Lisa Eldridge’s Natural Makeup Tutorial

I was making my daily visit to The Non Blonde today and learned about Lisa Eldridge, a well-known makeup artist with a fabulous blog that includes very informative video tutorials. I was immediately intrigued by Ms. Eldridge as she looks like a cross between Parker Posey and Mary Louise Parker, has a soothing voice, and a no-nonsense approach to makeup. When I stumbled across her organic and natural makeup tutorial, I knew I had to share it with all of you.

She features one of my favorite blushes, Dr. Hauschka Rouge Powder Duo and also introduced me to some new products I am now anxious to try, namely Lavera’s Natural Liquid Foundation, Korres Wild Rose Compact Powder and Dr. Hauschka’s Lavender Dreams Balancing Teint Powder. Sadly the Dr. Hauschka powder looks like it’s not available in the US which makes me want it even more!

I hope you find this honest and candid tutorial as helpful as I did.

Now that my blog is back on WordPress.com, I can’t embed videos anymore, so I will just have to supply you with the link to her video.

Kjaer Weis. Luxurious, all natural makeup.

Danish-born New York makeup artist, Kirsten Kjaer Weis, has created a line of makeup that elegantly merges the worlds of design and green beauty. These sleek and weighty compacts won a 2011 Wallpaper design award for best new grooming product while also achieving certified organic status from the CCPB, Italy’s organic certification agency. The compacts are refillable, and the packaging of both the compacts and the refills are recyclable. When you purchase your first Kjaer Weis product, it’s filled with the color of your choice and it will indeed feel like a substantial investment. This is a high-end luxury item to be sure.

Take a deep breath if you clicked on the above link, let the sticker shock wear off, and read on because Kjaer Weis products perform beautifully. At least the ones I tested certainly did. I started with Cloud Nine which would have a happy home in any champagne eyeshadow collection. This one is unique as it’s cream in color but leans pink with a subtle golden iridescent sheen. It’s in no way over-the-top and I love wearing it as a wash over the entire eyelid. For those of you who like to highlight the brow bone, I can’t think of a lovelier color. As for performance, the consistency is silky and creamy, blends effortlessly, and creases very minimally without a primer.

I also tried the Lip Tint in Passionate, and even though I love Cloud Nine, if I were pressed to choose between the two, I’d go with the Lip Tint. Passionate is everything I want from a lip color. It’s rosy and warm, a very “my lips but better” shade that feels really good on my lips. Since it’s a tint, it has a much thinner consistency than a gloss and isn’t quite as thick as a balm. I’d say it feels and wears closest to a sheer lipstick, but it doesn’t give a shiny finish, more of a satiny one. I prefer to apply the tint with a lipbrush which intensifies the pigment more so than using your fingertip. The color lasts for several hours but honestly, I do so more frequently than that since it’s a pleasure to reapply. It’s a beautiful design that holds an excellent product, and it’s all natural to boot. I can’t ask for much more.

See below for my pics of Kjaer Weis Cloud Nine and Passionate. Click here if you would like to read The Non Blonde’s review of Passionate that she posted today as well. She’s also crazy for Kjaer Weis taupe eyeshadow, Wisdom.

Kjaer Weis Eyeshadows and Lip Tints are $44 and $48 for a filled compact, and $20 and $22 for the refills alone. Available online at The Detox Market.

Disclosure: Samples were sent to me for consideration by Kjaer Weis. The opinions in this review are my own. This post does contain affiliate links.

Gorgeous Skin and Glossy Lips with Vapour Organic Beauty

I have a lot of love for Vapour Organic Beauty. Their original Atmosphere Foundation turned me into a stick foundation believer as it is so easy to use, travel with and gives my skin a natural, even tone. I also found it on par, if not better than other foundations with silicones, parabens, and a long list of synthetic chemicals I stammer through when reading aloud. By contrast, Vapour Organic Beauty’s ingredient list reads like a botany text as their products are 100% natural and have a high percentage of organic ingredients.

