Makeup Talk

If the words “nontoxic nail lacquer” conjure up visions of bland, unfashionable colors, think again. Nail lacquers free of reportedly harmful ingredients are not only being produced by an increasing number of companies, but are on the cutting edge when it comes to the latest trends in nail color. So whether you favor a French manicure or the latest colors from the Paris catwalks, there’s a bottle of harmlessly stylish polish for you.

With people becoming increasingly concerned about the purity of what they put in and on their bodies, it’s no surprise that many are looking for healthier alternatives when it comes to their mani/pedi routines. If anything, it’s a surprise that it took this long. Some in the industry attribute the increased interest in safer cosmetics to the current wave of eco-consciousness. “The increase in ‘green’ started really taking effect last year, after 10 years of trying to educate the public,” says Nubar spokesperson Terry Akins. Nubar is a nail polish line created by founder Noubar Abrahamian when he discovered a family member had cancer. “Noubar realized that there were harmful ingredients in cosmetics, the worst offender being nail polish, and sought alternative answers,” explains Akins.

The three “bad guys” in the nail industry, the ingredients that are increasingly being omitted from nail polish formulas, are formaldehyde, toluene and dibutyl phthalate (DBP). A plasticizing agent often used in nail lacquer formulas, DBP has been banned for use in cosmetic products in the European Union. According to the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database (www.cosmeticsdatabase.com), DBP, toluene and formaldehyde have all been linked to cancer, developmental and reproductive toxicity, and toxicity of the immune and nervous systems. All three products are on the California Safe Cosmetics Act list of ingredients that must be disclosed due to their links to cancer and birth defects.

Thankfully, the industry has responded to the public’s growing concern about these substances, and many quality nail brands are free of all three. While some of these are smaller, boutique beauty brands (such as Nubar, Sparitual, and Rescue Beauty Lounge) even nail giant OPI, which has become the brand ubiquitous to nail salon shelves, removed DBP, toluene and formaldehyde from its products more than a year ago.

While all this talk of toxic ingredients and their potential effects is not a lot of fun, there’s a lot of merriment amidst the brands that eschew them. At Sparitual, products in their Spring 2008 DBP-Free Color Collection sport sassy names such as Plugged In, Aroused, Epiphany and Paradigm Shift. And the paradigm seems to be shifting industry wide. At OPI, their Spring/Summer ’08 India Collection features quirkily dubbed shades including MonSooner or Later, I’m India Mood for Love, and Keys to My Karma.

At Nubar, the color of the season is hot pink, and Geisha Blaze is their best seller. They also have color collections named after everything from wine to flowers. “Nubar allows you to have all the colors and the fun at the same time,” notes Akins. “You no longer have to choose between health and beauty when you are choosing a nail polish.”

WHERE TO BUY

Nubar nail lacquers are available at www.bynubar.com
OPI nail lacquers are used at many local nail salons. For your nearest location, go to www.opi.com
Rescue Beauty Lounge nail lacquers are available at www.rescuebeauty.com
Sparitual nail lacquers are used locally at Preston Wynne spas in Los Gatos and Saratoga, or go to www.sparitual.com

01 Sparitual Disco Inferno, Mindful, Free Bird and Plugged In, $9
02 Nubar Hot Orange, $6.99
03 OPI ElePhantastic Pink, $8.50
04 Rescue Beauty Lounge Chinoise Red, Recycle, Yellow Fever and Purple Haze, $18 each

http://thewavemag.com/pagegen.php?pagename=article&articleid=26631

On May 3rd, 4th & 5th, 2008, The Bennett Career Institute (BCI) will host the 4th Annual Celebrity Make Up Symposium with Celebrity Makeup Artist/Author Sam Fine and Celebrity Makeup Artist Billy B. This three day event taking place at Bennett Career Institute, 700 Monroe St. NE, Washington DC. The symposium opens on Saturday, May 3rd with a Special Award Presentation,  honoring the “2008 Beauty Business Entrepreneur of the Year”

The annual symposium, Created by Mr. C. Alan Bennett, founder of BCI, is designed to educate aspiring beauty industry professionals by offering first hand knowledge from professionals who are trained in designated areas of the industry. All attendees will discover endless opportunities to increase beauty business productivity, while expanding their knowledge of the latest industry terms, trends and technology. The celebrity makeup classes are two hour makeup demonstration. Both Sam and Billy addresses all aspects of makeup and makeup production on a working photography stage, celebrity clients while taking questions and answering the deepest everyday beauty concerns.

