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Archive for the ‘Make Up’ Category
Hello, your friendly neighborhood lip balm addict is back in action. Lip balm is a staple for me. I have about 8 in my purse at all times, not because I need all 8 but because I can’t stop trying new ones. One of my favorites before I learned more about cosmetics and beauty products, was Softlips Lip Balms from the local drugstore. I had several and loved the slim tube and girlie scents. I appreciated the SPF 20 in them as well. But after learning about sunscreen chemicals, petroleum and other icky ingredients I chucked all my conventional lip balms for more organic and natural ones.
Well imagine my sheer joy when I discovered that Softlips now has their lip balms available Certified Organic including a honeydew (my favorite) and Pomegranite… right at your local CVS store. They work just as well as the old synthetic versions (or better in my opinion) and smell great. Still in the same sleek skinny white tube only emblazoned with the USDA Certified Organic seal. They don’t have any SPF but I’ll take these any day. Plus it’s cheap… can’t beat that.
Get some: Available everywhere.. CVS, Amazon (6 pack woo!), and probably anywhere you’ve seen Softlips sold before.
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Categories: Lip Balm, Softlips
As a working mom on the go, I am always interested in finding safe products that are multi-purpose. So when I found Revolution Organics I went crazy over their All-Over Body Balm. This hefty tube of balm has over 22 possible uses. How can it get better than that? I’d rather replace the tubes of hand lotions, lip balms, cuticle balms and baby cream in my diaper bag with this ONE handy compact tube. It has a light citrus scent and really is a wonderful moisturizer. I use this as a lip balm, rub it on my hands and cuticles, relieve wind chapped kid cheeks and it can help with frizz when you’re in a pinch.
Revolution Organics uses no synthetic ingredients, parabens, synthetic fragrances, petrochemicals and they don’t test on animals. They are also certified USDA Organic which is only reserved for products with 95% organic ingredients. Now that’s something I can live with! After trying and failing with many Certified Organic products either due to their lack of performance or the overpowering smell (Aveda Organics I’m talking about you) I have really fallen in love with Revolution Organics.
They also offer a few other gret products including an All-Over Skin Creme (I keep in on my desk for hands and elbows during my workday) and a yummy All Over Lip Balm that I’m dying to try.
Get It: Pick up any Revolution Organics products at Saffron Rouge, Lilou Organics or on Beauty.com
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Categories: Body Balm, Body Lotion, Lip Balm, Revolution Organics
Our friends at Fig+Sage are doing a great giveaway of two gorgeous sets of the new Alima Pure Gift Sets they just released for the holidays. There are 3 sets in total and they all have really beautiful color palettes. We reviewed Alima Pure not too long ago and we were both really pleased with the products and the natural feel of this line. Alima released 3 Holiday Gift Sets that are beautifully complimentary without being overly bright. Very subtle rich colors.
Head on over to Fig+Sage to enter to win two sets: Fig+Sage
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Categories: Alima Pure, Blush, Eye Shadow, Giveaways & Contests
This is my first real and true foray into mineral makeup. Sure I’ve bought makeup, but it was mainly the occasional lip gloss or something small. I have to admit, since my son was born, I’ve been going au naturel, and not because I’ve wanted to. Mainly it’s due to time, but it’s also a large in part due to the fact that I haven’t gotten around to replacing my old paraben laden makeup with something better for me. I figured it was better to just go without, rather than slather my old MAC studio fix on my face every day.
The thing about mineral makeup, is there’s really only a few brands out there that would pass our stringent ingredients list and Alima is one of them. Alima’s products are about as pure as they get. No artificial pigments or fragrances. And best of all, no preservatives. Just pure minerals. It’s great for people who have sensitive skin.
I tried out some of the loose powder foundation and some loose powder eye shadow. Because the sample was a little small, I have limited experience with the foundation, but what I’ve tried I’ve liked so far. It goes on evenly and smoothly. There are definite techniques to using mineral makeup as it’s a different texture than regular conventional makeup.
The eye shadows come in really great colors and a little bit goes a long way since it’s a loose powder. When I first put it on, I was kind of taken back by the sparkly of it, as I tend to be a matte girl for every day use. I kind of felt as if I was going out to do a show in Vegas. But it soon grew on me and I love it. It gives my eyes more depth. I definitely plan on getting more.
Kathy Weighs In
I’m a habitual mineral make up gal. While I absolutely HATE the mess of it, it works better for me than any liquid foundation has. My sensitive skin can tolerate it and it covers evenly without looking like I caked a layer on with a spatula. I don’t think I’ll ever go back to liquid, and now that there are a bevy of mineral lines that are natural I won’t have to.
