cruelty free – makeupbycharada.com

Is it truly cruelty free? Find out what’s hiding in cruelty free beauty products.

cruelty free cometics makeup vegan makeup

“It takes nothing away from a human to be kind to an animal” – Joaquin Phoenix

Cruelty free is not what it seems. In fact, cruelty free only means that a brand doesn’t test their products on animals, not that no animals have been harmed in the making of their products. Just because a company has taken the first step in finding alternative methods to testing on animals, that doesn’t mean that they don’t exploit our furry friends in other ways. This makes vegan makeup the only truly cruelty free option!

Here is a list of the most common animal ingredients found in beauty products, with some of the other names they go by, and a short explanation of how they are sourced and used. Please remember that there are plant based and synthetic alternatives to all of these substances! Not one of them is necessary for beautiful skin or beautiful cosmetics. If a product you are looking at buying contains one of the following ingredients that can be derived from either animal, plant or synthetic sources – and it does not specify which the brand uses – please contact them directly to seek further information. If you are based in Australia or New Zealand the facebook group Vegan Beauty Australia and New Zealand (I am one of many dedicated admins!) is a fantastic resource as well.

While the ingredients listed below are a few of the most commonly found ingredients, they are by no means the only ones. I hope that you will find this to be a helpful resource. Bookmark this page if you find it helpful, and please let me know if you would like to see it added to! 🙂

Charada x

Albumen

Also known as Albumin

Albumen refers specifically to egg white. Albumin refers to a protein found in egg whites, milk, and blood. Albumen (or albumin) may be used in cosmetics, lotions, hair care, food and wine. Plant sources of albumin do exist, and are also sometimes used in the manufacturing of cosmetics. If an ingredient is listed as “cruelty free albumen” however, this does not indicate that the ingredient is plant based and it is likely from animal sources.

Beeswax

Also known as Cera Alba, Cera Flava, White Wax, or Yellow Wax.

Produced by glands within their abdomen, bees use it to build their hives, store honey, and as protection for larvae. It is found in toothpastes, deodorants, lotions, and cosmetics. Do not confuse with synthetic beeswax which is a fully synthetic, vegan ingredient.

Carmine

Also known as Crimson Lake, Cochineal, Natural Red 4, Natural Colouring, C.I. 75470, or E120.

Simply put, carmine is produced by crushing and boiling the dried bodies of female cochineal insects. Approximately 70,000 bugs are needed to produce a pound (453 grams) of carmine, and it is found in cosmetics, food and beverages.

Collagen

Also known as Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydrolyzed Animal Protein,

Protein usually derived from the bones, skin, and connective tissue of animals however it can be derived from plant sources.

Elastin

Protein usually derived from the connective tissue of cows and birds, however it can be derived from plant sources.

Gelatin/Gelatine/Gel

Protein derived from skin, bone and animal tissue. Usually from cows, pigs, chickens, or fish it is found in cosmetics, food, medicine, vitamins, and photographic film.

Glycerin, Glycerine, Glycerol, Glycerides, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Lauric Acid, Myristic Acid, Oleic Acid, or Palmitic Acid

Can be made from plant or animal sources. When derived from animal sources, it is made by rendering (boiling) body fat from cows, sheep and pigs. These ingredients are found in cosmetics, lotions, balms, toothpaste, and soap.

Guanine

Also known as Guanin, C.I. 75170, C.I. Natural White 1, Dew Pearl, Guanine Enol, Mearlmaid, or Natural Pearl Essence.

An ingredient made from the scales of fish, crystalline guanine is used as an additive in products to give them a pearly iridescent effect. Found in cosmetics, body and hair care, fragrances, nail products and paints.

Keratin

Also known as Hydrolyzed Keratin

Protein usually derived from grinding the horns, hooves, feathers, quills, wool and hair of animals. Found in skin, body and hair care. This ingredient can be derived from animal or plant sources.

Lanolin

Also known as Wool Fat, Wool Grease, Wool wax, Amerchol, Anhydrous Lanolin, Laneth, Lanogene, Lanolin Alcohol, or Lanosterols.

A waxy grease extracted from shorn sheep’s wool. It is found in cosmetics, skin, body, and hair care products.

Musk

Also known as Musk Oil, or Deer Musk.

A secretion obtained from the scent producing glands of musk deer, beavers, muskrats, civet cats, and otters. These animals are kept in captivity and are whipped close to their genitals so that they produce their scent, which is then extracted directly from the musk gland. Musk is found in perfume. Do not confuse with white musk which is a fully synthetic, vegan ingredient.

Urea, Uric Acid, Allantoin, Urates, Acid Urates, or Imidazolidinyl Urea

If derived from animals these ingredients are extracts from urine, and other bodily fluids. Found in cosmetics, toothpastes, mouthwashes, deodorants, hair colourings, lotions, shampoos, and food. These ingredients can be derived from animal, plant, or synthetic sources.

Review by Dale: Anastasia Beverly Hills Foundation Stick

“A highly pigmented, buildable cream formula that leaves a natural matte finish. Apply Anastasia Beverly Hills Stick Foundation as an all-over foundation, sheered out as a tinted moisturizer, or for highlighting and contouring.”

Once I heard that Anastasia were coming out with their first foundation I could not wait to get my hands on it. When I heard that it was ideal for oily/combo skin and that there were 30 shades I was practically giddy with excitement. There are 26 foundation shades in the range, 3 contour shades and 1 highlighting shade. The foundation shades run from very fair to deep, with a larger range of undertones than I’ve seen in a range of foundations before. I always get nervous buying foundations online because there’s so much room for error, so I ended up getting two shades in the “Light” range: Beige and Warm Natural.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Stick Foundation packaging

The packaging of these foundations is stunning. They come in a simple black box, and the sticks are housed in a glossy black tube with gold detailing. They have the well-known ABH logo on the top of the cap and the brand name written up the side, and once you remove the lid the gold detailing continues to the top of the tube. The colours and undertones are very true to the website which makes shopping online much easier than it normally is with foundations.

anastasia beverly hills foundation sticks in warm natural and beige

Anastasia Beverly Hills Foundation Stick in Warm Natural and Beige

The warm undertones of this foundation are very golden, so when I tried my two for the first time I thought Warm Natural may be a little too warm for me – luckily I got Beige which has a peachy undertone, and that I was going on holiday shortly after I received them and would be getting a tan. My guesses from the ABH website were spot on: Beige matched my natural skin and Warm Natural was perfect for when I got back from holiday and needed my face to match a more golden toned body.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Foundation Stick in Warm Natural and Beige

At first I was absolutely floored by the formula of this foundation. It glides onto the skin when you’re swiping it on and blends like a dream with a flat top kabuki brush. I would say at best it has medium coverage, and looks very natural. It looks absolutely stunning when first applied, and other products blend and apply well on top (with the exception of one of my concealers – but that was remedied by swapping from a damp beauty blender to a dense brush).

dale wearing anastasia beverly hills abh foundation stick

When I first wore the foundation I got oily quite quickly, which I attributed to my primer or my powder or anything else I was wearing – this foundation was designed for oily and combination skin types after all, I figured I must be doing something fundamentally wrong. That wasn’t the case though. I tried this foundation with four different primers and three different setting powders, from high end to drug store and all with various formulas, but nothing stopped my nose becoming a broken up oil slick. This foundation also accentuated the texture on my nose quite a lot and I wasn’t able to build the product up to remedy this. It builds beautifully on smooth areas but unfortunately if there’s texture it doesn’t even seem like the same foundation. In terms of covering up pigmentation on my skin it did wonders, but with texture not so much.

Overall I think this is a beautiful foundation if you want a natural look but already have quite smooth skin, and I definitely think it’s best suited to “normal” skin types rather than oily/combination as it’s advertised.

The Anastasia Beverly Hills foundation sticks are available from their website for $25 USD, for 9 grams of product. Shipping to Australia is $17.95 USD which is a large amount, but shipping is very fast. I placed an order for some Glow Kits (should I do a review on them?) and received them within 4 business days. Obviously this would vary depending on order volume, customs etc. but it’s still amazing service.

– Dale is a 23 year old makeup enthusiast from Adelaide, South Australia. He loves all things beauty related and has been vegan for nearly 3 years. Dale loves to travel and has two adorable dogs! You can follow Dale and his gorgeous puppies on instagram @dale_galliford and @harry.archie

Review: Vegan Cuts March Beauty Box

This review is for the Vegan Cuts March Beauty Box which retails for $22.95 USD per month.

What Vegan Cuts say about this subscription box:

“The easiest way to discover cruelty-free brands without committing to full-size products or prices. Each month you’ll receive a delivery of 4-7 new products to try, ranging from unique cosmetics to luxurious skincare.”

My Thoughts:

I spent my whole life thinking I didn’t like surprises, but it turns out I adore them! The Vegan Cuts beauty box is a lovely gift for yourself (or someone else, you generous person!) and it is full of lovely surprises. I really enjoyed trying out the varied range of products I received.

The Upside:

The Vegan Cuts beauty box gives us the chance to try a range of different beauty products without all of the worrying about ingredients, and with cruelty free status confirmed.

The Downside:

If you’re outside of the USA shipping can be quite expensive, however the Vegan Cuts beauty box is incredible value even with the international shipping cost.

The March Vegan Cuts beauty box contained:

Earthlab Cosmetics

Black mineral pencil, $20 value

This is a natural looking black eye pencil. It isn’t super pigmented but it makes a nice base for shadows and gives a nice natural but defined look in the waterline. If you’re looking for a very natural eye pencil made from only a few ingredients, I recommend giving this one a go.

Shea Radiance

Black soap body wash in Classic, $5 value

I love this body wash! It doesn’t dry out my already dry skin at all, it lathers nicely, and it has a lovely soft scent.

DermOrganic

8 Way thermal spray (not available for individual purchase), $10 value

I have only used this once so far, and I both liked and disliked it. It left my hair feeling coated in styling product the day I used it, and very sticky. It did hold my style very well though, and made my hair feel nicely hydrated the next day too. If you use this product I’d love to hear your thoughts and tips in the comments below!

Pacifica

Tunisian Jasmine Lime roll-on perfume, $12 value

I am wearing this right now and I love it! For all the perfume buffs out there the sillage is minimal and fades more within the hour after application, but the on skin scent is very pleasant and not all all irritating to the nose or the skin. I previously had one of these in Persian rose which was actually a bit strong, so this was a nice surprise. I do wish the scent lasted a bit longer without needing to reapply though.

I absolutely love fragrances, and I could handle getting a new one delivered every month 😉

Everclen

Eye cream, $20 value

This eye cream came at quite an opportune time, I was just talking about wanting to get my first one! So far I like it. It has very minimal fragrance, dries quickly and isn’t greasy so it can be worn under makeup. If you have very oily skin you might notice a bit too much slip, but for my combination skin I can wear this morning and night. It actually feels as if it’s firming the skin as it dries too, which is some kind of magic.

October Fields

Chamomile and clove tea light candle, $1 value

This tea light candle had a lovely unique scent, and I got about 2 hours of burn time over a few different occasions.

Vegan Cuts beauty box featuring Gypsy the cat

Bonus photo of Gypsy getting involved in the photo shoot

If you love beauty products and you love surprises, then definitely sign up here. You won’t regret it 😀

Makeup Artist Tip:

Enjoy! Being sent items that you might not normally use can be a great way to play and potentially find new products you love, and new ways of using them. If you receive a product and you aren’t sure how to use it, just google it! We can always improve on (and simplify) our beauty routines. Be open to trying new things ❤️

The Vegan Cuts beauty and snack boxes are available worldwide from their website, and they have a marketplace where they sell a range of cruelty free and vegan products at pretty great prices too. Browse their marketplace here.

