When it comes to cosmetics most of us have very limited knowledge as to what is in what we put on our skin; as going green has become one of the largest national movements in recent times with people going green with vehicles, water bottles, home appliances, and even bathroom tissue. I felt it was time to shine some light on green makeup. Valerie Mason-Robinson is one of the most knowledgeable women when it comes to green makeup; I had the privilege of conducting an interview with Valerie and this is how it went.
Amy: Hello Valerie,
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for agreeing to this interview. I hope this interview will help not only educate, but assist women in making choices with their makeup according to their needs and wants.
Amy: Valerie, can you start off by telling me a little about yourself?
Valerie:
First of all, I’m a mother, a wife, who just so happens to be a chemical engineer, a licensed esthetican, and former cosmetic researcher.
Amy: You have been nicknamed the “Queen of Green Makeup”; why is that?
Valerie: My background combines my hands on approach as a esthetican and my “brain” knowledge of all the harmful chemicals so that’s how I got the nickname.
Amy: What is “Green” makeup? Why is it different from your average makeup?
Valerie: Green Makeup is different because it doesn’t contain many of the fillers such as, parabens and common emulsifiers such as, sulfates to manage and stabilize the shelf life of its products. I would also check www.safecosmetics.org or www.cosmeticdatabase.com to see if that company is truly safe and green.
Amy: Does “Green” makeup have any skin or health benefits that other cosmetics do not?
Valerie: I believe so, many cosmetic companies claim to add antioxidants of other substances but if you check the ingredients list, the item they are marketing the most as being healthy is usually one of the last ingredients on the list which means that it’s a very minor amount but it ‘s so common place it’s absolutely horrible.
Amy: What would you say to a teenage girl who wants to start wearing makeup? Are there certain products you would recommend to her
Valerie: Yes, Jane Iredale is very reputable brand a signer of the Campaign for safe cosmetics. A more economical brand may be Stript Vegan Makeup or check the site for www.teensturninggreen.org for other brands. Also please invest in a good eco-friendly mascara, your eyes are super sensitive so the extra money is worth it for a mascara and lipgloss.
Amy: Is “Green” makeup user friendly?
Valerie: Definitely, makeup is about having the right brushes for application. If you have a few good foundation brushes such as, a Kabuki and eyeshadow brushes you will be fine.
Amy: Why have you become so passionate about this sort of makeup?
Valerie: I have a number of factors, one being my mother and my daughter. My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and many of the common chemicals such as propylene glycol or DEA are found in several cosmetics. My daughter also several skin and respiratory allergies, this pushed me to detoxify my home from the cleaning products to the personal care products slowly but surely I converted. I ignored much of the information because of convenience truthfully it was easy to go to the drug store and pickup what was on sale and cheap, until it affected me personally I didn’t have a vested interest. Now it’s a quality of like issue to me.
Amy: Is “Green” Makeup photograph friendly?
Valerie: Of course, all of my headshots are done with “green makeup” and airbrush makeup and very toxic, green makeup has 8-12 hours lasting power if you apply correctly and your know you have a special event to attend.
Amy: How long have you been in the makeup industry, can you give us some background?
Valerie: If you include my cosmetic research at MIT, I guess 15 years .
Amy: All in all is there anyone you WOULDN’T recommend “Green” makeup for?
Valerie: Definitely not, I’ve even converted my 66 year old mother who was a die hard Clinique fan. So many cosmetics are being linked to breast cancer and other various skin disorders it’s so worth it to invest in the right products.
Amy: Thank you so much for sharing your wealth of knowledge with me today Valerie.
Comments
More sad exploitation of "green" aka greenwash. Parabens and other prsservaitves are hardly "fillers". Folks have become blind or even died as a result of comstic products contaminaetd with bacteria and preservatives prevent this.
Since when does greed to exploit green make one such an expert?
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