I can't believe it's been 4 years since I did a video and shared what's in my makeup bag. Holy cow, time flies! The beauty products I use have definitely changed over the years, but what hasn't changed are the ingredients I avoid. I still continue to avoid certain ingredients for the health of my body and the environment.
The good news is that there are hundreds of amazing natural beauty product brands nowadays, from really great companies all over the world and many of them are right here in North America. I share some of my favourites in my latest video, but before we get to that, I wanted to share the ingredients in conventional products that you'll want to avoid.
Why? Because they are linked from everything to cancer, hormone disruption, dermatitis, allergies, immune system toxicity, changing the skin microbiome and headaches.
Top Ten ingredients to avoid in personal care products
1. Triclosan. This synthetic antibacterial agent has been linked to superbugs and is toxic to the environment. You'll find it in antibacterial hand wash, lotion and toothpaste. There has been conversations about this chemical being banned in Canada, but it looks like it hasn't been settled yet. This is the Canadian Government's stance on it as of February 2018. However, the Environmental Working Group states that triclosan is not safe or effective.
2. Parabens. This is the most commonly used preservative in cosmetics. The problem with them is that they are absorbed through the skin and can go straight into the bloodstream and organs. You can often find parabens in personal care products including shampoo, moisturizer, shaving cream, cleansing gels, personal lubricant, deodorant and toothpaste (unless noted otherwise, like in all of our natural body care and hair care products!).
3. Phthalates. These are man-made chemicals used as plasticizers and as a preservative for fragrance. It's also one of the main reasons why I don't wear any fragrance-containing products , including perfume. Phthalates are often found in cosmetics, personal care products, scented items and nail products and have been known to cause birth defects of the male reproductive organs.
4. Formaldehyde-Releasing Agents. These types of chemicals slowly off-gas formaldehyde throughout their life, to be inhaled by the user of the product. The health concerns surrounding formaldehyde exist due to the toxic effects it has on the immune system and skin. It is also a known carcinogen. Such chemicals can be found in conventional hair care products, hair colouring, nail products and many other beauty products.
5. BHA and BHT. Butylated hydroxanisole and butylated hydroxytoluene are synthetic antioxidants that are used as preservatives in personal care products and cosmetics which have been proven to be carcinogenic, endocrine disrupting and allergenic. BHA and BHT can be found in personal care products such as lipstick, eyeshadow, concealer and moisturizers.
6. Silicone Chemicals. Also known as siloxanes, these chemicals have been shown to be detrimental to the environment and concerning for human health, having been linked to cancer and skin irritation. They can often be found in various hair products, eye and face make up, manicuring preparations, skin creams and oils, as well as food powders and sprays.
7. Petrolatum. You may know this for its common name of petroleum jelly, often used to smooth and soften skin. Unfortunately, use of petrolatum comes with a number of consequences, having been associated with cancer, skin irritations and allergies.
8. Artificial Musks. Often found as one of the potential hundreds of chemicals found in fragrance or parfum, artificial musks have been linked to allergies, immune system toxicity, headaches and dizziness. Steer clear of any product that contains "fragrance", "parfum" or "musk".
9. 1,4-Dioxane. This chemical has been shown to be a possible carcinogen, as well as an eye and respiratory tract irritant. You won't find it on ingredient lists as it's a contaminant that is produced during the manufacturing process. To steer clear from it as much as possible, avoid any products that contain sodium laureth sulphate (SLES) as well as labels that state "PEG compounds" and chemicals that include "xynol", "ceteareth" and "oleth" in their names.
10. Coal Tar-Derived Colours. Often used in permanent hair dyes (with higher concentration in darker shades), Coal Tar-Derived Colours has been associated with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, multiple myeloma, acute leukemia, bladder cancer, contact dermatitis and severe facial edema. Common short term reactions include itching, burning, hives and blistering of the skin.
This whole list can be found on Environmental Defence. They have a handy little pocket guide you can download and take with you when you're shopping. I review all this information in my book Joyous Detox too.
Now for the fun stuff – a peek inside my make up bag! I've shared this in the video below and have also listed out all of the products below for you.
What's In My Natural Make Up Bag
Province Apothecary Serum. I put this on my face morning and night. I mix it with Consonant Skincare's HydrExtreme (below) and I don't even need moisturizer – it's incredibly hydrating as is! You can find it on Amazon here.
