Cosmetics Professionals Are Starting to Go Green
By Starre Vartan for The Daily Green

Though it may feel like makeup is a necessity when you wake up exhausted, hungover, or both, in reality our little pots and tubes of color are extravagances. And like four-dollar coffees, frosted-to-death cupcakes and doggie sweaters, these little indulgences are what makes life fun.

But at what cost do our good times come, to both our health and that of the planet (which is really one and the same)? I’m not the only one who thinks that life’s little luxuries should come with zero impact; if it’s not necessary then the first rule should be “do no harm.”

Good thing the beauty industry is catching on. Following in the wake of sustainable fashion, less-toxic makeup is now available everywhere from the drugstore (Physician’s Formula’s new Organic Wear line) to makeup megastore Sephora.) But for a serious selection of the most toxin-free cosmetics, check out online retailers Kaia House and Futurenatural.

We know that consumer pressure can encourage companies to consider the impact of their products, but the makeup industry also works with professional makeup artists (pro-muas) who can have influence on both the companies’ products they use and the clients they work with. Greenmua has a great listing of companies, articles and links for pro makeup artists who are interested in making their industry more sustainable.

I spoke with the Australia-bred Emma Pezzack, the owner and founder of Futurenatural, about Earth-friendly makeup for regular women and the new move by makeup artists to bring these products into the pro makeup arena. Read the interview with Emma…

To learn more about what’s in your makeup bag, check out the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.