Healthy make-up: gluten, paraben, phthalate-free

IF IT’S true that good deeds make you glow, then it’s probably a good idea to stock up on things that help the planet.

Last month, Healthy Options started carrying makeup brand Mineral Fusion whose products are made of natural minerals and are free from gluten, parabens, SLS, phthalates, artificial colors and synthetic fragrances. The brand uses natural ingredients such as chamomile and liquorice root, all in an effort to make makeup that helps one’s skin. The line is vegan and cruelty-free.

“These are all ingredients that help soothe the skin,” said Elizabeth Bartlett, Key Accounts Manager for BWX Limited, the parent company of Mineral Fusion, which it acquired in 2017. The brand itself was founded in 2007, and is now a sister brand of Andalou Naturals, a US-based skincare brand that also emphasizes natural products.

“We’re using makeup not to cover up, but to help correct your skin,” she said.

For example, the concealer has pycnogenol, sea kelp, and vitamin C and E for antioxidant protection. Most of the products — including lipsticks, blushes, bronzers, beauty balms, mascaras, and many more — have these properties. The lipsticks, for example, are made with pomegranate, red tea, and white tea, plus Vitamins C and E, to protect delicate lips against free radical damage. Shea butter and jojoba seed oil hydrate and condition, and keep lips soft and supple. “It’s almost an extension of your skincare,” said Ms. Bartlett.

So the products are good for your body, but are they good for the planet? Ms. Bartlett says that the company continuously tries to innovate to make their products more sustainable. “We’ve made some improvements on the quality of the plastics, the size of the products, going into soy ink, and doing energy offsets,” she said.

The products are good news for vegans, but what about curious shoppers just looking for an alternative? The curious but not conscious shoppers might have a certain expectation on how makeup should perform, but Ms. Bartlett says, “It works as well, if not better than conventional brands. What I’m trying to express to people is that minerals are highly pigmented.”

Mineral Fusion is available at Healthy Options outlets. The products range in price from P675 to P1,325. — JLG