makeup

Even More Eyeliner: Finding the best natural replacement for liquid liner

CaitlinLeave a comment

In my earlier liquid eyeliner post, I talked about replacing L’Oreal Pro felt tip liquid liner with Zuzu Luxe liquid liner. While this Zuzu Luxe liner is OK, and definitely contains fewer toxic ingredients than my original L’Oreal liner, there were a few things about it I didn’t like.

I noticed that the Zuzu liner is a bit more difficult to control in application, although both liners have a “felt tip” style applicator. The Zuzu liner is also more smudge prone for me—especially if I accidentally rub my face sitting at the computer, or get sweaty in the gym.

It’s a little more difficult to apply and doesn’t hold as well for me. However, I’ve seen lots of reviews online from ladies who love the applicator and have no problems with smudging, so I think this just reflects personal preference.

Since I wasn’t totally satisfied with the Zuzu liner, I decided to purchase and try a few more brands.

{Even More} Natural, Less Toxic Liquid Liners

The Brands

My Review

While the Zuzu Luxe liquid eyeliner worked OK for me, I wanted to find something with a better applicator, more similar to the L’Oreal Pro felt tip liner I was used to. Because I’ve had good luck replacing other makeup items with Mineral Fusion, I tried their liquid eyeliner first.

Mineral Fusion long-wearing liquid liner

This liner was disappointing for me. Although I liked their primer a lot and their mascara was decent, this liquid liner just did not work well for me. The applicator was stiff and uncomfortable against my eyelids, and the liner itself was watery and low pigment.

Even though I tried the ‘ebony’ color, it looked like a dark grey on my lids. The good news: this liquid liner is EWG verified to avoid many concerning ingredients, so if you want to give it a try, its toxicity concerns are low-to-nonexistent.

Beauty Without Cruelty ink liner

This BWC ink liner is great! The applicator is exactly what I was looking for: a flexible felt tip that carries a lot of liner and provides a clean, smooth line. It does not dry out easily—in fact, the name “ink liner” is not an exaggeration. This is like using an actual pot of ink for eye liner.

The hold is great: no smudging, smearing, or unintentional smoky eye. In fact, the hold is so strong that this liner is a little tough to remove at the end of the day. It’s not waterproof, but it does take me more than one pass with my makeup remover to get it all.

The only downside of this liner so far is opening the product. There is a very tight seal at the opening, which creates some suction when you remove the applicator wand from the pot of liner. Several times, I’ve pulled too hard and ended up splattering the inky liner all over my hands and the bathroom counter. This aspect of the packaging could be improved, but I’ve found that by opening it very carefully I can avoid making a mess.

I was unable to find this liner in the EWG’s Skin Deep database, but other eyeliner products from Beauty Without Cruelty had low ratings of 1-2. Depending on how long one bottle lasts and what additional information I’m able to find about their ingredients, I may continue my eyeliner search. For now, I think this is a good replacement.

This is a follow-up post to a 6-post series about replacing my drugstore makeup brands with less toxic products, as rated by the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database, which is an awesome free resource for researching your own beauty products and common ingredients.

Read the first post in this natural makeup series »

Other Posts in this Series

Affiliate Disclosure: This website uses affiliate links. If you buy a product on Amazon using my links, I’ll earn a commission on your purchase. It doesn’t add anything to the product prices. Unless otherwise noted in a specific post, I am not paid or endorsed by the manufacturers of the products I use.

Natural Makeup & Less Toxic Alternatives: Recap

CaitlinLeave a comment

This is the recap post for a 6-post series about replacing my drugstore makeup brands with less toxic products, as rated by the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database, which is an awesome free resource for researching your own beauty products and common ingredients.

Read the first post in this natural makeup series »

The Recap

In the previous six blog posts, I’ve outlined the makeup I use for my day-to-day look and identified less toxic replacements for all of my beauty store brands. Here’s a quick look at the new products I’m using and what I think of them.