Did you get the March beauty box? I’d love to hear your thoughts on the goodies in the comments below.

Thank you for choosing truly cruelty free products!

Charada x

~ This range was provided to me for review purposes, however all opinions within this review are my own, and true to my experience. I will always be honest about how a product performs regardless of whether the product was supplied or purchased. This post contains affiliate links.

Review: Hot Tresses Rehab Trio

What Hot Tresses say about this vegan haircare range:

“As a result from using Hot Tresses, hair is healthier, thicker, stronger and smoother. You’ll feel less need to use heat styling to achieve a beautiful finish. That means you’ll have more time so you are free to do the things you love!

Hot Tresses combines highly organic botanical ingredients with easily absorbable vegan proteins and carefully selected vitamin supplements. The quantity of each ingredient is balanced too, so the product as a whole has the highest efficacy when it comes to cleansing, unraveling, healing and smoothing locks, making your hair best version of itself.

No one ingredient on its own is as powerful as the collective when it comes to creating that Hot Tresses ‘smoothing’ effect. Like a good recipe, each ingredient works synergistically to complement other ingredients. Even after just one wash you’ll notice your hair is smoother. Regular usage in conjunction with our Rehab Plan will help return your hair to optimal condition.

Hot Tresses contains absolutely no animal derivatives, parabens, artificial colouring, harsh detergents, EDTA, triethanolamine, mineral oils, propylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulphate (SLES), sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) or synthetic fragrances. Hot Tresses’ product testing was done in the bathrooms of yoga studios on willing hot yogis, not on animals.”

My Thoughts:

The Hot Tresses range is everything good. I cannot rave about it enough.

The Upside:

This range is the epitome of hair CARE. We’ve all heard the following words used to describe beauty products before, but I want us to take a second to process them slowly: cleansing… nourishing… hydrating… smoothing… revitalising… The Hot Tresses range is all this, and more.

The Downside:

Finding a downside with this range has been difficult. I almost settled on the price, but for what you get and how long the products last it’s worth every cent. The product is more concentrated so less is needed, making the range last a lot longer than any other haircare range I’ve used. The incredible formula also balances hair and scalp meaning that the scalp gets less oily (and less dry!) so hair doesn’t need to be washed as often.

So, I took a step back. What’s the downside?… The only downside right now would be international shipping costs for those outside of Australia. Maybe one day this little Aussie brand will take over the world and be available everywhere, but in the meantime – no matter where you are – this range is a worthwhile investment in your hair.

The Extended Review:

I always have high hopes for new haircare, but within weeks I can’t wait for the tubes to run out so I can try something else (this is why I review products until I really get a feeling for them before writing my reviews). If you have read this far then you will know already that the Hot Tresses range changed that. I have now found my holy grail hair care range, and just like the Montalto Biolinfa Essenzial oil I never want to be without it again.

The Hot Tresses rehab sequence is the culmination of almost five years of research and development by the creators, alongside a team of highly innovative female chemists and hairdressers. Australian made and owned, this indie brand launched less than six months ago is taking the natural and vegan beauty scenes by storm, and with good reason.

I have now used the trio for almost three months, and I will absolutely get a full three months out of the range. I don’t know about you, but for me that’s incredible. Usually I would need to replace my haircare monthly, and I would go through two tubes of conditioner for every tube of shampoo – at least. With the Hot Tresses range I am going through them pretty evenly, and other people that I’ve discussed this with have said the same. I also feel like I need to use far less of all three products than I am used to, and not having to fill up my palm with conditioner is a crazy new experience for me.

I was co washing for about six months prior to trying this range, and while I did notice a significant improvement in the dryness of my hair while doing this, it wasn’t the dramatic change I had hoped it would be. From the first time I used the Hot Tresses range I noticed a huge difference in the way my hair dried, and every subsequent wash it has felt better and better. It’s clean without being dried out, it’s hydrated without feeling heavy or greasy, and it dries without turning me into something reminiscent of Sideshow Bob.

Honestly, I’m pretty lazy when it comes to my own hair and makeup most days. I don’t want to have to style my hair every day, and I am so happy that I have discovered this range and its air dry movement, and I’m now able to embrace my laziness and know that it’s good for my hair. The shampoo doesn’t strip my hair and leave it feeling like straw, and the conditioner and leave in detangle even the most tangly tangles. When I do heat style my hair I use the leave in as normal and it acts as a heat protectant, and gives my hair a beautiful finish.

I now wash my hair less than I ever have before (1-2 times a week) and it never really feels greasy at the roots or dry at the ends. I am also pretty sure that my hair has grown faster than normal these last three months, but without actual measurements I can’t say this for certain. All I can say for certain is that I have found my hair’s new best friend.

With Ylang Ylang essential oil featuring throughout the range, we also get the added benefits of aromatherapy. Ylang ylang has long been known to relieve stress and anxiety, alleviate depression, calm frustration and anger by lifting the mood, act as an aphrodisiac, and even helps to regulate sebum production. It also smells incredible.

Seriously, smell my hair.

Makeup Artist Tip:

Use the shampoo as a brush cleaner and you will have no regrets. Just a little bit of this magic stuff got my brushes sparkling clean, and the conditioner makes a nice monthly treatment for them as well. Some of my lippy brushes needed a massage with some coconut oil before shampooing to get them perfectly clean, but that’s normal.

The Hot Tresses range is available worldwide from their website, and from Amazon.

Thank you for choosing truly cruelty free products!

Charada x

Review: GlamNatural Mascara

This review is for the GlamNatural Mascara in Black which retails for $28 USD.

What GlamNatural say about this mascara:

“Our eco-mascara in classic black. Mascara is the key to every woman’s makeup regimen. This ever-important tool meets the strict BodySafe standard. It is vegan, paraben free, and will give you gorgeous wide-eyed look you crave.”

My Thoughts:

The GlamNatural mascara gives a lovely natural look and wears without flaking, but I did experience some smudging of my top lashes against my brow bone.

The Upside:

This mascara doesn’t irritate my extremely sensitive eyes at all, and the formula doesn’t make my lashes feel stiff or dry. I also like knowing that the ingredients aren’t awful for my eyes. The GlamNatural range is 100% vegan!

The Downside:

This mascara did smudge slightly during the day, and I prefer a more dramatic lash look than this gives me.

The Extended Review:

The formula of this mascara is quite wet, making it easy to apply, and it dries quickly. I found it difficult to apply more than one layer of this mascara without having my lashes stick together. Also, the bristles on the wand are quite long which meant that I often touched my eyelids when applying the mascara (another downside to having such fine eyelashes).

Below you can see how pale and fine my natural lashes are and that one coat of the GlamNatural mascara does make them blacker, but doesn’t do much in the way of thickening or lengthening.

All in all I think this is a lovely mascara for an understated look, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a natural looking mascara with natural ingredients.

Makeup Artist Tip:

This mascara is not as easy to remove from the eyelids using my Makeup Artist Tip from my Arbonne mascara review, so I recommend being very careful when applying it. If you do need to fix up a mistake, let it dry and then dip a cotton tip into some makeup remover before rubbing it lightly over the mistake. If you’re wearing eyeshadow, then apply some liner over the top and no one will ever know. I recommend thoroughly curling lashes prior to applying this mascara.

The GlamNatural range is available worldwide from their website.

Thank you for choosing truly cruelty free products!

Charada x

GlamNatural Mascara (Black) Ingredients: Deionized Water (Aqua), Copernicia Cerifera (Caranauba) Wax, Stearic Acid,Ozokerite, Glycerin, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Persea Gratissma (Avocado) Oil, Panthenol, Citrus Aurantium (Citrus) Oil, Cymbopogon Citratus (Lemon Grass) Oil,Sesamun Indicum (Sesame) Oil, Phenoxyethanol, May Contain: Iron Oxides, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499.

Review + Swatches: Adorn Cosmetics Luxe Mineral & Organic Lipstick

This review is for the Adorn Cosmetics Luxe Mineral & Organic Lipsticks in Natural Pink – Matte & Deep Red which retail for $36 AUD.

What Adorn say about this lipstick:

“The Minerals and Certified Organic ingredients in Adorns Vegan Lipsticks provide effortless nourishment and hydration without compromising on performance or colour.

Certified Organic Jojoba Seed Oils and Shea Butter create a creamy, flawless application that feels as luxurious as it looks.”

My Thoughts:

I really like wearing these. Especially Deep Red, which is long lasting, not drying, and a lovely unique shade. The Natural Pink shade is almost the same colour as my lips are naturally and this means that I don’t reach for it as often, but it is also a lovely formula and a nice shade.

The Upside:

The formula is beautiful. Creamy, rich and hydrating. Adorn is a 100% vegan brand!

The Downside:

At $36 AUD each this range of lippies might not be in everybody’s price range.

The Extended Review:

I received the Natural Pink lipstick to review last year and because the shade is so close to my natural colour I didn’t get as much wear out of it as I wanted to before reviewing it, so I ordered another colour (Deep Red) to see if I could really get the feel for them. The Natural Pink came in the round tube shown at the top of this review, and the red came in a squared tube as shown below.

The squared tube is slightly bulkier, but not by much, and is nicer (for me) to hold when applying the lipstick. I believe the squared tube is the new packaging.

The Adorn Cosmetics range of lipsticks use castor oil, jojoba oil and shea butter in the base which makes for a super hydrating formula.

Both of these shades have a bit of a metallic sheen to them, though it’s much more noticeable in Deep Red.

Adorn mineral lipstick in Natural Pink

Adorn mineral lipstick in Deep Red

Makeup Artist Tip:

For cleaner lines and added depth use a lip lining pencil in a similar shade before applying the lipstick. These lippies double as beautiful cream blushes as well. Just dot them onto your cheeks and blend with your fingertips for some extra colour in the perfect shade to match your lips.

The Adorn Cosmetics range is available worldwide from their website.

Thank you for choosing truly cruelty free products!

Charada x

Adorn Cosmetics Mineral Lipstick Ingredients: Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil*, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Mica (CI 77019), Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Fruit*, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (orange) Peel Oil*, Tocopherol (derived from soya bean), may contain (+/-) Tin Oxide (CI 778161), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Pigment Violet (CI 77742).

~ One of these lipsticks was provided to me for review purposes and I purchased the other. All opinions within this review are my own, and true to my experience. I will always be honest about how a product performs, regardless of whether the product was supplied or purchased.

Review + Swatches: GlamNatural Lip Cream in Poco Loco & Dolcetto

This review is for the GlamNatural Lip Creams in Poco Loco & Dolcetto which retail for $20 USD.

What GlamNatural say about this lip cream:

“Shouldn’t lip color be made without harmful ingredients? We think so. Our BodySafe™ Lip color is Shea-butter based, creamy, and highly pigmented. It glides on smoothly and nourishes your lips while you wear it. Not too matte: not too shiny, our GlamNatural™ LIP transcends trends to provide soft, comfortable, non-sticky color that never goes out of style.”

My Thoughts:

I really like the formula of these lip creams. They aren’t glossy, but they aren’t flat matte either. They are somewhere in between, and the colours are beautiful too. They aren’t very pigmented. They’re like your lips but better, and more moisturised.

The Upside:

These lip creams are amazingly hydrating, and I quite like the shine they have to them. GlamNatural is a 100% vegan brand!

The Downside:

These two shades didn’t wear for very long, so they need to be reapplied every couple of hours or so, and after eating or drinking. The hydration outlasts the colour, though!

