Mineral Makeup Solves Sensitive Skin Issue by Chryso D'Angelo, March 26 2014, 10 Comments

When the makeup on the market is irritating your skin, how hard could it be to disregard it all and make your own?

That’s a question Canadian mother-daughter team Diane Peterson and Jennifer MacDougall, founders of Earth Lab Cosmetics, asked themselves in 2004 after conventional makeup aggravated Peterson’s rosacea.

After some research, the women discovered that the fillers, Mica and Bismuthoxichloride, found in the ‘natural’ makeup Peterson was using were the culprits.

“Mom said, ‘I want to formulate something that people with skin issues can use," MacDougall recalls. Her background in direct marketing and brand positioning would help the business gain the recognition it needed to survive. But the products' amazing ingredients would make it thrive.

After years of research and development, the duo began formulating lipstick with the help of a chemist. The Canadians launched their eco-friendly operation in 2007.

All of the products are sourced in North America and made in Canada, and MacDougall’s husband, a carpenter, builds the brand’s store displays from pine. “There is no plastic,” MacDougall says.


“We reuse everything and recycle everything. If we order from a bulk supplier, we reuse the packaging. We’re a no-waste facility."


“I feel good about what we produce,” she adds. And she should. There are no additives, fillers, preservatives or natural known irritants (like Bismuthoxichloride) in the products.

Instead, Earth Lab Cosmetics uses Iron Oxide and Zinc Oxide, which don’t seep into pores, but sit on the surface of the skin, according to MacDougall.

“We don’t micronize our mineral bases, so there are no tiny nano particles that fall into the skin,” she says, “which means they never make it to the blood stream.”

All of these qualities help provide for better skin conditions. In fact, MacDougall notes that independent studies proved the makeup improves certain types of skin conditions including acne, scars and rosacea.

Earth Lab Cosmetics Raw Mascara has won several consumer choice awards in publications like Light Health magazine and Alive Australia.

“It’s an awesome feeling to know that you put out such a great product and that people really love it,” says MacDougall.

The mascara is not thick like conventional brands, so if you’re looking for a heavy, dramatic eye, it’s not for you. But it amplifies lashes and offers up a light and natural look that’s perfect for daytime or summer nights. And the biggest plus? It doesn’t contain harmful ingredients. In fact, the blend has rosemary, which MacDougall says is a lash stimulant, noting that she’s experienced eyelash growth!


“I also love the vegan Natural Lip Liner,” she says. “I’m one of those girls who love lipstick. There wasn’t a lot of natural lipstick available in the marketplace. Those that were out there crumbled and the colors weren’t anything I’d like to wear. Ours comes in a chubby lipstick pencil and the color lasts!”

You can fill in your entire lip with the liner or line the edges and use Natural Lip Gloss inside the perimeter.

Another popular product is the Loose Mineral Foundation. “It’s great for all skin types,” says MacDougall. “It doesn’t cake or crease because it doesn’t contain fillers. I think that anyone of any age looks great in it.”