Mineral Fusion Volume Mascara:
Just OK. Definitely less toxic, but I’m not crazy about the applicator.
BUY ON AMAZON | READ THE POST

Zuzu Luxe White Liner Pencil:
Great! I like this liner even more than my previous one.
BUY ONLINE | READ THE POST

Mineral Fusion Concealer Duo:
Great! This product works well for me.
BUY ON AMAZON | READ THE POST

Zuzu Luxe Eye Shadow:
These work well for me. Easy to apply, and lots of colors available.
BUY ON AMAZON | READ THE POST

Zuzu Luxe Liquid Eye Liner:
Just OK. I’m going to keep looking for a liner with a better felt tip applicator.
BUY ON AMAZON | READ THE POST

Mineral Fusion Eye Primer:
Great! The hold is good, and it’s less expensive than my previous NARS primer.
BUY ON AMAZON | READ THE POST

What do you think?

Have you tried any of these natural, less-toxic makeup brands? What are your favorites, and which brands do you recommend?

Affiliate Disclosure: This website uses affiliate links. If you buy a product on Amazon using my links, I’ll earn a commission on your purchase. It doesn’t add anything to the product prices. Unless otherwise noted in a specific post, I am not paid or endorsed by the manufacturers of the products I use.

Non-Toxic Concealer

Caitlin1 Comment

This is one post in a 6-post series about replacing my drugstore makeup brands with less toxic products, as rated by the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database, which is an awesome free resource for researching your own beauty products and common ingredients.

Read the first post in this natural makeup series »

The High-Level Comparison

L’Oreal True Match Concealer Crayon

  • Higher hazard score
  • Slightly better hold
  • Only one color per crayon

Mineral Fusion Concealer Duo

  • EWG Verified
  • Smooth, soft finish
  • Two colors for blending a perfect match

The Details

This might sound counter-intuitive, but many of the concealer crayon products I’ve tried have an almost waxy texture. While it can feel kind of gross to apply, I do like that the waxy finish tends to give a strong hold that doesn’t wear off quickly.

The L’Oreal True Match Concealer Crayon is rated a 4 on the EWG hazard scale, while the Mineral Fusion Concealer Duo is EWG verified to avoid ingredients of concern and offer full transparency about what the product contains.

The Mineral Fusion Concealer Duo doesn’t hold quite as well as the L’Oreal True Match Concealer Crayon, but with either one I typically needed to re-apply at least mid-day. The Mineral Fusion Concealer Duo has the added advantage of the two-tone palette, which is great for blending to get an exact match. I find that different areas of my face get different sun exposure so I need a darker concealer on my chin, nose, and cheek bones, but lighter on my temples and forehead.

The Conclusion

The Mineral Fusion Concealer Duo has worked well for me as a replacement for concealer crayon products. I’m open to trying other types of natural concealers, but probably won’t actively hunt for them since I like this one.

Other Posts in this Series

Affiliate Disclosure: This website uses affiliate links. If you buy a product on Amazon using my links, I’ll earn a commission on your purchase. It doesn’t add anything to the product prices. Unless otherwise noted in a specific post, I am not paid or endorsed by the manufacturers of the products I use.

Replacing Covergirl Lash Blast mascara with a natural alternative

Caitlin1 Comment

This is one post in a 6-post series about replacing my drugstore makeup brands with less toxic products, as rated by the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database, which is an awesome free resource for researching your own beauty products and common ingredients.

Read the first post in this natural makeup series »

The High-Level Comparison

CoverGirl Lash Blast Volume Mascara

  • Awesome applicator
  • Cheaper
  • Good hold but easy to remove

Mineral Fusion Volumizing Mascara

  • Average applicator
  • More expensive
  • Difficult to remove

The Details

I’ve been a loyal user of the CoverGirl Lash Blast Volume Mascara since it first hit the market. My favorite thing about it is the spiky applicator brush. In my experience, it’s super effective at getting lots of mascara applied to the lashes with zero clumping. CoverGirl definitely has the advantage over Mineral Fusion on this aspect.

