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The makeup industry has been BOOMING, especially over the last few years.
Unfortunately, most of the makeup we use isn’t very clean.
They are made with many toxins that are bad for our skin and bodies as a whole. Your skin is your largest organ, and what you put on it goes directly into your body.
This is even worse than swallowing it because at least when you digest something that’s not good for you, your digestive system can filter out the bad stuff before it enters your bloodstream.
So if you wouldn’t ingest it, it’s probably not the best idea to put it on your beautiful skin!
This doesn’t mean you can’t wear makeup ever again, because good news!! There are so many different makeup brands, and some of them are actually trying to make a difference and help!
It’s actually pretty easy, especially in this day and age, to find brands that are ethical, organic, and natural.
We’ll look at some brands that practice this later in this post, but first, let’s get into the nasties.
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Toxins To Avoid
There are quite a few toxins that we should definitely avoid at all costs! Here, I’ve listed just a few common ones to look out for.
1. Sodium Lauryl, Sulphate, SLS And SLES
- It is used as a foaming agent to break down water in grease
- It can irritate your skin and is rapidly absorbed in the eyes, brain, heart, and liver.
Can Be Found In:
- face wash
- body wash
- bubble bath
- hand soap
- shampoo
- toothpaste
- and almost anything that foams
2. Petroleum/ Paraffin/ Mineral Oil
- Used to seal the skin and make products feel and look smooth and creamy
- These are potentially carcinogenic, suffocate the skin, and cause skin conditions like dermatitis and premature aging
Can Be Found In:
- lip balms
- lip gloss
- mascara
- foundation
- hair gel
- body wash
- eye shadow
- concealer
3. Formaldehyde
- Used as a long-lasting, slow-releasing preservative
- It is a known carcinogen and neurotoxin
- Irritates skin
Can Be Found In:
- nail polish
- shampoo
- body wash
- hair products
- eyelash glue
4. Parabens
- These are preservatives commonly used to prevent the growth of bacteria and mold
- This is an endocrine disruptor and can be linked to fertility problems
- It is also a skin irritant
Can Be Found In:
- almost everything – personal care products and all makeup
5. Phthalates
- Used to plasticize chemicals that make products pliable and fragrant and stick to the skin
- It is a known carcinogen, an endocrine disruptor, and toxic to reproductivity
Can Be Found In:
- all fragrances
- body wash
- hair products
- nail polish
6. Synthetic Fragrance
- Used to make products smell nice and to mask other toxic ingredient scents
- It disrupts your endocrine and can cause headaches, vomiting, and hyperpigmentation
Can Be Found In:
- almost all cosmetics and personal care products

Related: An Ethical Guide to Essential Oils & Their Environmental Impact | Green Beauty
Resources
These are some resources you can use to check if the products that you are using contain toxic ingredients:
Natural Brands
Alima Pure– This brand uses minimal and clean ingredients for all their products. They are 100% carbon neutral, never test on animals, and their compacts are refillable! They have different makeup products, including foundation, eyeshadow, eye pencil, and lipstick.
Kosas– Kosas has banned over 2,700 ingredients, including aluminum, parabens, sulfates, phthalates, and tons more! They are handmade in Anaheim Hills, California, and are known for their comfy and loose feeling.
Kure Bazaar– Kure Bazaar is a nail polish brand that is absolutely killing it in this game! They use 85% natural ingredients such as wood pulp, cotton, potatoes, and corn. They have a vast variety of beautiful colors. So if you’re looking for ways to be more “clean,” this is a great brand to look into.

Kjaer Weis– This brand uses ingredients that are Certified Natural or Certified Organic. They take pride in the fact that all their cases are luxurious and sustainable. They use metal compacts that are beautiful and easily refillable! They also have a Red Edition that is 100% recyclable, compostable, and refillable. You can find instructions on how to refill their compacts on their website.
Henne Organics– This brand is (you guessed it) organic and specializes in lip care products. Their products are handmade in small batches in Nevada. I personally bought their luxury lip tint and love it! It’s a beautiful color and goes on very smoothly. Their products look very luxurious (I felt very fancy using it haha) and are focused on looking modern and minimalistic.
Zuzu Luxe– This brand doesn’t have very many products, but I wanted to mention it because I also bought their liquid eyeliner and love it! The brush is nice and thin, and it’s so easy to get a straight line! Their makeup is vegan, cruelty-free, gluten-free, and natural.
These are just some of the many brands out there. I personally like to shop at The Detox Market because they have very trustworthy brands on their site, but of course, feel free to do more research on other brands!
The Detox Market includes makeup, skincare, hair & body, and wellness products. They are focused on sustainability and have committed to being carbon negative and planting at least 2.5 million trees by 2025. They’re one of my favorite stores to support!
I hope this helped you understand how important it is to find makeup that supports your body and health.
Stay well, my loves!💚
Until next time,
Farah🌱