How To Buy Skin-Healthy Makeup

When you have your makeup fully done and you’re ready for a night out on the town, you feel utterly unstoppable. But could that gorgeous and empowering makeup be too hard on your skin? Don’t worry, I’m not about to tell you that you have to go au naturale to have great skin. You might just need to be a bit more strategic about what makeup you use and how you use it. Here’s how to get all the glam you could want without compromising your skin health.

Try Makeup from Skin Care Brands

Did you know that some skin care brands have makeup products too? Some standouts include Osmosis, Colorescience, and Jane Iredale. All of these brands are known for making premium, health-forward skin care, and they bring that same skin care expertise to their makeup products too. Check out skin-friendly makeup products from these brands to see if they’ll jive well with your style and your skin tone.

Check the Label

As you’re shopping for makeup products that won’t leave your skin irritated, dry, or damaged, the labels are your best friends. In particular, look for products that are labeled as “clean” or “natural.” While these terms can be vague and they don’t guarantee that a product is safe, natural products are less likely to contain ingredients that can harm or irritate your skin. In other words, those terms aren’t 100% assurance that the product is good for your skin, but they do make the product a safer bet than most. It’s also a good idea to look at the ingredients list to look for ingredients that can benefit your skin, like hyaluronic acid.

Look Skin Deep

Makeup product labels are helpful when you’re shopping for skin-safe products, but they can also be confusing and overwhelming. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be a dermatologist to know which ingredients are good for your skin and which aren’t. There are some sites and tools out there that can help. 

A particularly reliable one is the Skin Deep database by the Environmental Working Group or EWG. You can search this database for a makeup product and it will tell you any potentially harmful ingredients the product has. It can also point you toward alternative products that are similar but don’t contain those ingredients.

Try Mineral Makeup

As you’re shopping for makeup that your skin will love as much as your mirror does, check out mineral makeup. Mineral makeup products are made primarily from naturally occurring minerals like iron oxide, zinc oxide, talc, and titanium oxide. As with products that are labeled “natural,” mineral makeup is less likely to have ingredients that can irritate or harm your skin.

Tips for Healthy Skin When You Love Makeup

Keeping your skin healthy while enjoying your makeup isn’t just about buying the right products. The way you use those products matters too. Follow these tips to help your skin to be healthy and beautiful with and without your full glam on.

Keep Tabs on Your Skin’s Reactions

Everyone’s skin can have different sensitivities, and honestly, sometimes the only way to know if a product is/will irritate your skin is to try it out and see. Be observant of your skin and look for patterns. Note when and where your skin gets irritated so you can identify if a particular makeup product is making your skin break out. If that happens, look for an alternative that is made with non-irritating ingredients.

Follow Good Makeup Hygiene

Not everyone knows how to care for your skin properly when you’re using makeup (or how to use your makeup properly to make sure it’s healthy for your skin). Here are the essential makeup hygiene practices you should follow:

• Remove makeup every night and use a gentle but thorough cleanser after
• Clean your makeup brushes regularly, about once every couple of weeks – even if you’re using very skin-safe makeup products, unwashed makeup brushes can harbor bacteria and this can irritate your skin or even cause serious infections
• Keep an eye on expiration dates and replace skin care products that expire, as old makeup products can foster bacteria that harm your skin
• Minimize sharing makeup with other people and if you do, avoid using the same applicator

Get Your Glam on Without Compromising Your Skin

Makeup can have its challenges for your skin, but it doesn’t have to. With a little extra care when you’re shopping for products and practicing makeup hygiene, you can make your face an artistic canvas as much as you want and still have beautifully healthy skin underneath.