I saved the CoverGirl applicator from my last tube of mascara, washed it off, and tried fitting it into the Mineral Fusion bottle…no luck. The wand is too wide.

But, as you can see on the graphic at the beginning of this post, the CoverGirl mascara has a hazard score of 4 (like many of my favorite products that I’m working on replacing). While a 4 is not super high on the hazard scale, exposure to many toxins in a variety of products for many hours every day has a cumulative, negative effect on overall health.

So, in my continuing efforts to reduce my toxic beauty products, I’ve been trying the Mineral Fusion Volumizing Mascara. It’s EWG verified to avoid ingredients of concern and offer full transparency about what the product contains.

The Mineral Fusion Volumizing Mascara tends to go on a bit clumpier and is messier to remove, but the hold throughout the day seems similar (no flaking or smudging for me). Plus, the overall volume of the Mineral Fusion mascara is similar to the CoverGirl mascara: both deliver fuller eyelashes.

The Conclusion

The Mineral Fusion Volumizing Mascara is a great replacement for the CoverGirl Lash Blast Volume Mascara if you’re looking for a mascara with fewer toxic or potentially harmful ingredients. However, the applicator is not ideal. I’m going to keep searching for a less toxic mascara with a 5-star applicator, and I’ll update this post when I find one!

Other Posts in this Series

Affiliate Disclosure: This website uses affiliate links. If you buy a product on Amazon using my links, I’ll earn a commission on your purchase. It doesn’t add anything to the product prices. Unless otherwise noted in a specific post, I am not paid or endorsed by the manufacturers of the products I use.

White Eyeliner Pencil: Choosing a non-toxic brand

Caitlin1 Comment

This is one post in a 6-post series about replacing my drugstore makeup brands with less toxic products, as rated by the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database, which is an awesome free resource for researching your own beauty products and common ingredients.

Read the first post in this natural makeup series »

The High-Level Comparison

NYX White Eyeliner Pencil

  • Softer liner
  • Cheaper
  • On average, NYX has higher hazard scores

Zuzu White Eyeliner Pencil

  • Firmer liner
  • More expensive
  • On average, Zuzu has lower hazard scores

The Details

I was unable to find either of these products in the EWG’s Skin Deep database. However, each brand did have a number of other products listed. NYX product scores ranged from 2-3 on the hazard ratings, while the Zuzu product scores ranged from 1-2.

Both pencils work decently to add a bright accent. The NYX white eyeliner pencil is softer than the Zuzu Luxe white eyeliner pencil. I think this is a matter of preference, but I prefer the firmer Zuzu Luxe pencil as it keeps its point longer and doesn’t need to be sharpened as often.

The Conclusion

The Zuzu Luxe white pencil eyeliner is a good replacement for other drugstore brands. It’s a bit more expensive, but seems to last longer so the price difference may even out over time.

Other Posts in this Series

Affiliate Disclosure: This website uses affiliate links. If you buy a product on Amazon using my links, I’ll earn a commission on your purchase. It doesn’t add anything to the product prices. Unless otherwise noted in a specific post, I am not paid or endorsed by the manufacturers of the products I use.

Black Liquid Eyeliner: Best natural alternative

Caitlin1 Comment

This is one post in a 6-post series about replacing my drugstore makeup brands with less toxic products, as rated by the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database, which is an awesome free resource for researching your own beauty products and common ingredients.

Read the first post in this natural makeup series »

The High-Level Comparison

L’Oreal Pro Felt Tip Eyeliner

  • Rating of 4 on EWG’s hazard scale
  • Awesome applicator for a smooth line
  • Tends to dry out quickly
  • Stays put, no smudging

Zuzu Luxe Liquid Eyeliner

  • Less toxic – only a 2 on the EWG hazard scale
  • Not a great applicator
  • Easy to apply and doesn’t dry out quickly
  • More prone to smudging

The Details

The pros and cons lists above pretty much say it all! The L’Oreal Pro Felt Tip Eyeliner offers the best applicator tip I’ve used with a liquid liner. However, it has a higher hazard rating than the Zuzu Luxe Liquid Eyeliner.

