FOUNDATION
Foundation, plus its team of other complexion perfectors– concealer, contour & blush– all hold a special place in our vanity! Whether you can’t live without an everyday flawless full coverage, you opt for a light touch of tinted moisture, or even if you know nothing about this magical complexion-perfecting tool, it’s key to understand what exactly is in the products that you’re using. Unfortunately, conventional foundations from brands you most likely know and possibly love, are chock full of harmful ingredients and toxic chemicals that can negatively impact your health.
Right up there next to skincare, foundations cover such a large portion of the skin on our face. As our skin is the largest organ in the body & its porous nature absorbs everything that is applied onto it, right into the bloodstream making its way into our system & effecting everything down to our hormones. Our hormones regulate almost every function of the body from our metabolism to our emotions & stress levels. Toxins found in foundations have been linked to the development of cancers, fertility issues & other conditions such as asthma, eczema or dermatitis (1).
WHAT INGREDIENTS TO AVOID:
Did you know there are more than 1,300 chemicals banned for use in the cosmetics industry in Europe? In the United States, only 11 are banned…yes, 11! This eye opening piece of information lets us know that many brands are utilizing harmful ingredients that aren't required to be included in the list of ingredients. So while you can comb the back of your products to spot these harmful toxins, it’s important to note that there are often additional toxins & chemicals hidden within certain ingredients.
PFAS (polyfluoroalkyl): These are human produced chemicals that are utilized in not only foundations but moisturizers, cleansers, eye shadows, lipsticks and essentially any beauty product that goes on smooth. Their purpose is to do just that, spread onto the skin with ease, making it appear glossy & increasing it’s durability & wearability. These chemicals have been linked to damage of the immune system, reproductive harm & cancer.
Talc: Talc is a soft known magnesium silicate mineral that is used as an absorbent and skin protecting agent in cosmetics. It’s used in foundations, cream products & lip sticks for it’s silky texture & ability to absorb oil. However, Talc is often sourced from dirty, contaminated sources. Talc, depending on its origin, can be considered carcinogenic. Not only do you run the risk of developing possible Cancer when using contaminated forms of Talc, you may also experience respiratory and skin irritations.
Formaldehyde: A common ingredient used in conventional cosmetics to preserve their shelf life. According to the FDA, almost 1 in 5 beauty products contain a substance that generates formaldehyde, a known human carcinogen. Unfortunately, detecting formaldehyde in products is almost impossible unless you know the keywords to look out for.
Parabens: Parabens are some of the worst offenders found in conventional makeup products today, but be careful when looking out for them as they can be disguised in a variety of ways. The most important thing to look out for here is any ingredient ending with “paraben”. This can look like Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, etc. Parabens are harsh preservatives that come with so many risks, you never want to use any product that contains them. Parabens mimic estrogen which leads to endocrine and hormone disruption and they are also known to be carcinogenic, found in breast cancer tumors frequently. Because Parabens can cause a hormone imbalance, this can lead to increased breakouts as well.
BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene): This synthetic preservative is used in a variety of beauty products to mask unpleasant odors and maintain shelf-life. While BHT is known to cause skin irritations and redness, it also comes with larger risks like possible endocrine disruption and tumor promotion.
While this information is overwhelming and can appear to be frightening, that is not our intention! Knowledge is power & awareness is key… it is actually the reason Citrine was born. Not only bring awareness to the hidden harms of conventional beauty products & to educate you so you can make high vibrational, well informed decisions about your purchases but to also give you a curated selection of products from brands that are trusted, vetted & actually CLEAN. We do the work for you, creating a safe place for you to shop anything on our shelves, knowing that it was selected with care & that your choices contain beautiful, natural ingredients that are going to elevate your health, your beauty & your life.
OUR FAVORITE CLEAN FOUNDATIONS OF THE MOMENT:
RMS
"RE" EVOLVE NATURAL FINISH FOUNDATION
KOSAS
REVEALER SKIN IMPROVING FOUNDATION SPF 25
JANE IREDALE
GLOW TIME PRO BB CREAM SPF 25