Camellia Seed Oil, the first ingredient in their new Atmosphere Soft Focus Foundation, is rich in anti-oxidants including Vitamin E, essential fatty acids and non-essential fatty acids including oleic acid, an omega-9 fatty acid. It provides the Soft Focus Foundation with a silky hydration for the skin and gives a healthy and radiant “satin” finish which is neither matte nor overly dewy. While I do love Vapour’s stick foundation, I have become partial to this new liquid foundation. I like the creamy texture and find it faster and easier to apply than the stick. My typical regimen is to apply it over evanhealy’s Rosehip Treatment Facial Serum in Rose after cleansing. Most days I prefer the light coverage of a tinted moisturizer, so I blend one pump of the Soft Focus Foundation with one pump of evanhealy’s Light Moisture Replenishing Fluid. After warming the mix in my palms, I apply it on my face just as I would a moisturizer. The coverage is smooth, even and radiant. If you like medium to full coverage, you will achieve that by using Soft Focus Foundation over your moisturizer. My skin tone is light to medium olive and looks best with yellow leaning foundations rather than pink so I chose S120, the same color as I have in their stick foundation. My first look at the liquid on my skin had me questioning if I chose correctly as it seemed kind of pink, but once on my face, it was a perfect match.

S120 Soft Focus Foundation top, S930 Skin Perfector bottom not blended

S120 Soft Focus Foundation top, S930 Skin Perfector bottom both blended

Vapour also came out with a liquid version of their stick Skin Perfector, and in my opinion, the liquid is a huge improvement. I found the stick to be drying, especially in cold winter months. Like the liquid foundation, the liquid Soft Focus Instant Skin Perfector has Camellia Seed Oil as its base, so with that comes a soothing moisture for your skin. On its own, the Skin Perfector is a subtle highlighter. When used underneath your foundation, it’s an excellent primer as I noted my makeup (blush in particular) lasted a whole day at work, no touch-ups needed. I ordered the more golden toned S903 for my skin, and again, it’s a terrific match.

Elixir Gloss in Twinkle

With my order came a free gift, the Elixir Lip Gloss in Twinkle. To be honest, I didn’t have high hopes as I have been disappointed in their “lipsticks” which feel like tinted balms without much staying power. Thankfully, I am thoroughly impressed with my Twinkle GWP! The gloss is nourishing and smooth with just enough texture to make it last, but without any gummy or tacky consistency. I love the color Twinkle, as it’s a neutral baby pink that has enough pigment to get it out of the “nude” realm. I find it useful to wear over lipstick that needs some toning down, and I also reach for it when I want a soothing salve for my dry lips. And I love, love, love that it’s all natural, with 70% of its ingredients being organic.

Atmosphere Soft Focus Foundation is $50 for 1.14oz,

Stratus Instant Skin Perfector $56 for 1.06 oz

Elixir Lip Gloss (Now in wand style) $24.

Disclosure: A sample of Atmosphere Soft Focus Foundation was a PR sample. I purchased the Stratus Skin Perfector myself. The Elixir Gloss was a GWP. The opinions in this review are my own. This post contains affiliate links.

Hemp Organics Lip Tint: Impulse Buy Gone Good

Lip color, whether it’s in gloss, stick or tint form, makes me most happy when I can apply it without a mirror. Happiness is also achieved when I can do two things at once, like make my lips look better while protecting them from the sun. I didn’t realize Hemp Organics would be the giver of such good cheer in my life when I impulsively grabbed two lip tints and tossed them in my grocery basket a couple months ago. Oh, and did I mention they are $5.99 each?

First, let’s check out the ingredient list: Organic jojoba oil, organic hemp oil, candelilla wax, carnauba wax, organic olive oil, castor oil, vitamin E, mica, iron oxides, titanium dioxide. (Vegan lip tint colors, those without carmine are: Terra, Amber, Earth and Kiss).

Three cheers for such a short ingredient list on a makeup item, one where you actually recognize every word! Titanium Dioxide might not be entirely familiar to everyone, but it is a natural, physical sunblock that provides Hemp Organic Lip Tints with their SPF of 15.

I bought Berry and Wine as I am partial to neutral reds and I get the most use out of Berry. Berry is a true rosy red, not too pink or brown that requires no mirror to get the application right. Wine is a richer red and actually works as an evening color. The lip tints make your lips slightly glossy and glide on like an ultra-smooth Chap Stick. They are unscented, feel really nourishing and are tiny little things so they fit nicely in a small purse or pocket.

Hemp Organics Lip Tints are available at most health food stores and VashonOrganics (whose color descriptions aren’t very accurate, IMO).