The L’Oreal liquid liner also tends to dry out quickly, both during application and total product lifespan. I’ve noticed needing to re-dip the applicator three or four times when lining just one lid. In contrast, the Zuzu liquid liner seems to go further. I can get a good line with just one or two dips. The Zuzu liner also seems to create a darker, more saturated line for a really crisp look (great for winged eyeliner!).

I have noticed that the Zuzu liner is a bit more difficult to control in application, although both liners have a “felt tip” style applicator. The Zuzu liner is also more smudge prone for me—especially if I accidentally rub my face sitting at the computer, or get sweaty in the gym.

The Conclusion

The Zuzu Luxe liquid liner is a less toxic option to replace my favorite L’Oreal felt tip black liquid eyeliner. It’s a little more difficult to apply and doesn’t hold as well for me. However, I’ve seen lots of reviews online from ladies who love the applicator and have no problems with smudging.

While it’s a good start in my natural, less-toxic makeup overhaul, I’m looking forward to trying a few other brands and will update here with my results!

UPDATE: I’ve tried a few more natural, less-toxic liquid eyeliner brands and have written a comparison post here.

Other Posts in this Series

Affiliate Disclosure: This website uses affiliate links. If you buy a product on Amazon using my links, I’ll earn a commission on your purchase. It doesn’t add anything to the product prices. Unless otherwise noted in a specific post, I am not paid or endorsed by the manufacturers of the products I use.

Eye Shadow: Less toxic alternatives to CoverGirl

Caitlin2 Comments

This is one post in a 6-post series about replacing my drugstore makeup brands with less toxic products, as rated by the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database, which is an awesome free resource for researching your own beauty products and common ingredients.

Read the first post in this natural makeup series »
Step 2 in my daily makeup routine after eyelid primer is eye shadow. What is a good, less toxic natural eye shadow brand to use?

The High-Level Comparison

CoverGirl Eye Enhancers Individual Shadows

  • Rating of 4 on EWG’s hazard scale
  • A lot of shadow included in each pan
  • Applicator included in case
  • Cheap

Zuzu Luxe Individual Shadows

The Details

Step 2 in my daily makeup routine after eyelid primer is eye shadow. I’ve used CoverGirl for a long time because it gives good, smooth coverage and is available in a wide range of colors, for sale pretty much everywhere, and not super pricey. I typically prefer shadows that are 1 color per pan—with the 3-color pans, there’s always one color that runs out first and it turns into a hassle to have several trios just because I used more of “Fancy Peach” than “Desert Sand!”

My usual application is a nude color over the entire eyelid, followed by a darker neutral at the outside of each eye and into the eyelid crease. So, I needed to replace two CoverGirl colors with two less toxic alternatives.

Step 2 in my daily makeup routine after eyelid primer is eye shadow. What is a good, less toxic natural eye shadow brand to use?

The CoverGirl eye shadow I used was rated a 4 on the EWG’s hazard scale. Not awful, but not great. The first replacement shadow I’m trying is Zuzu Luxe, which is rated a 2 on the hazard scale and classified as low hazard.

I found these individual pans of Zuzu Luxe shadow for sale at my local Natural Grocers in a wide range of colors. They also had a lot of open test products available so I was able to pick my two colors and actually try them on the back of my hand before buying which was great for ruling out shades that were too dark, too light, and too orange!

The Zuzu shadows apply evenly and the coverage seems equivalent to the CoverGirl shadow I was using before. You get less shadow in each pan than the CoverGirl shadows, and each one is more expensive. However, I definitely recommend trying your local health foods store like Natural Grocers, Sprouts, or Whole Foods because I think the prices were slightly less in-store than online.

