Beauty

GREEN SKIN

February 18, 2019

Last month I decided to style and direct a beauty shoot using only ethical makeup. I was stunned at how good the model looked. My first experience with ethical makeup was early last year when I tried a specific illuminator. It ended up being cakey and ruined my foundation so I reverted back to my original makeup. However, after recently making the full switch to organic skin care, I decided to give the makeup another try. I am so glad I did! Besides being fragrance free with no harsh reactions and containing vegetable oil that moisturises your skin, it’s good for the environment. Organic makeup is generally more nutrient rich and tends to contain more vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Many consumers are fans of its true environmental benefits and look at using organic products as a way of cutting down the amount of pollutants that can enter the body.

Special thanks to all the makeup and skin care brands that sent me their products from all over the world to review, and also to the brands who sponsored the beauty shoot here in Dubai.

Starting with SAVUE Beauty, a Berlin based online portal for natural niche beauty and organic cosmetics with sustainable concepts. They are the distributers for Hynt Beauty, dedicated to creating a line of known toxin-free cosmetics and skin care products that are free of everything unwanted. Instead, they are packed with the safest and most natural botanicals that work to accentuate your skin’s natural glow and appearance. Aside from their commitment to adding only nature’s finest botanical elements, their line of makeup with natural ingredients is free of parabens, nanoparticles, artificial preservatives and gluten. All of their products, unless otherwise stated, have also been certified vegan by PETA and have received a low hazard rating on the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database.

SUVUE sent me their skin prep serum, finale-finishing powder, concealer brush and flawless blending sponge (which is made of Latex free PU foam and tested for safety at a qualified lab and is CFC and VOC-free), Aria lipstick, Libre lip-gloss and their duet concealer. My favourite has to be a tie between the skin prep (a seawater based powerhouse that is formulated with multiple types of organic alge) and the duet perfecting concealer (one of their best sellers, providing total correction to spots). Not forgetting Aria which is one of the sexiest red shades ever! The products range from 9– 50 Euro.

  

SAVUE also sent me NUI Cosmetics, a high-performance make up brand which is 100% natural, vegan, cruelty free, gluten free and at least 70% organic. The highest quality raw ingredients have been selected according to skin compatibility and are enriched with nourishing elements. The range contains no artificial dyes or synthetic fragrances, parabens or phthalates. The products are also free from nano particles and heavy metals. I got to use almost all the lipsticks that were sent to me in our beauty shoot. They also sent me their vegan mascara, the cream blush (which has become an evening favourite), their natural setting powder and brow sculpt. The product that really stood out (and my favourite of this entire review) is the natural liquid foundation. It’s extremely long lasting, aloe vera based and moisturizes while doing its job as well! NUI products are all priced between 11-35 Euro.

  

Last, but definitely not least from Suave, was a brand called ILeur which has a gold luminosity skin serum – an intensely hydrating and luxurious skin serum based on only seven powerful and pure ingredients with balancing skin properties. The composition is based on tradition, pureness and innovation. Hyaluronic Acid smoothes the skin from inside and tightens and evens out wrinkles. Pores get refined. Gold has a smoothing and toning effect. It makes the skin look radiant and smooth and is priced at 69 Euro. All these brands are available online at https://www.savuebeauty.com/

Moving on to Inika Organics, an Australian-owned certified organic beauty brand. Inika’s promise is premium quality, 100% natural products that meet the highest organic standards possible and are certified vegan and cruelty free, always. I tried their Baked Luxury bronzer and Illuminisor in the shades of Sunbeam, Sunkissed and Dewdrop, all priced at 65 USD and enriched with magnolia extract (for its anti-microbial properties). Available at https://www.inikaorganic.com/

CUPID & PSYCHE have the trendiest lipstick shades, interestingly made from Japanese honeysuckle which gives anti–inflammatory, antibacterial and soothing properties while Vitamin E, grape seed and Jojoba oils provide natural moisture. The lipsticks are handmade in small batches with natural ingredients and plant waxes and all packaging is made from post consumer recycled paper! Another great initiative taken by them is that a percentage of their sales contribute to wildlife and domestic animal charities. The colours were so yummy it was tough to find a favourite shade. I think it had to be between INDIRA and AOIFE. The products are all priced at 23 USD and sold on http://www.cupidandpsychebeauty.com/shop/

Not leaving out organic perfume, RICH HIPPIE sent me two of their samples to try as well. Rich Hippie perfume is made using traditional methods. Their wine alcohol is natural and better, yet it’s made from organically grown grapes harvested from the great wine regions of California. Made in small batches with tremendous care they are concerned with giving us a product that is safe for our health and the environment! Rich hippie is priced at 345 USD and available at http://rich-hippie.com/

MISS-PALETTABLE, a Dubai based online store, also sent us a few HYNT products for our beauty shoot. We were able to use the eye pencil and eye shadow for almost all shots and they blended in beautifully for the ethical beauty shoot. Plenty more organic products are also available on https://misspalettable.com/ with deliveries worldwide. All products found on Miss Palettable have been carefully curated by their founders and are available because of their genuine belief in their quality.