For a complete schedule of events and to reserve your seat for the symposium please contact 202-526-1400 ext. 18 or visit  www.bennettcareerinstitute.org

For makeup Brush Information Visit: http://www.thebrushcompany.com

Some people around me have told me in the past not to lash out, but I just couldn’t help myself in this case. NO, I didn’t snap, it’s just that I’ve been in my little rut of mascaras, I tried something last month, but what can I say, sometimes new information comes out and you just have to act on it.  For the past few days I’ve been using a new mascara that gives me pretty long lashes effectively AND safe!

Pure Soul Mascara creates luscious lashes that are soft and flexible, no rock hard lashes here!  The application is very light, perfect for every day use but at the same time this is not your everyday mineral cosmetics line. I learned that from the super-cute afterglow vegan kabuki brush I use every day - it’s holding up beautifully by the way.

Back to the Pure Soul Mascara, I even went without taking it off to sleep with no problem.  It didn’t irritate my contact lensed eyes at all.  No smudges on my face or pillow and absolutely no clumps.  A pure joy to wear and I’m even happier to report a company that cares about women’s health.  I used to blindly trust that what is out on the market has been tested and deemed safe but that is def NOT the case.

Organic cosmetics are all the rage right now, there are a lot of choices out there, but like everything else - you get what you pay for.  As a prestige brand, afterglow not only chooses the most natural and safe cosmetics available, they carefully select the source of those ingredients.  Certified Organic Ingredients are used whenever possible. 

Check your makeUP bags please…

Have you ever thought about the chemicals that are in your cosmetics?  are they safe, any side effects, we’ve all heard the loooong disclaimers on the medications advertised on tv, but that is not true with cosmetics.  Just some pretty women modeling the product with very little actual information about the manufacturing process or chemicals used to make the cosmetics.  I for one don’t want them to get away with that anymore, I love that afterglow lists out the ingredients used to make each product!  Speaking of ingredients…

If you’ve got your make up bag handy, does your current mascara contain Thimerosal?  If so it is a mercury-containing organic compound that has been banned around the world but NOT in the US!! Minnesota is the only state so far to ban intentionally added mercury in cosmetics.  “Mercury does cause neurological damage to people even in tiny quantities” said Sen. John Marty.  So check your cosmetics labels, and be sure to replace with something that is safe like pure soul.

Visit afterglow cosmetics  for the best all natural cosmetics, get pretty with safe cosmetics.  Pure Soul Mascara is available in two shades, mink (brown) and onyx (black).  Get glow-ing!

afterglow cosmetics are:

gluten-free, alcohol-free, paraben-free, synthetic dye-free, perfume-free, mercury-free, petrochemical-free, phthalate-free, mineral oil-free, and tar-free! 

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Tags: afterglow, black, brown, cosmetics, eye makeup, eyes, makeup, mascara, mineral, natural, organic, pure soul

 On The Go?

Afterglow Glow Kits are here! They are available in three shade ranges, Light, Medium and Deep Medium.

 What the kit contains:

* Two Organic Mineral Foundations
* One Organic Mineral Blush
* One Organic Glow Bronzer
* One Organic Setting Powder
* One Mineral Eye Shadow
* One Baby Kabuki Brush
* One Swirler Dish
* One Afterglow Cosmetic Bag
* Application Instructions

Why you’ll love it:

Selection: Each shade range includes a wide range of powders and the perfect combinations.

Compact: The powders are packaged in a neat stack perfect for travel and your makeup bag.

Easy to use: The Swirler dish makes it easy to tap out the right amount of powder to swirl your brush in. Snap the cap on to save any excess powder for next time.

Cruelty Free: The Baby Kabuki brush is super soft and vegan (taklon - not animal hair).

Gift it! Perfectly packaged for the perfect gift for friends and family.

Reuse it! The stackable containers are ideal for reuse as travel containers for any of your favorite mineral powders.

FREE Priority Mail Shipping on Starter Kits until April 30th, 2008.*

 Afterglow Cosmetics is composed of pure mineral ingredients, 100% vegan, Gluten Free, Paraben Free, Bismuth Oxychloride Free while offering the highly pigmented color palette you crave.  Afterglow’s products have continuously been among the most highly rated for safety on the Environmental Working Group’s “Skin Deep Report” website. Afterglow are also proud signers of The Breast Cancer Fund’s Compact for Safe Cosmetics (Campaign for Safe Cosmetics) to advocate for safer cosmetics.  PETA approved! Afterglow Cosmetics Glow Kit $59.00