Posted by ~Trish

Revolution Organics: Gorgeous Glosses, Beautiful Blushes

Finding a 100% natural lip gloss is more challenging than you might think. Many companies call themselves “green,” natural,” and “organic” but you’ll still find synthetic chemicals, dyes and petroleum products in their ingredient lists. Not so with Revolution Organics. They’re the real deal. Not only does their lipgloss not contain synthetics, chemicals, parabens, petrochemicals or artificial ingredients, at least 85% of the ingredients are certified organic.

There are 5 shades to choose from, and I have tested three of them. I bought “Integrity” (the one in the middle) at least six months ago and am due for a new tube as I wear it almost daily. It’s a lovely “your lips but better” (YLBB) rosy shade with the slightest suggestion of warm shimmer. The consistency is perfect as far as I’m concerned. It’s got a little bit of that thick texture you want from a gloss so that it clings and lasts on your lips, but it never becomes goopy or overly sticky. It glides on effortlessly, feels incredibly nourishing and has absolutely no scent. “Vibe” (on the far right) is also a YLBB gloss, but is a brownish peachy color that got a little swallowed up by the pigment of my lips. I prefer “Integrity,” but would love to see “Vibe” on someone with a lighter complexion.

Finally, “Truth,” (second from the left) the brightest and darkest of the three creates a stunning sheer-fuchsia lip. It looks much darker in the tube than on your lips, but compared to “Integrity” and “Vibe” it is more pigmented and also has a more noticeable sparkle. Since I am so inclined to love pink, “Truth’s” hot-pink cuteness is hard to pass-up.

If it wasn’t enough to nail it in the lipgloss arena, Revolution Organics also has put out a mighty fine blush. They call it a Beauty Balm since it can also be used on the lips, or anywhere you choose to put it on your face. As pictured above, the colors from left to right are: “Blushed”, “Sunkissed” and “Bronzed”. “Blushed” is like the stick version of the “Truth” gloss, a bright hot pink that is beautiful, but admittedly a little intimidating for me to put on my cheeks. I applied it very lightly with my fingertips which gave me that “just in from the cold look” and was very flattering on my olive toned skin. Any more than a light tapping and blending, and I would have swiftly moved into clown territory. On the lips, “Blushed” is gorgeous. I don’t normally go for such intensely bright pinks on my lips, but it’s easy to control “Blushed’s” color when applied with your fingertips. And when you swipe a little “Truth” lipgloss on top, it’s a knock-out!

“Sunkissed” is a peach blush that has both brown and pink in it, creating a very natural look. I applied the stick directly to my skin, and then blended with my fingers. I did the same with “Bronzed” which is a brown toned bronzer…no orange to be found in there! I loved the warm, subtle glow it created. All of the Beauty Balms create a dewy look and feel very moisturizing. Like the lipglosses, the Beauty Balms have no scent, are 100% natural and are made with 85% certified organic ingredients.

I was also able to sample the All-Over Skin Creme, Lip Balm, and All-Over Body Balm. The Skin Creme is wonderful. It has a lovely citrus smell, moisturizes effectively and comes in a tube that fits easily into your handbag. I’m heading to San Francisco this weekend, and it’s coming with me! The Lip Balm didn’t impress me as much. The texture was too thin, and frankly, my holy grail is Dr. Hauschka’s Lip Care Stick and that’s hard to compete with. On the other hand, I did really like the All-Over Body Balm as a lip balm. Not quite as much as my Dr. H, but almost, and that’s saying a lot.

Freedom Lipgloss $25, Freedom Glow Beauty Balm $34, All Over Skin Creme $33, Lip Balm $22, All Over Body Balm $22: Available at RevolutionOrganics.com

Disclosure: Samples from the company’s PR agency were provided for this review. The opinons in this review are my own. I was not financially compensated for this review or any other.

rms beauty: Creamy Mineral Makeup

RMS

Pure, all-natural, unadulterated, mineral makeup. That’s what celebrity makeup artist Rose-Marie Swift is offering with her rms beauty line. This means the ingredients are all in their natural state and have not been processed in any way. On the rms philosophy page of their website, you can read in greater detail about this, but suffice to say, their ingredients are food grade quality and organic, with all of their nutrients intact.

