The use of cosmetics for body art has been around for thousands of years. Our ancestors used various substances like soot for eyeliner, white lead for skin lightening, hair removal creams made from rat poison, arsenic to even out skin tone, coal tar for eyelash dyes, and mercury for freckle removal.

While today’s cosmetics are generally safer, some still contain toxic ingredients. The best way to avoid harmful chemicals is to make your own makeup. It’s simple, cost-effective, and ensures you use only natural ingredients.

Skin:

1. Loose Powder:
Start with arrowroot powder as the base and mix in cocoa powder, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg to match your skin tone. You can add a few drops of jojoba, olive, or almond oil to achieve a compact-like consistency.

2. Foundation with Sunscreen:
This semi-liquid foundation includes vitamin E oil and zinc oxide for sun protection. You’ll need almond oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, beeswax, cocoa powder, and cinnamon. Heat the ingredients in a double boiler, mix well, pour into a container, and let it cool.

3. Neutral Translucent Powder:
To smooth out your complexion without heavy foundation, mix corn starch, cocoa powder, and green clay.

4. Bronzer Lotion:
For a natural tan, combine cinnamon, cocoa powder, and corn starch with your favorite organic lotion until creamy.

5. Natural Blush:
Create a blush that complements any skin tone using hibiscus, beetroot, peach petal, cocoa, and arrowroot powders.

6. Makeup Setting Spray:
To keep your makeup in place, mix aloe vera gel, witch hazel, purified water, and lavender essential oil. Transfer to a spray bottle, spritz your face, and let it air dry.

7. Makeup Remover Pads:
Clean your face with pads made from coconut oil, castile soap, distilled water, and your choice of essential oil. Store them in a sealed jar.

Lips:

1. Lip Stain:
For a reddish-pink tint, use beeswax, shea butter, coconut oil, beetroot powder, and hibiscus powder.

2. Lipstick:
For bolder colors, use the same base ingredients and add colorants for red and brown tones.

3. Lip Balm:
Combine coconut oil, cocoa butter, almond oil, and beeswax for a moisturizing balm. Add lime essential oil for flavor, or choose another essential oil to create your preferred scent.

Eyes:

1. Eyeliner:
Use activated charcoal and a small amount of oil (jojoba, sweet almond, or avocado) to create a paste. Apply with a quality eyeliner brush.

2. Eye Shadow:
Experiment with colors like cocoa (browns), ginger (yellows), turmeric (oranges), spirulina (greens), paprika (reds), and beetroot (pinks). Use activated charcoal or arrowroot powder to adjust the shade.

3. Black & Brown Mascara:
Heat coconut oil, aloe vera gel, and grated beeswax until melted. Add activated charcoal for black or cocoa powder for brown. Once cooled, transfer to a mascara tube.

4. Mineral Mascara:
For a natural mascara, use black mineral powder, bentonite clay, vegetable glycerin, aloe vera, and lavender essential oil for a pleasant scent.

By making your own cosmetics, you can avoid harmful chemicals and customize products to suit your preferences and skin tone.