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The best organic eyeshadow is going to be one that is made of pure mineral pigments. It isn’t going to have any toxins hiding in it and it will be safe for you to use daily.
In this article I am going to tell you about the ingredients you need to avoid in mineral eye makeup, as well as ingredients that are safe.
You may be surprised to learn about the difference between nano and non-nano particles and how they will effect your health.
I will also recommend a great organic eye shadow that I use and love.
Tips on Choosing a Safe Mineral Eye Makeup
What we put on our eyes, gets absorbed into our system. Most mainstream eye shadows contain heavy metals that accumulate in your body.
We all know we need to avoid conventional makeup, but even organic and natural mineral makeup can contain questionable ingredients. Mica and Titanium dioxide, for example can accumulate in your lungs if the particles are nano-sized.
In this guide I am going to help you choose the most effective and safe mineral eye shadow for your health and beauty.
Mineral makeups are a big thing right now, with everyone jumping on board and producing their own versions, but not all mineral makeup is created the same. Even the organic and natural versions can contain irritating and harmful ingredients.
The following ingredients can lead to skin irritation and long term health effects.
Ingredients to Avoid:
- Parabens:
- These are a big no-no and should be avoided, these are added to almost all beauty products as a preservative. They have hormone-mimicking effects and can lead to cancer. Luckily a lot of companies are catching on to this and creating paraben-free products. The organic products we recommend never contain parabens.
- Make sure to avoid names such as propylparaben, butylparaben and methylparaben.
- Nano-particles:
- These are NOT good for your skin, nor are they for good the environment. They are so small that they are easily inhaled and accumulate in the lungs or they are absorbed by your body and accumulate in your cells.
- They are also harmful if they are swallowed, so best to avoid them with children or pets around. If your ingredients list has “micronized” or “nano-” on it, then it may contain nano-particles.
- Sometimes these particles are not even listed, so it is a good thing to really trust the company you are getting your product from, most of the brands we love and trust say explicitly that they DO NOT use nano-particles in their products.
- Any particle sizes that are smaller than 2.5 microns can be absorbed by your lungs so avoid these!
- Bismuth Oxychloride:
- This is a pigment used to create an iridescent shine and help the mineral makeup adhere to the skin better.
- It tends to be present in high concentrations in mineral makeups which can lead to reactions. Bismuth Oxychloride is a skin, lung and eye irritant according to the Bismuth Oxychloride Materials Data Sheet. It can cause burning and itching, with symptoms not subsiding even after usage has stopped.
Are other ingredients used in organic mineral eye shadows safe?
Most organic eye shadows use the following ingredients. They are considered safe for most people and give your makeup the shimmer and shine you are looking for.
- Mica
- This provides natural shimmer. It can cause irritation to those with hypersensitive skin but most people will be fine using it.
- A finer version of Mica is called Sericite, these are very finely ground particles and can cause microscopic abrasion if they are rubbed onto the skin.
- If you have really sensitive skin, make sure you don’t buff these products into your skin, a nice light dusting will help avoid irritation.
- Titanium Dioxide
- This ingredient is relatively safe as long as it is not in nano-particle form. If it is smaller then 2.5 microns it may be absorbed into the lungs.
- Zinc Oxide
- This is an another ingredient like titanium dioxide, where you want to avoid nano-particles.
- Carmine
- This is a red dye made from the bodies of an insect so it is not vegan friendly. It is however considered safe for use in cosmetics by the Environmental Working Group. Some people have reacted to this ingredient, so a lot of organic brands avoid it.
- Iron Oxides
- These are considered safe for cosmetic use. The iron oxides used in cosmetics are synthetic to avoid the inclusion of ferrous or ferric oxides and other impurities.
The Best Organic Eye Shadow is by Alima Pure
Are Organic Eye Shadows More Expensive?
They tend to be more expensive then drugstore makeup but they are comparable in price to high-end mainstream brands.
This makeup will go farther then the cheap stuff you can buy at the store, it will cover better and will last all day. Cheaper products tend to have fillers in them, so you really aren’t getting a bargain.
The results will be so much better that the price won’t matter.
The Best Organic Eye shadow – What I Recommend
I know what makes a great organic eye shadow – good coverage, lots of pigment, and non-harmful, nourishing ingredients.
My recommendation for the best organic eye shadow is from an awesome natural makeup company called Alima Pure.
They create pure mineral makeup including eye shadow!
They have matte, pearl luster, and shimmer eye shadows available in a variety of colors.
It is super affordable and will last you a long time! Their eye shadow is:
- BDIH certified
- non-comedogenic
- no nano-particles
- No Bismuth Oxychloride (BOC-Free)
- No Carmine (ci 75470-Free)
How to Choose the Right Color
Brown and Hazel Eyes: Amber, slate grey, charcoal, violet, lavender, copper, khaki, olive, dark brown and yellow shades work well with brown eyes.
Blue Eyes: Pink, orange, purple, peach, wine, coral, gray, silver and black undertones. Avoid anything with a blue-green undertone.
Green eyes: burgundy, maroon, apricot, plum, and peach. Grey compliments green eyes very well.
Where Can You Get it?
The Detox Market – USA Store – Canadian Store
Credo Beauty (US Based)
What is your favorite eye shadow?
Yours In Beauty,
Andrea
*post contains affiliate links
Andrea-I’m so glad I found you through you commenting on my site! I love this post-I have to admit-I’m a bit confused about mica and finding safer makeup! Thanks so much!
Awesome Jennifer, I love your site! It is such an honor to have you comment on my little wee site 🙂 Yes, finding safe makeup can be tricky 🙂 Just remember to look for non-nano mica!
Awesome blog! Do you have any tips and hints for aspiring writers?
I’m planning to start my own site soon but I’m a little lost on everything.
Would you advise starting with a free platform like WordPress or go for a paid option? There are so many
options out there that I’m completely confused .. Any recommendations?
Thank you!
You could start out with a free wordpress and see if you enjoy blogging, and then move on to a paid option. I personally like using wordpress.org and using my own hosting, this gives me a lot more options then the free wordpress platform. The best tip I can give for writing is to think of your audience and above all, provide value 🙂
Do you make a palette of colors
Hi Maria, you can get eye shadow palettes at Credo Beauty