Afterglow Mineral Cosmetics

Ah, Christmas time is here.

Surely one of the nicest Christmas traditions for the romantically inclined is the traditional Christmas smooch under the mistletoe. (Although, apparently the mistletoe kiss has its roots in pagan tradition, specifically the Goddess Freya.)

In any case, before you pucker up beneath the mistletoe, you'd better consider the lipstick that the female kisser might be wearing. (Or the male kisser - hey, it's the 21st Century. You never know!)

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics issued a report in 2007 alleging that certain popular brands of lipstick contained unsafe levels of lead.

In September, an article in The Huffington Post noted (in the context of political satire) that some lipsticks may contain scads of potentially harmful synthetic dyes and/or be tested on animals.

What's a girl (or guy) who wants sultry and colorful yet cruelty-free and all-natural lips to do?

Thank goodness for companies like Afterglow Cosmetics and their line of Organic Lip Love lipsticks (MSRP $24).

Some shades of the all-natural, paraben-free, synthetic-free Lip Love lipsticks contain more than 82% certified organic ingredients.

We're talking about organic jojoba seed oil (to reduce inflammation and prevent flaking), organic aloe leaf gel (to nourish and moisturize), organic apricot kernel (to soften and soothe), organic vitamin E (for antioxidant purposes), organic pomegranate seed extract (more antioxidant power) and organic grape seed extract (you guessed it - another dose of antioxidants).

According to Afterglow Cosmetics, the only reason that the rest of its ingredients aren't certified organic is because they are inert minerals and thus ineligible for organic certification. These minerals include iron oxides and micas (for pigment) and titanium dioxide (for opacity). Afterglow says it uses 'pharmaceutical grade minerals' to ensure top quality and purity.

(Frankly, we were unaware that minerals were used in pharmaceuticals, but presumably that's a whole 'nother ball of organic wax. In any case, according to this information from Medical College of Georgia, 'pharmaceutical grade' sounds pretty darn pure.)

If you're concerned about buying eco-friendly products, you're probably also interested in buying animal-friendly products. After all, animals are a big part of the ecosystem.

Thus you'll be pleased to know that both Leaping Bunny and PETA have apparently certified Afterglow as cruelty-free.

Our tester gave the Lip Love's Secret shade a big thumbs up from both an appearance and performance standpoint.

As far as we can see, the only drawback to Afterglow's Lip Love lipsticks would be their price. At $24 per stick, these are 2-3 times more expensive than many famous national brands.

On the other hand, if women really do eat 4 lbs. of lipstick in their lifetime simply by licking their lips (as reported all over the Internet and attributed to a 2002 Glamour Magazine article), then we think it's certainly worth spending the extra moola to paint your lips with something that's pretty and organic.

Your lips will thank you - and Santa Claus or whoever else you kiss beneath the mistletoe just might thank you as well.

Merry Christmas!

Where to buy:

You can order Organic Lip Love lipsticks directly through Afterglow's website ($24 each).

Prefer to check out the lipsticks in person before you buy? Just use the Store Locator to find a retailer near you.