Consonant Skincare HydrExtreme. This isn't in my video only because I've run out and I need to buy some more, but this is another SUPER hydrating product I use year-round and it only has 2 ingredients! You can get 10% off over here with my coupon code "JOY" since it is Joyous Health Approved! This is the other product I shared in the video that I use when I run out of Hydrextreme.
Consonant Skincare Tinted Perfect Skin Sunscreen. For those of you who don't want to wear foundation and just want some coverage to even out your skin tone and protect your skin from the damaging effects of the sun, this product is the best! I use this from June to October. Since this product is also Joyous Health Approved, you can use my code "JOY" to get 10% off. As of right now, they only have one tint which works for fair-skinned people like me.
W3LL People Narcissist Stick Foundation. I use this like a concealer, for when I have red spots or blemishes. It has a lovely smooth texture and I would put this underneath Marie-Natie Pressed Foundation Powder (more information below). You can find the Stick Foundation on Amazon. Note, the packaging has changed from what I share in my video. I've had this for at least 3 years and it's still going!
Marie-Natie Pressed Foundation Powder. I have been using this for a few years now when I want some extra coverage. It provides amazing coverage and it doesn't dry out my skin, nor does it look like my face is covered with make up. You can find it here.
Pure Anada Mascara, black. I've tried at least a dozen natural mascaras and this one has my seal of approval. It's THE BEST and almost on par in pricing to conventional mascara. I typically buy it at my local health food store The Sweet Potato or Well.ca, but if you buy it online on their website, you can save 25% off of your first order using "PureAnadaJoy" since they're Joyous Health Approved!
Alima Eyeliner Pencil, black. I love putting eyeliner on when I'm feeling tired because it makes me look more awake (anyone else? haha). This eyeliner doesn't smudge and it's super easy to apply. Forget liquid eyeliner, I'm terrible with that! Eyeliner pencil is much more forgiving. It lasts about 5-6 hours. You can find it on Amazon.
Alima Blush. This loose mineral blush provides a healthy flush look that I love. I don't use blush daily anymore like I used to, but when I need a little extra pop of colour in the dead of winter, this is my go-to. You can find it here.
Boosh Lip Stick. Made in Canada and the best natural lipstick I've tried because it doesn't dry my lips out. It's super creamy – I love it! All the colours are here. I was wearing "Bea" in this video.
Dry Shampoo. Absolutely essential when you have bangs or if you don't want to wash your hair every day! I make my own. You can make your own with the easiest DIY recipe ever or you can save yourself some time and purchase my natural Dry Shampoo (for Light Hair & Dark Hair) in the Joyous Shop!
Natural Deo Cream. This stuff keeps your pits stink-free, plus it's now Certified Organic and it's a joyous original product! You can learn more about it here.
What natural beauty products do you love? Share your faves below!
Of course, there are hundreds of more products that are fantastic and I've personally tried dozens, but it was impossible for me to share them all. However, I just really want to assure you that natural beauty products are amazing, effective and totally affordable. In many cases, much more affordable than conventional, chemical-filled cosmetics you might buy at the department store.
Looking forward to reading your comments below sharing products you love!
Joy xo
Thanks so much for this post! *The very morning* you posted this I had been thinking about asking you to do an update on your earlier video, which was so informative, just the incentive I needed to switch to clean beauty products. But I have also experimented with other products since then, with mixed success, and was wondering what you had found lately. This is very helpful! Just wish I could buy all of these in Europe. BTW, I could not find information in your article on your Pure Simple product depicted in the photograph here. Thanks again!!!
ReplyYou're welcome! There is a brand I really like that I've seen in Europe actually it's called Santé. I don't have any of their products right now which is why I didn't feature them, but I really like many of their products. Here's a link: https://www.ecco-verde.co.uk/sante Here's the link to the other product I mentioned: https://pureandsimple.ca/ps-collagen-elastin-50ml
Thank you so much for the prompt response with these links, Joy! I do actually use Sante eye makeup remover but actually plan to switch to coconut oil when it's finished since it's even more effective! Sante really is a very good brand, indeed, though, so I'll check out some of their other products. Also, looking forward to your new book! An updated beauty section would also make for an interesting addition (along with a kids' school snack/bento box idea and a batch cooking suggestion for busy families sections)--just some additional thoughts! I love your recipes and I'm sure will feel the same way about the new book. Happy cooking and writing!
ReplyThanks for the ideas! Glad you have found Santé. My book is already written and I don't have a section on beauty because it's purely a cookbook but appreciate your thoughts. I'm really looking forward to it coming out in 2019. Have a great rest of your day!