I’ve been using Bare Minerals and really do like it, but the thing that I love about Alima is the color selection. With Bare Minerals you have to put yourself into one of only 3 shade groups. That has worked well for me since I fit into the niddle range pretty well, Alima has 60 shades, so no matter what color your skin is, there is a foundation combination to match it. I’ll be investing in this line for sure.
Get it: Order any of their products on their website AlimaPure.com
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Categories: Alima Pure, Blush, Eye Shadow, Foundation, Make Up
One of the first items from my Saffron Rouge deliveries was a lip balm from Intelligent Nutrients. For those not familiar, Intelligent Nutrients is a company founded by the man responsible for Aveda, which he later sold to Estee Lauder. His new company bases it’s products on the objective of health through organic ingredients. The product lines range from hair and scalp care to vitamin supplements to help battle the effects of aging and hydration of the skin and hair. They even go so far as create organic sugar substitutes and organic coffee.
Back to the lip balm. I was excited about this one since I had to retire my petroleum based Soft Lips lip balm which I loved for the slim packaging. Lip Delivery Nutrition is a daily wear lip balm packed with moisturizing organic emollients to heal and moisten dry lips while delivering antioxidants to help prevent aging. One of the things that age visibly on women is their lips, and while I’m not a total wrinkle fest yet, I am 32 and starting to see the lines that will form if my family doesn’t get off my back and let me take a nap once in a while. (Ok I’m kidding…. no, not really.)
All of their products are Certified Organic and contain no icky parabens, synthetic ingredients or fragrances. I am really curious about the hair products, as you all know we are always on a quest for better hair care… but a bottle of Hair Cleanser is $39. The Lip Delivery Nutrition is $17. If this stuff is as anti-aging as they say it is, it just might be worth the price.
Splurge: You can pick up many of their products on SaffronRouge.com
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Categories: Intelligent Nutrients, Lip Balm
Have you seen the ingredients in a bottle of mainstream liquid foundation? Ew. I learned about Suki Pure Cosmetics from reading Gorgeously Green (which is a great read if you can pick one up). The author Sophie Uliano raves about their cosmetics saying it has all the qualities of a high-end products but without all the gross crap they put in them. Suki prides on their natural formulas and are all free of synthetic ingredients, GMO’s, parabens, fragrances, petrochemicals, don’t test on animals, etc. Basically, you don’t have to suffer what we call “Cave Painting Syndrome™” that you sometimes get with natural products. Many times they look and feel like clay, and smell like clay. Ew.
We’ll probably feature several of their products as people write in with their “Help! I need a good XYZ” pleas. I’ll start with their liquid foundation since someone wrote in asking about those. I’ve not used liquid foundation since I found mineral makeup years ago but I used it for many years before that. SukiColor uses a slightly different approach in which they have 2 products that go great together to create an even but natural appearance. The Suki Tinted Active Moisturizer acts as a moisturizing tinted barrier and glides on smooth and doesn’t feel heavy or thick. Accompanied with Suki Liquid Formula Concealer you can achieve a really flawless look. They have a natural SPF made with crushed minerals so you aren’t piling on some toxic gunk. I will say that because I am out of the liquid loop, my application did allow the concealer to settle into fine lines… however I do think it’s avoidable with a better application than I achieved. Suki has some great tools to accompany their make up, which might be key. The Suki Pure Cream Stain (I tried Opal) and it gave me a nice glow. I don’t typically use cream blush but this I would make an exception for. It was that pretty!
SukiColor makeup isn’t cheap, but good cosmetics aren’t. Suki knows what they’re doing and every product I’ve tried has yet to disappoint. They are incredibly knowledgeable and are super stylish to boot. Find the entire SukiColor line on Sukicolor.com or their fabulous skin and body care products on SukiPure.com.
Coming Next Week: John Master’s Week and a rad giveaway. Check back for more details!
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Categories: Concealer, Foundation, Suki Pure Cosmetics, Tinted Moisturizer
I know people are curious about what we think of the Physicians Formula Organic Wear™ makeup that arrived in stores this year. The line has some admirable qualities including being free of harsh chemicals, synthetic preservatives, parabens, GMO’s, synthetic colors, synthetic fragrances. They also claim it isn’t tested on animals. Looking over the ingredient lists, they are indeed missing the telltale junk we normally avoid. Physycian’s Formula, who’s main cosmetic lines usual score upwards of 6-7 in the Skin Deep Database has provided us with safer and much lower scoring cosmetics. Not all of the Organic Wear products are in the database but the ones that are score around a 2-3 (the tinted moisturizer).