The Extended Review:

The GlamNatural core range of products all begin with these five ingredients: shea butter, sunflower oil, grape seed oil, berry wax and jojoba oil. This is a non comedogenic base (won’t cause blocked pores) that is nourishing for all skin types. GlamNatural’s core products also do not contain any water (nonaqueous). According to GlamNatural, water is the reason that preservatives are required in cosmetics, and without water as an ingredient these cosmetics do not harbor bacteria.

Left to right: Poco Loco, Dolcetto. This photo was taken in direct sunlight, which really shows the shine these can have in some lighting.

Left to right: Poco Loco, Dolcetto. This photo was taken in shaded sunlight, making the shades look a lot more matte.

In the pictures below I have applied the lip creams over a lip liner to give more depth and definition to the colour, but they can be alone for a less defined look.

GlamNatural Lip Cream in Poco Loco with Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics pencil in Grandma.

GlamNatural Lip Cream in Dolcetto with Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics pencil in Trick.

These lip creams aren’t very long wearing, but they are a really beautiful product. I think of them more like a lip balm (with extra benefits). I keep them handy, and reapply when needed.

GlamNatural is a 100% vegan range. In addition to this they have developed their own criteria for their products, called the BodySafe™ Promise.

“In an increasingly toxic world, there are many exposures beyond your control. Your makeup should not be one of them. Our products are held to an impressive BodySafe™ standard – something no other product on the market can boast.

To qualify as BodySafe™, all GlamNatural products must be:

hypo-allergenic
vegan
gluten free
cruelty free
talc free
formaldehyde free
mineral oil free
petroleum free
harmful emulsifier free
phthalates free
sodium lauryl sulfate free
synthetic dye free
fragrance free
EU Cosmetics Directive compliant”

So you can rest assured that not only are these products created without harming any animals whatsoever, but they will also not harm us!

Makeup Artist Tip:

Apply a lip liner in a similar shade before applying the lip creams to add extra depth to the colour, and to make the creams wear a bit longer. If you have been following me for a while you will know I’m a fan of any products that can multi task, and these creams easily double as blush and bronzing creams, making them an awesome product to keep on hand.

The GlamNatural range is available worldwide from their website.

Thank you for choosing truly cruelty free products!

Charada x

GlamNatural Lip Cream Ingredients: Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Dimethicone*, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower Oil), Rhus Verniciflua Peel Wax (Berry Wax), Vitis Vinifera (Grape Seed Oil), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba Oil), Iron Oxides (Cl77499), Titanium Dioxide (CL77891), Pigment 15850:1, Mica, Tin Dioxide, Bronze Powder, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate. *Food Contact Grade

Review: Sukin Purifying Facial Masque

This review is for the Sukin Purifying Facial Masque which retails for $15.95 AUD.

What Sukin say about this face mask:

“A purifying base of gentle Kaolin clay combined with soothing aloe vera and antioxidant rich rose hip oil will leave skin feeling refreshed, nurtured and completely clean.”

My Thoughts:

I have really mixed feelings about this face mask. While it did leave my skin feeling soft, clean and fresh, it didn’t give my skin the complete overhaul that I have come to expect from face masks. It didn’t clear my skin of blackheads, or seem to make much difference to existing blemishes, but it did make my skin feel nice, and using it regularly helped over time to draw out some impurities.

The Upside:

This face mask left my skin feeling soft and clean. The pot of product lasted quite a long time, and doesn’t have any strong fragrance. Sukin is a 100% vegan brand!

The Downside:

This budget friendly mask would be best for anyone (really, anyone, from dry to oil prone) who doesn’t have persistent blemishes or blackheads, as it doesn’t clear these imperfections as drastically as some other masks can.

The Extended Review:

While I don’t usually like using products out of tubs this packaging is great. It doesn’t leak, and even though it took me a really long time to get through the product it didn’t dry out at all.

Thanks to Rosehip Oil, Jojoba Oil and Shea Butter this clay mask is not at all drying. I found it to be both cleansing and moisturising, which was lovely when I was freezing in South America! I don’t know about you, but freezing cold weather completely zaps my skin of any moisture.

When this mask has dried it can feel a little difficult to remove. Just keep massaging water into the skin and I promise it will eventually all rinse away. A warm washcloth can also come in handy for removal.

All in all I think that this is a great budget friendly clay mask. It wouldn’t be my first choice for my stubborn skin, but I’m sure it would be great for anyone who doesn’t have my skin concerns (large pores, blemishes and blackheads, coupled with extreme sensitivity, dryness, and an oily t zone. I’ve got the whole package!).

Makeup Artist Tip:

For best results use masks 1-2 times a week. Start by washing your face thoroughly, then exfoliate, then apply a thin layer of the Sukin Purifying Facial Masque. Leave the mask on for 15-20 minutes and then rinse with warm – not hot – water. Last but not least, don’t forget to moisturise!

Use clay masks like this one a few days before a special event, rather than the night before or on the day of, as the clay draws impurities out of the skin and the last thing you want on a special day is for a timely break out.

Have you used this Sukin mask? What did you think of it? What’s your favourite face mask?

The Sukin range is available worldwide from their website.

Thank you for choosing truly cruelty free products!

Charada x

Sukin Purifying Facial Masque Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Bentonite, Talc, Kaolin, Lecithin, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil (Rose Hip), Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Citric Acid, Citrus Tangerina (Tangerine) Peel Oil, Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin Orange) Peel Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Vanillin, Vanilla Planifolia Extract, CI 77491, Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Seed Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Limonene*, Linalool*. * Natural component of essential oils.

~ This range was provided to me for review purposes, however all opinions within this review are my own, and true to my experience. I will always be honest about how a product performs, regardless of whether the product was supplied or purchased.

Review + Swatches: GlamNatural Cream Blush in Barely There

This review is for the GlamNatural Cream Blush in Barely There, which retails for $28 USD.

What GlamNatural say about their blush:

“Our Cream Blush offers a smooth, satin finish and a healthy flush appropriate for all skin types.

Please note: Our cream blush is rich and highly concentrated. You need to use only the tiniest bit and blend along cheekbones. Take care not to over-apply.”

What GlamNatural say about this shade:

“For the fairest complexions. A natural hue best for highlighting the cheeks.”

My Thoughts:

I love cream blushes and this one is excellent. Not only is this blush (and the rest of the GlamNatural range) made from only a few skin-loving ingredients, but it gives excellent results every time.

The Upside:

Highly pigmented, gives a beautiful glow, buildable colour, suitable for most skin types. GlamNatural is a 100% vegan brand! Their whole range is also gluten free.

The Downside:

It can be a bit difficult at first to know how much to use, because you need so little of the product. It may take a bit of practice in the beginning to get it right.

The Extended Review:

The GlamNatural range of cream blush comes in a beautiful gold pump bottle that allows you to pump out a very small amount of product at a time. The lid stays on tight and the pump never leaks, which is great for anyone who likes to keep their blush in their purse.

This cream blush is highly pigmented, so only a small amount is needed, and it’s suitable for most skin types. Anyone with particularly oily skin might not like the way this feels due to it’s moisture content, but anyone from those with the driest skin, to those who get a bit of shine in the T zone throughout the day are sure to love it.

Here is the blush – a lot more of it than anyone would need to use – you can see how thick and opaque it is. I had to wipe most of this off to be able to blend it in the photo below.

I really love wearing this cream blush over liquid foundation that hasn’t been powdered, with a little cream highlighter for a natural, “barely there” look. If you like your makeup to be glowy or dewy this product will quickly become a must have, and with its super concentrated formula it lasts an incredibly long time. The pump bottle means there’s no need to worry about product getting old or full of bacteria either.

wearing glamnatural cream blush in barely there

Photo taken in bright sunlight.

Photo taken in partial shade.

These blushes can also double as a super moisturising lip colour, though in this particular shade I haven’t found that to be particularly useful. I can imagine the shade Ashley Ashley would make a sweet cheek and lip combination. This shade of blush looks best on those with fair skin, while darker skin tones would suit one of the deeper shades in the range.

As I mentioned above,GlamNatural is a 100% vegan range. In addition to this they have developed their own criteria for their products, called the BodySafe™ Promise.

To qualify as BodySafe™, all GlamNatural products must be:

So you can rest assured that not only are these products created without harming any animals whatsoever, they will also not harm us!

Makeup Artist Tip:

Apply this blush on bare skin or after applying liquid or cream foundation using a small amount on a reasonably firm blush or foundation brush, in small, circular motions. Alternatively the blush can be applied using clean fingers in a soft patting motion. If you want to use powder over your foundation, or you find that the blush feels a little sticky even after it has settled on the skin then you can apply powder after applying the blush and any other cream products. For best results I recommend using this blush without powders.

When the blush is first applied it takes a little while to melt/settle into the skin, so check it a few minutes after it has been applied as you may want to use more.

The GlamNatural range is available worldwide from their website. Stay tuned for more GlamNatural reviews coming this month.

Thank you for choosing Truly Cruelty Free products!

Charada x

GlamNatural Cream Blush Ingredients: Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Dimethicone*, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower Oil), Rhus Verniciflua Peel Wax (Berry Wax), Vitis Vinifera (Grape Seed Oil), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba Oil), Iron Oxides (C177491,77492, 77499), Titanium Dioxide (CL77891). *Food Contact Grade

~This product was provided to me for review purposes, however all opinions within this review are my own, and true to my experience. I will always be honest about how a product performs regardless of whether the product was supplied or purchased.

Review: Cover FX Custom Cover Drops

This review is for the Cover FX Custom Cover Drops in N20 which retail for $44 USD.

What Cover FX say about these drops:

“Custom Cover Drops contain concentrated pigments that allow you to customize any product and adjust the level of coverage you desire.

What it does: Custom Cover Drops can be mixed with anything liquid to add coverage – moisturizers, serums, oils, primers, foundations and tinted moisturizers that are water, oil or silicone-based. These revolutionary drops feature our Flash Fusion Technology™ formula, so as soon as you drop, the solution flashes off leaving behind the pigment that weightlessly transforms your favorite beauty product into the sheerest tint all the way to a total coverage foundation, depending on how many drops you add. The pigments are coated with Lecithin, which is biochemically similar to the skin, to ensure ease of blending and the smoothest application. With unprecedented control, you are free to customize coverage like never before.”

My Thoughts:

As a makeup artist, products that blend with other products well and that are customisable by nature are my very best friend. I will definitely be getting a selection of these for my kit.

The Upside:

The drops come in a wide range of shades with different undertones, and they can be mixed with basically anything to achieve the desired coverage and finish for any skin type. Brilliant!

The Downside:

This innovative product is worth the hype, and I have nothing but good things to say it. Unfortunately not all of the Cover FX range is vegan though. Their MintTint FX and MintGlaze FX lip products are not vegan.

The Extended Review:

The Cover FX Custom Cover Drops come in a glass bottle with a glass dropper. I like the size and the design of the bottle, and it doesn’t take up too much room in my makeup bag.

The dropper is easy to use, and it’s simple to squeeze out the exact number of drops that you need. The bottle gets a little messy around the top (where the dropper goes into the bottle) but I haven’t had any problems with it leaking.

As stated on the Cover FX website, this product is not designed to be used alone. Of course I had to test that theory, and it really doesn’t work without a carrier of some kind. I have tried the drops in N20 with a few different products to see how they work best, and my favourite product to mix them with is the Adorn Hydration+ Plumping Skin Primer. See below for the combinations I tried and how well they performed together:

Mixed with the Adorn Hydration+ Plumping Skin Primer – As I mentioned above this is my favourite product to mix with the drops. The Adorn primer is actually one of my favourite primers, and I look forward to reviewing it very soon. They mix together smoothly and the soft coverage I get with just a few drops lasts all day. The Cover FX drops mixed with this primer give the most natural finish of all the variations I tried.