Hi Joy, Thanks for the wonderful post. I was wondering if you could provide details about your two cosmetic bags; they are lovely!
ReplyThank you Kristina! The "live love" one is from Indigo but it's a few years old, however they always have cute make-up bags and the striped one is a gift so I'm not sure where it's from :)
I was happy to find a more natural makeup line in shoppers - I bought one of the lipsticks from Nude by nature and it’s super creamy. The ingredients were pretty good from what I recall. Looking forward to trying some of these options . Does consonant only sell online ?
ReplyHey Mel, Consonant has a bunch of stores in Toronto. There's one on Queen West and at Yonge & Eglinton. I've seen that brand, nice to see Shoppers getting cleaner brands at their store!
Congratulations on finishing your book, Joy! I'm really looking forward to reading it and trying some of your new recipes. On that note, the cranberry walnut muffins were the latest big hit with everyone at home--delicious flavors!!... Thanks for your generous sharing.
ReplyHi Alice! Glad to hear those were a hit!! We love them over here too. :)
HI Joy! Great video and very informative. I love the colour of your nail polish too so would you mind sharing what brand and where it is from? You always looks so pretty in all your posts so it is great to know what you use to achieve that great look.
ReplyThanks so much Judy, you're very sweet :) I got my nails done (happens once every 5 years, haha! However, it was so nice to do it I want to do it again. I just went to a salon and I chose a random colour. So I don't know what it's called. It was one of their cleaner brands. Sorry that doesn't help much.
Thats ok Joy :-) I love that you treated yourself with a manicure, so fun! I know there are some clean brands out there I will just keep looking. Thanks again.
ReplyYou're welcome! It's so nice to do that for ourselves once in a while isn't it? :)
Just watched this video on what's in yr make up bag Loved it I'm definately going to rethink what I'm putting on my face and love your dry shampoo recipe thx have a great day Patricia awesome made in canada
ReplyThanks so much Pat! XOXO
Hi Joy, I was wondering what a good brand of foundation would be good for me? I have eczema and dry skin so most foundations that I put on my skin makes it flaky.
ReplyHi Jen!
Two brands that do not make your skin flake (and I'm prone to dryness) and they are both foundation powders are http://www.sweetleilani.com/product/camera-ready/ and Marie Natie https://marienatie.com/products/pressed-foundation?variant=997728300 I don't use liquid foundation but I really love W3LL people. Are you in Toronto? If so, check out the Detox Market on King Street. The girls that work there are so knowledgeable and they will be able to point you in the right direction.
Hi Joy, Thank you very much for your video. I have a question about make up products. How do you choose the colours if you buy online? Thank you, Inna
ReplyYou're welcome Inna! I would recommend checking out the return policy but even before you do that see if you can buy some small sample bottles of colours to try out first.
Hi Joy - which shade of the pressed foundation do you use for your skin tone? Thank you Tania
ReplyHi Tania! Warm tan :)
Great post! Just wondering what you use to remove mascara?
ReplyI would recommend Province Apothercary or another oil like coconut or avocado oil IF and that's a big IF you are not sensitive to oil based products around the eye. But I wash my face with Coconut milk cleanser from Cocoon Apothecary and if there still a little stubborn mascara I use Biotherma eye makeup remover. It's not as clean as an oil, but as I mentioned, I can't use oils around my eyes as it clogs my pores and break out into a rash.
Great article! Which sunscreen do you like to use for kids? My little one is 3 and i've been trying to find a really good one for him. Thanks!
ReplyThanks! I love Green Beaver for kids, Badger or ThinkBaby.
Do you have a basic skincare routine.
ReplyYes! Right now I use Coconut Apothecary Coconut Milk cleanser to remove all my makeup followed by Hydraextreme by Consonant and then a Rose serum by Living Libations.
What sunscreen do you like to use for adults?
ReplyI like Coola or the Perfect Sunscreen by Consonant :)
What do you recommend for a skincare regimen
ReplyDo you use eye cream? Any recommendations?
ReplyI do not. If my eyes are puffy in the morning then I will use 100% Pure brand of caffeine eye cream.
I am 75 and have a lot of red in my skin tone. Would you still recommend using these products for someone my age? If not, could you let me know what else you would recommend. Thank you.
ReplyCheck out Pai Naturals Skincare, they have wonderful products for sensitive or rosacea-prone skin: https://www.paiskincare.ca/collections/rosacea