BODY SHOP
Sigh. You’d think this chain would at least try to live up to its slogan “natural products inspired by nature.” It’s got a little “community trade” marula oil buried in its foundation, but the top ingredients are an estrogenic sunscreen chem and ecologically dubious cyclomethicone (AKA cyclopentasiloxane, an ingredient the EU just said should not be used in lotions or inhalable powders, and which a recent EU committee deemed “very bioaccumulative”). Also in the mix is polyethylene, the lake-clogging microbead plastic used to fill pores and lines. To top it all off, it’s preserved with several estrogenic parabens. Ditto for its bestselling Face Base powder.
SCORE: N
MAC
This Canadian-born international megastar won a lot of people over with its cruelty-free guarantee. These days its parent company, Estée Lauder, admits they do test on animals when mandated by countries like China. The company sources 10 per cent of its mica in India, where mica mines are plagued with child labour charges. Estée Lauder, which also owns Clinique and Bobbi Brown, says it’s working with a local NGO to improve things. Some good news: MAC ditched the parabens. However, it’s still big on troubled cyclopentasiloxane and estrogenic sunscreen chem octinoxate.
SCORE: N
PUR MINERALS
With a name like this, a girl’s bound to make assumptions. Actually, Pur Minerals’ weird Air Perfection liquid dispensing cushion contains over 30 mostly silicone- and petroleum-derived ingredients (including cyclopentasiloxane) before you even get to the minerals. Pur’s powders are a little cleaner, relatively speaking, but you can do better. You’d think the company would have a policy on sourcing its mica ethically, as many big brands do, but reps had no info on this front. At least it’s paraben- and cruelty-free.
SCORE: NN
GABRIEL
One of my best friends is a TV journalist who was fed up with wearing crap on her skin, so she switched to Gabriel’s dual powder foundation. This full-coverage product gets the job done, even when you’re in front of high-def cams. Can be used wet or dry, plus you can feel good knowing this vegan product is made with mica from Colorado, and its cetyl palmitate isn’t made from rainforest-razing palm oil, but sunflower oil. Plus, you get a free lipstick, like you do from MAC, when you mail back any five empty Gabriel (or sister brand Zuzu) containers for recycling. Available for $40 at Whole Foods, Noah’s and Big Carrot. If you prefer loose powder, check out Manitoba-made Pure Anada (starting at $12). Both brands use safer, nano-free minerals.
SCORE: NNNN
SAPPHO ORGANIC
Think natural makeup can’t hold up to lights and cameras? You’ve got to try Sappho Organic. This Vancouver-based line was developed by Emmy Award-nominated makeup artist JoAnn Fowler for actors on The L Word. It’s made with non-nano mineral pigments suspended in an organic base of aloe, jojoba, skin-soothing calendula and neem oil. Bonus: their mica is American. Über light and lovely liquid foundation offers excellent, layerable coverage. Unlike most cosmetics containers, this makeup bottle is actually accepted in recycling bins. Not cheap at $50, but I’ve had mine forever. At Big Carrot, the Detox Market, glamgoesgreen.com and organicsbysappho.com. (Big Carrot currently has it discounted at $40)
SCORE: NNNNN
