Navigating The World of ‘Clean’ and ‘Acne-Safe’ Makeup

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I’m so excited to share with you my latest ‘clean’ makeup haul! One of the hardest pills to swallow along my journey to healing from hormonal acne was that I had to stop using my ENTIRE makeup collection. Prior to meeting with a FNTP (Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner), I was completely in the dark when it came to being aware of my toxic-load. Not only were my makeup and skincare products full of endocrine disrupting ingredients, but pore-clogging ingredients as well! It was very overwhelming as a beauty lover to learn that I had to start from scratch and learn what makeup and skincare products were clean and acne-safe.

The Science And Research Behind ‘Clean’ Makeup

Before I share my makeup haul, I want to give a little information for those who don’t know what ‘clean’ makeup even is?! (If you’d rather jump past this to the part where I start talking makeup products click this). Like I mentioned above, I didn’t know a THING about endocrine disrupting ingredients in our makeup until maybe 2021. I see a lot of information being shared right now and it can be hard to know whose opinion to trust. To be sure I am giving correct and thorough information I made sure to link all of my sources!

There Isn’t Enough Research Being Done

In the simplest terms, ‘clean makeup’ consists of products that do not include proven or suspected toxic ingredients and have transparent ingredient labels. One of the largest concerns when it comes to makeup and public safety is that there is a lack of research and data on the potential long term effects of the ingredients brands utilize. According to an article published by PubMed Central, “makeup, shampoo, skin lotion, nail polish, and other personal care products contain chemical ingredients that lack safety data.” – (source) Along that same thought, an article from Harvard Health Publishing states that “products are tested to make sure they don’t cause short-term problems, such as skin irritation. But they’re not tested for long-term safety”. – (source)

I don’t know about you, but growing up, I was under the impression large companies and businesses wouldn’t produce a product and sell it to consumers without ensuring that it was at least safe first, right? According to another article from PubMed Central “a staggering 65% of companies prioritize profit over meticulous safety evaluation, and a mere 15% of products undergo rigorous pre-market carcinogenicity testing” – (source). This is why the puck has been passed into the hands of the consumer! We have to learn how to educate ourselves and do our own research to ensure that we aren’t over-loading our bodies with toxins from all our personal care products!

The Potential Harmful Effects Of Toxic Ingredients

You may be wondering, how bad can these ingredients really be if they’re selling them to us in the store? “Beyond minor irritations, the effects of hazardous exposure from cosmetics and personal care items are extensive. Long-term contact with hazardous substances can cause a variety of health problems, from skin sensitivity and allergies to more serious problems like hormone disruption, reproductive problems, and even cancer”-(source). In small doses, for short periods of time, they might be considered safe. But if you are taking into consideration the amount of personal care products we use everyday, they all add up to our overall toxin-load.

The CSC (Campaign For Safe Cosmetics) has compiled a list of the seven worst offenders often used in personal care products: “titanium dioxide, carbon black, PTFE, Talc, BHA, Silica, and Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives”-(source). Something really important to keep in mind is that phthalates and other toxins are often not noted on labels under the veil of fragrance! There are laws in effect that protect industry formulations by allowing them to disguise ingredients under the term ‘fragrance’.

We’re Heading In The Right Direction

Luckily for us, the tides are turning and “today’s consumers are informed, discerning, and empowered individuals who are redefining beauty norms and expectations.” – (source) The more we are purchasing from brands who value consumer health and are not utilizing these harmful ingredients, the more change we will see in the industry! “The study of harmful impacts of personal care and cosmetic products on human health highlights the need for increased knowledge, stricter laws, and wiser consumer decisions”-(source). Once I was more informed, I started to slowly make better choices with the products I chose to purchase.

Learning How To Read and Identify Ingredients

Thankfully, I’ve not been alone on this journey. One of my best friends, Pamela, has joined me on the hunt for clean and acne-safe makeup! Neither of us are scientists or dermatologists so navigating the world of inspecting ingredients didn’t come so easily! We often found ourselves texting, or trying to look up ingredients on the spot. I’d often just give up from feeling overwhelmed while in the ‘already overstimulating’ store of Sephora. We decided an in-person hunt would be the most productive method!

Our Hunt For Clean and Acne-Safe Makeup

I took a weekend to fly up to Lafayette, CA so that we could research together in person, shop our findings, and test them out. We started by dedicating a few hours of our time to research which brands and products were considered ‘clean’. Once we identified the clean brands we then cross referenced this pore-clogging list to see if they were also acne-safe. I’m so thankful to have a friend as dedicated and invested in this hunt as I am! Being together in person, me with my laptop, her on her phone, with YouTube videos on the TV, we started to compile an extensive list of products we’d like to test from both Sephora and Ulta!

