Pretty in Pink Ribbons: Health and Cosmetics

This time last year, I was in South Korea on business.  While there, I had the pleasure of attending the International Women's Film Festival in Seoul, where I watched an eye-opening documentary about cause marketing, called Pink Ribbons, Inc. (2011, Dir. Léa Pool).

From the film's website:

The ubiquitous pink ribbons of breast cancer philanthropy – and the hand-in-hand marketing of brands and products associated with that philanthropy – permeates our culture, providing assurance that we are engaged in a successful battle against this insidious disease. But the campaign obscures the reality and facts of breast cancer – more and more women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year, and face the same treatment options they did 40 years ago. Yet women are also the most influential market group, buying 80 percent of consumer products and making most major household purchasing decisions. So then who really benefits from the pink ribbon campaigns – the cause or the company? And what if the very companies and products that profit from their association have actually contributed to the problem?

In showing the real story of breast cancer and the lives of those who fight it, Pink Ribbons, Inc. reveals the co-opting of what marketing experts have labeled a "dream cause."

Trailer

Needless to say, my mind was blown after watching this.  That's not to say that I was completely ignorant of the subject matter.  I've been aware of various online databases that list and rate carcinogens in cosmetics for several years now.  I know many (most, I should say) cosmetics and skin care products contain various chemicals that are suspected to be carcinogens (at the time of this writing) and that many of these same cosmetics companies promote breast cancer awareness and research.  The hypocrisy of it all is pretty obvious, but I just never cared enough nor was skeptical enough to connect the dots and put it all together the way this documentary did for me.

It isn't hard to find all natural cosmetics and skin care products these days.  Many companies have jumped on the "natural" and "organic" bandwagons in the last few years (cue buzzword "paraben-free"), making these products more accessible to a wider market.  Walk into any CVS or Target, and you'll find entire shelves in the beauty section devoted to natural products.  Many are still a bit pricier than your run-of-the-mill drugstore brands, but I would say that it's similar to the difference of buying organic vs. non-organic food.  Whether the extra cost is worth it to you financially, and personally, is for you to decide.

Online cosmetics safety databases:

• Cosmeticsinfo.org - "Your source for safety information about cosmetic and personal care products, their ingredients and how they are tested and regulated."
• Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep® - A database that "provides easy-to-navigate safety ratings for tens of thousands of personal care products."

Where you can watch Pink Ribbons, Inc.:

• Netflix
• Buy the DVD
• Download (Canada only)
• Rent for 48 hours (Canada only) 

My Choice for Best Lipsticks...

Since I don't wear makeup all too often, I always feel awkward whenever I recommend a certain product to someone. That being said, if I had to pick my favorite lipstick, my choice right now would be NARS lipsticks.


They come in 3 formulas: satin, semi-matte, and sheer. I can't speak for everyone, but I've noticed that most lipsticks dry the hell out of my lips after about 10 minutes of wear. With NARS, even the matte formula leaves your lips feeling nice and moist, like you just put on some lip balm.

My favorite, so far, is the sheer formula. The colors are highly pigmented (one swipe is usually enough) and buildable (meaning, depending on how much you put on, the colors can be light on your lips or deeply saturated). These lipsticks also leave your lips moisturized pretty much forever (or at least until you wipe it off) without leaving behind any of that greasy/slippery feeling some "moisturizing" lipsticks have. On top of that, there are no added scents or flavors, which I know is a big pet peeve for a lot of people.

NARS lipsticks are extremely popular among makeup fanatics. It has even won the 2008 Best of Sephora award (it was also last year's winner). I have to admit, the price tag is a little steep ($24 each), but this is one of those rare cases where you get what you pay for. NARS is available at Sephora and many higher-end department stores (like Nordstrom or Saks Fifth Avenue).

For those of us with tighter budgets, don't fret! I also have a choice for best drugstore lipstick because, in my opinion, Revlon's Super Lustrous Lipsticks come in at a VERY CLOSE second (we're talking photo finish here).


The quality of this lipstick is, I feel, better than most luxury/department store brands and is definitely on par with NARS. My only gripe is that there aren't a variety of textures. No matte, no sheer - it's only the one, full-finish color. But boy, does this lipstick leave your lips feeling SMOOOOOOOOOOOTH!!! No scents or flavors here either.

As you know, the one disadvantage of drugstore makeup is that you can't really try out the colors before you buy them. It's even harder with Revlon because they seal all of their products. As far as I know, Ulta is one of the only places where they have testers for drugstore brand makeup. If you don't have an Ulta near you, then here's a little trick. Look for a brand that doesn't seal their lipsticks, and test out their colors. When you find one that you like, look at the bottom of the lipstick, where you'll find a corresponding colored sticker (most makeup brands have this). Go over to the Revlon lipsticks and try to match up the colors of these stickers. More often than not, you'll get a pretty close match (make sure, though, that you pay attention to whether the lipstick is shimmery or not - Revlon will signify this with the words "creme" or "pearl"). If you mess up, just remember that you can return it (yes, you can get refunds on makeup from the drugstore!).

So, if you feel like you need a new lipstick, and are willing to indulge, then get yourself over to your nearest NARS counter. However, if you can't ever justify spending more than $10 on a lipstick, then definitely check out Revlon's Super Lustrous line (especially when stores have the buy-one-get-one-free deals). I assure you, you won't be disappointed either way.