All Entries in the "Featured" Category

Monave Cream To Powder

Monave’s Cream to Powder consists of a wax blend which serves as a brow and eyeliner color. It’s easy to apply using a taklon brush, walking it across your lid. Unlike a pencil there’s nothing to sharpen. The results are long lasting and waterproof. I’ve worn it while working out and my eyes still looked good afterwards.

Espresso Cream To Powder in Original Packaging

Popularity: 2% [?]

Golden Chocolate Eyes for a hot Winter look

Mmmmm! Let’s set the scene…. snow falling softly outside as you lounge in front of the fireplace of an exclusive ski lodge, sipping a decadent cup of hot Verona chocolate. Bliss! Back in the real world, chocolate eye shadows with golden highlights is a hot look for this winter! So off I went to my private playroom to find the colors that would express this look in all it’s glory! We have a few browns in our line but the one color that stood out was #77 Driftwood. The rich brown with golden undertones embodied the decadence of good chocolate. To offset this rich color I went for #31 Gold, the combo was amazing!

Armed with my Oval Fluff eye shadow brush I proceeded to put the look together. After lining the eye with Espresso eye liner I applied the Driftwood from the corner to the middle of the eye lid. Be careful to get the excess shadow off the fluff brush before applying as it could get messy. After applying the Driftwood, dip lightly in Gold eye shadow and apply to outer lid and brow bone. Blend to create a seamless transition of color. Voila! A beautiful Golden Chocolate look!

Popularity: 2% [?]

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, Ingredients Discussion: Sodium Borate

Sodium Borate is another controversial ingredient on the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics/Skin Deep data base. In this post, I’ll be going over some basic information to help consumers understand from a practical perspective, what the hazard ratings, and test studies really mean.

Where does sodium borate come from? This is what Wikipedia says:

Borax occurs naturally in evaporite deposits produced by the repeated evaporation of seasonal lakes. The most commercially important deposits are found in Turkey, Boron, California, and Searles Lake, California. Also, it has been found at many other locations in the Southwestern United States, the Atacama desert in Chile, and in Tibet and Romania

It’s basiccally a salt that occurs when a lake starts drying up. The material is exposed above water line and is carried away in trucks.

So…if I could present a simple statement: Not all things ‘natural’ are ‘good’ for the human system. On the top end of the scale would be something like mercury, which wreaks havoc on human brain functions if it remains within the blood and fatty deposits.

So, as natural as sodium borate is, I’m not saying that you can eat it for dinner. The important information is what is a safe usage?

Here is a statement from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics about toxicological studies (performed on rats) that were reviewed by the managers of the Skin Deep data base.

” Given the incomplete information made available by companies and the government, EWG provides additional information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature. The chart below indicates that research studies have found that exposure to this ingredient — not the products containing it — caused the indicated health effect(s) in the studies reviewed by Skin Deep researchers. Actual health risks, if any, will vary based on the level of exposure to the ingredient and individual susceptibility — information not available in Skin Deep. “

Essentially, what is in question here, is whether you are spreading some raw sodium borate on your skin, and leaving it there, or whether there is a percentage of sodium borate in your products that is low enough not to cause reactions.

The internet nets this statement about the toxology of Sodium Borate:

Borax, sodium tetraborate decahydrate, is not acutely toxic. ^[9] Its LD₅₀ (median lethal dose) score is tested at 2.66 g/kg in rats. ^[10] This does not mean that it is safe, merely that a significant dose of the chemical is needed to cause severe symptoms or death.

So how do you, as the end consumer, know whether the percentage that Monave uses in its creams is safe? How can you trust a manufacturer with murky, unspecified, evidence out there?

I believe that the truth is in the product. At one time, I had contracted out for a manufacturer to craft Monave’s skincare line, as I was simply too busy with a new baby to do it anymore. ( I won’t mention the company’s name publicly). During the time that I was using the facial creams made by this supposedly pure manufacturer, my face continually broke out. I had dehydrated, and acneic skin. Thank heavens for my mineral foundation at this time which covered and soothed the constant inflammations. Their explanation was that I was sensitive to essential oils (which I’m not). I found out later, after discontinuing our relationship, that this company was buying bases from a vendor that routinely uses allergens, and repackaging it as a handmade product, and that there were many ingredients in it that I was allergic too. ( I have extremely sensitive skin). Once I went back to making my own, my skin healed, and I now have a manufacturer that I can trust.

So truthfully, if you apply our Daily Rose Facial Moisturizer day after day, and your skin improves, I think it would  be safe to say that there wasn’t enough sodium borate in the product to irritate your skin, otherwise it would be irritated. Makes sense? The proof is in the product.

What is borax for anyway? It softens and makes the beeswax in a cream, ’spreadable’. If you put beeswax in a cream, and you don’t use sodium borate, it becomes a bit sticky, and doesn’t move under your finger. The two go hand in hand.

So, that begs the question: Why use beeswax in a cream? It creates a water-in-oil emulsion. That means that droplets of water are surrounded by droplets of oil. This creates a very moisturizing cream, especially helpful for dry skin sufferers.

