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Makeup and Healthy Skin for Mom's to Be by Anita Nouryeh (makeup artist www.anitanouryeh.net)
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When I started as a professional make up artist, I never thought I'd arrive at using and promoting organic products. But, as they say, "everything happens for a reason," and my reason resulted from my own skincare quest. I have struggled myself for years, searching for the perfect gentle yet hydrating moisturizer to soothe the dry, red, long term after-effects of a second-degree sun burn I got when I was on a trip in Disneyworld at age 8 or 9. There were products that hydrated my skin but had too much fragrance, causing my asthma to act up. There were moisturizers that felt great right after my cleansing regimen but within ten minutes my skin would feel dry again. There were product lines that had so much alcohol in their skincare that my skin would turn bright red. Only a heavy layer of full coverage foundation would tone it down enough to look presentable at work and this inevitably gave way to breakouts. Then finally I caught wind of some other make up artists at work talking about Mineral makeup, specifically a line called La Bella Donna. So I went to investigate. Not only did it look natural and flawless, it was so easy to work with. Then something even more amazing happened, it actually started to help heal the cystic acne spots I'd begun to develop. From then on I was hooked. I've used it in photoshoots and on brides. It photographs beautifully. From there I thought, "I should look for skin care with the same healing properties. It must exist if this stuff does." And it does.
These days we are constantly dieting. Or we are reading new articles about healthy foods to increase our metabolisms or flatten our abs or improve our bone strength. And women, especially pregnant women, are extremely cautious and aware of everything they eat and drink. We take vitamin and mineral supplements, we keep journals or food logs, and we hire nutritionists to help us make better food choices. But we never really stop to think about what we are putting ON our bodies. According to Dr. Mercola, "women who use makeup on a daily basis can absorb almost five pounds of chemicals into their bodies each year" (Mercola.com). That's a little scary when you stop and really think about it. These chemicals, including parabens "have been noted as showing up in breast cancer samples." (Mercola.com)
Just as we have had to learn to read our nutrition facts on the back of our food labels, we must now take note and read the labels on our skin care and cosmetics. We must be aware of the fact that just because the word "mineral" is used to describe the particular product we may be purchasing, this does not mean that there aren't still harmful chemicals used as ingredients as well. Sometimes the word "mineral" can be used to describe how the powder was actually milled in the factory, creating a mineralized texture, not because there are mineral ingredients. Or they can use the word mineral because there is a tiny percentage of a mineral compound such as Titanium Dioxide ( a natural SPF/sunblock) at the very bottom of the ingredients label..
Now, the info I'm providing here can apply to all makeup and skin care users, but I want to focus specifically on the need for pregnant women to maintain as healthy a beauty regimen as possible. So to help you read make up and skin care labels for what to avoid, here are some recommendations to get you started on finding out more about the products you are currently using.
This list of chemicals has been selected from The Environmental Working Group’s website: www.ewg.org . Besides the problems listed here below, the EWG website links some of these chemicals to cancer among other long term affects.
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate-contains Arsenic, lead, heavy metals, causes developmental/ reproductive toxicity
BHA (a carcinogen)
DMDM Hydantoin ( contains formaldihyde)
FD&C Dyes- developmental/reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity
Fragrance- Allergies/immunetoxicity
Oryza Sativa (rice bran oil)- contains pesticides
Polyethylene- organ system toxicity
Parabens including: Butylparaben, Ethylparaben- human skin toxicant, disruption of endocrine system, allergies/immunetoxicity
Talc- contains Abestiform fibers, affects allergies/immunetoxicity
You can find more extensive lists and information at The Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Cosmetics Safety Database: (www.ewg.org) It's an incredibly thorough website with a plethora of information about all personal care products.
Now that I've outlined what chemicals to avoid, and given you further resources to investigate, I want to assure you that you don't have to give up on make up. There are plenty of alternatives to your favorite skincare and make up product lines that are guaranteed to be organic, and free of these chemicals. To provide you with recommendations for a non-harmful beauty regimen, here is a list of safe cosmetics and skincare products that I have tried and really enjoyed using.
Lipsticks/Lipgloss: Suki Color Pure, La Bella Donna, Mineral Fusion, Lavera, ZuZu Luxe, Primitive
Eyeshadow, EyeLiner, Mascara: La Bella Donna, Mineral Fusion, Dr. Hauschka, ZuZu Luxe, Suki Color Pure
Foundation/Powder/ Concealer: La Bella Donna, Mineral Fusion, Lavera, Cover FX
Nail Polish: No Miss Nail Polish and Remover (free of formaldehyde, Toluene, and dibutyl-phalate )
Skin Care: Dr. Hauschka, Suki Color Pure, Organic Apoteke
Most of these products (except La Bella Donna and Cover FX) can be found in the Whole Body section at Whole Foods. Check your local health food store as well. More and more small health food stores are beginning to carry Dr. Hauschka products among others. To order products on-line, here are the URLs:
www.mineralfusioncosmetics.com
ZuZu luxe:www.veganessentials.com and www.n101.com)
www.coverfx.com ( also available at Sephora ) a medical mineral line. Used in hospitals for burn victims & skin discoloration from loss of pigmentation. Also used for HD television by professional Makeup artists.
www.Labelladonna.com (also available at Bergdorf Goodman in NYC)
La Bella Donna is a mineral line made up of 4 minerals: Micronized Titanium Dioxide-non chemical sunblock SPF 20; Iron Oxides- the source of color; Bismuth Oxychloride- anti-inflammatory properties ; and Zinc Oxide- anti-inflammatory properties (soothing to the skin). This line is particularly one of my favorites because I freelanced as a makeup artist for them for a brief period at Bergdorf Goodman. This makeup is luxurious. It is absolutely gorgeous on. It photographs well, it lasts all day and it looks natural. It heals your skin while you wear it. Who could ask for anything more from cosmetics, right?!
In today's world, most pregnant women are working into their eighth month and need to present themselves professionally. So, not using make up because of the potential harm it could do to your unborn child may not be a realistic option. And no woman, whether pregnant or not, should have to relinquish her beauty regimen. Instead, all you need is to revamp your make up kit with products that won't harm and might even help your skin. They will help ensure a healthy baby and a healthier mommy.
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