The Powder Room Journal
Ingredients explained, routines analysed, and the questions our community are asking
The Powder Room Journal
Pure-Fect Make-Up Brushes for a Clear Conscience
Let’s face it, makeup brushes are far more effective than fingers. Further, we have come a long way since those days we used makeup brushes that came with the makeup. While there might still be some serial offenders, the majority of folk roaming the streets with streaky looking makeup are a thing of the past. The right brush can disperse product more evenly and smoothly across the skin. So having the right brush matters. And we are not talking about one brush for all and not just any kind of brush. We know, it’s a bit of a drag to spend money on makeup tools instead of actual makeup (we feel your pain) but it’s worth it. And trust us, your skin will thank you. With so many types of brushes, how do you find the best brush for your needs?First step: Determine what makeup you intend to use it. If you are into powder or creamy eyeshadows, then eyeshadow makeup brushes are just what you need. If you would like your foundation to be buttery-smooth, then a suitable foundation brush is the product of choice for that seamless, polished coverage. Secondly, think about the purpose. Do you want to use a makeup brush for blending? If so, you should pick a fluffier type of brush as it will diffuse whatever pigment powder you are using and automatically makes you look like you know what you are doing. On the other hand, if you are looking to add more coverage with streak-free precision, then a flat type of brush surface is best. Faux bristles or Natural, how do you choose?Synthetic all the way! Why wouldn’t one go for a truly cruelty-free alternative given there are so many unbelievably soft ones out there? Not only is synthetic more affordable, it is also better for your skin. The fibers are easier to clean and sanitize than animal hair makeup brushes which are likely to collect bacteria. With huge advancements in technology, faux bristles will not only stand the test of time but are antimicrobial. Also, it’s 2022 and just as we have banished fur and non-cruelty-free beauty and skincare products, the same must be done when it comes to investing in quality tools. For the animal lovers, it is also extremely difficult to know if natural makeup brushes are made in a cruelty-free way. Due to a lack of regulation or animal welfare laws in countries where many of these products are manufactured, only a small number of brands can trace the origins of the materials back to a source. So, think about the goats, boars, and squirrels! Think of their sad faces.Also, from a purely practical point of view, if you have sensitivity or allergies to some animals or animal hair this type of makeup brush is a no-no. Did we mention that these types of brushes also shed over time, from application and cleaning? Not pleasant... Makeup brush hackWhen applying foundation, start by putting a bit of the product on the back of your hand and then dip the brush to get the most of your precious products. This will give you control to use as little or as much of the product as you like. Makeup brushes have a way of eating up your product so this will help you to avoid wastage. A win-win solution for all. Shop our premier pro vegan brushes by RÓEN Beauty here exclusive to Powder Beauty!
Vegan and Cruelty-Free: What do the labels mean?
New Year’s symbolises new beginnings, whether they be taking up a new hobby, working on self development or committing to changing up your health routine – it's the start of something new. One of the ways we can begin to make a change is by creating a more conscious thought process when purchasing items and here we are going to talk about how we, as a community, can choose better. One thing to consider is you don’t have to be a Vegan, or adopt a totally Vegan lifestyle, in order to buy vegan beauty and skincare products. Your choice to purchase vegan products falls in line with the same principles as buying Cruelty Free, you don’t need to have a pet dog or rabbit to care about animal welfare. Looking at labels, certified and non-certified, and ingredients means that your choice of purchase can be traced back to the origin ensuring the product is free from animal harm, such as testing and animal derivatives, and/or vegan! With so many labels on the market, it can be confusing and complicated to decipher what they mean, are they genuine and how to choose with clarity. Well, we’ve got you covered! What do Vegan and Cruelty-Free mean? Let’s start with the definitions, which often get mixed-up. Products which are advertised as ‘Vegan’ are formulated entirely without any animal-derived ingredients such as collagen, albumen, gelatin, shellac or carmine. They even go as far as to omit more ‘natural’ animal by-products such as honey, beeswax, or lanolin. Cruelty-Free, on the other hand, simply refers to products that not have not been tested on animals. However, this claim often only refers to the production process rather than the raw ingredients. This means that it is possible for a cruelty-free product to be formulated with animal-derived ingredients such as beeswax, carmine, lanolin, shellac, or goat's milk, for example. Can a product be Vegan but not cruelty-free (or vice versa)? Yes, because their definitions are separate. A product can either be both Vegan and Cruelty-Free, or it can be one but not the other. While a Vegan product is made without animal-derived ingredients, this does not necessarily mean that the final product wasn’t tested on animals, and vice versa. Animal by-products can also be ethically-sourced so some products are cruelty-free but not Vegan. While these definitions are clear, many brands still often allow the lines between the two to blur, so where does that leave us? Check the claims To determine if your product is either Vegan or cruelty-free, start by checking the box for claims. Look out for logos of certifying bodies, such as the Leaping Bunny approval from Cruelty-Free International, or for a clear statement that the product has not been tested on animals. If animal welfare is a cause that’s close to your heart, check if the brand is sold in Mainland China, where regulation currently requires animal testing. Most brands detail these claims on their websites so do your research. If you prefer to use Vegan products, look for out for a statement which claims that the product is ‘suitable for Vegans’ or for the Vegan symbol, often indicated with a ‘V’. If this is not on the product, start by scanning the ingredients list and look out for items like gelatine, beeswax, honey, carmine, snail mucin, cera alba, pearl or silk extract, milk derivatives, casein, or lanolin (grease from sheep’s wool). For help deciphering more complex labels, look the product up on the EWG database which provides helpful explanations in terms we can understand or visit Cruelty Free Kitty for globally vetted brands.