Shop: http://www.afterglowcosmetics.com

These companies are doing the Green thing today and everyday

·   Afterglow Cosmetics is committed to providing effective and safe cosmetics.
· Afterglow Mercury Free Mascara is being used by celebrity makeup artist Jane Galli for Oscar winning actress Marion Cotillard on the  movie set of Public Enemy.
·   Its all natural formula is rich in soothing organic botanical antioxidants.
·   It’s gentle enough for even the most sensitive eyes.
·   It’s Gluten-free, Alcohol-free, Paraben-free, Synthetic dye-free, Perfume-free, Mercury-free, Petrochemical-free, Phthalate-free, Mineral oil-free, Tar-free Bismuth Oxychloride-free.

http://www.afterglowcosmetics.com·        

The healthy alternative for beautiful nails, nubar nail polishes are free of harmful chemicals like Formaldehyde,Toluene and DBP (Phthalate). A favorite polish of Scarlett Johansson, nubar polishes were seen in the March 2008 issue of InStyle! Magazine.
·         Essentials Hand and Body Lotions by nubar are Paraben Free and made with sweet smelling essential oils. Sweet Almond, Grapefruit, Vanilla and Passion Fruit. The antifungal, healing properties of Jojoba together with Caramiane and Mulberry Root extract work to encourage the growth of beautiful, strong nails.

http://www.bynubar.com 

·         Clean Logic Bath & Body Care’s Body Washes and Lotions are Paraben Free and made with nopal. Nopal has deep healing properties. Clean Logic is eco friendly and charitable too. They support the Inspiration Foundation for people with visual and physical disabilities. Each bottle is printed with Braille.

http://www.cleanlogicbodycare.com 

·         Nutra Luxe MD PLUS Anti-Aging Skin care products are preservative and paraben free. All of the ingredients are micro-encapsulated to preserve their full potency and performance up to the second they are applied to the skin when the capsules rupture.

http://www.nutraluxemd.com 

 ·         VB Cosmetics’ Dazzle Dry Fast drying and high shine Nail Polishes are nitrocellulose free, toluene free, formaldehyde free and phthalate free, plus they have UV protection for long lasting color.

http://www.dazzledry.com

Morphe Kabuki brushes let you create as dramatic a finish as their origin in Japanese theatre and they’re popular because they provide great coverage. This short-handled brush with a big, fluffy head is ideal for touch-ups with face powder, bronzing powder, blush and body powders for natural luminous professional results. It measures approximately 2 1/2 inches high and makes a great addition to your cosmetic bag.  Retail Price: $7.00

Available online at: http://www.morphebrushes.com

The weather outside is awful.
Dark mornings, gloomy days, dirty sky with grey clouds. Cold wind, rain, wet snow and rain again… I’m longing for hot summer so I want to introduce some excellent hot-color Polish from nubar.  I hope you’ll enjoy them…

Shop

http://www.bynubar.com

 Celebrity fragrances are as common as celebrity tabloid gossip. What sets these fragrances apart is the thoughtful approach in making them. These fragrances are all natural and organic, which is important to me as a consumer. Organic perfume is healthier because it gives us another way to minimize exposure to chemicals. An added benefit comes from the use of essential oils. The fragrances come in both a base of coconut oil and organic jojoba, or organic grape alcohol for a pure delivery system for the fragrance. I tried five of the fragrances and found an interesting and completely different combination of scents in each bottle. After going to the site, I realized that were too many choices. The best way to navigate through this line is through the sample sizes. Find a couple that agree with your natural body chemistry before buying a full size. Starring Fragrances offers a custom blend service, featuring a variety of options tailored to the unique signature of each individual. Everyone is the star at starring fragrances with these fun or exotic scents, brought down to a human level, all made by Courtney and Ashley. No questionable phthalates, synthetic or petroleum based ingredients, ever.

Shop: http://www.starringfragrances.com

TODAYS BLACK WOMAN
Mail in to Today’s Black Woman to Win a beauty and accessory basket worth over $2,500!
Simply send a postcard with your name, mailing address, and phone number where you can be reached to:
IT’S A GLAM THING GIVEAWAY BASKET
210 ROUTE 4 EAST, STE. 211
PARAMUS, NJ 07652

does not begin to describe how much I love this Paradise Potion sugar scrub. I picked up the Vanilla-Raspberry scrub at the ISSE show and Wow! What a revelation in skin care. I’ve tried every salt known to the beauty industry but this is the first time I’ve tried a sugar scrub. If salt scrubs make your skin dry and break out then try these sugar potions. They are handmade by Melba with all natural ingredients. The scents are amazing.  My skin felt soft and smooth but not oily. 

 Retail Price $23.95 

Shop

http://www.paradisepotions.com