Does your makeup contain mercury?

Earlier this year, Minnesota became the first U.S. state to ban mercury in mascara and other cosmetic products. There is no word yet if Canada will follow the example set by that state or not.

That’s a great initiative, but the problem is that knowing and detecting if a specific brand of mascara or makeup contains mercury or not is not an easy task.

Even if you try to read the label of your favourite eye product to see if mercury has been added, you might not find it because mercury isn’t listed as an ingredient on labels.
It might be surprising to find out that cosmetic companies (legally) use mercury in eye products because it’s a preservative and germ-killer. That said, it’s important to keep in mind that mercury can cause serious neurological problems and many believe that it can do damage in even the tiniest amounts. Although its presence in mascara doesn’t pose an immediate health risk, many toxicologists believe mercury accumulated in the body from long term use could be dangerous. Basically, if you’ve been using mascara every single day of your life for the past 20 or 30 years … you might be at risk of mercury accumulation in your system. If you’re not yet ready to give up on the wear of mascara, I’d highly suggest regular body detox with the supervision of your medical or naturopathic doctor.

I’ll always do my best to choose skincare and makeup products that are as good as possible for my skin, but sometimes when it comes to makeup you either have to accept that all the ingredients are not natural, stop wearing makeup and nail polish all together or turn to organic and natural lines.

When it come to natural or organic lines, some are better than others. By that I mean that some will last all day and will still provide you with a perfect finish without using some of the harsher ingredients, but there are going to be a lot of trials and errors on your part before you find a line that works well for you.

I’ve recently spotted two organic mascaras that you might want to consider if mercury is not something you want to come in contact with on a daily basis. These mascaras will coat your lashes, but in many cases, they might not have the plumping effect of other more-conventional brands. Here’s another thing I found about organic mascaras … they won’t dry like other mascaras.

Organic Mascaras:

Nvey Organic Moisturizing Mascara: Contains vitamin B5 (D Panthenol), nettle and horsetail herbs to strengthen, condition and build your lashes and comes in black, brown and blue.

You can purchase the Nvey Organic Moisturizing Mascara online.

Lavara Volume Mascara with Advanced Shaping Brush: This mascara contains organic jojoba and wild rose oils to hydrate your lashes allowing for a flake-free look.

You’ll find the Lavara mascara at most natural health food stores, a number of “natural” spas and Whole Foods market. Alternatively, you can also locate the nearest store to you by visiting the store locator page.