A few good reasons to switch to eco-friendly beauty: five clean brands that put the earth first
When it comes to caring for the planet, one of the most impactful things you can do is clean up your beauty routine! Research shows that cosmetic ingredients like synthetic fragrances and chemicals can sometimes end up in our water or soil, harming plants and animals and causing disruption to the natural ecosystems. Additionally, many companies still use a lot of packaging for their products, meaning excess plastic and paper waste. That’s the bad news. The good news is that as more shoppers demand cleaner, safer and more sustainable products, many independent companies are stepping up to the plate and introducing more eco-friendly options. If you’ve been thinking about becoming a more conscious consumer, your personal care products are a perfect place to start. By opting for cruelty-free, vegan cosmetics made with better ingredients and more sustainable packaging, you’ll help preserve the planet and your skin. To help you get started, here are clean and conscious brands we love, that are leading the way, and changing the game with cleaner beauty products: Róen Beauty Róen Beauty is a brand that truly thinks on the next level. They may be known for their beautiful pigment-rich cosmetics but they’re also a company that cares about clean formulas. In recent years, they’ve eliminated the use of glitter - which is known to be harmful to the environment - and innovated their products utilizing low-toxicity ingredients like zinc stearate and responsibly sourced mica, which preserves the color payoff customers love, with no glitter needed. Rahua Rahua’s brand tagline is “Rainforest Grown Beauty'' and they are committed to giving back through numerous practices that support preservation of the Amazon rainforest. Water conservation, recyclable sustainable packaging, philanthropy, and community service are all part of their company mission. This popular line focuses on natural formulas for the hair and skin. All Rahua products are vegan, organic, sulfate-free, paraben-free and support indigenous economies. Ilia Beauty Ilia has built a reputation for creating clean skin-centric products that go viral; but they’re equally passionate about eco-friendly beauty. Ilia advocates for sustainability across the board, using only recycled aluminum and post-consumer recycled paper printed with vegetable-based dyes to package their iconic line. SunKiss Sun protection products are a very important part of any skincare routine. However, certain SPF ingredients have been found to be very harmful to marine life and flora. Enter: SunKiss, a luxury brand that is changing the sunscreen game by offering reef-friendly sun care products. They’re also striving to reduce their environmental impact by reducing packaging waste. Their reusable and refillable aluminum bottles are 100% recyclable and produced using only 5% of the energy expended for plastic packaging. Moon Juice This loved indie wellness beauty brand’s glass packaging is infinitely recyclable and reusable and the outer cartons are printed with eco-friendly veggie ink on FSC-certified paper. Going a step further, Moon Juice’s “Supers” glass bottles will transition to Beyond Green lids later this year. Instead of virgin plastic, these lids are made from a corn-based resin (PLA) and will fully break down in an industrial compost after 6 months, or your backyard compost after 1 year.
What’s the difference between Vegan and Cruelty Free?
