While many of our customers know that lipstick is absorbed into your body via your skin, many do not know that a significant amount is also ingested via your mouth. For these reasons, it's important to understand the origin of every ingredient in your favorite products. And if the formulation of choice is also providing health benefits? Even better news.
So who is responsible for making sure your makeup is totally safe? Only you really, as the regulations are very poor. Europe leads the way here with a ban on more than 1300 chemical ingredients, while the FDA has prohibited just 11! Part of the reason harmful chemicals are still used in makeup and in particular lipstick is because regulations differ widely from country to country, and even if a product is made “locally” chances are that ingredients may be sourced from all over the world from suppliers that are not clean, not natural, and adhere to no real standards at all (China, we’re looking at you here with almost 80% of ingredients coming from the most unregulated region in the world).
So what do you need to look out for? Transparency and education are key. There are literally dozens of ingredients that you need to put on your watch list. Some are obvious - for example heavy metals like lead and chromium that are used to make long-lasting lip color. Other like the generic “fragrances” are not as clear-cut.
Clean beauty is ultimately about safe, non-toxic ingredients. Product should be created without the use of ingredients proven or suspected to cause adverse health effects, like endocrine disruptors, carcinogens or allergens - with no irritants like sulphates and fragrance. It goes without saying that every Madame Gabriela product is free of phenoxyethanol, synthetic traces of pigment, petroleum-based products, parabens, sulfates, phthalates, carmine, GMO ingredients, talc, glycol and artificial fragrances. We also never tested on animals! We disclose every ingredient used in our formula, because we have nothing to hide and believe beauty begins with transparency.
What lipstick ingredients does Gabriela recommend? All of the carefully selected ones found in her product collection as clean approved. These include natural plant oils (from avocado, sesame seed and cocoa butter) for a smooth, silky lip; Rosemary & Vitamin E to for healing the delicate skin of your lips; and buckets of nourishing antioxidants & rich plant-based additions and collagen loving Manuka Honey.
If you have questions about other products in your cabinet just email us at letskiss@madamegabrielabeauty.com and we’ll give you our thoughts. Let’s keep the clean revolution going!