To bind oil and water together (that’s what a cream is, essentially), without beeswax, the alternatives are mainly synthetic, or plant derived emulsifiers. (one to avoid is emulsifiying wax NF which has polysorbate 60 in it) that create a oil-in-water emulsion. A cream made this way dries faster on the skin, and doensn’t moisturize quite as intensely.

The other advantage to beeswax is that it is a wonderful preservative, very important for a natural product line that is using minimal preservatives. And has many skin-healthy properties associated with ingredients made by bees, such as honey. So in summary:

• Sodium borate is a naturally occuring mineral.
• It’s an essential element in a handmade beeswax cream.
• You shouldn’t eat it or slather it all over your skin
• When used properly, in low concentrations, it is a perfectly safe ingredient to use in skincare
• The capaign for safe cosmetics states that products containing it have not been proven to be unsafe or toxic.
• The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics requires vendors, such as Monave, to report the percentage of sodium borate in products (which we have done), ,to ensure that is being used properly.

Well, I hope that this information is at least somewhat helpful.

Deborah Bilezikian,

President

Monave Mineral Cosmetics

Popularity: 2% [?]

Mineral Makeup for Women of Color

Being a woman of color from the Caribbean, finding the correct foundation has been similar to searching for the Holy Grail…. elusive. With the different cultures swirling through my blood, my skin tone has a variety of shades with undertones of red to gold with a warm chocolate overlay. Try finding a foundation to match that! Then I heard about mineral makeup for women who wanted a natural alternative to conventional makeup without all the nasty additives. Finally, I can find a foundation, but  again I was thwarted. The same mindset carried over, no shade that didn’t make me ashy….

We live in a multi cultural society with various ethnic mixtures that have given rise to a wide color range in skin tones. This has made finding the right foundations difficult especially for women of color. Monave Mineral Cosmetics was developed to address this need, with a total of 22 shades of foundation there is a color for everyone and if there isn’t, Monave can help you customize a color, just contact their onsite makeup artist at information@monave.com. We cater to all ethnic backgrounds, Latin, East Indian, Asian, African American, Middle Eastern  and Caucasian. Monave has a unique way of developing foundation shades by actually using a live model to create a specific shade and giving the end result the person’s name. This allows for the ongoing creation of new colors as there is an increase in the number of clients needing customized foundations.

I found my Holy Grail at Monave……Alicia, you can too!

Popularity: 97% [?]

Monave Supports Women’s Entrepreneurship

This is Deb, the founder and President of Monave,

Years ago, when I started this company, I had a young son in my life, found it nearly impossible to afford childcare from my teacher’s salary, and had trouble even finding daycare that worked with my teaching schedule and my then-husband’s busy retail hours. As I began forming my little company from one kiosk and a lab in a warehouse next door, I struggled with 12-hour days, little time with my son, and little income to show for it. But little by little, through working smart, I began to create income for my family. And little by little I began to question the feasability of running a retail establishment while trying to be a mom for my growing child.

After much thought, I decided to open an internet store. Firstly, it enabled me to work from home, instead of trekking off to a kiosk in a mall, paying for parking, and managing downtown rush hour to pick my son up at the last possible minute from his daycare. Secondly, it provided the advantage or worldwide sales, which tempered the fluctuations in sales from a brick and mortar store.  As the internet business grew, I spent less and less time at the last outpost of my retail business; a cute little store in a historic district in Baltimore, and more and more time in my growing office and warehouse facility.

What I realized, as wholesale inquries into my product line began to mount, was that the women I was meeting over the phone and through email were speaking my story. Just like me, they were trying to provide financially for their children  through jobs that were family-unfriendly in many cases, while building a their dream business during the wee hours. I began to see us as a family of women; our stories wove together concepts of abundance, women’s rights, independence, motherhood, and choice. For some of us, economic independence allowed us to depart from abusive marriages. For others, economic independence meant having pride as an income-earner in the household. For others, building a business meant having the flexibility to work around a toddler’s sleep schedule. It meant not having to panic when our children were sick and we had to take a day off. It meant showing our sons and daughters that women are powerful and have their own beautiful and thoughtful style of running a business.

So I decided to create any and every opportunity for a woman to take the opportunity that my products provided, and support her in her endeavor to be part of the millions of Americans who own and operate successful businesses. I still tear up when I read some of the emails that I’ve received from women whose businesses have become so successful, their husbands have quit their jobs to help operate it, and who have been able to buy their dream home, or put their children through college on what they’ve earned through working with Monave. I turn no one away due to lack of financing or experience. Where there is a dream, there is a possibility.

So I encourage you, whether you are a man, an entrepreneur, or someone content not to own, listen to womens’ dreams. Encourage them. These are the seeds of our society. These are the seeds of tomorrow as we learn ways to earn without creating environmental and social havoc. Women have the intuitive style and nurturing capability to transform their own lives as well as the world around them.

LET US DREAM!

Deborah Bilezikian

President, Monave Mineral Makeup

Popularity: 48% [?]

