Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by laila. laila Wonders, “ What is makeup made of? ” Thanks for WONDERing with us, laila!

Have you ever spread ash across your eyelids? How about beeswax on your fingernails? Have you ever helped someone put white lead on their face? How about berry juice on their cheeks?

No? Okay, those aren’t common practices today. But many centuries ago, people used these and many more ingredients as makeup. 

The earliest known users of makeup were the ancient Egyptians. They used many plants and minerals as makeup. Some of the most common ingredients were almonds, copper, lead, and ash. They also used oils to protect their skin from the Sun. 

Later, people in China and Japan used rice powder as makeup. They also used henna dyes in their hair, as many people still do today. Chinese people also painted their fingernails. Their differently colored nails marked their social class. 

In ancient Greece, women used white lead paint on their faces. They were also the first to use crushed berries to color their cheeks. Some people in Greece also wore fake eyebrows made of oxen hair.

Makeup has changed over the centuries. Today, people who use makeup may not know everything that’s in it. However, makeup companies do have to follow rules about the ingredients they use. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has to approve all makeup ingredients. 

So, what IS modern makeup made from? Most products have between 15 and 50 ingredients. Almost all of them have water, oil, and wax. The water dissolves other ingredients. This helps them mix together. Oil and wax help makeup go on smoothly. They’re both also often used to help skin stay soft.

Many other chemicals go into makeup. Normally, an emulsifier is included. That’s a chemical that makes oil and water mix. Most makeup also has preservatives. Just like in food, these keep the makeup usable longer. There are many chemicals that can do either of these jobs. Since people react to chemicals differently, many have to be careful about which products they buy. 

Of course, most types of makeup also have a coloring agent. Have you ever seen pink, red, or purple lipstick? How about blue or green eyeshadow? Any makeup with a color contains a coloring agent. These come from minerals, plants, and even animals.

Today, many people are paying closer attention to what goes in makeup. Some buy “all-natural” makeup. That means it isn’t made from artificial ingredients. Others are turning to vegan makeup. To be vegan, it can’t use anything that comes from animals.

Okay, so makeup can be made of many different things. How do you know what’s in each bottle? Your best bet is to read the label. If you see anything in the ingredients list that you’re not sure about, learn more about it. 

Have you ever used makeup? Are there any ingredients that you look for? What about the ones you avoid? Makeup ingredients affect everyone differently. You should always be careful about what you put on your skin!

While truly plant-based and safe skincare and cosmetic companies have been explaining the need for clean skin ingredients for years, it’s nice to see documentaries coming that support the information and share even more on why this is such a huge problem for our American society.

Not So Pretty on HBO MAX, hosted by Keke Palmer, investigates in a 4-part docu-series, some of the coverups, ugly truths, and terrible secrets behind the cosmetics and body care industries. 

When you ask, “What is makeup made of,” you may get a variety of answers from complete transparency to covering toxic ingredients with grouped terms like fragrance or even worse, greenwashing, which means they make it look like it’s plant-based and safe . . . instead of actually doing the work. Within the cosmetics, perfumes, and body care industries, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) most often does not regulate the ingredients that go into these products we use every day. 

We’re going to dive into a little behind why the FDA’s more hands-off, the way the cosmetic and body care industries benefit from this, and what you can do to educate yourself and keep yourself safe. 

The FDA and Skin and Body Care

The FDA claims no jurisdiction over body care products (cosmetics or anything rubbed on the skin that’s not considered soap), but the government does provide some review under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act (FFDCA). Under this law, it states “Neither the law nor FDA regulations require specific tests to demonstrate the safety of individual products or ingredients. The law also does not require cosmetic companies to share their safety information with FDA.”

Within these laws, ensuring safe manufacturing standards and recalls stays mainly within the manufacturer itself. The 112 pages of FDA standards for food and drugs only dedicate 2 pages to how safe the cosmetics are. The law merely states that the labeling and the ingredients must be clearly marked and the products must be able to be safely used according to directions and warnings.

While we have seen an explosion of the number of companies producing cosmetics, this ruling was put in place more than 80 years ago, which gives the FDA little power to help regulate how safe these products are — and body care has become an almost $100 billion dollar industry.

Ultimately, it is up to us, the consumers, to vet and ultimately decide what are acceptable ingredients to use on our skin. And as seen on Not So Pretty, there are many ingredients and practices that endanger our health in the long term.

Research Products Yourself

Since the beauty industry is largely unregulated, it’s up to you to do your own research to find the safest products for your skin. There are no legal standards for personal care products labeled as “pure,” “natural” or “organic,” so look beyond the marketing claims and read labels carefully.

Thankfully, we have a variety of places to get information and educate ourselves on what ingredients, additives, and chemicals can harm us. MADESAFEⓇ is our gold standard when it comes to anything you put on your body. They have a wealth of information available on their website and back products that are vetted with their intense regulation standards. Other organizations like the EWG and The Clean Label Project can help you make informed decisions on what goes on your body. 

What is Makeup Made Of

Makeup is made primarily of water, preservatives, thickening agents, emulsifiers, moisturizers, coloring agents, and fragrances. Depending on the chemistry behind the product, it can have a range of health impacts ranging from hormone disruption to potential carcinogenic effects. 

If the makeup product doesn’t hold a Leaping Bunny certification or isn’t listed in PETA’s Beauty Without Bunnies program, you can’t be sure your product isn’t tested on animals or contains animal by-products. Some of the animal byproducts that may be hiding in your makeup include lanolin (wool grease), carmine (crushed beetles), gelatin (derived from cow bones, tendons, and ligaments), allantoin (cow urine), and placenta (sheep organs). 

Ultimately, resources like MADESAFEⓇ can help you weed through the struggle and find the best ingredients that are free of the ingredients you don’t want on your body. 

Ingredients to Avoid in Skincare and Body Care

Some potentially dangerous chemical ingredients include (bolded are top ingredients to avoid) —

• Amines

• Aromatic Hydrocarbons

• BHA / BHT

• Butylene Glycol

• Chemical UV Filters (Octinoxate and Oxybenzone)

• Coal Tar Color

• DEA
• Dibutyl Phthalate

• Diethanolamine

• DMDH (Hydantoin)

• Ethylene Glycol

• FD&C Colors

• Formaldehyde
• Fragrances

• MEA

• Methicone

• Mineral Oil 

• Monoethanolamine

• Parabens (Propylparaben and Iosbutylparaben)

• Parfum

• PEF Compounds

• PFAS

• Phenoxyethanol

• Phthalates

• Polyethylene (PEGs)

• Preservatives

• Silicone

• Siloxanes

• Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS)

• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

• Sulfates

• Talc

• TEA

• Triethanolamine

• Triclosan

• Urea

Being aware of the ingredients and their effects can help you support your physical wellness as well as the causes you care about — like protecting animals and the environment. When you dive into what is makeup made of and find the ingredients for your skincare and body care, you may be shocked at first. But we hope you feel more empowered with a few resources to help you discover new effective products for makeup, body care, and skincare like Freegirl!