*This page may contain affiliate links. Please read my Disclosures page for more information.

Have you ever thought about all the chemicals in your makeup? Depending on the brand, there will be more or less “bad” ingredients. If you’re like me, you like cheap. Until recently, I have been a Walmart shopper for makeup. I can’t stand paying an arm and a leg for something that I use so quickly. (I will remind you, I have two kids and HUGE student loan debt.) For several years now, probably since chiropractic school, I have wanted to switch to something that is better for my skin. I am getting older and (thanks to two kids) realizing I need to make better decisions with what I use. The more I teach my patients about natural alternatives, the more I need to practice what I preach!

Your skin absorbs everything that you put on it. It is considered the largest organ in/on the body. It’s just a huge sponge. So what you put on, goes in. How scary does that sound?! So lets talk makeup.

I am a liquid foundation girl. I’m not a fan of foundation powder. It is very messy and powder flies everywhere. (I’m a touch OCD with cleaning… So it bothers me.) So the “Walmart” foundation I have been using was Almay Smart Shade liquid foundation. I liked it because it was in my price range and it didn’t have a fragrance, like may other foundations have. Once I started looking at the ingredient list, I started wondering what I was putting on my face EVERY SINGLE DAY?

Ratings on EWG.org

There is an awesome website to check out products and gets a safety grade on them. Here is Almay Smart Shade light’s rating. They averaged a 5, with a huge list of ingredients. (Most of which I don’t think I can pronounce.)

Another huge brand of makeup is Covergirl. Which I have tried recently. The price was about the same, but they had more colors to chose from. (And I am a very light complected gal, so the “light” shade in Almay hasn’t been cutting it. NEED. MORE. SUN.) Covergirl has just recently come out with their new liquid foundation. Ready, Set, Gorgeous. Here is their liquid foundation ratings. They also averaged a 5, with a slightly smaller list of ingredients.

A big company that is known for being good for your skin and being pure, is BareMinerals. So for fun lets look them up. Here is their rating for their powder foundation. They averaged a 7! With a bigger risk of cancer. (I will note this says that it was their old formula, but they still have the same ingredients listed for their loose powder matte foundation.) Surprisingly worse than my Walmart brands! Also, a heck of a lot more expensive! (Note: which is why I have never tried them.)

Free Samples!!

So where does that leave us? I have been “trying” new “natural/organic” makeup lately. Typically I have only been trying the ones that you can get free samples from. (Because who doesn’t LOVE free samples!!) I think if you want to make me switch from my “Walmart” lifestyle, I need to know my online purchase is going to match my skin tone, complexion, and so on.

The first company that I tried was LA Minerals. They allow you to try their foundations (either powder or liquid) for free. The liquid foundation kit includes; 2 foundations, a blush and a concealer. The “6 piece try me kit” includes; 4 powder foundations, a blush and a concealer. Both free samples are in your skin tone, which you pick out when ordering. Just type “free samples” into the search bar.

They also have samples of most of their makeup to try before buying. They range from just $1.00 to $2.00 (on sale). So naturally I got a few eye shadows, blushes, and finishing powder. (Now I said earlier I’m not a fan of powder…. For some reason I’m okay with a colorless finishing powder, not  foundation powder. I never have said I’m normal!!) So far I’m loving their eye shadow colors! For a more natural makeup line, they have quite a few colors to chose from.

I have always always always used a liquid concealer. So their powder concealer has really thrown me for a loop. I didn’t think I was going to like it. (Duh, its powder! 😂) It did take a few days of getting use to, but I really do love the concealer. It doesn’t get stuck in my under eye lines, like some of the liquid concealers I have used in the past.

LA Liquid foundation Fair Neutral, Concealer Bisque, Lush Blush, Paris Pink eyeshadow, Hip-Notic eyeshadow, and oil control powder untinted. Eyeliner and mascara was the only non-LA Minerals makeup I had on. (The samples are pretty good sized. They have lasted me over a week and a half and still have a ton left!)

LA Minerals vs. Walmart Brands

When you look them up on the fancy cosmetic database, they don’t pull up. Doing my own research and looking up ingredients, they seem to be about a 2 or 3 on the scale (When comparing the liquid foundation to the previously mentioned foundations.)

So for the price and options that LA Minerals has, I am quickly becoming a convert. They also have a rewards program. On your birthday you get 1,000 points, signing up you get 500, sharing with friends you get 500, you get 50 points for liking them on Facebook, 1 point per dollar spent and 10 points for each review given. For every 500 points you get $5 off your purchase.

When comparing prices for what I have been spending to LA Minerals, (when considering their rewards program) LA Minerals is actually cheaper! I spend $9.98 at Walmart for Almay, for a one fluid ounce bottle. LA Minerals has a sale for $8.99 on their 2 fluid ounce bottle of liquid foundation.

I would love for them to start a mascara and eyeliner line. You can put water on their eye shadow to turn it into eyeliner. But, I’m more of a convenience girl. I like having eyeliner. LA Minerals has been very easy to start caring more about what I put on my skin, without hitting my pocket book hard. I urge everyone to start caring more about what we use every day.

Stay tuned for my next blog on where to get more free samples of natural products and a review on a new mascara I am trying out.

~Dr. Lacey~
Carder Chiropractic Clinic, Inc.
El Reno, OK 73036