Monave is an Eco Company

That’s a bold statement. What does it really mean?

For us, it means that we care deeply about the environment and what we see going on around us everyday; Pollution, rampant chemical production, a pharmaceutical industry operating seemingly without restrictions, and a cosmetic industry that is practically unregulated. It’s scary when you really stop and think about it, but for us at Monave it’s personal.

It’s reflected in the mirror and the mirrors of all of our customers when they wake up in the morning. It’s reflected in our hair, our skin, and our eyes. It’s heard in the breaths of our children, and seen in the color of the sky overhead. It’s in the bodies of the fish of the streams and waterways near our homes. So how does that translate to how we operate at Monave?

We purchase our products from responsible supply houses. This means that we are given the opportunity to choose pthalate-free plastic jars from our jar supplier. It means that we can choose paper for our printer that is made from recycled paper goods, not newly cut trees. It means that we choose not to send paper catalogs to every person that asks, but encourage them to use our internet store whenever possible, since it does not require ink and paper to see it.

It means that every cup, bottle and plastic container goes into a specially marked blue bin to be put out twice a month for recycling. It means that excess paper and cardboard get put out as well, diligently and faithfully. It’s a policy, not an option. It means that we turn the heat down at night to conserve energy, and that lights are left off in rooms that are not in use. Energy facilities, especially coal-fired ones, are responsible for much of the mercury that has now poisoned our waterways.

It means that our pigment suppliers do not do animal testing. It doesn’t mean that they never did, since it was common 60 years ago, but any supplier that currently either engages in, or contracts out to have animal testing done, does not get our business. It means that we opt for animal-friendly ingredients, and continually strive to improve our formulas to meet those standards. It means that we absolutely do not purchase ingredients that are manufactured with toxic chemicals, such as dyes, or ingredients that are harmful to our health, such as paraben preservatives. Our ingredients are either inert (minerals),  or beneficial (cold pressed, organic coconut oil) to the human body. That’s it.

Simple, clean, and caring. It’s our world and our legacy. If we don’t protect it now, there won’t be anything left. As it is, our air, water and food is polluted. We believe that each and every person is the starting point for change, so we’re doing our part to change the way that businesses operate, one face at a time.

Popularity: 43% [?]

Application of Mineral Foundation

Trouble-shooting Mineral Foundation Application

Here at Monave we send out sample sets with a brochure describing how to apply mineral foundation to new customers. Despite these instructions, some customers have trouble with their mineral foundation application, assume there’s nothing special about mineral makeup, and never pick the product up again. Since we can’t provide on-site demonstrations for people having trouble applying their foundation at home. Here are some of the issues that come up, and our suggestions for a smoother application. We hope that this will help!

My foundation looks pasty and thick

If your foundation appears pasty, try these tricks:

1. The brush! Unfortunately, the right brush is an absolute necessity when applying loose mineral foundation. Our brush is especially made with high-quality synthetic bristles to have a very high density of hair; short, firm, and very soft. Think of how hard it is to spread cold butter on untoasted bread with a plastic knife. This is what is happening when you’re using the brushes ( however expensive and high-quality they may be), that you already own. Even bronzer brushes that look similar may not have firm, or dense enough hair to accomplish the task. The result? Too much makeup, not well spread, sticking in all of the wrong place, definitely not natural-looking!

2. Too much product on the brush: Mineral makeup is very concentrated. It is made up of pure pigment. Because there is little if any ‘filler” in this type of powder, it is very important that you put just a little bit of powder on your brush and use that on one cheek. Buff it in well in a circular motion before applying more. How much is enough? You press the head of the  flat-top directly against the holes of the sifter, tip the whole unit upside down, tap the jar a bit, and then lift the brush off of the sifter. There should be a light dusting of powder on the brush head, and that amount is sufficient to cover at least one cheek, if not the whole face. You can always add another layer, so start with less.

3. The wrong shade: This is especially an issue with women of color. If you have a golden undertone, and the color you apply has a blue or neutral undertone, your face may appear grayish, or pasty. It is not necessarily that the product is too light, or has the “wrong” formula for your skin, just the wrong undertone. Don’t assume that mineral foundation doesn’t “work” on ethnic skin. Be persistent until you find a shade that at least comes close. Blending loose mineral foundation shades together is as simple as shaking the jar, and blending one color with another may achieve that perfect shade that you’re looking for!

4.Not enough “buffing”: Have you ever watched someone (usually a guy!) buff a coat of wax onto their car? They buff for a loooong time! This creates a smooth, silky appearance, that simply applying the wax would never achieve. Do the same with your mineral foundation. Buffing with the brush actually brings out the qualities of the minerals. Use a firm (Don’t be afraid to be firm, our brushes are very soft) touch, and in a circular motion, blend, or spread the makeup around the cheeks, down the jaw line, over the nose. Do this several times, and you will begin to see your face glow and your skin look flawless, and utterly natural.

If you are still having trouble after trying some of these techniques, please give our office a call, and a makeup artist can help you with a phone consultation.

Popularity: 68% [?]