Break Up With (toxic) Kids’ Make Up

By Danielle

From the time my youngest daughter could walk, she’s loved everything about cosmetics: lipsticks, blush, perfume—all of it! She loves the way it looks and smells, the endless array of colors, and the limitless possibilities of creating a masterpiece on (usually) my face.

When she turned 4 she started asking me for make up for her birthday and Christmas…or because it was a random Tuesday. 😉 The cute little pretend make up sets I bought her just weren’t cutting it anymore. She wanted the real stuff…the kind she saw on TV—you know ‘em…the commercials with the Mountain Dew’d-up child actor who’s painted, lacquered and glittered-up like a tiny baby Tammy Faye. Uhhh. No. Aint happening.

For a very (and I mean very) short time I let her play with my make up because I only bought (and continue to buy) clean, non toxic make up and skin care products. I felt good about letting her use it. Unnnnntil…one day she decided to help herself and smashed, bashed and trashed about $200 worth of lipsticks, blush and eyeshadows. I could have cried. Actually, I did in fact, cry.

So there I was, with my clean, undecorated face, scouring the internet for inexpensive, non toxic make up that came in all the bright and fun colors kids love. My search resulted in….

Nada.

Zilch.

Nothing.

Arrrrgh! All of the make up and nail polishes that were marketed to kids (sometimes even the ones that were marketed as “safe”, “natural” or “organic”) were FULL of nasty, toxic ingredients! And we aren’t just talking some questionable chemicals—we are talking about lead, asbestos and formaldehyde! 🤬Yes! In KIDS make up! Doesn’t that just make you piss sideways? I mean, come on. Where are the regulations? Oh wait…yeah, that’s right, our government hasn’t updated the Cosmetics Safety Act since the 1920’s. **hardest eye roll ever**

So what’s the problem with chemicals and heavy metals in kids make up anyway?

Lead: may cause permanent damage to a child’s brain and nervous system. Even small amounts can be dangerous, as lead builds up in your body over time—remember the term “bioaccumulates”? Children under the age of 6 are most at risk for lead exposure because their brains are still developing and they absorb it more easily than adults.

** found in some lipsticks, eyeshadows, and blush.

Asbestos: no amount of exposure is safe. Can cause cancer as well as lung disease. Microscopic asbestos fibers cannot be seen, smelled, or tasted. Like lead, it accumulates in the body over time and is irreversible.

**found in some eyeshadows, face powder, glitter powder and blush.

Formaldehyde: considered a human carcinogen and can cause asthma or similar medical conditions.

**found in some cleansers and lotions

Parabens: known endocrine disruptors—meaning it can mess with your kids hormones! Known as “estrogen mimickers”, parabens can cause gene mutations that have been shown to cause human breast tumors. Parabens can also negatively affect your child’s reproductive, neurological and immune system, cause weight gain, and early puberty.

That’s just to name a few!

Where should you NOT buy kids make up from? Dollar Stores, Justice, Khols, Target, Walmart, drug stores. Even Burt’s Bee’s chap stick was shown to have lead.

Let’s take a moment to breathe…

Just as I had reached the peak of my shopping frustration, I stumbled across a Facebook post from an acquaintance of mine about a new company she was launching called Prim and Pure…

I knew that this Momma and I had a similar passion for clean ingredients, so naturally, her post was pretty eye catching to me. She was selling non-toxic kids make up!! The angels sang. 👼 I messaged her and asked for a list of ingredients, which she quickly provided. I was so impressed!! This Momma clearly knew what she was doing!

Without hesitation, I placed an order at www.primandpure.co (no…I didn’t make a mistake. There’s no M at the end of co)

When my package arrived, I immediately ripped into it and discovered the cutest little make up set I ever laid eyes on. The eyeshadows, lip gloss, and nail polish I ordered were all in tiny, easy to open containers; they smelled nice (no nasty chemical smell), and were in all the colors my daughter loves! They were easy to apply and stayed on until we took them off! It was nice to know my kids could play with this make up and not have to worry about their endocrine systems becoming compromised or their skin absorbing a dangerous heavy metal.

The Prim and Pure, SAFE and effective products are:

🌱Cruelty Free 🌱Paraben Free

🌱Phthalate Free 🌱Non-GMO

🌱Free of Synthetic FD&C Dyes 🌱Safe Fragrances

🌱Non-Toxic 🌱Gluten Free

🌱No Nanoparticles 🌱No Talc, Petroleum, or Mineral Oil

🌱Made in the USA

Now, before you start thinking “mmm hmmm…I bet she’s being paid to talk this company up”, I can assure you, I am not being paid, at all, for recommending this company. I just like to share good, clean companies when I find them!

In fact, Prim and Pure wants YOU to save money—which is why they are giving each and every one of you 15% off!! Just type in BETTY at check out. Easy peasy! I feel like Oprah right now. You get a discount and YOU get a discount. 😂😂

What are our favorite items from Prim and Pure?

I’ve ordered with Prim and Pure many times over the past 2 years, and each time I order, my daughter and I find a new favorite, like these:

💅 Natural Fruit and Veggie Nail Polish (wait…did that say natural FRUIT and VEGGIE Polish?! 🙌) Designed to wash and peel off and is “15 Free”—meaning they are free of 15 of the worst chemical offenders

👀 Pressed Powder Eye Shadow Duo. If you have a little one, you might want to check out the cream eyeshadow.

✨ Body Glitter—because you KNOW they’re going to ask for it!!

💋 Lip Gloss. Smoochable and non-sticky. It keeps lips moisturized with vitamins and antioxidants. I may or may not carry one in my purse that my daughter doesn’t know about 😉

🧜‍♀️🦄 The cutest Mermaid and Unicorn brushes you’ve ever SEEN!

We can’t wait to try their new plant based hair care line, colored hair wax, and deodorant! We basically just want to try everything!

This holiday season, let’s support small businesses like Prim and Pure—the type of companies who put their heart and soul into their products that we can feel good about!

**Don’t forget to use BETTY at check out! Happy SAFE shopping!