There is just one problem with regard to this line, for me, and that is that the Organic Wear products I have tried, sucked. Big time. On a whim I bought the Organic Wear Concealer Stick and the Organic Wear Blush in Pink Organics. The blush, while I like the package and presentation did little or nothing for me in terms of an actual blush. It also sat on top of my skin looking a bit like powder. Perhaps I chose the wrong color for my skin but I was far from impressed compared to the many mineral blushes I’ve tried.
The Organic Wear Concealer Stick was an even bigger disappointment. I had been optimistic that I found something natural I could keep in my bag for rogue zit cover up or “you look like hell, Kathy” under-eye pick me up. Applying this concealer was equal to trying to color my undereye bags with a Crayola. It was hard, stiff and waxy. Only after I sanded the top of it to expose the center did I get anything usable out of it.
This line does have some other items that may be worthy of a try. I am still intruiged by the Organic Wear Eyeliner and Eye Shadow Duo’s but I am not holding my breath for anything spectacular.
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Categories: Blush, Concealer, Physicians Formula
I am a huge lip product whore. You’ll learn this if you read this site regularly. I own enough lip balms and glosses to write 100 entries. My first one is for LaVanila’s The Healthy Lip Shine lip gloss. Once I learned about all the gunk in traditional glosses I went on a quest to find one that I could use daily that had a safer ingredients list. I haven’t tried much of the LaVanila line because typically I’m not a vanilla-scent person but I was drawn to this one for it’s vanilla grapefruit scent.
This is a great day gloss… it goes with me everywhere. It goes on smooth and isn’t overly heavy or sticky and has a pretty sheer pink hue. Better yet this lip gloss is free of parabens, phthalates, Petrochemicals, Propylene Glycol, Mineral oils, Silicone, Synthetic Dyes, and Sulfates. The tube is 100% recyclable and is not tested on animals!
It comes in a few other scents including Vanilla, Vanilla Coconut, and Vanilla Blossom… all of which are light peachy colors that go on sheer enough for wearing anytime.
Get it here: Sephora.com
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Categories: LaVanila, Lip Gloss
I love lip products. I have become a huge Dr. Bronner’s fan over the past year for many reasons. Dr. Bronner’s uses mainly organic ingredients, many certified organic. The company holds much pride in their Fair Trade and no animal testing policies. Anyway, I spotted their lip balms in the new “Natural” section of the Target Beauty aisles and snapped up a tube of Peppermint and a Lemon Lime.
I consider myself a lip balm enthusiast… I try every balm I can find that doesn’t contain harmful ingredients. This is quickly becoming a favorite. This balm doesn’t have a shea butter base like many others do which gives it a much smoother feel and easy application. I love shea butter lip balms for their healing qualities but they tend to get a little bumpy if they haven’t been used in a little while. Dr. Bronner’s is a smooth silky application that glides on. Even my 2 year old likes it. Some of the natural balms tend to get overly fragrant with the essential oils but this is on the subtle side. All Dr. Bronner’s lip balms are USDA Certified Organic and have the Coalition for Consumer information on Cosmetics rabbit seal (not tested on animals).
One of the other things I adore about Dr. Bronners is that it isn’t hideously over-priced like so many organic things are. This lip balm is $2.99 and its worth it.
Get it here: I found them at Target but you can also order them on Dr. Bronner’s website. They come in Lemon Lime, Peppermint, Orange Ginger (I WANT THAT), and Naked Organic.
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Categories: Dr. Bronners, Lip Balm
As a gift last year, I received a couple of items from AfterGlow natural cosmetics. One of them being a mineral blush. I have been a mineral makeup user for some time, mostly using Bare Minerals but I hadn’t found a blush I liked. I tried AfterGlow’s Organic Mineral Blush and am really happy with it. It’s made from organic ingredients and is free of parabens and synthetic ingredients. The nice part about mineral make up is it’s gentle for sensitive skin and I happen to have some mild rosacea. AfterGlow’s mineral make up is great for those of us with sensitive skin. Their blush is rich in antioxidants to defend your skin against free radical damage too.
The Organic Mineral Blush is really concentrated with color so a little goes a long way and they have the most amazing selection of colors. I’m going to be trying out their mineral powder too as a comparison. If you are comfortable using mineral powders (and I really think that once you try it and get the hang of it you’ll never go back to liquid) this blush really works well. A little practice distributing is needed but it gives me a nice healthy glow, no dressed up corpse look here.
Get It: AfterGlow Mineral Cosmetics
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Categories: AfterGlow Mineral Cosmetics, Blush
