Natural Makeup Recommendations

Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about making your beauty products natural!
Have you gotten tired of only finding natural makeup/products recommendations on blogs that list items WAY out of your budget? Progressing into the natural world very young, with only one income and a very limited one at that, taught me many things about creating and maintaining a natural and affordable beauty stash.

One of the reasons it took me so long to find natural brands I trusted, liked, and could afford was that my style is very simple, and natural. A lot of beauty or wellness products that are well promoted (and easy to find) are very vibrant, and flashy at times because they can make a quick sell (and who can blame them >> smoky eyes >> what’s not to love)?! However, what I was looking for could be described was simple + natural (in both the lack of chemicals and the style) that made me look like I was awake in the morning.

As always, I just love the thought of finding something I’m super excited about, so I don’t have to feel deprived when I switch to the natural life. So if you’re looking for a natural, carefree look as well, make sure to skip down below to see my favorites from my natural beauty closest…or if you want a little more info as to why you should take the leap to natural products, read the quick tips first:

Why to Do It

You really have no way to know what’s in your products and when you buy natural there are less harsh chemicals
Chemicals have ties with cancer/autoimmune/health/even hormones in general
Your skin will look better
DIY is best, but not all of us have the time
Good for those around you too

How to Do It

Replace what you can when you get to it. The chemicals in your current products are highly unlikely to kill you tonight lol, if you are financially strapped, slowly use up what you have and replace it with a healthier alternative as you can. I know you are dying to get healthy tomorrow, but stress is way worse for you then the chemicals in your products. Do what you can when you can get to it/afford it. You will save yourself from unnecessary pressure and financial strain
Use your new products sparingly. Things like cleaning makeup brushes, using less shampoo and lathering better, and being more careful when putting on your makeup, will help eat the additional costs of using natural products. I’ve found I am spending no more now than I was previously, by simply being more conscious of what I’m spending and using it more carefully.
Don’t sweat the little things (make-up remover pads, qtips, weekends away, etc.). the number one thing I found that helped switch to natural products was to NOT stress over every little detail and to progress into the natural lifestyle slowly. Additionally, learn to use your new products sparingly.
Find companies that have a decent reputation and a passion for natural products. When you find a company that truly cares about what they’re selling and its safety, they are more likely to do campaigns involving discounts, etc. One of my favorite natural product companies, Zoya, often does decent deals…but they are so passionate about what they stand for that every year on Earth Day, they give their nail polish out pretty much for free, on the trust factor that you will properly dispose of your current chemical-filled polishes.

Products to Do it With

Eyeshadow – I really like Tarte for this. A lot of the over the counter natural eyeshadows seem to either fall apart or be very hard to spread. These fun shades of natural brown with an occasion touch of glitter are my favorite. You are welcome to buy them through my link, but I prefer to get them at Ulta. The tarte website also has deals often. Also, if you read on their website, they still manage to get gorgeous fun colorful products without parabens, mineral oil, phthalates, triclosan, sodium lauryl sulfate, or soy gluten 😊. They also claim to be vegan friendly, hypoallergenic, and cruelty-free/

Lip color – I love 100% Pure fruit pigmented (in cherry) for this. The only time I really like to take a make-up risk is for a smoky eye with bright red lip…and this bright pigment is naturally perfect.

Lip gloss (with color) – I do love Pacifica for gloss with a hint of color (although they don’t have bright red which is why I use 100% Pure for that). I buy mine on Amazon, but I believe it’s also available at some Targets.

Chapstick – Natural chapstick is actually pretty easy to DIY and you can probably grab a cheaper one at your local health store…but I’m obsessed with this chocolate orange one from Badger, so if you are looking for my recommendation, that’d be it.

Foundation – Another one made cheaper by Physicians Formula Organic Wear (and lasts pretty long).

Mascara – Unfortunately, inexpensive natural waterproof mascara is pretty much non-existent. If you don’t need it waterproof, I’d definitely recommend Physicians Formula Black Organic Wear (I use ultra black). It’s cheap, natural, and the wand makes it very easy to apply. If you’re like me, and get a little teary-eyed often, I’d recommend just grabbing your favorite/cheapest waterproof mascara and doing one coat on top of a few coats of the Physician’s Formula Organic Wear. I figure if it’s not touching your actual lash as much it can’t be too bad; and this combination actually seems to work well enough even for swimming!

Natural Cosmetics Recommendations

Perfume – I prefer Pacifica since its very easy to find; at Target, Ulta, and most natural health food stores (pictured above is a Pacifica rollerball fragrance). While it’s not 100% natural it does eliminate the majority of the harsh chemicals and I find it to be safe. There are a couple brands I trust more but find them to be quite a bit pricier and with less of a variety of scents to choose from. However, if you are willing to shell out a little more $$ then check out Skylar and Lavanilla (pictured above is Vanilla Summer…

Hair Dye – As discussed in more detail in henna blog post, I dye with henna 😊; Dark Brown (Sable) by Rainbow Research and closely follow with SheaMoisture for post-treatment conditioning. Reference the linked article if you’d like to learn more about the process.

Facemask – Really just wanted to throw this in here, because I really really struggle with adult acne/skincare and pretty much nothing works, so I’ve gone through tons of products. And while it doesn’t fix my skin, I found a facemask I actually don’t hate. It helps and your skin feelings amazingly smooth after. Find the Indian Cleansing Clay mask here.

Sunscreen – I love being on the water and not only is a natural sunscreen better for you, but its better for the ocean/sea-life as well. It is also rumored in the holistic world that chemical sunscreen could be more likely to cause skin cancer than the sun itself. But, let’s not risk either! Sunscreens with Zinc Oxide as the active ingredients are barrier type sunscreens; on quick summary; they provide a barrier against the sun instead of the others which work by using chemicals that are absorbed into the skin. When I first started using natural sunscreen it was a huge pain to apply because it was very thick, but now they have super convenient options like this spray and these face sticks.

Nail polish – I had to add this (and saved the best for last), just because I am so completely and utterly obsessed with Zoya, I do not even own from anyone else anymore. The “longest wearing, toxin free natural nail polish,” in the industry, Zoya is vegan, non-toxic, and Big-10 Free (free of formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, dibutyl phthalate, toluene, camphor, tphp, parabens, xylene, ethyl tosylamide AND lead). And the beauty certainly doesn’t suffer, the colors are gorgeous. Not only that, but they regularly do deals, and almost every year they give out free nail polish on Earth Day, based on trust; that you will properly dispose of an equal number of your current nail polishes that contain harsh chemicals.

*Please note that these are the products I use for make-up and cosmetic purposes. If you’d like to learn about the essentials, such as shampoo, deodorant, mouthcare, etc., please stay tuned for a follow-up article next month. Or try some natural/DIY hair care today like this my Cocoa Powder Dry Shampoo!

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For More Information

Want more information or to learn how to choose natural products yourself? The Skin Deep® Cosmetics Database from the Environmental Working Group is a total lifesaver! Search a favorite product to see how it rates in terms of its tested safety OR search for something generic like “shampoo” and find a new, natural favorite!

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Disclaimer

P.s. I AM a brand-new Amazon Affiliate, but am also listing the actual place I buy these items. A lot of items I get on Amazon out of pure convenience (I’m based in Tampa, FL, one of the most highly populated/worst traffic in the country ~ so time is often money). But, if you know somewhere cheaper to get them, please make sure to mention in the comments below or on social media so I can add them/adjust this post. The point is to be able to get them as cheaply and efficiently as possible 😊.