CAIA lipstick: very trendy

The Cosméto Truth of the month: CAIA lipstick

CAIA

Lipstick

Lipstick, like that of CAIA, remains “a classic” for most of us, when it comes to highlighting our beauty. However, have you ever stopped to think about the potentially harmful ingredients hiding in your favorite lipstick or gloss?

From silicones to PFAS, including preservatives such as parabens, titanium dioxide (unsuitable in this type of product, partially ingested), phenoxyethanol, endocrine disruptors… (and many other potentially toxic ingredients, polluting and controversial….); here are just some of the batch of controversial substances that can be found in some lipsticks. In this blog post, we take a closer look at one of the makeup products from CAIA – a cosmetics brand currently very popular vogue, based in Stockholm and founded by influencers.

First of all, here is the presentation of Caia, the “brand philosophy” and the products in general:

Presentation of the brand

“We are convinced that cosmetic products should be of high quality and remain at affordable prices. Beauty products should be easy to use, for everyone and suitable for most skin types and tones. We offer premium formulas based on carefully selected ingredients. We also have an expanded list of ingredients that we avoid in our formulas. All our products are designed by the largest renowned laboratories in France, Italy and Korea. Our treatments were developed in collaboration with toxicologists, dermatologists and biologists. »

And if we take a closer look at one of Caia’s lipsticks, what about the formulation of the cosmetic products? How does Caia define “carefully selected ingredients”? Or the expanded list of ingredients to avoid?

First of all, here are the product benefits, as presented on the Caia website*:

DESCRIPTION

A pigmented lipstick with an extremely matte finish. A consistent, emollient texture that resists water. The lipstick contains passion fruit oil with nourishing and restorative properties.Aspect mat, sensation de douceur.

Prenons le temps de regarder de plus près l’intégralité de la liste des ingrédients – la liste INCI du rouge à lèvre Caia’s « Owe You Nothing »

Ingredients/ INCI*:

CETEARYL ETHYLHEXANOATE, ISONONYL ISONONANOATE; POLYETHYLENE, OCTYLDODECANOL, KAOLIN, SILICA, HYDROGENATED STYRENE/METHYL STYRENE/INDENE COPOLYMER, SYNTHETIC WAX, DICALCIUM PHOSPHATE, C30-45 ALKYL DIMETHICONE, DIMETHICONE/VINYL DIMETHICONE CROSSPOLYMER ,CETYL DIMETHICONE, DIMETHICONE, PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRA-DI-t-BUTYL HYDROXYHYDROCINNAMATE, MICA, LAURETH-4, MAY CONTAIN/(+/-): TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891) IRON OXIDES (CI 77491) IRON OXIDES (CI 77492) RED 6 (CI 15850) RED 7 LAKE (CI 15850) RED 28 LAKE (CI 45410) BLUE 1 LAKE (CI 42090) YELLOW 5 LAKE (CI 19140) YELLOW 6 LAKE (CI 15985)

Analyse des composants :

Comme toujours, ce sont les 8-10 premiers composants qui constituent majoritairement le « profil » global du produit. Et ce profil de base inclut déjà un grand nombre d’ingrédients controversés, des silicones (polluants), des polymères de synthèse (microplastiques), etc… Une base de produits presque intégralement basée sur des ingrédients de synthèse, dont certains bien controversés.And the famous “passion fruit oil” (INCI = PASSIFLORA EDULIS SEED OIL) was lost along the way, no trace in the announced formulation.

A slew of controversial substances have also slipped into the formula:

• POLYETHYLENE environmental concern, pollutant (microplastic)
• From HYDROGENATED STYRENE/METHYL STYRENE/INDENE COPOLYMER, film-forming agent, derived from petrochemical ingredients – pollutant.
• Several Silicones: DIMETHICONE/CETYL DIMETHICONE/C30-45 ALKYL DIMETHICONE/DIMETHICONE/VINYL DIMETHICONE CROSSPOLYMER, substances problematic for the environment (poorly biodegradable), polluting.
• TITANIUM DIOXIDE, dye, problematic in this type of product, because it will be partially ingested, see the article on the site for more detailed information
• Film-forming agents, such as HYDROGENATED STYRENE/METHYL STYRENE/INDENE COPOLYMER, problematic for the environment, pollutants.
• Several controversial synthetic dyes RED 7 LAKE (CI 15850) YELLOW 5 LAKE (CI 19140) YELLOW 6 LAKE (CI 15985), certain azo dyes are classified as carcinogenic, certain azo dyes are subject to restrictions in the EU.
• From PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRA-DI-t-BUTYL HYDROXYHYDROCINNAMATE, synthetic antioxidant.

