EcoLiving Ideas

By Chryso D'Angelo on Sep 19, 2012

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It’s morning in New York and there is a chill in the air – time to dig that Scarecrow out of the basement and perch it on my front lawn alongside the yellow and purple mums that have begun to flower.

The beauty of fall also brings with it a loss–and you can see it all over my face! That sun-kissed glow on my nose and cheeks is gone – and I want it back.

The best way to add a shimmer of light to your skin is with a highlighter (or illuminator). I have never been one to ‘bronze’ since I always feared that it would look fake. So, when I tried these products, I was leery since I felt they had the same qualities – slab a different color on your skin and try to convince the world that this is the natural you.

But then I tested the products and I was happily surprised. They come in various forms, including powder, cream, stick and pencil. Their application takes a little finesse, but if you do it correctly, your skin will take on a dewy glow that will make you smile through the fall and winter months.

Some highlighters can be applied straight onto the face and then blended while others work better if they are mixed with a moisturizer or foundation and then applied. You can add highlighter to the top of your cheekbones, under your brows to add definition, to the corner of your eyes for a wide-awake look, down the bridge of your nose for a slimming effect, under your eyes to lighten dark circles and on your cupid’s bow (the upper lip).

I tested a range of highlighters that come in different compositions (powder, stick, crème, liquid) and report on which one outshined the rest!

1. Ferro Crystal Mineral Veil-Sheer (a Powder)

Safety:
• This company had ‘Champion’ status on the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics' Compact.
• This product was ranked 2 out of 10 on the Skin Deep database (low hazard)

Environmental responsiveness: When creator Krissy Ferro began making her natural makeup products, she says she checked the safety of each ingredient she intended to use on Skin Deep’s Campaign for Safe Cosmetics database. Ferro’s products are, therefore, paraben-free, chemical-free and cruelty-free.

Packaging: Recyclable

Results: I worked this amazing mineral powder formulation, which is chockfull of amino acids and proteins, into my daily moisturizer and smoothed it over my face and neck. I could not believe the radiant results! I was almost confident enough to leave the house without a spot of foundation or blush on. The product promises to minimize lines (those blasted ones around my eyes) by bouncing light away from those signs of aging and it delivers! I also love the fact that my face looks dewy without looking shimmery. Because it works so great and it’s got such a low hazard score on the cosmetic safety database, it’s the best of the bunch!

Ingredients from packaging: Mica, Zinc Oxide, Baron Nitride, Calcium Carbonate, Silica.

Practicality: $19 (4 grams)

2. Youngblood Eye-Illuminating Duo (a Stick)

Safety
• This company did not sign the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics' Compact.
• This product was not ranked on the Skin Deep database.

Environmental responsiveness: Free of talc, oil, nanoparticles, parabens, fragrance, no animal testing

Packaging: Recyclable

Results: Wow! This eye-illuminating stick came to me months ago while I worked on a piece about brightening the eye area and it has not left my makeup case since! I quickly discovered that the shimmer/matte combo is not only perfect for highlighting the inner corner of the eyes and beneath the brow bone, but I also use this multi-tasker on the bridge of my nose as well as blended into my blusher to produce a soft glow on my cheeks and an overall glow on my face. I absolutely love how it works. Too bad I can’t find out more about its safety ranking from the cosmetics safety database.

Ingredients from packaging:

Matte: Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Glycerides, Caprylic/ Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Polyethylene, Rhus Succedanea Fruit Wax, Microcrystalline Wax, Tocopherol, Tripalmitin, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Mica (CI 77019), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499).

Shimmer: Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Caprylic/ Capric Triglyceride, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Oil, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Ascorbyl Palmitate. May Contain: Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Mica (CI 77019).

Practicality: $22 (3 grams)

3. Lush Feel Younger Tint/Primer (a Cream)

Safety
• This company did not sign the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics' Compact.
• This product was not ranked on the Skin Deep database.

Environmental responsiveness: Vegan, no animal testing

Packaging: Recyclable.

Results: Fairly new to the Lush world of beauty products, this cream is made up of soothing oatmeal, cocoa butter, jojoba and almond oils to create a nourishing base that reflects light and brightens cheek bones, brow bones and can even give your décolletage a sexy glow. At first, I mixed a touch with my moisturizer and applied it over my entire face. After adding under eye concealer, liner, mascara, and blush, I dabbed my cheekbones and brow bones for more glow. My face felt too heavy and greasy, so the next time around, I simply moisturized and layered this highlighter over these key areas. The light reflected beautifully and made my face look dewy, not greasy.

Ingredients from packaging: Water, Orange Flower (Citrus Aurantium amara), Almond Oil (Prunus dulcis), Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao), Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Jojoba Oil (Simmondsia chinensis), Treithanolamine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Titanium Dioxide, Methylparaben, Propylparaben.

Practicality: $18.95 (0.7 oz.)

4. Benefit Moon Beam (a Liquid)

Safety
• This company did not sign the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics' Compact.
• This product was ranked 7 out of 10 on the Skin Deep database (high hazard)

Environmental responsiveness: No animal testing. The company statement reads:
“When selecting the ingredients to be used in our cosmetic products, Benefit requires raw material suppliers to provide safety information based on scientifically accepted alternative testing methods that meet international safety standards and regulations.”

Ingredients from packaging: Water, Propylene Glycol, Sesame Oil, Isopropyl Palmitate, Isopropyl Lanolate, Stearic Acid, Safflower Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Polysorbate 60, Cetyl Alcohol, Jojoba Oil, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Corn Starch, Triethanolamine, Oleth-20, Sorbitan Stearate, Simethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Cellulose Gum, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Fragrance, BHA. May Contain: Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Silica.

Packaging: Glass jar; recyclable.

Results: Moon Beam is one of six illuminating products sold by Benefit and is a golden apricot liquid that works well on my olive skin tone, giving it a very lovely glow. I also like the fact that I don’t have to mix it with a foundation or a moisturizer, but instead I can blend it in to my cheekbones, down the bridge of my nose and on my cupid’s bow (the upper lip) and it doesn’t look blotchy or obvious. The downside? -- its high hazard rating on the cosmetics safety database.

Practicality: $26 (.45 oz.)

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