Ethical Metallic Eyeshadows That Do No Harm

 Say NO to toxic ingredients and child labour with these ethical metallic eyeshadows!

By Katy Caric

Our eyes are pretty, delicate little creatures, easily irritated. Whatever we put on to them can easily get in to them – and absorbed right into our system.

Unfortunately, many mainstream eyeshadows contain particles of heavy metals like aluminum, and chemicals like parabens. When this makeup is in powdered form, it can get into our eyes and lungs – and thus, into our bloodstreams.

But it gets worse. Even some so-called natural mineral makeup brands can contain potentially dangerous ingredients. For example, mica and titanium dioxide are ‘generally considered safe.’ But when they’re in nanoparticle form, they can accumulate in your body and cause serious damage.

And did you know that the most common ingredient in sparkly eyeshadows – mica – is often unethically mined by children?

So the question is: which eyeshadow ingredients are safe, and which should you avoid? Which metallic eyeshadow brands are ethical? Here’s what you need to know.

Is Your Metallic Eyeshadow Ethical?

Unfortunately, the beauty industry has a huge child labour problem. Children are especially good at mica mining. Their small size means it’s easier for them to get through the narrow mining shafts and reach small spaces.

The result? These poor kids suffer from lung disease, cuts and broken bones. There isn’t yet a third party certification for mica that’s free of child labour. However, we do at least have the Responsible Mica Initiative. This was set up to help monitor and improve child labour and poor working conditions. A good start, but this organisation doesn’t perform audits.

Your best bet for finding ethical metallic eyeshadows is to buy it from a brand that’s known to be sustainable and ethical. We believe those we’ve featured below have built up exactly those kinds of reputations.

ethical metallic eyeshadows

Ingredients To Avoid

Bismuth oxychloride

This pigment creates an iridescent finish and helps the cosmetic stick to your skin better.
It’s often highly concentrated in mineral makeups and can be an eye, skin and lung irritant. Even after you stop using the cosmetic, irritation can continue for days.

Parabens in all forms

These hormone-mimicking preservatives have been banned in Europe, but still persist in many American made products. Propylparaben, butylparaben and methylparaben are but a few forms this chemical comes in.

Glitter

Did you know that most glitter in eyeshadows (and nail polishes) is actually made from tiny plastic particles? Not good for your eyes or skin, of course, and it’s also not good for the oceans when you wash it down the drain, either!

The Good Stuff In Metallic Eye Shadows

Mica

Bright and shiny, this is the most common ingredient used for a shimmery effect in ethical metallic eyeshadows. It does no harm to the body or the planet. But as mentioned above, it’s essential to ensure it comes from ethical mines that don’t use child labour.

Iron Oxides

They may sound like heavy metals, but actually the iron oxides used in cosmetics are synthetic, to avoid the use of ferric oxides and other impurities.

Crystals

Citrine, quartz and other crystals are natural, sparkly, and can even bring health benefits.

Here, we’ve selected some of the best all natural, ethical metallic eyeshadows to adorn your peepers with this spring. Plus a video tutorial by Carli Bybel, below, that will teach you how to use them.

The Best All Natural Metallic Eye Shadows

The Best All Natural Metallic Eye Shadows

1. Urban Decay 24/7 Moondust Eyeshadow 

Wow! A full 99% of Urban Decay’s mica comes from completely verified sources. Their parent company is a founding member of the Responsible Mica Initiative and is committed to ending child labour practices and improving the working conditions of Indian communities whose livelihoods depend on mica. Great, right?

Their 24/7 Moondust Eyeshadow one of the best ethical metallic eyeshadows for adding the utmost sparkle to your makeup look. This is a high-performance eyeshadow with plenty of glitter and a shimmery finish that can last up to a whopping 16 hours.

Price: $22.50

Urban Decay 24/7 Moondust EyeShadow 

2. Kjaer Weis Eye Shadow 

There are so many reasons to love Kjaer Weis! For one, all her glittery eyeshadows are clean, vegan, and simply amazing. Secondly, to reduce waste, she has created compacts that are refillable and come in recyclable paper cartons.

Thirdly, the mica she uses for the sparkly stuff is guaranteed to be ethically sourced. And did I mention: there are so many stunning shades to choose from?

Price: From $27

ethical metallic eyeshadows

3. 100% Pure

This popular beauty brand states on their website that: All of our products use ethically sourced mica.

These 100% Pure eyeshadows are vibrant in colour, and are full of vitamin-rich fruit pigments that are good for your skin. Plus they give you a natural mineral shimmer that lasts all day!

Price: $20

The Best All Natural Metallic Eye Shadows

4. Juice Beauty

The photo-pigments jelly eyeshadows by Juice Beauty give a shimmery effect. And this is one of the easiest ethical metallic eyeshadows to apply!

The plant-derived pigments are great for your skin. And the glitter gives you a dramatic glow that’s perfect for everything from the beach to big nights out.

Price: $31

ethical metallic eyeshadows

5. Inika

Inika works with the Ethical Trade Initiative, which forbids child labour in the mining and processing of their products. Great, right?

Their ethical metallic eyeshadows come in a practical palette you can slip in your handbag and carry around at all times.

Price: $49

ethical metallic eyeshadows

6. RMS Beauty

All the ingredients this organic and clean makeup brand are fair-trade sourced and cruelty-free. Rose-Marie, the makeup artist behind the brand, always looks for ingredients from sustainable and ethical sources. She personally boycotts companies that use child labour.

The result is that RMS Beauty makes some of the best ethical metallic eyeshadows around!

We love their creamy formula. It’s crease-proof and nourishes your eyelids through an organic green tea extract and natural peptides. The Spark tone is our favourite shade, since it blends a plum bronze with violet hues.

Price: $30

ethical metallic eyeshadows

7. Dr. Hauschka

On their website, Dr Hauschka says: “Where minerals come from the third world and emerging countries, we demand the relevant certificates, and we have these for many raw materials, including mica.”

So, this is definitely one of the best sites to shop for ethical metallic eyeshadows!

Why not sample a few shades with their palette sets that allow you to play with hues and drama!

Price: $45

ethical metallic eyeshadows

8. Jane Iredale

To avoid the issues around mica, Jane Iredale uses synthetic mica instead. So you can rest assured hers are ethical metallic eyeshadows!

One popular favourite is their set of three complementary eyeshadows with a marvellous, buttery texture. This trio is a classic to hold for any lady and the magic of the formula moisturises the skin while maintaining a long lasting effect.

Price: $35

 

ethical metallic eyeshadows

9. Elate Cosmetics

We love that the mica used in Elate products is fair trade, and sourced from suppliers who are active members of the Responsible Mica Initiative.

The Canadian brand offers ethical metallic eyeshadows in various hues. Our pick? The Modish Plum Lustre! It really highlights any skin tone perfectly.

Price: $14

ethical metallic eyeshadows

 

Main image: Selena Gomez makeup

Katy Carik
Latest posts by Katy Carik (see all)
RSS
Follow by Email
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Reddit

2 thoughts on “Ethical Metallic Eyeshadows That Do No Harm”

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

RSS
Follow by Email
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Reddit
Scroll to Top