In the cosmetics industry, brand recognition often enables a single product to sink or swim in the marketplace. But what do we do about brands that have sold us on their message, and yet hide their worrisome ingredients from the consumer?
This month, we’re featuring our Powder Blush, a six-ingredient, non-toxic item that we’re proud to carry in our cosmetic arsenal.  While our Powder Blush ingredients are all non-toxic and safe to use (even to eat!), we unfortunately can’t say the same for all of our competitors. Read below to see what brands you might have in your own makeup kit that produce some non-so-safe products.

L’Oreal
True Match Blush, Apricot Kiss
Although a major player in the cosmetics space, this product is still riddled with harmful ingredients. Because it contains Propylparaben, Butylparaben and Isobutylparaben, ingredients which can cause developmental and reproductive toxicity, endocrine (hormonal) disruption, allergic reactions, and biochemical or cellular level changes, the Environmental Working Group has given this product a high-ranking level of toxicity at a 7.

Physicians Formula
Multi-Colored Blush, Blushing Natural
This brand is one that uses marketing to imply it’s something that it’s not. For instance, why would a company use the name “Physician’s Formula” when a physician would never prescribe Propylparaben or Butylparaben, the same ingredients listed in L’Oreal’s product above? The Environmental Working Group has also given this product a high-ranking toxicity level of 8.

CoverGirl
TruCheeks Blush, Shade 4
Another titan in the cosmetics industry, CoverGirl specializes in women ages 16 – 35 – which is why it’s surprising to realize that they, too, often use less than perfect ingredients. In the case of their TruCheeks Blush, Shade 4, CoverGirl uses Quaternium-15 and a Polyoxymethylene, formaldehyde releasers that have shown causal relationships with cancer, allergies, irritation, organ system toxicity, and contamination concerns.