It is 2023 and animal cruelty should be non-negotiable! Not testing on animals is something we’re fully behind. And if the products are vegan, even better. It might have all started with food, but what was once a niche lifestyle is becoming the mass and more mainstream as people take steps to save our dying planet. Every little bit counts as they say. Today the beauty industry is catering to a ‘woke’ generation and the options when it comes to ethical choices have never been greater. What you feed your skin is extremely important as our skin absorbs up to 60% of everything we put on it. So, if you aren’t already assessing what you feed your skin, start! Whether you are an astute label reader or not, it can be confusing in the best of times as not all brands that claim to be cruelty free and vegan display their accreditation. So, what does cruelty free and vegan really mean? And how can we get the right information about the ingredients in our beauty products. Cruelty Free Cruelty-free simply refers to products that not have not been tested on animals. Simple right? Not exactly, it refers to the process, not the ingredients, which means it is possible for a cruelty-free product to contain non-vegan ingredients, such as beeswax, carmine, lanolin, shellac, tallow, and goat's milk. Vegan Vegan products are ones that do not contain any animal-derived ingredients. This includes, but is not limited to, honey, beeswax, lanolin, collagen, albumen, carmine, cholesterol, gelatin, and many others. Where does it get confusing? By definition a vegan beauty product is cruelty-free because vegans do not opt for products that have been tested on animals. The term ‘cruelty-free’ only refers to animal testing, so a product may be cruelty-free, but ironically contain animal ingredients and thus not be vegan. It is also important to note that just because a product is vegan and cruelty-free it does not necessarily mean that an ingredient list is clean, safe, green, or all-natural. You still need to read the list carefully to be sure you’re not putting dangerous chemicals on your skin. Labels are everything! To determine if your product is cruelty-free, look for a logo like the Leaping Bunny approval from Cruelty-Free International, a leading certification for cosmetics, on products. They also have a very handy app available for IOS and Android. Or, look for something that very clearly states that they don’t test on animals. And if you are seeking out vegan products, the best way to know is by looking for one of the universally recognized vegan symbols, often indicated with a “V”. If this is not on the product, your best option is to scan the ingredient list and look out for items like gelatin, beeswax, honey, casein, and lanolin (grease from sheep’s wool) to name a few.
Is your nail polish toxic?
We love our manicures. The only dilemmas most of us have at the salon are whether to go for a classic mani-pedi or for a gelish colour. Maybe we debate whether to choose the safe nude colours or to go funky and bold for a change. There are even times when we flirt with the idea of having nail art! Unfortunately, what we are not usually thinking about is how our manicure/pedicure habit is affecting our health. So what's in my nail polish? Contrary to popular belief, your nails are actually quite porous. So, while we might think that nail polish sits on top of the nails and it shouldn’t matter what goes on this outer layer, this is simply a misconception. It is therefore important that, as with any other product you use on your skin, you check the ingredients included in your nail polish. Particularly if you are trying to make the transition to a non-toxic and organic lifestyle, you may be surprised to find that some of these beauty staples are formulated with harmful chemicals such as toluene, dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) and formaldehyde - collectively known as the ‘toxic trio’. This is because Formaldehyde has been linked to cancer, dibutyl phthalate is a known endocrine disruptor which may impact the reproductive system, and toluene can be harmful to unborn fetuses and lead to respiratory complications. Although the subject of how much exposure is required for the average woman to be seriously affected is up for debate and further research, the potential risk is still concerning. The good news The good news is that there are now alternative options, and a few health-conscious brands that are “three-free,” foregoing formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and toluene. Some even go further by creating nail varnishes that are five-, seven-, or even nine-free formulas. One of our favorites, Smith & Cult, make long-wearing, pigment-rich nail colors with an exclusive ‘8-Free formula’ excluding nasties such as Dibutyl Phthalate, Toluene, Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin, Camphor, Xylene, Ethyl Tosylamide and Triphenyl Phosphate from their ingredients. With a few safer options now available in the market, it is no longer necessary to compromise on luxury, quality or wear and to still have the beautiful, glossy nails you deserve.
Easy ways to make your beauty routine clean and green
Gone are the days when being a conscious consumer meant waving a heart-breaking goodbye to all those chic, exciting and beautifully-packaged products your heart desires. Luxuriously-formulated organic, vegan and cruelty-free products are more available and accessible than ever before. However, it can still be overwhelming and expensive to make a full commitment to clean and green self-care. Here are our recommendations for making the transition to non-toxic beauty as easy as possible: Start with your body! If your objective to is to reduce the toxins being absorbed directly into your skin, consider that the majority of your skin is on your body, not your face! With that in mind, the fastest, easiest and most effective change you can make to reduce the toxins in your routine is through using organic body products. … then your SPF Regardless of where you stand when it comes to the debate on chemical sunscreen, we can all agree on one thing; in our climate here in the UAE, you need sun protection and you need it daily. Luckily, we now have access to skin-friendly broad-spectrum options to choose from! Try an organic mineral sunscreen on your face and body to protect yourself from the sun’s harmful rays while staying clean and responsible. Focus on your lips Think about it, you can’t fully avoid eating the products you wear on your lips (and all the artificial pigments and chemicals they’re usually made of). If you are going to invest in organic make-up or skincare, prioritise your lips. Don’t obsess with your cleanse Every chemical or product that touches your skin has an impact, to a lesser or greater extent but if you want to clean up your act but don’t want to hurt your wallet, focus on products which stay on your skin. This means prioritizing your moisturizer or serum over your cleanser. We fully-advocate using a milder cleanser with a ‘cleaner’ list of ingredients where possible but if you must choose, choose the products that don’t wash off. Your scalp is still a part of your face (sort of) There are so many harsh, harmful chemicals in most haircare products and these absorb very easily through the sensitive skin on your scalp. Treat it with love and nourish it with organic formulas which soothe and repair as they cleanse.