Although it is a matter of course, things that are kind to the environment are also kind to your body. Conversely, things that can be harmful to your body are likely to impose some kind of burden on the environment and as a result, the more frequently such things are used each day, the heavier the burden on both your body and the environment. For eco-conscious women in particular, the desire to use cosmetics free from such burden is a strong one, since they use cosmetics every day and apply them directly to their skin.
Women in the real world, however, can't afford to compromise on the effectiveness or the fashionableness of cosmetics. Makeup just being "natural" isn't enough to satisfy them. Do such cosmetics really exist, however? Can any makeup product be kind to the environment as well as the body, yet be highly effective, fashionable and sophisticated at the same time, satisfying the difficult demands of women? Yes, in fact and such products exist here in Japan.
PIERRE COULEUR, which means "stone light" in French, is a mineral-based makeup brand that originated in Japan. Among the mineral-based cosmetics that we often hear about these days, PIERRE COULEUR is above all characterized by the beautiful and brilliant sheen it derives from high-quality minerals - as its name suggests - in addition to its uncompromising insistence on the use of natural materials. The brand's sophisticated design overturned the stereotypical image of natural cosmetics being unglamorous and this brand makes one realize the high potential of natural makeup.
Japan is known around the world for developing high-quality cosmetics. The products of PIERRE COULEUR are the result of a collaborative effort between a Japanese research team with extensive knowledge of Japanese skin types and a research team based in Provence in southern France with a great reputation for the research and development of organically derived components. All of the ingredients used in the products are certified by "ECOCERT," an organic certification organization based in France. Each of the ingredients, including sesame oil, jojoba oil, sunflower oil, St. John's wort oil, hazelnut oil and macadamia nut oil, are of strictly organic origin and are blended with naturally-derived minerals produced in Arizona in the United States. The products, of course, do not contain any preservatives or fragrances and the glittering effect of the particles is produced by the light refraction characteristics of the minerals.
At present, the brand's line-up includes bases and foundations, face colors, point colors and lip balms and the company plans to add a new powder containing organically-grown oatmeal to the line-up in the future. The real advantages of the products can easily be seen in the fact that they are used by a number of noted beauty experts.
PIERRE COULEUR uses recycled paper and recyclable eco-materials for its packaging and doesn't use animals for product testing. Not only do the company's products reflect the brand's green and ethical philosophy, but so do its activities, which include donating part of its sales revenue to WWF JAPAN, one of the world's largest nature conservation NGOs. The company plans to use solar power for production and such schemes raise expectations for its future activities in leading the cosmetics industry.
In addition to being kind to the earth and the body, the products of PIERRE COULEUR also demonstrate excellent performance, even though they are composed entirely of natural materials. They are indeed worthy to be called "cosmetics of the age to come" for their ability to satisfy the desires of women to be beautiful in the most green and stylish manner. Doesn't the sight of fashion-conscious women sensitive to the times and walking around wearing green and ethical makeup together with a lovely smile make you anticipate a brighter future for the earth?