Mixed with the Too Faced Primed and Poreless Primer – This was my least favourite combination. I found that the drops did not mix into this silicone based primer very well, and I found the mixture to be somewhat drying in appearance – accentuating any dryness in the skin. This combination might be good however, for anyone with particularly oily skin.

Mixed with the Arbonne Makeup Primer – This is another silicone based primer and while the result of this combination wasn’t as bad as with the Too Faced primer – the drops mixed in more evenly – I feel that the drops don’t play so well with silicone based primers.

Mixed with the Juice Beauty CC Cream – The drops mixed with this CC cream gave a dewy, illuminated finish that looked quite lovely for the first few hours, however it didn’t have the staying power that I would have liked.

Mixed with the Wet N Wild Cover All Cream Foundation – This combination had the most coverage and staying power, great for when you want total coverage that lasts all day and night. The Wet N Wild foundation in Fair/Light is too dark for me and just a few of the drops in N20 lightened it up quite a bit.

Me getting ready to film our crowdfunding video, wearing four drops of Custom Cover Drops with a chickpea sized amount of the Wet N Wild Cover All Foundation. Applied using a damp Beauty Blender.

According to the Cover FX website this is how many drops are required for different amounts of coverage:

1 Drop = Sheer Coverage
2 Drops = Medium Coverage
3 Drops = Full Coverage
4 Drops = Total Coverage

With approximately 300 drops in each bottle, that’s a lot of applications!

Makeup Artist Tip:

Shake the bottle well before use, every time. Try mixing the drops with a variety of products, you will be surprised at the results! If you have drier skin be sure to moisturise well, and mix the drops with richer carriers like hydrating primers, creams and oils. If you have oily skin use lighter carriers or those that have mattifying properties, and set with a powder. The drops are easy to mix, either on a palette or in the palm of your hand. Apply as you would normally apply foundation, using a sponge, brush, or clean fingers.

As for choosing a shade I always recommend testing in person, however if you can’t do this the next best option is to look online for swatches. You can also choose shades specifically to alter products that you already have. I have quite pale skin with neutral to yellow undertones, which is uncommon in lighter shades of makeup. I purchased the Cover FX drops in N20 which is the perfect shade for me, and even a small amount of the product lightens other foundations superbly.

The Cover FX range is available worldwide from their website.

Thank you for choosing truly cruelty free products!

Charada x

Cover FX Custom Cover Drops Ingredients: Ethyl Trisiloxane, Caprylyl Methicone, Bis-Hydroxyethoxypropyl Dimethicone, Isododecane, Dimethicone, Mica, Jojoba Esters, Triethylhexanoin, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Silica, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Water (Aqua, Eau), Alcohol, Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax, Polyglycerin-3. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499)

~ This range was purchased for review purposes. All opinions within this review are my own, and true to my experience. I will always be honest about how a product performs regardless of whether the product was supplied or purchased.

Review: Blue Beautifly Skincare

This review is for the Blue Beautifly Organic Regenerating Oil Serum ($52 USD), Fruit Infusion Cream ($48 USD), and Hydrating Tonic (soon to be re launched).

Blue Beautifly Organic Regenerating Oil Serum

What Blue Beautifly say about this face oil:

“Organic Regenerating Oil Serum is a powerful botanical age fighter that accelerates the skin’s natural renewal process resulting in a younger looking complexion. A luxurious combination of pure organic precious oils and flower stem cells supports your skin’s natural lipid barrier function and seals moisture within your skin. Its delicate extracts of Immortelle, Calendula, Chamomile, and Lavender flower petals offer potent soothing and anti-inflammatory properties while its exquisite oils, such as Sea Buckthorn Berry, Pomegranate, Tamanu, Black Seed, Argan, Jojoba, Camellia Seed, Coconut, and Olive restore the skin’s youthful glow, increase collagen production, and combat age spots and wrinkles. Its seductive aromatherapeutic blend of Tangerine, Lavender, Ylang Ylang, Jasmine, and Orange Blossom essential oils regenerates the skin and uplifts the mood. With continuous use, visibly healthier, hydrated, and luminous skin is revealed.”

My Thoughts:

This is a lovely, light, and hydrating product, though it is quite thick and can be difficult to apply evenly to dry skin. It’s best to apply this after using a toner or while skin is still damp after cleansing. My favourite way to use this oil is after using the Blue Beautifly Hydrating Tonic, or by adding a few drops to the Blue Beautifly Fruit Infusion Cream.

The Upside:

With pomegranate oil (excellent for blemish, acne prone and aging skin), argan oil (wonderful for hydration and healing scars), and hemp oil (soothing and full of antioxidants, great for aging skin) this face oil is full of ingredients that will benefit a wide range of skin types. I have sensitive, combination skin, prone to dryness and an oily t-zone, and I found this oil to be hydrating without feeling heavy. A couple of drops on damp skin go a long way. The entire Blue Beautifly range is vegan.

The Downside:

The only downside would be that the squeezy part of the dropper became stained by the oil inside. This is a somewhat visible in the photos, though it’s more obvious in person. I can offer no negatives to the oil itself though, so it’s a small price to pay for a quality, skin loving product!

Blue Beautifly Fruit Infusion Cream

What Blue Beautifly say about this face moisturiser:

“Fruit Infusion Cream, infused with organic raw fruit antioxidants and vitamins, alleviates the skin’s dullness, dehydration, and moisture-loss botanically. It unlocks the inherent power deep within the skin cells to create a smooth feel and a flawless look. Its sensational live fruit enzymes, such as Apple, Acai Berry, Goji Berry, Elderberry, Raspberry, Pomegranate, and Plantain, help to refine lines, balance moisture level, regenerate the skin at the cellular level, and restore a radiant glow. The revitalizing properties of Hyaluronic Acid, Aloe Vera, Argan Oil, Jojoba Oil, and Shea Butter, help to counteract the signs of aging and support the skin’s natural renewal. Its citrus aromatherapeutic blend of Tangerine, Orange Blossom, Litsea Cubeba, and Petitgrain essential oils energizes and rejuvenates the skin and calms the nervous system. With continuous use, your skin will appear youthful, luminous, and refined.”

My Thoughts:

This is a super hydrating moisturiser which has soothed my very dry winter skin magnificently. My favourite way to use this moisturiser is with a few drops of the Blue Beautifly Organic Regenerating Oil Serum mixed into it.

The Upside:

Wonderfully hydrating and full of beautiful ingredients such as shea butter (anti inflammatory, soothes skin conditions and deeply moisturising), argan oil (wonderful for hydration and healing scars) and pomegranate oil (excellent for blemish, acne prone and aging skin).

The Downside:

I initially didn’t like the smell of this moisturiser, and while I still can’t quite put my finger on what the fragrance actually is, over the course of reviewing this it has grown on me. I don’t even think about the fragrance any more 🙂

Blue Beautifly Hydrating Tonic

This hydrating tonic was the stand out product of the three I was sent, and it has genuinely changed my feelings about using a toner. I have used many toners in my life and honestly never noticed a positive difference in my skin until using this once. It increased my skin’s hydration a gazillion fold, and I plan to always keep some on hand for clients with sensitive or dry skin. I also believe this would make a lovely light moisturiser for anyone suffering from very oily skin.

Since I was sent this product to review its current formulation has been discontinued due to reports of separation of ingredients. Some of the essential oils were apparently separating, though I never experienced this with the bottle I was sent. This tonic will be re launched in its new form (the formula is to be the same, bar a few essential oils that were not mixing) in late 2015. I highly recommend snapping this up when you can!

Makeup Artist Tip:

The face oil and moisturiser can be used for skin care, as well as primer for those with drier skin types. For more information about some of the oils I have mentioned above, and which to use for different skin conditions, see my post on some of my favourite oils here.

The entire Blue Beautifly range is vegan, and their products are available worldwide from their website.

Thank you for choosing truly cruelty free products!

Charada x

Organic Regenerating Oil Serum Ingredients:

Camellia (Camellia Oleifera) Seed Oil*, Coconut (Cocos Nucifera) Oil*, Jojoba (Simmondsia Chinensis) Oil*; Blended Flower Extracts of: Immortelle (Helichrysum Arenarium)*, Calendula (Calendula Officinalis)*, Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia)*, Chamomile (Matricaria Recutita)*; Olive (Olea Europaea) Oil*, Tamanu (Calophyllum Inophyllum) Oil*, Black Seed (Nigella Sativa) Oil*, Argan (Argania Spinosa) Oil*, Pomegranate (Punica Granatum) Seed Oil*, Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae Rhamnoides) Berry Oil*; Blended Essential Oils of: Tangerine (Citrus Reticulata)*, Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia)*, Ylang Ylang (Cananga Odorata)*, Jasmine (Jasminum Grandiflorum)*, Orange Blossom (Citrus Aurantium)*; Rosemary (Rosmarinus Officinalis) Extract*, Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus) Seed Oil*.

Fruit Infusion Cream Ingredients: Aloe Vera Juice (Aqua and Aloe Barbadensis)*, Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia) Hydrosol*, Apricot (Prunus Armeniaca) Kernel Oil*, Avocado (Persea Gratissima) Oil*; Blended Extracts of: Apple (Pyrus Malus)*, Acai (Euterpe Oleracea) Berry*, Goji (Lycium Barbarum) Berry*, Elderberry (Sambucus Nigra)*, Plantain (Plantago Major) Leaf*; Grape (Vitis Vinifera) Alcohol*, Vegetable Glycerin*, Vegetable Emollient (Isoamyl Laurate), Vegetable Ester (Glyceryl Stearate Citrate), Vegetable Fatty Alcohol (Cetearyl Alcohol), Shea (Butyrospermum Parkii) Butter*, Raspberry (Rubus Idaeus) Seed Oil*, Pomegranate (Punica Granatum) Seed Oil*, Argan (Argania Spinosa) Oil*, Vitamin E (Tocopherol) Oil, Sugar Cane Derivative (Sodium Levulinate); Blended Essential Oils of: Tangerine (Citrus Reticulata)*, Orange Blossom (Citrus Aurantium)*, Litsea Cubeba*, Petitgrain (Citrus Aurantium)*; Basil/Star Anise Derivative (Sodium Anisate), Xanthan Gum, Coconut/Sustainable Palm Kernel Oil Derivative (Glyceryl Caprylate), Sodium Hyaluronic Acid, Citric Acid.

* Certified Organic

Review & Swatches: ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip

colourpop ultra matte lip swatch vegan makeup liquid lipstick

Review & Swatches: ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip

This review is for the ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip liquid to matte lipsticks in Vice, Midi, Trap, Koala, Buds, Creeper, Avenue & Limbo, which retail for $6 USD.

What ColourPop say about this liquid to matte lipstick:

“This thin and lightweight formula glides onto the lips smoothly and leaves SUPER intense pigment-rich colour with a bold, ultra matte look. It’s very long wearing and completely kiss proof!”

My Thoughts:

Liquid to matte lipsticks are all the rage for a reason, and ColourPop‘s version is one of the better ones I’ve tried – especially within it’s price range.

The Upside:

Great range of colours, cheap, and true to their word the Ultra Matte Lip range is highly pigmented, lightweight, long wearing, and definitely kiss proof.