Clean and Acne-Safe Makeup Haul

Finally, we’ve made it to most fun part of this article, the makeup haul! Not much compares to the fun of makeup shopping, un-boxing all of your new products, and testing them out. Of course, the hope is always that they will perform well and you’ll love them! However that is not always what happens lol. We started off our shopping portion of my trip at Ulta. I personally am not a huge Ulta shopper, I tend to only go if it’s my only option. In this case, we actually found a good amount of products that fit the bill of clean and acne safe! However, only two were in stock and available for purchase.

Polite Society ‘More Than A Pretty Face’ Foundation

Polite Society’s ‘More Than A Pretty Face’ Skin-Caring Foundation claims to be a medium to full coverage foundation. So far, on my journey to finding a new clean makeup collection, I had yet to find anything full coverage. I was surprised to learn that Polite Society is a brand created by the same creators of Too Face Cosmetics! While this foundation in particular is rated as a 2 on EWG, not every product from this brand fits the strict standards of clean. I was also drawn in by the marketing of it being a ‘skin-caring’ foundation. We were only able to identify one pore-clogging ingredient listed: polyglyceryl-2 isostearate, so we decided it was worth a shot.

I’ve tried out this foundation a handful of times, and long story short, it’s not bad! I can’t say it replaces some of my favorite toxic foundations that give me full coverage for glam makeup. With that being said, I have enjoyed using it. I didn’t find the formula to be as fool-proof as I’d hoped! I’m still not sure if I prefer applying it with a brush, beauty sponge, or my fingers. I’ve tried them all. I also don’t tend to grab for it often, which is never a good sign. But I’m also not avoiding it! So there is still a chance I’ll fall in love with it. Sometimes that’s just how it works with makeup, trial and error, figuring out how a product works best. So you’ll have to stay tuned. Maybe you’ll see a full in-depth review on this foundation in the future.

Well People Bio Correct Concealer

The second product I picked up from Ulta, was Well People’s Bio Correct Concealer. This product claims to be a full-coverage liquid concealer that nourishes skin. This concealer is EWG Verified which means it meets the strictest standards for health and safety. I have yet to find a full-coverage glam concealer that compares to some of my favorite ‘non-clean’ brands. I had very high hopes for this product because it has incredibly clean ingredients. At the time, I had believed this concealer only had one pore-clogging ingredient: olea europaea fruit oil. (Otherwise known as Olive Oil lol). However upon further research, I’ve learned that not to be true for ALL shades. In the case of the shade I chose, 5N, there are at least three pore-clogging ingredients. So while this concealer is great for its non-toxicity, I would suggest caution to those who are acne prone!

When it comes to the formula and wearability, this concealer is not anywhere near full-coverage for me. I’d go as far to claim this might be a good concealer to try on a no-makeup day! It has a very skin-like finish, healthy and glowy. You can find Well People’s Bio Correct Concealer in the drugstore side of Ulta, so that’s a plus!

Saie Slip Tint Radiant All-Over Concealer

On the second day of my visit, Pamela and I took our hunt over to downtown Walnut Creek to visit their Sephora. We were determined to try out a new product from Saie because they’re one of the ‘cleanest’ rated sold at Sephora. Most of their products receive a 2 on EWG and all of their products are formulated free from: butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), chemical sunscreens, mineral oil, petrolatum, paraffin, polybutene, and hydrogenated polysobutene, gmo’s, parabens, phthalates, sulfates, synthetic fragrance or flavor, and talc. When I looked up the ingredients of the Saie Slip Tint Radiant All-Over Concealer I was over-joyed to discover that it hadZERO pore-clogging ingredients! Major win for our acne-safe list!

I’ve been testing this concealer off and on for months. At first, I was disappointed because it wasn’t going to fulfill my full-coverage glam wish list. However, this product never claims to be full coverage! The Saie Slip Tint Concealer claims to be medium coverage, lightweight, with a natural-radiant finish. I can personally attest this concealer hits all those points! The method of application I’ve found to work best is to apply it to the back of my hand and pick it up with a beauty sponge. I then carefully apply a thin layer under my eyes and over my eye-lids. Following up with a second layer. It’s safe to say this concealer has claimed its spot in my collection as a daily staple.

Tower 28 GetSet Pressed Powder

I am so excited to tell you about this next product because it has quickly become one of my FAVORITES! The Tower 28 GetSet Pressed Powder only has one pore-clogging ingredient: magnesium myristate. It receives a 1 on EWG for all it’s ingredients except for Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140) which receives a 3. I got the shade, Balboa Banana, and intended for this product to replace my Kosas Cloud Set Powder because that has at least 3 pore-clogging ingredients. (If you don’t have acne prone skin this product is clean and works amazing!)

Tower 28 GetSet Pressed Powder is a finely milled powder than instantly blurs, smooths, and is sweat and transfer proof. I like to use this powder in two different ways: (1) as an under-eye setting powder and (2) as an overall face setting powder. This powder offers no added coverage so on days that I plan to use a separate powder for coverage I will use a small fluffy brush just to set under my eyes. Because I got the Balboa Banana shade, this also helps brighten under my eyes. On days when I want my cream products to shine through, I use a small fluffy brush to apply this under my eyes, and then a large fluffy brush to set my entire face.

