Detoxify Your Make-up Kit!

I recently found this great article from treehugger.com that helps inform people about the toxic chemicals that are in our favourite "Natural" cosmetics.
Check out Detox Your Make-Up Kit: 10 Ways to Avoid Cosmetic Chemicals then look at http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ to see how your favourite brands measure up.  The scale is from 0 - 10, 0 being the best and 10 being the worst.

My favourite brand Tarte rates from 1 to a horrific 9!  Luckily most of their products that I use are a 1-4.  Yikes!
Bare Escentuals rate 1-7!

Another awesome site that helps me choose my make-up and bath products is DavidSuzuki.org.  The article that I am refering to is "Dirty Dozen", Cosmetic Chemicals to Avoid.  I keep this one on my iPod so I can look at it when I'm shopping.

How do your favourite brands measure up?  Are chemicals in your cosmetics an issue to you?

UPDATE: Zillah1199 (http://midnightpoesy.blogspot.com/) has made a good point.  In my comments she has shared the site personalcaretruth.com that posts articles about ingredients from a different perspective.  Personally I prefer to continue to avoid the "Dirty Dozen" ingredients for more simple ingredients.  Less is more.  Please keep in mind that I do favour more natural alternatives in my life so my option will most likely differ from most people.  I am delighted that Zillah commented with this link because it gives people another side of the story and gets people to think about this subject.  What we put in our bodies and our environment matters and everyone should research these things and form their own opinions.  :D

Thank you for coming by and feel free to comment.

Eyes like death and Freckles!

I tried to take a photo of my eyeshadow today to share on my blog, but my iPod4 made me look like Hel.
My eyes have dark yellow-ish circles, and my freckles... I had no idea I had so many freckles!!
The photo looked terrible.
I sat around wondering, "Do I actually look like that?"  This revelation is making me consider a high-coverage foundation.  I've always been a minimal makeup person.  Until this past year I never wore any makeup unless it was a special occasion.  I think the most I ever wore was some pressed powder from The Body Shop, and it's pretty sheer.

I find a growing jealousy of these makeup bloggers that appear to have FLAWLESS skin.  Maybe it's because they are younger.  Maybe it's because I'm lacking vitamins and sleep...  I'm only 28 but the camera is saying much older.

Does anyone have any suggestions for cruelty-free foundation?  I dislike parabens as well (ie: Methylparaben, Propyl Paraben, Butylparaben, etc).  I've heard good things about NARS.

What do you use?

Ugh...

So here I go again making another update that isn't a real update.
My nails are Winter-worn nubs and are naked right now.  They are naked and loving it.  Some times you just have to let them run wild through the meadows... erm.  Never mind.

I've been acquiring Aromaleigh eyeshadows via the Aromaleigh Anonymous group on Facebook.  Lovely bunch of ladies, Wendi from Makeup Zombie put me onto it.  If you are looking for Aromaleigh and haven't been able to get in on their Grab Bags, head on over!  All swaps and available colours are on the 'Discussions' tab.  There are also reference discussions so that everyone who has done business with a person on the page writes a review on them so you can check people out before doing swaps if you want.

I made my first orders on Fyrinnae, Sugarpill, Moi Minerals, Evil Shades... probably a few more but I can't remember because I'm going crazy.  I will certainly post about them when I receive them.  They are either in packing, shipped, or in customs right now... so I'm sitting around all *where are my packages!!*

There are a few things I really want to order asap as well.  Cult Nails!! Lost in Makeupland to name a few.

Things are slowly shaping up at home.  We are discovering that we don't have much storage space at all.  We must have had 5 huge closets in our old place including a large storage shed.  In the new place we have two closets and... a sort-of closet.  So we have tons of crap that need places to go.  I've set up some shelves and that has helped, but we need more storage solutions.  Oh.  We also have a solid cedar rectangular table that weights about... 400lbs that has no legs, seats 8 comfortably.  We are going to head over to Home Depot this weekend to try and find some saw horses that can carry the load.  Once that table is set up I will be soooo happy.  I will have work space!

So?  Tell me about your experiences with the brands I've spoken about!  Go ahead and link to blog entries if you have written reviews or done looks.  I'll allow it this time. ;)  Ta-ta for now!

UPDATE!

Hello boils and ghouls!  Long time no see!
It's been a highly stressful time for me so there are plenty of depressed and lethargic reasons why I didn't keep up with blogging.  But there is a light at the end of the dark tunnel.

- My husband finally got his work permit and is now working close to full-time hours every week!  YAY!
- We are moving from our crappy over-priced apartment into a nice basement suit that will save us $$$!!!  Best part?  Huge kitchen!!  WEEEE!!
- I have started playing more with make-up and experimenting.  I will do some swatching and maybe.... if I don't scare the shit out of myself with a camera showing parts of my face!  *cower*

Some products will include Evil Shades, Face Candy Couture, Aromaleigh, Meow Cosmetics, and more.

So please be patient as we pack (and pack, and pack...) and move and un-pack!  I will be back.  :)

~Skulda