The Downside:

Being a super matte, super long wearing formula, they can be pretty drying. Some people can handle this better than others, and though I love matte lippies I personally wouldn’t wear these every day. Also not everything ColourPop makes is vegan. All of the shades I chose for this review are vegan, and the only colour in this range that isn’t is Tulle, as it contains carmine. Check my database for more information about their vegan options.

ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip Swatches

The Extended Review:

All of the following photos were taken in natural daylight and they have not been edited. I applied no liner and only one coat of each shade for comparison purposes, but I’ve stated whether or not I think a second coat is worthwhile. Please excuse my unruly hair, it’s super humid here in the states and I still don’t own any styling tools (which I’m convinced has contributed to the amazing health of my newly grown hair!). I am looking for something suitable though, so if anyone can recommend to me an all rounder straightening/curling tool that is animal friendly please comment and let me know? Dual voltage is necessary.

Anyway, enough about me, let’s do this!

ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip from front to back – Vice, Midi, Trap, Limbo, Avenue, Creeper, Buds, and Koala

The ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip range comes in the usual long tube with a doe foot wand applicator. The packaging looks and feels nice, and it doesn’t seem at all cheap.

ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip applicator wand

The Ultra Matte Lip range is super pigmented and long lasting, but quite drying. I find the Lime Crime Velvetines to last a bit longer and not be quite so drying, but at $6 a piece for such a great range of colours the ColourPop range is a great alternative to more expensive brands. I have included dupes for each shade below, so if you were looking for a truly cruelty free alternative to Anastasia Beverly Hills or just a cheaper version of Lime Crime or Jeffree Star Cosmetics, ColourPop might be the answer.

Below are swatches and more information about the individual shades. See my tips at the end of the review for how to get the most out of these little beauties!

colourpop ultra matte lip vegan makeup liquid lipstick

ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip in Vice

Vice

ColourPop says “A pale warm nude – your newest guilty pleasure”

I heard some not so great things about this shade before I got to try it, but it’s actually one of my favourites. I like to wear it with a lighter shade of foundation (lighter than in this photo) making it a perfect fair skin nude, which makes any other makeup pop. Two coats of this shade gave me the best results. Vice is a dupe for Anastasia Beverly Hills Milkshake.

ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip in Midi

Midi

ColourPop says “Whether you fancy a mini or a maxi you’ll be killin it in this soft neutral beige”

Another beautiful nude, this one works better for me when I wear a deeper foundation as pictured. Midi is a dupe for Anastasia Beverly Hills Pure Hollywood and Jeffree Star Cosmetics I’m Nude.

ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip in Trap

Trap

ColourPop says “We’re like “hey what’s up hello” in this dusty greyed out beige (“greige”)”

The “greige” everyone is talking about is represented in the ColourPop range right here. I wasn’t sure how much I would like Trap on me, but I was pleasantly surprised! This cool toned nude-ish shade is fun, and different, and emphasises any brighter makeup. Trap is a dupe for Lime Crime Cashmere.

ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip in Koala

Koala

ColourPop says “You’ll be a koalafied bad*ss in this vibrant pastel lavender”

Another favourite of mine. Maybe because I have a soft spot for bright lip colours, maybe because it’s named after an Australian native like myself. Either way, this shade works for so many skin tones and it’s fun! Not to mention the cool tone makes teeth look whiter. Two coats of this shade really brings it to life. Koala is a dupe for Lime Crime Rave.

ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip in Buds

Buds

ColourPop says “Whether you joke with them or smoke with them you’re sure to love this shocking neon pink”

Yay! Another bright shade! I love bright pink lips, and I like this one a lot. Being a cool tone as well this one also makes teeth look whiter. This shade looks best with two coats. Buds is a dupe for Anastasia Beverly Hills Party Pink.

ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip in Creeper

Creeper

ColourPop says “Keep it real in this true classic blue red”

Cool toned for whiter teeth, this shade will always be a classic. Pair with black liner and big lashes, a smoky eye, or just mascara. Creeper is a slightly brighter dupe for Lime Crime Red Velvet and Jeffree Star Cosmetics Red Rum.

ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip in Avenue

Avenue

ColourPop says “Sleep all day, stay up all night in this deep yellow red”

A beautiful deep red. To me this shade is the perfect winter red, bringing warmth, depth and colour to any look. Avenue is a dupe for Lime Crime Wicked, Anastasia Beverly Hills Heathers and Jeffree Star Cosmetics Unicorn Blood.

ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip in Limbo

Limbo

ColourPop says “You’ll be bending over backwards for this deep chocolate brown”

While brown lips might be a throwback to the 90’s, as long as they aren’t paired with over plucked brows and hair jewellery, they totally work! I have been enjoying this shade quite a lot. This is the perfect brown skin nude. Limbo is a dupe for Lime Crime Salem.

Makeup Artist Tip:

Make sure lips are exfoliated and apply a small amount of lip balm or coconut oil before applying the lipstick. When applying this lippy use either the supplied wand or a lip brush, and work in sections. For example top left, top right, centre bottom, left bottom, right bottom. Applying in sections allows you to focus on getting even edges and coverage. If you want to do a second coat this can be applied with the usual sweeping motion, just keep the brush slightly within the edges to add depth of colour while keeping your lovely outline intact.

When reapplying the colour after eating or throughout the day, only apply it to the inner section of the lip where most of the colour will be gone. This will stop the product from building up too much, and cracking or flaking. If you find that your lips are feeling tight or dry you can apply a little balm or gloss over the top for some relief, but keep in mind that these are not as long wearing or transfer proof with anything applied over them.

The ColourPop range is available worldwide from their website.

Thank you for choosing truly cruelty free products!

Charada x

Ingredients: Isododecane, Nylon-12,diisopropyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Aluminum Calcium Sodium Silicate, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Sodium Potassium Aluminum Silicate, Silica, Polypropylsilsesquioxane, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Alumina, Tin Oxide, Propylene Carbonate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Palmitic Acid. +/- Mica (CI 77019), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Red 7 (CI 15850), Red 30 Lake (CI 73360), Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Iron Oxides (CI 77492), Iron Oxides (CI 77499), Red 6 (CI 15850), Red 28 Lake (CI 45410), Red 28 (CI 45410), Red 27 Lake (CI 45410), Red 21 (CI 45380), Red 21 Lake (CI 45380), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Yellow 10 Lake (CI 47005), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Yellow 6 Lake (CI 15985), Bismuth Oxychloride (CI 77163), Bronze Powder (CI 77400), Copper Powder (CI 77400), Red 33 (CI 17200), Carmine (CI 75470), Red 40 Lake (CI 16035), Red 36 (CI 12085), Orange 5 (CI 45370), Red 6 Lake (CI 15850), Red 22 (CI 45380).

Review: Gressa Minimalist Corrective Serum Foundation & Air Focus Foundation Brush

Gressa Minimalist Corrective Serum Foundation

This review is for the Gressa Minimalist Corrective Serum Foundation which retails for $54 USD, and the Gressa Air Focus Foundation Brush which retails for $32 USD.

What Gressa say about this serum foundation:

“It’s a serum. It’s a foundation. It’s a multivitamin for your face. Perfect your face with long-term benefits of this revolutionary serum to powder foundation.

GRESSA Healing Complex^TM is a proprietary powerhouse blend of carefully selected botanical extracts that care for your skin by providing it with overall balance, radiance and clarity. Minerals provide a tone-correcting coverage natural finish.”

What Gressa say about this brush:

“A makeup brush that allows you to achieve the soft finish of airbrushing. This foundation brush flawlessly blends and buffs makeup for a perfectly airbrushed effect.”

My Thoughts:

The Gressa foundation is without a doubt my favourite foundation for daily wear. With broccoli seed oil as it’s main ingredient, how could I not love it?! Seriously though, wearing this foundation most days has without a doubt improved my skin.

The Upside:

This serum foundation is packed with ingredients that are beneficial for our skin, and it provides just enough coverage for skin to look amazing without being heavy or obvious.

The Downside:

Not all of the Gressa range is vegan. The foundation only comes in 15 ml bottles and being an oil based foundation, it can warm up quite a bit. Below I discuss some tips for how to make the best of this foundation for different skin types.

The Extended Review:

I was lucky enough to receive samples of the full range of Gressa Foundations, along with their Air Focus Foundation Brush to review – for anyone wanting other shades, more have been released since I received my samples. I am so happy to finally be sitting down to write this and to be sharing such a beautiful product with you!

I’ll start by talking about the Air Focus Foundation Brush. I have been using the brush with a variety of different products, and it picks up and holds product well, applies product smoothly, and it blends and buffs beautifully. Of course, it’s also vegan. My only issue with it is that the white bristles on the very tip seem to be slightly stained by foundation. I took this photo today though, and I can’t see it, so I’m probably just being picky. It’s a great all rounder brush and (like I said before about the Adorn Kabuki) if you only have one face brush, this one would be a great investment.

Vegan Makeup - Gressa Minimalist Corrective Serum Foundation Illuminator Bronzer Air Focus Brush

The Gressa Minimalist Corrective Serum Foundation range and Air Focus Foundation Brush.

The Air Focus Foundation Brush is excellent for applying and buffing out liquid, serum, and cream foundations, powders, and even doubles up as a blush/bronzer brush if it’s the only one on hand. It’s soft, it dries quickly, I haven’t noticed any shedding, and it isn’t ridiculously expensive. I like it a lot 🙂

This foundation has so many beneficial ingredients. I will discuss just a few of these ingredients in detail here, but feel free to skip me getting my geek on and take my word for it.

Broccoli Seed Oil: If you didn’t already know, I am crazy about broccoli (and oils!) and this doesn’t stop at eating it a million different ways. Broccoli seed oil is non greasy and rich in nourishing vitamins, retinol (a form of Vitamin A which helps diminish fine lines, wrinkles and age spots), and erucic acid (an omega 9 fatty acid which gives a lovely natural glow to the skin). It is also exceptionally moisturising, calming and soothing, protects the skin from environmental pollutants and free radicals, and has anti inflammatory effects on rashes and skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. It’s also great for dry and dull hair.

Neem Extract: Neem Extract (not to be confused with Neem Seed Oil) is known as an anti-bacterial, antimicrobial, and anti-viral ingredient, and is used in many Ayurvedic therapies. Neem Extract aids in hydration, soothes itching and irritated skin, and can even reduce blackheads and large pores. In various forms, Neem is used to treat everything from scabies, psoriasis, eczema, acne, cold sores and warts, to malaria, arthritis and much more!

Silymarin: An extract of Milk Thistle, Silymarin has been shown to improve rosacea, skin redness, and itching, and in many studies has even been shown to reduce and reverse DNA damage and cancers caused by UV light. Incredible hey?!

Silica: Silica is a mineral that has naturally absorbent qualities. It’s found in many good mattifying primers and powders, and has even been shown in studies to drastically improve acne caused by excess sebum production.

So, on to how the foundation wears! Gressa calls the finish a serum to powder, and while it does mattify slightly after application (thank you silica!) it does not appear at all powdered. Not to me anyway. I also find that some days I need to powder it, and others I don’t, and I’m sure that is to do with the humidity wherever I am and how my skin is feeling on that particular day. Once it’s powdered though I don’t need to keep powdering it, and that is another winning benefit to this foundation. Some foundations oxidise after application, basically meaning that they darken once they have been on the skin for a little while. This foundation doesn’t do that, in fact it adapts to the skin tone and stays there (probably thanks to the broccoli seed oil). If anything, improving over time.

These foundations are available in a 15ml dropper bottle made from dark glass.Gressa recommends using two to four drops for a full face, but I use four to six.Gressa says that a bottle used every day will last for six months, and if not used every day it has a shelf life of twelve months.