Lawless Skin-Smoothing Talc-Free Perfecting Powder

After finding and falling in love with a multitude of powder foundations from CoverFx, Make Up For Ever, and Mac Cosmetics it felt impossible that I’d ever find a ‘clean’ and acne-safe alternative that I’d love. That all changed when I discovered this Lawless Perfecting Powder! This powder has an ultra-fine formula that smoothes and blurs while providing buildable coverage with a soft-matte finish. I love to use this powder over a light coverage skin-tint and over a medium-coverage foundation. Anytime I’m looking for a tad more coverage or color, this powder is my new go-to! This product also gets added to my all-star ‘clean’ and acne safe list because there are ZERO pore-clogging ingredients and they all get a 1 or 2 rating on EWG.

Merit The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick

Everything else I grabbed at Sephora were products I have already been using and loving! First off was this Merit The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick which has ZERO pore-clogging ingredients! I love to use this complexion stick as an all over face coverage for casual daily wear. I top it off with my cream bronzer and blush then set it using the Tower 28 GetSet Powder. My main goal when using this product is to even out my overall skin tone and cover any redness. It is light coverage and blends out very easily using a dense kabuki brush.

Rare Beauty Warm Wishes Effortless Bronzer Stick

The next product I restocked was the Rare Beauty Warm Wishes Effortless Bronzer Stick in the shade ‘Always Sunny’. Another win, this ‘clean’ bronzer stick has ZERO pore-clogging ingredients! I love to use this product to warm up my face and add a healthy sun glow. The formula is soft and creamy which allows me to draw it directly onto my face without being worried because it blends out like a dream! I prefer to use a dense kabuki brush to blend it out rather than a damp beauty sponge.

Clean Mascara, Brow Pencil, and Liquid Eyeliner

I decided to combine the last three products I restocked in this haul into one section. They are all products from clean brands at Sephora and I didn’t bother to verify if they were acne-safe as they’re all eye products.

Caliray Come Hell or High Water Mascara

I discovered the Caliray Come Hell or High Water Mascara when I was looking for a new clean mascara that didn’t smudge! After purchasing a travel size version and testing it out, I learned that this mascara is actually a tubing mascara! So it is very water resistant, and can only be removed using warm water. This quickly became one of my FAVORITE mascara’s because it lengthens and volumizes without clumping! It doesn’t flake or smudge and is basically waterproof unless you’re swimming under water in a hot tub. Also, fun-fact I learned while researching for this article, Caliray is founded by the same owner as Urban Decay!

Rare Beauty Brow Harmony Precision Eyebrow Pencil

I’ve gone through many an eyebrow pencil, from Anastasia Beverly Hills, to Benefit Brows, to CoverGirl. The Rare Beauty Brow Harmony Precision Eyebrow Pencil can stand amongst them all! I love the angular tip that has a wide end that tapers into a fine point. This allows for a lot of customization when applying it to the front of your brow vs on the tail. The product formula itself is softer which allows for a light hand when applying. But it is pigmented and does not smudge or wear-off throughout the day!

Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Matte Liquid Liner

After being a devout Kat Von D Tattoo Liner user for YEARS it was so hard to venture out and try new liquid liners. When shopping at Sephora, I was torn between trying the Ilia Clean Line Liquid Eyeliner and the Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Matte Liquid Liner. My decision ended up coming down to the recommendation of the sales clerk who was definitely in favor of the Rare Beauty option. This particular sales clerk was emphasizing how the paint brush tip of the Rare Beauty liner would harbor less bacteria than the felt tip of the Ilia liner. I’m not sure if he was confused by my use of the term ‘clean’ makeup or not, however I couldn’t argue with that lol.

After using this eyeliner for a few months now, I’m a fan! It definitely took a little time to adjust to the paint brush tip as it is very pigmented. However once I got used to it, I can get a quick, clean, dark wing in no time. This product is for sure waterproof and smudge proof! It stays locked and sharp all day long. I still plan to test out the Ilia liner. For now I’ve been happy with the Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Matte Liquid Liner.

The End Of My Clean And Acne-Safe Makeup Haul

Wow, if you are still reading this far into this article, you definitely deserve a round of applause! This was a beast of an article for me to write and for you to read! I’m assuming if you’re here that you’re just as invested as I am in figuring out how to navigate this new world of ‘clean’ makeup. I hope this information was helpful and easy enough to understand!

I want to give a special shoutout to Pamela for being an invaluable resource and support on this journey! Something I remind myself often, is that my goal is to make progress and not strive for perfection! You can only try to do your best when reading ingredient lists and deciding which brands to trust. Give yourself and others grace, and rest assured your efforts aren’t in vain.

xoxo Aly

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