Research inspired makeup artist JoAnn Fowler, 57, to create a natural alternative she could offer her film and television clients. Since 2008, Sappho Organic Cosmetics have attained Champion Status with the US-based Environmental Working Group that oversees the Skin Deep Website and have a completely transparent ingredients list, attracting fans such as L Word star Jennifer Beals.
What makes Sappho different?
Sappho is preserved entirely with essential oils and our colours have been hand mixed to match skin tones; it does not feel like you are wearing anything on your skin and yet it provides great coverage. We also care deeply for our environment and are committed to improving our footprint as we grow, so we are phasing out as much plastic as possible. Our first step was to have our new eye shadows and blushes come in pans that fit into a magnetic compact. We are working with another local company, Onyx, to develop refillable magnetic compacts made with antimicrobial stainless steel and featuring Carylann Loeppkys artwork hopefully available in the late fall.
What is the main reason people should switch immediately to pure products?
Parabens (petrochemical derived preservatives which often have methyl, ethyl, propyl, or butyl prefixes on ingredient lists) and phthalates (the base for synthetic fragrances) have been connected with everything from breast cancer to endocrine disruption, sexual abnormalities in male fetuses, lower sperm counts and testicular cancer. Women between the ages of 20-40 carry more petrochemicals in their blood streams than any other demographic and these petrochemicals often reach the bloodstream via creams, makeup, hair care etc.
What results do your customers see?
The first thing most women say is how much they love the smell. The second is how light the foundation feels and the third is how much they love the dewiness of the product and how it makes their skin look. Because organic jojoba oil is a wax esther, it actually works with hormones to help the skin to not over produce oil. In some circumstances, we have had women report that after using the foundation their skin cleared up significantly.
If you could tell people who havent considered organic makeup some hard facts, what would they be?
Only 11 per cent of the 10,500 chemicals in your cosmetics have been screened for safety
The average woman applies 126 ingredients and chemicals onto her skin daily; the majority come from fewer than 15 products: soap, cleanser, toner, face cream, foundation, mascara, body cream, hair product, shampoo and conditioner.
There are a lot of mainstream companies throwing around paraben-free and sulfate-free. Is that enough?
No, it is not. Recently I bought an old-school brand my mother had used, as they had just released a paraben-free product. However, when I looked up all the ingredients in the Skin Deep website that rates personal care product toxicity, I found one that rated 9 out of 10. I wondered why they would go to all the trouble of taking the parabens out and yet leave an ingredient that rates 9 out of 10 for toxicity. The buyer must do their own research as companies are not necessarily doing what they say or what they advertise. A well known Ayurvedic hair brand is a great example where, when it was bought by a huge conglomerate, many chemicals were put back in and are still in their products yet the image is all natural.
What are some issues that are close to your heart?
Everyone in my family, including myself, has had cancer. I am the lucky one in the family with skin cancer on my lips and nose all fully treatable. It is time we do something to prevent cancer this Band-aid approach that exists now has to change.
Sappho has quite a reputable following...
I am very lucky to have many talented professional makeup artists use Sappho in their fashion and film work; really, there are really too many to mention. But I aspire to create products that they will love. We also have celebrities wearing our foundation including actors Mia Kirshner,Michelle Harrison, Bryce Dallas Howard and Jennifer Beals.
What is an average day like?
I do everything from research and development (for two weeks I made about 30-50 lipsticks a day). I research ingredients, I package all the product, I coordinate all the events that we do at our stores, I do all the social media and marketing, I design, I photoshop flyers, etc. Sappho is yet a small company but we are growing very quickly and soon I hope some of these tasks will be taken over by individuals whose talent match the task better than mine.
Which products are your big sellers?
Our liquid foundations, our Bronze Goddess and our neutrality concealers are the top sellers.With the liquid foundation we sell sample sizes on the website and have tester in all the stores we are in. Applied with a foundation brush, women just dont go back.
What natural companies do you recommend?
Sa Avani Ayurvedic Skin Care (see story), Robert Max Natural Hair Products and Vive exfoliant gel all BC companies.
You could win a 'Green & Gorgeous' makeover:
Grand Prize: One (1) makeover with JoAnn Fowler of Sappho Organic Cosmetics plus 4 shadows, a blush or bronzer and a magnetic compact.
2nd & 3rd prize: Four (4) Sappho Organic eye shadows, a blush or bronzer and a magnetic compact each.
Ways to enter:
Online form: (1 entry)
Tweet the story with: 'I've entered the Sappho Green & Gorgeous #Organic #Makeover contest from @WEVancouver & @JoSappho' (1 entry)
Facebook: 'Like the WE Vancouver Facebook page and share the posted Sappho article' (1 entry)
Contest closes July 19, 2012 at 5pm.
