We’ve all heard the adage about beauty being in the eye of the beholder, but what about the ingredients in the products that make us beautiful? Not so subjective. I recently spoke with Julie Longyear, St. Louis-based holistic skincare expert and the owner of Blissoma, a certified vegan skincare line. Her take on ingredients is eye-opening and may make you rethink some of your beauty choices.
What red flags should consumers look for in their cosmetics?
JL| Hormone disruptors would be at the top of the list, things like parabens, triclosan, ozybenzone and pthalates that wouldn’t be listed individually but as part of ‘fragance’ in the ingredients panel. These can sink into the skin and act hormonally in the body, affecting health in myriad ways, from acne to reproductive problems to cancer. They are present in products in relatively small quantities but appear in many products, so if you layer them on a daily basis, it adds up.
What types of cosmetics carry the most harmful ingredients?
JL| If I had to pick the worst, it would be hair dye. Dye is an incredibly toxic process. Colors are made from coal tar residue and have been proven carcinogenic in mice. They also contain other chemicals like formaldehyde.
What are some of your favorite makeup brands?
JL| I only use naturally based makeup lines like RMS; its pigmented balms are a great value, look beautiful on the skin and are completely toxin-free with a base of just natural oils. They are made by makeup artist Rose Marie Swift. Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques is another independent line that makes a wonderful cream mineral foundation and great lip products, too.
Why are certain toxins put into cosmetics?
JL| Chemicals that we now know can be toxic over time are included for their functional properties, and if you ask many chemists in the industry, they’ll say they believe these ingredients to be perfectly safe. “The dose makes the poison” is an adage you hear frequently, and it means that anything can poison you depending on how much you take in. However, cosmetic regulations in the U.S. are the most lax in the world, largely due to lobbying from major manufacturers. Europe has a Cosmetics Directive that requires the registration and lab testing of every product sold in the European Union. They have outlawed more than 1,100 cosmetic ingredients. The U.S. allows these ingredients. Japan has cosmetics regulations similar to Europe, and South Korea requires testing through its FDA to determine labeling accuracy and levels of claimed active ingredients. Global cosmetics companies often have two different versions of their products for Europe and the U.S. Europe gets the clean version, we get the dirty version.
Tell me about the ‘good’ ingredients. what makes them effective and healthier?
JL| Take Lauren Brooke’s cream foundation as an example. It contains argan and rosehip oils that are both moisturizing and anti-aging. It also contains neem oil that is antibacterial, green tea that has antioxidants, and zinc oxide, which is anti-inflammatory and provides broad spectrum SPF. The formulation is constructed of functional ingredients that also have vitamin and nutrient benefits for skin rather than petrochemical oils like in most drug store makeup products.
Tell me about your your background and Blissoma.
JL| Over the years I used herbs and natural remedies to solve many of my own problems. I took two years of chemistry to learn more while I studied about essential oils and plants. My philosophy is that all aspects of a product’s impact should be addressed and considered. That includes how the ingredients are grown or procured—is it environmentally sustainable, is it leaving pesticide runoff, is the resource renewable?
What advice would you would give a young woman navigating the beauty market?
JL| Start very simple. When you’re young, you’re gorgeous anyway. Be you, and buy only the products that you absolutely need if you have a specific skin problem. Join a quality sample box program like Petit Vour, which does entirely vegan, toxin-free, luxury beauty samples. The owner is curating for you and has relationships with quality companies, and you’ll try things you wouldn’t have found otherwise.