I mix shades two and three in equal parts for myself. I start with two drops of each, mix and apply with clean hands to my whole face. If I need to I get another drop of each and go over wherever I want more coverage. Then I leave it for a few minutes to let it settle, and see whether I’m having a shiny day or not. I usually apply some concealer under my eyes and over any very red blemishes, and then if I think I need to I will apply a little dusting of powder (I love the GlamNatural Finishing Powder) all over my face.

My skin in the first photo without makeup is quite red because I used a mask the night before which didn’t quite agree with my skin, so it’s easy to see what a wonderful job just a small amount of the Gressa foundation did!

Vegan Makeup Gressa Serum Foundation Illuminator Review

No makeup.

Vegan Makeup Gressa Serum Foundation Review

One coat of Gressa Minimalist Corrective Serum Foundation in 2 and 3 mixed in equal parts.

One more just for fun. I love this foundation! Please excuse the blur, I had to crop this one.

Here are some swatches of the foundations. Unfortunately No.7 exploded during transit to me and completely dried out, so it isn’t swatched below and I have never used it. In the first photo the concentration of the mineral pigments is very obvious, and below that I have swiped downwards only once using my finger. See how they just melt into the skin?

Swatches of the Gressa Minimalist Corrective Serum Foundation range applied to skin using dropper. Outdoors with natural sunlight.

Vegan Makeup Review - Swatches of the Gressa Minimalist Corrective Serum Foundation

Swatches of the Gressa Minimalist Corrective Serum Foundation range applied to skin using dropper and swiped downwards with my finger. Indoors with natural sunlight.

So there it is. I believe that most skin types can benefit from using this foundation in lieu of regular foundations for daily wear. This includes users of tinted moisturisers and BB/CC/DD creams as well (I’ll save elaborating on this for another post, but I am just not impressed by them!). With all of the beneficial ingredients, wearing this foundation truly is doing our skin a favour. All while helping us to look and feel our best.

Makeup Artist Tip:

For those with dry skin, use a hydrating primer or a good face oil under the foundation. For those prone to oily skin, a mattifying primer will help achieve the best results. Skindinavia’s primer sprays also work fantastically under this foundation. I personally like to cleanse, tone, moisturise, and apply a small amount of the Arbonne Makeup Primer underneath the foundation. Don’t powder immediately after applying the foundation, wait a few minutes for it to settle into the skin. Then conceal and powder if necessary. Like I said above, some days I need to and some days I don’t 😉

The Gressa range is available worldwide from their website.

Thank you for choosing truly cruelty free products!

Charada x

Gressa Minimalist Corrective Serum Foundation Ingredients: *Brassica oleracea (Broccoli) Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Silica, GRESSA Healing ComplexTM *Silymarin, *Neem (Azadirachta indica) Extract,*Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) Extract, *Lemon Balm (Melissa officianalis) Extract, *Barberry (Berberis vulgaris) Extract, *Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) Seed Extract, *Elder Flower (Sambucus nigra) Extract, *Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia) Extract, Licorice Root (Glycyrrhiza glabra) Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate Non-GMO, Coenzyme Q10, Ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate, (Vitamin C), *lecithin, *glycerin, mica, iron oxides, titanium oxide. *CERTIFIED ORGANIC

*This range was provided to me for review purposes, however all opinions within this review are my own, and true to my experience. I will always be honest about how a product performs regardless of whether the product was supplied or purchased.

I ❤ Oils!

After years of avoiding them, people are now paying close attention to the many benefits oils have for our health, and the health of our skin. I am a lover of oil based products for all skin types. From dry and sensitive, to mature, oily, blemish prone, and everything in between. Different oils have different benefits, and depending on our skin’s needs we can use oils that are naturally antimicrobial and assist in clearing and healing blemishes, control sebum production, penetrate into the deepest layers of the skin to lock in moisture, even out skin tone, reduce redness, regenerate skin cells, and improve the elasticity of the skin.

Oils are one of those things that are very much a personal preference. Some people love the results and the weight of certain oils, even when their skin type doesn’t necessarily match with the benefits of a particular oil. This means that if we don’t like one oil, there are many others out there we can try! Keep in mind that the quality of the oil makes a huge difference. We want to be using organic, unrefined, and cold pressed oils.

Some of the most popular oils for the skin are:

Rosehip oil is excellent for hydration, healing scars, sun damage, protecting the skin from environmental factors, skin elasticity, cell regeneration and aging skin.

Jojoba oil is not technically an oil but a liquid wax ester that mimics our own sebum, and is beneficial for all skin types. It helps to moisturise, nourish, balance oily skin, heal blemishes and control acne.

Hemp oil helps to soothe and hydrate dry and irritated skin, and it’s antioxidant and anti inflammatory properties have been shown to slow the aging of the skin.

Argan oil nourishes and assists with skin hydration, healing scars, eczema, acne, and aging skin.

Sweet Almond oil softens and smoothes, has anti inflammatory properties, and is wonderful for dry, sensitive and irritated skin. Almond oil is also excellent for healing skin damaged by the sun.

Coconut oil helps to hydrate very dry skin, is soothing, reduces redness and age spots, prevents aging damage, and as it is anti inflammatory and antibacterial it can also help to treat acne and blemish prone skin. Please note that people have very mixed results using coconut oil. If you find that you are breaking out while using coconut oil then I would recommend switching to another.

Grape seed oil moisturises, nourishes, smooths, evens skin tone, and helps to prevent damage caused by aging. With it’s anti inflammatory properties it is also know to assist with acne and healing blemishes.

Pomegranate oil is another oil with antimicrobial properties that can aid with the treatment of acne and blemish prone skin. Pomegranate oil will reduce redness and brighten the skin, protect and heal dry and irritated skin, nourish, moisturise, tone, firm, and help to prevent damage caused by aging.

Below are some of my favourite products for year round skin health and protection.

Montalto Biolinfa Essenzial Anti Aging Oil

This review is for the Montalto Biolinfa Essenzial Anti Aging Oil, which retails for €47.50 EUR.

What Montalto say about this oil:

“A special oil rich in Radice di Luce® and extract of Spilanthes acmenlla, that ‘reorganises’ the structure of the dermis and visibly tones the surface of the skin.”

My Thoughts:

This oil has changed my skin for the better. I use this as a moisturiser twice daily and I plan to never be without it again. This is the oil that I use in my personal skincare routine when I am not reviewing other products.

The Upside:

The Biolinfa Essenziale (Essential Biolymph) hydrates, balances, firms and tones, evens out skin tone and aids in the healing of blemishes.

The Downside:

Not all of the Montalto range is vegan. Check individual product ingredients and get in touch with the company if you aren’t sure. I am still waiting on a full list of products than are free from animal ingredients.

Montalto is an Italian brand and their products are available in most countries, click here for their website. If you are in Australia you can email them at montaltoaustralia@gmail.com to order products or find a stockist near you.

Sukin Facial Treatment Oil

This review is for the Sukin Facial Treatment Oil, which retails for $19.95 AUD.

What Sukin say about this oil:

“Argan oil offers long lasting protection with its high content of antioxidants and vitamin E to help fight the visible signs of ageing. Rich in vitamin C, Maracuja oil brightens the appearance of the skin, while Jojoba oil locks in moisture to keep skin supple and smooth. Rose Hip Oil and Calendula Extract provide a generous dose of essential fatty acids and beta-carotene to restore an even-looking complexion, and maintain optimal skin health.”

My Thoughts:

This oil is a great all-rounder, and is perfect for normal to oily skin. Like everything Sukin make, it also smells delightful.

The Upside:

The Sukin Facial Treatment Oil is light and easily absorbed. I like to use this oil for clients who have no skin complaints, and also for clients who complain of oily skin. Prolonged use will help to even skintone, clear blemishes and balance oil production. Sukin is a 100% vegan brand!

The Downside:

This isn’t a downside, but if your skin is very dry or sensitive I would recommend trying a heavier oil.

Sukin products are available worldwide, click here for their website.

GlamNatural Hydrating Cream

This review is for the GlamNatural Hydrating Cream, which retails for $28 USD.

What GlamNatural say about this face cream:

“Use as a day or night cream. Amazing product.”

My Thoughts:

One look at the ingredients of the GlamNatural hydrating cream, and I knew that it was going to feel good on my skin. This is basically a face oil in thick, creamy, paste formula.

The Upside:

This cream is full of beautiful, skin healing ingredients and it does wonders for dry, sensitive skin. It makes a wonderful night cream that leaves skin feeling rejuvenated and replenished. GlamNatural is a 100% vegan brand!

The Downside:

This cream can make the face a bit shiny under makeup, but a little powder applied in the morning will cancel this out.

GlamNatural products are available worldwide, click here for their website.

Raw Gaia By Jessica Hemp Heaven Glow Spray

Raw Gaia By Jessica Hemp Heaven Glow Spray

This review is for theRaw Gaia By Jessica Hemp Heaven Glow Spray, which retails for £29.99 GBP.

What Raw Gaia By Jessica say about this spray:

“A light, fine and instantly absorbed moisturiser and the ultimate tonic for oil, combination or problem skin. Helps treat and prevent spots, breakouts, acne, eczema, and psoriasis, brightening the complexion to leave skin soft, smooth and clear. ”

My Thoughts:

I love this spray. It’s excellent for problem skin, travelling, dry climates, winter, summer, day and night.

The Upside:

This spray is a beautiful blend of ingredients that nourish the skin without feeling heavy or greasy. It’s great applied alone, under and over another face oil or moisturiser, and to assist with very dry skin it can even be sprayed over makeup (spray, then pat lightly with clean fingers) throughout the day. Raw Gaia By Jessica is a 100% vegan brand!

The Downside:

While I like that the 50ml bottle is small enough to pop into my handbag, I do wish this product came in a bigger bottle as well!

Raw Gaia By Jessica products are available worldwide, click here for their website.

Don’t forget to make sure you are eating a good amount of healthy, plant based oils too. As I’m often heard saying, good skin begins within 🙂

Thank you for choosing truly cruelty free products!

Charada x

Montalto Biolinfa Essenzial Anti Aging Oil Ingredients: rosa rubiginosa (rosehip) seed oil *, prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) seed oil *, olea europaea (olive) fruit oil *, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil *, dioscorea batatas (yam) root extract *, caprylic/capric triglyceride (vegetable origin), parfum **, spilanthes acmella flower extract, rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) extract, canola oil, linalool*, geraniol*, limonene*, citronellol*
*organic
**contains essential oils of geranium, sweet orange, and lemongrass

Sukin Facial Treatment Oil Ingredients: Helianthis Annus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil (Argan), Rosa Eglanteria Seed Oil (Rose Hip), Simmondisa Chinensis(Jojoba) Seed Oil, Coconut Alkanes, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil (Maracuja Oil), Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil, Citrus Tangerina (Tangerine) Peel Oil, Citrus Nobilis (Mandarine Organge) Peel Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender)Oil, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Vanillin, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, *Limonene, *Linalool

GlamNatural Hydrating Face Cream Ingredients: Shea Butter, Jojoba oil, Almond oil, Apricot Kernal oil, Pomegranate oil,Black Cumin Seed oil, Avocado oil, Frankincense oil, Myrrh oil, Natural Fragrance, Titanium Dioxide colorant.

Raw Gaia By Jessica Hemp Heaven Glow Spray Ingredients: cold pressed argan oil, cold pressed hemp oil, Juniper floral water, Sage floral water, MSM, essential oils of lemon, sweet orange and eucalyptus. All ingredients are organic.