Balmassance, also based in Dubai, invited us to try their LIVING NATURE Lipstick in Wildfire (their best seller – an organic hand-made, classic red lipstick, good enough to eat!). This colour is not only bold and stunning but gave so much moisture to my lips it was like a balm and lipstick in one. Their Illuminating Foundation in Evening Glow (to be used as a beautiful bronzy highlighter or under normal foundation for super dewy skin) also gives a glittery glow. My recommendation would be to use it at night. Balmassance provided us with a lot of products for the shoot including Living Nature’s eye shadow pallet, other lipstick shades, Dr Huacshkas mascaras, lip liner, eye liner and skin prep. One item we used for every single shoot was the non-toxic, chemical free nail polish from FEDUA. This Italian brand has the most beautiful shades and I highly recommend them. All available on www.balmessence.com

Finally, we go to Annabelle Organics. Believe it or not, this package was delivered to me from Poland. The colours of the eye shadows are simply to die for. I was so enamored by the shades of pink in the blushes that I struggled with which one to try first. The products sent ranged from different shades of matt mineral foundation, to coverage mineral foundation, to radiant mineral foundation – as well as brushes! Annabelle Minerals was born out of a dream and the desire to learn from the best of nature. Their passion is finding beauty in the surrounding reality, which is why the mission of Annabelle Minerals is making sure that every woman believes in the beauty that she has inside; the beauty that is a reflection of her soul. They believe that this kind of beauty has many shades and is found in each of us, regardless of our age, skin tone or the size of the clothes we wear. Made from just four ingredients this brand is available on http://www.annabelleminerals.pl/ and trust me on the eye shadow shades – drool worthy!

I had to fit in a couple of skin/hair care products as well, as they are my new go to guide for healthy skin and hair. Sodashi is a brand that stays true to its name (sodashi means wholeness, purity and radiance in Sanskrit) from seed to shelf, dramatically regenerating the skin and infusing a deep sense of wellbeing to spirit and mind. They sent me their Arabian Oud body oil and Blemish Treatment Cream. The oil has the most fabulous smell – I loved it so much I poured some into our decanter and the aroma covered our home! Blended with the highest quality cold pressed oils, Oud has been known for its profound ability to release stored emotions! The blemish gel has spike lavender which helps the skin stay clear while the calendula and chamomile reduce redness and inflammation. This product smells amazing as well! It’s a must to check out more of their products at https://www.sodashi.com.au/

Biofficina Toscana has certified ecofriendly cosmetics made with high quality Tuscan ingredients and contain locally sourced products. They sent me their purifying facial serum (with the combined action of lemon and rosemary), their age countering eye contour treatment, high quality organic Tuscan sea buckthorn oil, and a large bottle of their leave-in conditioner (with the extract or organic Tuscan kiwi and a vitamin packed fruit mix). Not to mention several other little packets of leave-in conditioner to try. My favourite would definitely be the kiwi one for its anti-frizz element. More on all of their products at https://www.ecco-verde.com/biofficina-toscana .

Finishing off with Evolve from the UK. They make small batches of skincare by hand in an artisan studio in Hertfordshire, which means that your skincare is fresher when you open the bottle.

When you buy from Evolve Organic Beauty, you are buying a bottle full of care and passion. All of their products are vegan and cruelty free; not only to animals but also to our incredible planet to ensure we try to reduce pollution and waste. They also offer up-cycling information on their website! I tried their shampoo, radiant glow mask and, my pick of the lot, their Nourishing Hair Elixir, made from Moroccan Organic Argan oil, mixed with Organic Baobab oil and Tahitian Monoi. This is a winning formula for controlling frizz and taming fly-away hair. Rich in anti-oxidants, it protects hair from environmental damages and helps regain lost moisture. This one is priced at 16 GBP and all the products are available on https://www.evolvebeauty.co.uk/

 

ARTICLE PUBLISHED BY CP MAGAZINE –  cpmagazine.net/green-skin/


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3 Comments

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