Want To Know What Your Makeup’s Really Doing To You?

All opinions are mine and mine alone.

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We wear makeup because we want to show our best faces to the world. Knowing you look as beautiful as possible is a sure way to boost your confidence. In many ways, makeup even has healing powers. We may wake up groggy, but a quick bit of war paint will leave us fresh and raring to go. Even a splash of lipstick can lift our moods. Many of us couldn’t be without that trusted makeup kit by our sides.

For most of us, this habit starts when we’re in our teens. There’s certainly some peer pressure involved, but you could argue that hormones are the main culprit. During your teen years, your hormones are all over the shop. As such, your skin won’t look its best. So, you get some foundation to even the tone. You conceal those unflattering spots. And, before you know it, you’re hooked.

But, have your ‘teen’ spots ever gone away? Do you still find that your skin is as uneven as it was all those years ago? Sorry to burst your bubble, but the makeup you wear may be the problem. Your hormones should have settled by now, so you can’t blame those. Instead, it’s time to accept that your makeup could be causing harm. You’re trapped in a vicious cycle of getting spots from the makeup you wear to cover them. And, that’s not the only damage your makeup can cause, either. This list should give you an idea of what your daily go-to does to your face.

CLOGGED PORES

Foundation clogs your pores. Heavy-coverage, oil-based options are the worst for this. But, even lighter choices can cause problems. If you’re honest, this won’t come as any surprise. What did you think would happen when you slathered chemicals on your face daily? And, if you wear long-lasting foundation, even makeup removal might not be enough to get the grime out where it matters.

But, are clogged pores such a big deal? Yes. They definitely are. Clogging your pores with chemicals in this way is one of the main reasons you get spots. It’s also a sure way to make your pores more visible. This looks bad and can cause uneven skin tone to become more visible. So, you put more foundation on to cover the issue. Do you see the problem, yet?

SKIN IRRITATION

And, clogged pores aren’t the only reason for spots and uneven tones. The strong chemicals in many makeups can also cause irritation to your skin. Again, this will leave you breaking out. It can also leave unsightly red patches on certain areas. While this can happen with any strong chemical, it may be that you have an allergy to something you’re using. If you notice extreme rashes on your skin, it’s something worth considering.

HEADACHES

And, your makeup affects more than just the way your skin looks. Those strong chemicals can also cause headaches. At the end of the day, these aren’t things you should have near your nose. From your foundation to your lipstick, it’s all right there for you to smell. All day. Is it any wonder that you end up with headaches? This is as bad as sniffing a pot of foundation for hours on end. There will come a time when the chemicals do some damage. That’s if the strong smells aren’t enough to make your head ache on their own.

WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT IT?

The list could go on, but those are the main things worth considering. So, now you know the problems, what can you do about them? The chances are that giving up your makeup altogether is out of the question. The habit of wearing makeup is the hardest one to break. So, we’re going to look at a few solutions which would let you keep your beauty kit, but without adverse side effects.

Recognize chemicals you don’t gel with

For one, go through your makeup kit and familiarize yourself with problematic chemicals. The chances are you have an item or two which always cause you more issues than others. Compare them to see if they have any ingredients in common. It may be that you have an allergy, or react worse to a particular chemical. Try cutting those products out of your routine for a month, and consider how much better your skin looks. Then, find alternatives without the chemical in question.

Choose organic options

Or, you could cut out chemicals altogether by opting for organic makeup products. These use natural ingredients, which are sure to react better with your skin. If you want some idea where to start, soundbodylife.com lists the best organic makeup brands currently on the market. And, there are many other similar guides out there. All it takes is a little research. Embrace this as an opportunity to refresh your makeup collection. The impact this will have on your skin as sure to be worth the effort.

Make your own

If you don’t like the idea of spending a fortune on new makeup, you could always try making your beauty products yourself. In many ways, this is as good as it gets for ensuring makeup which is good for your skin. This way, you’ll know exactly what goes into the products you use. And, creating makeup is often a lot easier than you realize. With some basic ingredients, you should be ready to go. Bear in mind, though, that you won’t have access to preservatives. You’ll need to produce small amounts often to keep you going. This is a commitment of sorts, but it’s one you’ll be glad you made.

Don’t wear makeup every day

This may have been the point you were fearing, but it’ll make a huge difference. Even with chemical free options, your pores will be covered to a certain extent. So, get into the habit of having makeup free days from time to time. Once a week will be enough at first. That way, your skin will have a chance to breathe!