Caia “Owe You Nothing” lipstick review conclusion

A formulation that is far, far from the claims of “carefully selected ingredients”

The product is composed of a list of controversial and polluting ingredients, problematic for the environment (silicones, acrylates, microplastics, mineral oil derivatives, etc.) and potentially harmful and toxic substances (azo dyes , titanium dioxide, not recommended in this type of product), which goes against the claim of “carefully selected ingredients”.

And the passion fruit oil that was sold out?

And the promised passion fruit oil is just a pure marketing slogan, it doesn’t appear anywhere in the list of ingredients.

How to choose your lipstick?

Here are some tips to help you choose non-toxic lipsticks, free of endocrine disruptors, PFAS, pollutants, silicones, controversial synthetic preservatives and any other harmful or polluting components.

1. Avoid endocrine disruptors:

Endocrine disruptors are harmful chemicals found in various cosmetic products. These chemicals can disrupt your hormonal balance and lead to serious health problems. Choosing a lipstick labeled “paraben-free” is never enough, as these products may still contain other supposed or proven endocrine disruptors, with a much more complex INCI name. However, certified natural and organic cosmetics offer more guarantees. Endocrine disruptors are simply not authorized in the formulation processes by the different labels.If the product is not certified by a natural and organic cosmetics label, it is best to check the list of ingredients.

2. Stay away from PFAS (perfluoroalkyl substances):

PFAS represent an entire class of chemicals used in many industries, including cosmetics. They are extremely persistent in the environment (also called “perennial pollutants”) and have proven adverse health effects. This is a major environmental concern, which of course concerns many other industries as well. Check the ingredient list for PFAS-related compounds such as PTFE or perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and educate yourself on the subject as well.

4. Avoid silicones and petrochemical ingredients (Petrolatum, etc.):

We still find silicones too often in cosmetic products; these substances make it possible to create homogeneous textures, at a lower price. However, they represent a heavy toll on the environment, because they are not or very poorly biodegradable. When choosing your lipsticks, opt for those that rely on moisturizing natural plant oils or waxes; such as jojoba, olive, argan, sunflower, almond oil, shea or cocoa butter, etc. These ingredients provide care and hydration, without adding to overall pollution. Once again the choice of natural and organic cosmetics seems the most relevant, silicones and ingredients derived from mineral oils are simply not authorized in certified organic cosmetics. If the product is not certified by a natural and organic cosmetics label, it is best to check the list of ingredients.

5.Also avoid certain synthetic preservatives:

In cosmetic products, preservatives are essential to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria and extend the shelf life of products. However, some chemical preservatives, such as formaldehyde releasers or phenoxyethanol, have been linked to skin irritations and allergies, as well as other more serious health problems. Others fall into the category of endocrine disruptors (certain parabens, triclosan, etc.). Potentially toxic or controversial synthetic preservatives are not authorized in natural and organic cosmetics, which work with a restricted list of preservatives.

Certain pioneers of organic cosmetics such as Logocos (Logona, Santé brands) or Dermatherm have developed expertise in the field of formulating cosmetics without synthetic preservatives over the last decades.

By applying lipstick daily, how much do you think is ingested?

The German consumer magazine “Ökotest” mentions a study by the EU scientific committee which calculated that this represents approximately 20 grams per year: which represents approximately 4 lipsticks per year. All the more reason to take a closer look at the composition of lipsticks, which sometimes have quite questionable compositions.

Conclusion:

It is entirely possible to choose lipsticks without controversial ingredients – which respect both your health and the planet. By following these tips, you can avoid the controversial substances still regularly found in “conventional” lipsticks. » This will allow you to make informed choices, without compromising your well-being or that of the planet. You are worth it….