon. All of these chemicals and minerals have been linked to cancers and other health problems.
* Even if your favorite lip gloss contains plant materials, they’re almost certainly grown with pesticides and chemical fertilizers.
Choose Organic Lip Gloss
TRULY organic lip glosses don’t contain the ticking time-bombs mentioned above. Some cosmetics throw around words like ‘organic’, ‘earth friendly’ or ‘eco’ – but they’re not anything of the sort. They might contain a healthy ingredient or two but also include some really dangerous stuff. So it’s important to carefully read labels and do your homework rather than just assuming you are choosing a healthy and environmentally-friendly lip gloss.
Fortunately, consumer awareness has created a powerful demand for organic products of every kind and there are many choices available today.
There are many companies on Amazon offering these organic lip glosses: Physician’s Wear, Softlips, Juice Organics, Fusion Beauty, Alba Botanica, Treat em Right, Vapour, Pangea, Aubrey and C.O. Bigelow are only a partial list.
However, the difference in ingredients is fascinating – and instructive. Here are comparisons on two of these products.
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Physician’s Wear Organic Wear Superfruit Lip Gloss
Bis Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate 2, Oleic/Linoleic/Linolenic Polyglycerides, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) (Jojoba Seed Oil*), Microcrystalline Cellulose, Glycine Soja (Soybean Oil*), Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil (Olive Fruit Oil*), Beeswax (Apis Mellifera) (*), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) (Sunflower Seed Oil*), Euterpe Oleracea (Acai Fruit) (Acai Fruit Oil*), Lycium Barbarum (Goji) Berry (Goji Fruit Oil*), Morinda Citrifolia (Noni Fruit) (Noni Fruit Extract*), Punica Granatum (Pomegranate Seed Oil*), Flavor, Tocopherol, May Contain (+/-): Iron Oxides, Manganese Violet, Mica, Silica, Titanium Dioxide
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Softlips Organic Lip Balm, Pure Pomegranate
cocus nucifera (coconut) oil*, olea europaea (olive) fruit oil*, beeswax*, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil*, flavor, butyrospermum parkii (shea butter)*, punica granatum (pomegranate) extract*, tocopherol (vitamin E) (*=certified organic)
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Further, Softlips includes the following: “Softlips Pure Pomegranate, you’ll be happy to know that Softlips Pure is produced without pesticides or other harmful chemical ingredients. Plus, it is paraben – free, gluten – free and cruelty – free.” The Physician’s Wear product makes no such claim.
Two Further Cautions For Choosing Environmentally Friendly Products
1. Always check the ingredients and, if in doubt or you don’t recognize something, look up its safety. Fortunately, the Internet makes that relatively easy and websites like The Costmetic Safety Database (http://www.ewg.org) are reliable sources of our current level of knowledge. Just remember that future research will certainly reveal new discoveries.
For instance, BIS-DIGLYCERYL POLYACYLADIPATE-2 is listed as an ingredient in many “natural’ lip glosses. The CSD recognizes it as safe – now – but that might change.
2. Don’t assume that because one product in a manufacturer’s line is organic and safe that others are. Their lip gloss may be great but their shampoo an ecological disaster.
Love Mother Earth and yourself by choosing organic products whenever possible. And there are many beautifully colored lip glosses, with delicious flavors, available at very reasonable prices. Don’t put dangerous chemicals and synthetics on your lips and in your body. Instead, reward organic farmers and earth-friendly companies with your consumer dollars.
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