The only downside with these Zuzu Luxe shadows is that they don’t include an applicator or space to store it within the case. I bought a pack of 1000 cheap applicators online and, after suffering through about 900 of them, decided to treat myself to the CoverGirl applicators . These are really soft, hold a lot of product, and last a long time without the foam ends falling off.

The Conclusion

Want to reduce your exposure to toxins in makeup? Zuzu Luxe eye shadows make a great alternative to drugstore brands like CoverGirl. They offer smooth application, good coverage, and a wide range of shades available.

Want to reduce your exposure to toxins in makeup? Zuzu Luxe eye shadows make a great alternative to drugstore brands like CoverGirl. They offer smooth application, good coverage, and a wide range of shades available.

Other Posts in this Series

Affiliate Disclosure: This website uses affiliate links. If you buy a product on Amazon using my links, I’ll earn a commission on your purchase. It doesn’t add anything to the product prices. Unless otherwise noted in a specific post, I am not paid or endorsed by the manufacturers of the products I use.

Eyelid Primer: Is there a natural brand with good hold?

Caitlin2 Comments

This is one post in a 6-post series about replacing my drugstore makeup brands with less toxic products, as rated by the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database, which is an awesome free resource for researching your own beauty products and common ingredients.

Read the first post in this natural makeup series »
I decided to try Mineral Fusion's Smoothing Eye Primer and so far, so good! I'm able to wear makeup for 12+ hours per day—including workouts—without it getting smudgy or getting an eyelid crease.

The High-Level Comparison

NARS EYE PRIMER

  • Really strong hold (occasionally overnight)
  • Keeps eye shadow in place during workouts
  • Easy to apply

MINERAL FUSION EYE PRIMER

  • Strong hold (12+ hours)
  • Keeps eye shadow in place during workouts
  • Slightly tacky consistency, less easy to apply

The Details

I wasn’t able to find data in the EWG database about the NARS primer specifically, but saw that most NARS products were rated a 4 or 5 on the hazard scale. So, even though I’ve used this NARS primer loyally for years, I decided this was the first product to switch. I researched and read about a number of primers online, from the All Natural Face’s Magic Primer (which I didn’t try, but am curious about) to some homemade primer concoctions sold online with no labels (sketchy).

I decided to try Mineral Fusion’s Smoothing Eye Primer and so far, so good! It’s stickier to apply than the NARS primer, which has more of a powdery dry feeling. I’m able to wear makeup for 12+ hours per day—including workouts—without it getting smudgy or getting an eyelid crease. I think NARS held slightly better (occasionally even overnight when I was too lazy to remove makeup at night), but I don’t really need that level of adhesive for day-to-day wear!

I tried this eyelid primer with both my “normal” CoverGirl eyeshadow and my new less toxic replacement shadow (Zuzu Luxe) and the hold seemed the same with both.

EWG scientists reviewed Mineral Fusion Smoothing Eye Primer for safety according to the methodology outlined in our Skin Deep Cosmetics Database. We assess the ingredients listed on the labels of personal care products based on data in toxicity and regulatory databases, government and health agency assessments and the open scientific literature. Mineral Fusion Smoothing Eye Primer is EWG VERIFIED™.

EWG’s Skin Deep Database

The Conclusion

Is there a natural, less toxic brand with good hold? Yes! The Mineral Fusion Smoothing Eye Primer is working great for me. The hold is good, the product is cheaper than the NARS primer I was using before, and one tube lasts a long time.

Is there a natural, less toxic brand with good hold? Yes! The Mineral Fusion Smoothing Eye Primer is working great for me. The hold is good, the product is cheaper than the NARS primer I was using before, and one tube lasts a long time.

Other Posts in this Series

Affiliate Disclosure: This website uses affiliate links. If you buy a product on Amazon using my links, I’ll earn a commission on your purchase. It doesn’t add anything to the product prices. Unless otherwise noted in a specific post, I am not paid or endorsed by the manufacturers of the products I use.