*These products were provided to me for review purposes, however all opinions within this review are my own. I will always be honest about how a product performs, regardless of whether the product was supplied or purchased.

Review: Sukin Micellar Cleansing Water

This review is for the Sukin Micellar Cleansing Water, which retails for $9.95 AUD.

What Sukin say about this cleanser:

“A gentle Micellar cleansing water infused with cucumber & chamomile to thoroughly remove makeup and soothe the skin.”

My Thoughts:

A+! As a makeup artist on the job I need high quality cleansers that don’t require any water and are safe to use on all skin types, and this one ticks all the boxes.

The Upside:

Used with cotton makeup removal pads, the Sukin cleanser is excellent at removing makeup, dirt and oils from the skin. Leaves skin feeling cleansed, without product residue, and ready for moisturising. This cleanser can be used with or without water which makes it excellent for use on set and travelling, and for use at home. Sukin is a 100% vegan brand!

The Downside:

This cleanser can sting a little if it gets in the eyes, but just make sure not to soak the cotton pads too much and this shouldn’t be a problem.

Makeup Artist Tip:

For stubborn eye makeup apply the cleanser to a cotton pad and hold against the eye for about 20 seconds, then wipe away. This helps to soften up any mascara/eyeliner/lash glue etc., so that less wiping of the delicate eye area is necessary. Also, for those with super sensitive skin rinse the face with lukewarm water after removing all traces of makeup.

Sukin products are available worldwide, click here for their stockists locator.

Thank you for choosing truly cruelty free products!

Charada x

Sukin Micellar Cleansing Water Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Decyl Glucoside, Lecithin, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract (Chamomile), Vanillin, Alcohol Denat., Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol.

*This product was provided to me for review purposes, however all opinions within this review are my own. I will always be honest about how a product performs regardless of whether the product was supplied or purchased.

Review: Everyday Minerals Cheek

This review is for Everyday Minerals Cheek (matte blush), which retail for $12USD.

What Everyday Minerals say about this blush:

“Shades that naturally complement your skin tone and never overpower your look. Bouquets of fresh flowers and ripe fruits are the inspiration behind these delicate colors, ranging from fine neutrals to sheer pinks, corals and shades of berries.

Offers a matte finish and long lasting wear. Loose mineral powders diffuse easily giving a flawless application that never looks streaky.”

My Thoughts:

This was my first experience with a loose mineral blush, and it was great!

The Upside:

These blushes are soft and pretty, and they come in a sweet range of colours.

The Downside:

The shades are quite pigmented, and they oxidise slightly (meaning that the colour deepens) once applied. It’s easy to work with this though, see my tip below!

Simple Rating System

Overall: 8.5/10
Ease of application: 8/10
Strength of pigment: 9/10
Length of wear: 9/10

The Extended Review:

Everyday Minerals Cheek blushes blend beautifully over mineral, powder, liquid, and serum foundations. They also look lovely on bare skin for a healthy glow.

From left, Everyday Minerals Cheek in Primrose, All Smiles, and At First Blush.

From left, Everyday Minerals Cheek in At First Blush, All Smiles, and Primrose in natural light.

All Smiles

Everyday Minerals says “This hyper pigmented peachy orange blush is the best way to brighten up your face. You’ll be all smiles the moment you brush it on your cheeks! Its super saturated shade can take any look from dull to delightful. When applying, be sure to start out with a small amount of powder on your brush – this colorful blush packs a lot of punch, so a little bit goes a long way!”

All smiles is a very pigmented orange shade. It brightens up the complexion and gives skin a summery glow.

At First Blush

Everyday Minerals says “When spring draws to an end, we welcome our new summer friend. With flowers fully bloomed, and fields so lush, the sun kisses your cheeks saying, “You had me At First Blush!” This pure pink powder has slightly warm accents that will help bring out your cheeks’ natural rosiness without shimmer.”

At First Blush gives a natural pink flush and is a great everyday blush for fairer skin. It can be applied more heavily for a sweet pink colour, or for darker skin tones.

Primrose

Everyday Minerals says “Primroses are often the first signs of spring, happily sprouting through the greenery surrounding them to show off their bright pink color. Bring the fresh feeling of the fair-weathered spring and highlight your happiness – no matter what season it is – by applying this vivid coral pink color to your cheeks!”

Primrose has become my go to shade from the range. It suits a diverse range of skin tones and changes the least when applied to the skin, the colour deepening only slightly.

Makeup Artist Tip:

As mentioned above these blushes oxidise on application. You will get the best results by applying a small amount of product at a time. Shake a little of the blush into the lid, pick up up with the brush and then tap it to shake off any excess product. Touch the brush to your face where you want the most colour, sweep the brush along the cheekbone from that point, and continue until you are happy with the depth of colour.

The Everyday Minerals range is available worldwide from their website.

Thank you for choosing truly cruelty free products!

Charada x

Everyday Minerals Cheeks Ingredients: Mica (CI 77019). May Contain (+/-): Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Ultramarines (CI 77742).

Review: Hurraw! Balm

This review is for Hurraw! Balms, which retail for $3.79-4.29USD.

What Hurraw! say about this lip balm:

“Hurraw! Balm started out of pure intent; a personal obsession to create the perfect balm:
all natural, vegan, made from premium raw, organic and fair trade ingredients, complete with a bunch of natural and fun flavor options! It also had to meet some tough criteria… Super smooth, not draggy, not sticky, not sweet, not too glossy, not too smelly, never grainy, long lasting; plus, it had to hold up to being in a back jeans pocket all day without melting! It took us several obsessed years to formulate Hurraw! Balm and put it through all the rigors. We love it, use it, and hope you do too.”

My Thoughts:

Hurraw! Balm make my absolute favourite lip balms. I have a couple in my bag, one in the car, and one next to my bed at all times.

The Upside:

Their formula is true to their word. It’s smooth, long lasting, not thin, or sweet, or sticky, and I love that they won’t melt in my pocket. Hurraw! Balm is a 100% vegan brand!

The Downside:

I honestly can’t even think of a downside. They are available everywhere, they are reasonably priced, they come in a huge range of flavours… The only complaint I have ever heard anyone make about them was my husband saying that he wished they tasted like they smelled, but I think they are wonderful.

I once had a dream that I would supply the world with moisturising, softening balms in a range of flavours that would blow minds everywhere. That was, until I found out that they already existed.

Hurraw! Balms all come in a flattened tube that slips into a purse or pocket without being bulky. The balms themselves are long lasting and full of wonderful, healthful ingredients that are good enough to eat. Hurraw! use the finest all natural, vegan, fair trade, organic, vegan and raw ingredients from reputable suppliers and the finished product is the perfect consistency.

Their balms are free of gluten, soy, shea, petroleum, paraben, preservative, and artificial colour and flavouring. They are also dedicated to being as honest, environmentally friendly and sustainable as possible (read their about page, they mean it!).

Here are the six of the balms that I have tried and loved:

Hurraw! Balm in Coconut

Coconut is the best all-rounder. The scent is delicious and not overpowering, and no matter the time of day or my beverage of choice, the scent of this lip balm is always welcome. Buy Coconut.

Hurraw! Balm in Vanilla Bean

Vanilla Bean is beautiful! Luxurious, creamy, and sweet smelling. Buy Vanilla Bean.

Hurraw! Balm in Mint

Mint is lots of fun, it has a nice, cool, tingling sensation. Buy Mint.

Hurraw! Balm in Earl Grey

Earl Grey has a lovely, unexpected bergamot scent which works fantastically. I encourage the creation of unique lip balms! Buy Earl Grey.

Hurraw! Balm in Moon Balm

Moon Balm is a night treatment balm and intended for use before bed, but its gorgeous combination of blue chamomile and vanilla bean make me reach for it during the day too… It’s creamy and thick, and it actually stays on all night. Buy Moon Balm.

Hurraw! Balm in Black Cherry

Black Cherry is one of only two tinted lip balms made by Hurraw! It is the slightly darker of the two and gives a subtle cherry red tint which works perfectly. It’s not dramatic, but it’s great for adding a touch of colour to a natural look. Buy Black Cherry.

Makeup Artist Tip:

Try using lip balm over and under matte lipsticks for added moisture, or try applying them over your favourite lip pencil to make it into a lipstick. There’s no reason that you can’t mix a little of your favourite blush or eyeshadow with some lip balm for a unique look.

Hurraw! Balm are based in the USA. Their balms are available from their website, Amazon via the links above, and in wonderful cafes and shops worldwide.

My obsession with the Hurraw! Balm range is still in full swing. Do you already love these balms? Can you pick a favourite? I can’t!

Thank you for choosing truly cruelty free products!

Charada x

Hurraw! Balm Ingredients:

Coconut: Prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil, ‡Euphorbia cerifera (candelilla) wax, *Cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, *Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil, *Theobroma cacao
(cocoa) seed butter, *Ricinus communis (castor) seed oil, Olea europaea (olive) fruit oil, organic flavor, Tocopherols (sunflower)

Vanilla Bean: *Vanilla planifolia (vanilla) bean infused Prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil, ‡Euphorbia cerifera (candelilla) wax, *Cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, *Simmondsia chinensis
(jojoba) seed oil, *Theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, *Ricinus communis (castor) seed oil, Olea europaea (olive) fruit oil, *Vanilla planifolia (vanilla) bean, organic flavors, Tocopherols (sunflower)

Mint: Prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil, ‡Euphorbia cerifera (candelilla)wax, *Cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, *Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil,
*Theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, *Ricinus communis (castor) seed oil, Olea europaea (olive) fruit oil, Mentha piperita (peppermint) leaf oil, Tocopherols (sunflower)

Earl grey: Prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil, ‡Euphorbia cerifera (candelilla) wax, *Cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, *Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil,
*Theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, *Ricinus communis (castor) seed oil, Olea europaea (olive) fruit oil, Citrus bergamia (bergamot) peel oil (Bergaptene-Free),
Tocopherols (sunflower)

Moon Balm: Persea gratissima (avocado) oil, Prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil, ‡Euphorbia cerifera (candelilla) wax, *Theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, *Cocos nucifera (coconut) oil,
*Ricinus communis (castor) seed oil, Olea europaea (olive) fruit oil, *Argania spinosa (argan) kernel oil, *Rosa rubiginosa (rosehip) seed oil, *Limnanthes alba (meadowfoam) seed oil, Tocopherols (sunflower), *Vanilla planifolia (vanilla) bean, *Myroxylon balsamum (peru balsam) oil, Matricaria recutita (blue chamomile) flower extract

Black Cherry: Alkanna tinctoria (alkanet) infused Prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil, ‡Euphorbia cerifera (candelilla) wax, *Cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, *Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil,
*Theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, *Ricinus communis (castor) seed oil, Olea europaea (olive) fruit oil, organic flavors, Tocopherols (sunflower)

*organic & cold pressed ‡wildcrafted

Review: Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics (OCC) Cosmetic Colour Pencils

This review is for the Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics (OCC) Cosmetic Colour Pencils, which retail for $16USD.

What OCC Say About these cosmetic pencils:

“A long-wearing multipurpose pencil for the eyes, lips, and body. This versatile range of cosmetic pencils perfectly complement Lip Tar. From everyday neutrals to bold hues, each pencil can stand alone as highly pigmented liners for the eyes and beyond.”

My Thoughts:

I adore these pencils! I use them daily at home, and in my professional kit. Pennyroyal is my go to eyebrow pencil, and I carry anti-feathered with me everywhere. Pool Boy gives a gorgeous pop of colour when used in the waterline of the eyes.

