Parties and Action Ideas
Have a safe cosmetics party! You can pick and choose from these ideas. You may just want to have the girls over for a sleepover, or you may feel like gathering a big group, including some people you might not know very well, and taking action in your community.
Artsy Smartsy
Make art from old cosmetics. Getting blush or eye shadow wet with a little water will make it perfect for painting. It should have the consistency of watercolour; don’t forget to use a paintbrush. Foundation and concealer are good for creating texture. Don’t forget the possibility of emptying out bottles of unsafe products, and reusing or recycling them. You might want to keep a few if you plan on making your own beauty products. (A spray bottle is a good thing to keep if you’re going make the Lemony Stay-Put! hair spray.)
Check it, Chuck it, Make something better!
Check your fave beauty products on Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database (cosmeticsdatabase.com); if they rate low and are free of harmful ingredients, keep ‘em for makeovers! If they rate high, use ‘em for art and remember not to buy them again.
- Then, make your own beauty products using FemmeToxic recipes; we suggest making the Lemony Stay-Put! Hair spray, because it’s simple and cheap if you have a big group. Give each guest a spray bottle, and make your own cute labels! Attach labels with packing tape so they stay. Give each other wacky new hair ‘dos, set them with the hair spray, and take funny pictures!
- You could also do FemmeToxic avocado desperado facemasks and make delicious guacamole in the mean time. Just try to resist the urge to mash your faces into the guac! Crush avocadoes and add chopped tomatoes, a little onion and garlic, some lime juice, salt and pepper. A drop of soy sauce is a great secret ingredient for guac. (If you’re feelin’ lazy and your guests are hungry, just mix mashed avocadoes with salsa.) Serve with tortilla chips, or make your own pita chips by baking ripped apart pita bread in the oven. Mmm!
- Hit up your local drugstore and ask them to remove products that contain parabens, DMDM hydantoin (which can lead to formaldehyde contamination,) etc. Make sure to do it nicely and respectfully! Don’t forget that many people are unaware of the unsafe chemicals in personal care products, and are not bad people for carrying these products on their shelves.
- Organize an effort in your hometown or high school to have a “green” prom. A lot of people get their hair and makeup done for prom, why not hook them up with non-toxic alternative products? While you’re at it, proms can be very wasteful! If your prom will have catering or food, start a campaign for real plates, cutlery and glasses instead of disposable. If you must use disposable, there are compostable plastic cups and cutlery to be found at your local grocery store or health food store. Why not show up to prom with all your friends on bikes instead of in a limo? If you must take a limo, avoid SUV or Hummer limos! Check out teensturninggreen.org for their Green Prom challenge!
- Take this quiz to find out what type of activist you are!
- Paint pretty, punchy posters with messages like “safe cosmetics now!” and “do you know what’s in your personal care products?” and put them up around your community. There are community bulletin boards at public libraries and town squares; be wary that you may have to get permission first. You can also ask local businesses if you can put the posters up. Your school is also a great place! If you keep hearing “no,” then put one in your window. Or, you can get a bumper sticker made and put it on your car (or your parents or guardians’ car—don’t forget to ask first!) Here are examples of a few posters we made….
