Josie Maran

These days there's a lot of trendiness involved in going green. What do you make of that?

I understand that the green movement is getting bashed for creating more products when the goal should be to consume less. But when people are shopping for their favorite products, it's important they have positive alternatives. The going green movement is important and I'm proud to be a part of it. I was born into a family that cares about environmental and social issues: My father is a green builder, my mother an artist, my grandmother a human rights activist/professor at UC Berkeley. We were always into a socially conscious way of living. So, for me, it's not a trend.

Why was creating a natural makeup line so important to you?

It's perfect that I was pregnant around the same time I was developing the line because it definitely made me more aware of what I was putting inside my body and on my skin. It made me even more adamant about not using any products that contain parabens or petrochemicals or fragrances.

As a model, did you ever have skin issues due to makeup?

With 17 years of modeling experience, I've obviously spent a lot of time in the makeup chair. There were days I'd have makeup caked on and I often got breakouts. I never heard about healthier alternatives that were functional enough to be used by professional makeup artists. If I had, I would have asked that we use them. When I created my line, I wanted to have the best of both worlds—a product that performs well and is also healthy for people and the environment.

Are your color cosmetics more about natural color or will they follow trends?

Josie Maran Cosmetics will definitely be coming out with seasonal collections. We'll be keeping up with and setting trends. The line is based on the importance of natural beauty and natural tones, but I want to be playful and have fun with what's fashionable season-to-season.

What is your favorite product from the collection?

The finger paints are definitely one of my favorites. The feather-light shimmers in the palette can be used to bring soft, glowy color to cheeks, lips or eyes, and they contain natural, organic ingredients—no fragrances or parabens. Plus, who didn't like finger paints as a kid? Another favorite for men and women is the argan oil, a moisturizer for skin, hair and nails. My argan oil, housed in a recyclable glass bottle, is purchased from women’s cooperatives in Morocco, thereby supporting their social and economic welfare. These cooperatives also work within a UNESCO biosphere reserve, which ensures the protection and reforestation of argan trees.

Why do you think the makeup industry has been lagging behind the skincare industry in terms of creating green and natural products?

Up until now, most natural skincare and cosmetics could only be found in health food stores. I believe both industries figured those types of products only appealed to environmentalists and hippy-dippy types. But now because the green movement is reaching so many more people, there has become more of a demand for it—especially when it comes to high-end.

Do you think makeup artists are ready for green cosmetics?

If the makeup performs, artists will use it. I plan to prove to makeup artists that there are positive alternatives to what they might be using currently.

What was the toughest product to create?

The mascara was the most difficult to create because most mascaras contain parabens as the preservative. Formulas that contain water, like mascara, are the products that need the most preservatives, but parabens are known for being toxic and cancer causing. Plus, the eye area is so sensitive that bacteria must be controlled. So, we used dioxide as a non-toxic alternative for the preservative. It was long process in perfecting the formula to ensure great functionality.

How have you managed to green your products' packaging?

Creating packaging that's green wasn't easy: Even though we used biodegradable PLA plastic made from corn starch for our compacts, we still weren't sure they were 100% biodegradable because we used a thin metallic finish. So, I contacted a company to test the compact and they confirmed that once the smaller areas that don't have the metallic finish are exposed, the breakdown of the compact begins. This was a great experience because it taught me that each step is important in choosing ingredients for the products and packaging.

What is one recent green obsession that you just can't live without?

gDiapers are my favorite. The average baby uses approximately 6,000 diapers before potty training. So, for my one-year-old daughter, I love using gDiapers (or as I like to joke "hybrid diapers'). They have removable inserts that can safely biodegrade when flushed, and they are Cradle-to-Cradle certified.