Welcome to my beauty column! We will devote this space to a new product category for the month, be it body wash, nail polish, or bath salts. We’ll let you know which brand outshines the other in the categories of safety, environmental responsiveness, packaging, practicality, and results so that you can make informed choices about what you slather on, dust on, and lather up with. This month we take on mascara…
Second only to under-eye concealer (without it, I can look like a total raccoon), it’s the only beauty product I don’t feel complete without. Adding depth and length and color, mascara makes my lashes pop and my face come alive. I wear it every day. That’s why it has become important to me to find the perfect replacement for my favorite (not organic) brand.
According to CosmeticsInfo.Org, which is sponsored by the Personal Care Products Council, twelve ingredients are commonly found in mascara: Alcohol Denat, Ammonium Acrylates Copolymer, Colorants, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Fragrance, Glycerin, Isopropyl Myristate, Magnesium Silicate, Preservatives, Propylene Glycol, TEA-Stearate, and Water. However, some mascaras contain Thimerosal, the mercury-derived preservative found in vaccines which has been linked to brain damage and autism, according to news agencies such as The Epoch Times. The jury's still out on possible side effects, but why take chances when there are other products on the market?
Unfortunately, while sticking with good organic mascara is a great first step to safety, that doesn’t put you totally in the clear. This product has the pesky habit of creating bacteria that can leach onto—or into—your eyes. So keep these tips from the pros at Consumer Reports in mind before you brush it on:
• Duck Dry Eye. Apply mascara only to the tips of your lashes. If you get it too close to the root, you could block glands on the eyelids that help form tears, and your eyes might not get the lubrication they need.
• Sharing is NOT Caring. The membrane around the eye can harbor bacteria that can easily latch on to a mascara brush. If you come in contact with another person’s germs, you could wind up with conjunctivitis.
• Skip the H20. Don’t add liquids to mascara. Water, which some people use to thin mascara, isn’t sterile and can allow potentially harmful bugs into the tube.
• Don’t Make Contact. Avoid lash-extending mascaras if you wear contacts. The microfibers can become trapped beneath your lens and scratch the cornea, increasing the risk of infection.
• Keep It Cool. Don’t store mascara at temperatures above 85° F (29° C) or leave it in your car for long periods, since the heat may encourage bacterial growth.
• Three-Month Rule. After three months, bacteria will probably be growing in a mascara wand. Throw it out sooner if it’s discolored, begins to smell, or if you’ve recently had an eye infection, all of which could signal contamination.
Got all that? Well, here’s more useful info…check out the four mascaras I tried out for you—and how they faired:
100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Ultra Lengthening 100% Natural Mascara - Black Tea
Safety: • Has signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics, but has not met minimum requirements.
• Ranked 2 out of 10 in safety on the Skin Deep database (low hazard)
• Fragrance Free,Thimerosal Free
Environmental responsiveness: • Cruelty-Free, Vegan,the aluminum exterior makes recycling the plastic interior tough
Results: This product’s packed with vitamins (ProVitamin B5, and Vitamin E) and Oat and Wheat protein. Plus, every hue is made of a natural ingredient, like my “Black Tea” mascara. Other colors (or flavors) include Blackberry, Blueberry, and Dark Chocolate. But the proof is in the pudding—and this pudding is delish. This mascara lengthened, separated and thickened my lashes. Plus, they looked extra glossy. And there was no clumping or smudging! That’s why 100% Pure is my Best of the Bunch!
Safety: • Signed the Environmental Working Group’s Compact for Safe Cosmetics and has made progress toward compliance, however the safety of the mascara has yet to be ranked
Results: Love the wand! It’s sturdier and thicker than any of the other brands I tested. It felt and covered more like the beloved (but not organic) brand of my past. Ingredients include jojoba oil and beeswax, which reportedly condition and strengthen lashes. The brush is full and clump-free. The mascara goes on smoothly and it separates and lengthens my lashes, which end up looking longer, fuller, and curlier. I would like to pick Josie Maran Mascara as my Best of the Bunch, but since the product has not yet been ranked on the Skin Deep database, I have to choose it as a close second…for now.
Safety: • Has signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics and made progress toward compliance, but has not met all requirements: they have not yet fully listed all ingredients on product labels.