Over the past several weeks I have tried three rms products, the living luminizer, cream eyeshadow, and lip2cheek. I placed my rms order with SpiritBeautyLounge after I saw their Tweet for 20% off (which they frequently offer) and am pleased to report that not only did I discover a fabulous new makeup line, but a new favorite online store. SpiritBeautyLounge provided me fast shipping, terrific samples and amazing customer service. (This was all before they knew I was a blogger, BTW).

Living luminizer is so easy to apply it’s ridiculous. I love the frosted glass pots, and the surface of the luminizer is so smooth and creamy, your finger glides effortlessly over the top of the product and it blends right into your skin. The effect is glowy and dewy without any garish glitter. Under a very bright light, some slight sparkles are noticeable, but I had to have a hand mirror right up to my face to see that effect. Muse, one of the lip2cheek colors, is also a breeze to apply. But rather than a blush, I’d consider this a highlighter like living luminizer, and I certainly wouldn’t apply this light color on my lips. It’s on the beigey side and even more neutral than living luminizer, it’s dewy and luminizing as well, but gives less of a sheen. An appropriate analogy would be: Living Luminizer is to Nars Albatross as Muse is to Becca Hyawatha. Does that help anyone? Both rms products are gorgeous and natural, but if you want a really natural highlighter, pick Muse.

I bought one full-sized eyeshadow, Seduce, and received one eyeshadow sample, Magnetic. Seduce is described as a “sensuous earth brown”, and Magnetic as a “taupe silver with a hint of mauve”. Those are pretty accurate. Seduce has an earth tone for its base, and there’s some taupeness to it as well but it’s not super mauvey. And wow! Is it ever gorgeous! I couldn’t have picked a better color for myself. I have brown hair with some highlights, brown eyes and an olive complexion, but I think Seduce would be flattering on most complexions. It’s got a flash of silver when the light hits it just right which creates a brightness that lightens up the face. I have been using this as an eyeliner, as I typically do with most of my eyeshadows. I take my eyeliner brush, run it over the surface and apply it directly to my lashline. It’s so easy. No fussing with powder, no need to add water…no mess. I’ve also used Seduce on my lids which creates a sheer wash of color that’s pretty and easy to apply. It does crease, which happens with any shadow I use, but if I only use it on the first half of my lid I avoid the crease factor. This look works since the color is sheer, but can be intensified with more applications. Magnetic is far more metallic but also makes for a beautiful liner. Yet it’s simply not appropriate for day, at least not in my world. I’ll be saving my Magnetic sample for holiday parties.

Aside from Muse, the lip2cheek colors have taken a little bit more work to get used to, but not too much. Bottom line, your skin needs to be very well hydrated before you apply your lip2cheek color and I don’t recommend applying it over powder. (I happen to like the look of cream blush under a light dusting of powder, but that’s up to you). My favorite color of the bunch was a sample of Illusive that I received with my order. It’s a neutral brownish rose (not too warm, not too cool) that gives your cheeks a healthy flush and easily doubles as a beautiful lip color. I prefer a glossy look so I dabbed a bit of Dr. Hausckha’s Lip Care Stick to achieve a subtle shine, and voilà! naturally glowing cheeks and rosy lips from one product. I purchased Modest, “a warm/pink salmon with a very subtle golden shimmer” according to SpiritBeautyLounge, and they pretty much nailed that description (although in real life the product is much brighter than pictured on their website). Don’t let the shimmer part keep you away if you’re thinking glitter, the shimmer is barely perceptible and gives more of a subtle glow. I prefer to wear Modest as a cheek color only, as it is too light and “corally” on my pigmented lips. The final lip2cheek sample I received was Smile, a pinker version of Modest, and the only product in the rms beauty line that contains a tiny amount of synthetic ingredient. (You can read about it in the disclaimer on their website). Smile, like Modest, was too light to wear as a lip color, but on the cheeks, both created a healthy look of good eating, hydration, and a brisk walk around the block.

As a make-up junky who has used almost every brand you can name, I am duly impressed with rms beauty. I love their color selection, the feel of the products, the packaging, and most of all, the fact that they have gone above and beyond most other “natural” cosmetic companies in keeping their ingredients pure. Again, there are a couple of caveats: your skin must have a moisturizer on it before you apply the lip2cheek color and my expectations of the eyeshadow might be different from yours… I am using it and loving it as an eyeliner.

rms beauty can be found at SpiritBeautyLounge. $36 for lip2cheek and cream eyeshadows. $38 for Living Luminizer.

Posted by ~Trish