• Ranked 2 out of 10 in safety on the Skin Deep database (low hazard)
• Free of Titanium Dioxide, Certified Organic, Toxin Free,Thimerosal Free
Results: Miessence is a popular Australian brand that recently hit the states with its wide range of organic cosmetics, hair care, and body care products, so I couldn’t wait to try out the mascara. This product is packed with nourishing jojoba oil and shea butter and strengthening beeswax, but it doesn’t smooth on as easily as the others. The wand is a touch flimsy and the brush is thin and straight, not thick and beveled. Unfortunately, after a few hours, the mascara tends to flake, leaving small black specks around the eyes. The upside? It has a refreshing natural rosemary scent.
Results: Lavera Volume Mascara is infused with Jojoba & Wild Rose Oils, which add a fragrant touch to the cosmetic. These ingredients are great for hydration, which is perfect for those harsh winter months as well as the drying effects of the sun during warm weather months! The brush is full and beveled and dispenses a good amount of mascara that lengthens lashes and stays put. I found that the mascara clumped around the twist portion where the tube and the wand meet, until my fourteen-year-old niece taught me a tip—never move the wand up and down into the tube before you apply. Instead, move it side to side. It decreases bacteria formation and makes for a cleaner application on any mascara you use.
Comments: This is very detailed and gave a lot of useful information. I will definitely use this information i have learned today. I never knew that you weren't suppose to apply mascara at your root, i always did that. I know now how to keep my eyes healthy when using friendly mascara.
By Eleanor Fischer on Mar 20, 2010
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Comments: Great Article! Very informative! I had no idea that you shouldn't put the mascara all the way to the base of your lashes. I do obey the 3 month rule though and even write the date I opened it on the tube in permanent marker so I don't forget. :) I have always been partial to Clinique mascara but never thought to check the ingredients. Thanks for opening my eyes to some new possibilities. Can't wait to check them out!
By julie jockel on Mar 17, 2010
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Comments: Awesome. You take the expense out of me testing out all these new low toxic products.
Your run down pin points exactly what I would want to know, You have quite good insight! I have very sensitive eyes so I’m going straight to your best of the bunch pick and save myself some tears.
By Sabrina Pittas on Mar 15, 2010
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Comments: I wear mascara everyday as well. I never go without it. I never thought about what was in the mascara I was wearing. I also was unaware that earth friendly mascara even existed. Thanks for all the information.
By Kathy Fournaris on Mar 14, 2010
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Comments: What an informative article. I never thought twice about using an eco-friendly mascara. It's good to know that we can be environmentally friendly and still make our lashes look great! Looking forward to more beauty tips from Chryso!
By Liz Behan on Mar 12, 2010
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Comments: I always wore MAC mascara. I like the way it goes on and seperates my lashes. I never thought about what contents were in the masacara. I wear contact lenses and did not know that I should not wear lash-extending mascara.
Next time I purchase mascara I will definitely research first. Thanks for the great tips. You learn something new everyday.
By Nada Kim on Mar 12, 2010
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Comments: This article gave me so much information, especially relating to health and hygiene. I had no idea that there were so many health hazards from using mascaras. I definitely did not know that you are suppose to replace your mascara every three months.
By Angela Czarnecki on Mar 12, 2010
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Comments: Loved your article! I wear mascara 365 days per year! It was interesting to find out that I need to discard my mascara after 3 months and that I shouldn't add water to thin out my mascara. I have three daughters who also are big mascara fans and I will share this info with them. Gotta run out and buy us all new mascara.
By cheryl vigo on Mar 12, 2010
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Comments: Before this article, I never put much thought into which product I would use. I mainly was concerned with how it look after it was applied. Now I'll think twice before i purchase such products! Thanks for the tips as well, especially the dry eye and three month rule :)
By nicole perrone on Mar 12, 2010
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Comments: This article was very informative. I never thought to think about the mascara that I use or what was in it. Makes me want to go out and buy a new one today.
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Comments: This is very detailed and gave a lot of useful information. I will definitely use this information i have learned today. I never knew that you weren't suppose to apply mascara at your root, i always did that. I know now how to keep my eyes healthy when using friendly mascara.