The Upside:

All of the pencils in this range are super pigmented, and are designed to be multi purpose. The formula is one that wears beautifully as a lip pencil, eye pencil, eyebrow pencil, and for anything else that we can dream up. Also, OCC is a 100% vegan brand!

The Downside:

Half of the range is not recommended for use around the eye area. This is a shame because these colours would be stunning for use on the eyes! These colours are Trick, Anime, Hoochie, NSFW, Black Dahlia, and Lydia.

Simple Rating System

Overall: 9/10
Ease of application: 9/10
Strength of pigment: 9/10
Length of wear: 9/10

The Extended Review:

As I mentioned above OCC is a 100% vegan brand, and they make professional quality products. The cosmetic pencil range of colours is small, but unique. The pencils themselves play well with other products, and they blend beautifully. Here is the whole range photographed in natural sunlight. From left: Grandma, NSFW, Anime, Hoochie, Lydia, Black Dahlia, Tarred, Sybil, Sebastian, Pennyroyal, Feathered, Pool Boy.

Swatches of the Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Cosmetic Colour Pencils range

Swatches of the OCC Cosmetic Colour Pencil range

Not pictured above is Anti-feathered, which is clear. Anti-feathered has worked wonderfully as a lip liner for all of the lip products that I have used over it. From Lip tars, to lipsticks, to mattes, stains and glosses. This is a very handy pencil to keep in your handbag.

All of the swatches below are of the pencils applied alone, and they were photographed in natural light, in the shade.

OCC Cosmetic Colour Pencil in Anti-Feathered

Occ Cosmetic Colour Pencil in Feathered

OCC Cosmetic Colour Pencil in Trick

OCC Cosmetic Colour Pencil in Anime

OCC Cosmetic Colour Pencil in Grandma

OCC Cosmetic Colour Pencil in NSFW

OCC Cosmetic Colour Pencil in Black Dahlia

OCC Cosmetic Colour Pencil in Pennyroyal

OCC Cosmetic Colour Pencil in Sebastian

OCC Cosmetic Colour Pencil in Sybil

Occ Cosmetic Colour Pencil in Tarred

OCC Cosmetic Colour Pencil in Pool Boy

Makeup Artist Tip:

Always use a good quality pencil sharpener and keep the pencils somewhere cool. It might sound funny, but if you live somewhere hot consider keeping your cosmetics in the fridge. Not only is it more difficult to use them when they are too warm but the heat can actually damage them, and in the case of these pencils it can cause the tips to break more easily. Also if you experience any smudging, try powdering with a translucent powder or eyeshadow after application.

The Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics range is available worldwide from their website.

Thank you for choosing products that are truly cruelty free!

Charada x

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Multipurpose Cosmetic Pencil Ingredients: C10-18 Triglycerides, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Talc, Rhus Succedanea Fruit Cera (Japan Fruit Wax), Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Aloe Baradensis Extract, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed (Macadamia Nut) Oil, Ascorbyl Palmitate (Vitamin C), [+/- :] Prunus Persica (Peach) Leaf Extract, D&C Red #6 (CI 15850), D&C Red #7 (CI 15850), D&C Red #27 (CI 45410), D&C Red #28 (CI 45410), D&C Red #30 (CI 73360), FD&C Blue #1 (CI 42090), FD&C Yellow #5 (CI 19140), FD&C Yellow #6 (CI 15985), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Mica (CI 77019)

Review: Adorn Vegan Kabuki Foundation Brush

Adorn Vegan Kabuki Foundation Brush

This review is for the Adorn Vegan Kabuki Foundation Brush, which retails in Australia for $40.

What Adorn say about this vegan kabuki brush:

“An Adorn Foundation essential. Our unique flat top, Kabuki Brush gives an effortless, flawless finish to any of our foundation types, without the need for ‘overbuffing’ the skin, whilst gently exfoliating and stimulating skin cell regeneration. This amazing brush can be used wet or dry!”

My Thoughts:

This flat top brush is beautiful. It’s soft, it’s pretty, and it’s dense. Which – when it comes to kabuki brushes – is an excellent thing!

The Upside:

This brush is obviously made with high quality synthetic fibers. It’s comfortable to hold and the flat top makes it easy to pick up product evenly.

The Downside:

The only possible downside to this brush would be the price. Not everyone can afford to pay $40 for a makeup brush, however I can honestly say that a good quality kabuki brush is a worthwhile investment to any beauty kit.

The Extended Review:

The Adorn vegan kabuki brush is perfect for applying foundation! As I mentioned above, it’s flat top makes it easy to pick up product evenly, and the bristles are amazingly dense so it blends beautifully. This brush gives great results without having to work hard.

Also because it’s so dense, product stays closer to the top of the bristles meaning less product is wasted and it’s easier to clean. As I mentioned above this brush is also super soft, and I haven’t experienced any shedding at all while using or cleaning it.

The short, round handle fits comfortably in the palm of my hand and makes for a comfortable grip.

The brush’s flat top also gives it a unique ability to apply product using the edges of the brush, by tilting it to either side. This is great for applying makeup to smaller areas on the face, or when applying bronzer/blush/highlighter.

Makeup Artist Tip:

Aim to wash makeup brushes once a week, and if possible give them a quick clean with a brush cleaning spray in between each use. This is important as it keeps the brushes in the best condition, and it is also very important for our skin as it keeps the brushes bacteria free. Makeup brushes should always be dried with the handles higher than the bristles. This is to avoid water sitting in the ferrule (the part of the brush where the bristles are glued in) which will help the brush to dry faster, and extend the life of the brush. Long handled brushes can lie on a hand towel with the handles propped up, and short handled brushes – like this kabuki – can be dried using the method pictured below:

This is an excellent way to save bench space when drying brushes, while also keeping them in the best condition!

I actually like to dry all of my brushes this way now, if I have somewhere suitable to attach them. It saves a lot of bench space, allows the air to circulate around the bristles on all sides, and gravity draws water away from the ferrule immediately. If using a towel rack in the bathroom to do this, just be aware that steam and humidity will affect drying time.

The Adorn Cosmetics range can be purchased online from http://www.adorncosmetics.com.au/ and shipped worldwide. Do you have this kabuki, or any other Adorn brushes? What do you think of the flat top? Comment below and share your opinion.

Thank you for choosing truly cruelty free products!

Charada x

Adorn Vegan Kabuki Ingredients: synthetic bristles.

Review: Adorn Anti-Aging Loose Mineral Foundation

Adorn Anti-Aging Loose Mineral Foundation

This review is for the Adorn Anti-Aging Loose Mineral Foundation in the shade Light, which retails in Australia for $55 ($45 for refill only).

What Adorn say about this mineral foundation:

“This AWARD WINNING – BEST SELLING foundation feels just like your very own skin – it ‘s coverage is absolutely flawless and suitable for ALL skin types, and ages – for MEN or WOMEN! It actually looks and feels as if you are not wearing any make-up at all and will not accentuate any lines or wrinkles! This flawless, yet breathable, water and sweat resistant foundation also provides natural anti-ageing SPF 15+ sun protection that helps guards against both UVA and UVB rays. Now a foundation you don’t even have to feel guilty falling asleep in! Why? Because Adorns toxic free formulations are non-comodogenic which means they will not clog the pores and still allow the skin to breathe! This complexion-perfecting, anti-aging Loose Foundation calms redness and covers: pigmentation, Psoriasis, scars, Rosacea, bruising, blemishes, veins and even birth marks!”

My Thoughts:

I like this mineral foundation a lot! The coverage is medium to full and when applied correctly it will not look caked on or over powdered. I also didn’t experience any of that itchy feeling that some mineral powders have. True to their word when I used it dry it really did feel like I wasn’t wearing any foundation at all, and when I used it wet it felt like any good full coverage foundation. I personally like to use a small amount of this foundation applied dry, and then set it using a finishing spray. This allows skin to show through the foundation for a more natural look.

The Upside:

This mineral foundation is made from only a few skin safe ingredients, and offers natural sun protection. It’s long wearing, a little goes a long way, and you can save a few dollars by purchasing refills instead of a whole new pot every time. Also, Adorn is a 100% vegan brand!

The Downside:

If you are carrying the pot around in your handbag the foundation will collect in the top of the pot, above the sifter. This is common among loose powders though, and it is fairly easy to remove the insert if you want to tip it back into the container. Or – like I do – you can just be careful when opening and using the foundation.

Simple Rating System

Overall: 8/10
Ease of application: 8/10
Strength of pigment: 7/10
Length of wear: 8/10
Removal: 9/10

The Extended Review:

The Adorn Anti-Aging Loose Mineral Foundation has excellent pigment – which means great coverage – and isn’t shiny or sparkly like some mineral foundations. It is also free from bismuth oxychloride which means that it doesn’t irritate the skin. I haven’t liked wearing many mineral foundations in the past because I thought that were all irritating to sensitive skin, but they aren’t! I am happy to wear this foundation myself, which means that I am also happy to use it on clients.

Adorn Anti-Aging Loose Mineral Foundation in light

As with most mineral foundations two of the main ingredients are Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide, which offer natural sun protection. These ingredients are not absorbed but sit on the skin and reflect the sun, helping to protect it from both UVA and UVB rays. This makes mineral foundations a great daily alternative to traditional sunscreens, especially for those of us who have sensitive skin. As mentioned above, the Adorn Anti-Aging Loose Mineral Foundation has an SPF of 15+.

Depending on your skin type and the way you like your makeup to look, the way to apply this foundation will be different. Try both wet and dry, and see what works for you! Regardless of which way you apply it, it will still have a matte finish. This can be softened by applying a finishing spray over the top.

As I mentioned above it’s important to apply this foundation well, which is actually very easy. It helps to apply the powder to the brush evenly, it makes a big difference during application. Also be careful not to use too much. A little goes a long way with this product. Stop after one coat, take a step back, and assess whether or not you actually need to apply any more before continuing.

Okay, here is me with my eyes and eyebrows done and no primer, concealer, or foundation on. I have large pores, there are dark circles are visible under my eyes, and I have some blemishes and acne scarring. I’ll call these signs of a life lived fully! Further down you will get to see how well this foundation covers these things. The following photos were taken in natural sunlight in the late afternoon.

To apply this foundation dry: dip the edge of your brush into the powder and then press the brush into the lid of the foundation pot, or onto a palette. You want the powder to be as even as possible on the brush. Tap the base of your brush to settle the powder into the bristles, and apply the foundation using circular and downward sweeping, “buffing” motions. More pressure = more product, so begin with a soft touch and take it from there.

To apply this foundation wet: you will need a spray bottle with witch hazel, rose water, distilled water, a primer spray, or a setting spray. Spray the brush so that it is moist but not dripping wet. Dip it lightly into the foundation, swirl the brush onto your palette or into the lid and then begin applying it straight away. Use quick circular and downward motions. Keep applying and blending until you have the coverage you like, again being careful not to apply too much product. If the foundation dries before you have blended it evenly, spray your brush again and keep going!

To apply the foundation I used the Adorn Vegan Kabuki Foundation Brush. It’s a wonderful little brush with a unique flat top, and I’ll be posting my review of it later this week.

This mineral foundation is long wearing so if using a face wash or face soap to take it off you may need to rinse, and then repeat. I find that using a gentle cleanser with makeup removal pads, or makeup removal wipes, is the most effective way to remove this foundation.

Makeup Artist Tip:

For the best results apply moisturiser and primer first and let them dry. Then conceal dark circles under the eyes, redness around the nose and any blemishes. Finally apply the foundation using a little bit of product at a time, and set with your preferred finishing spray.

The Adorn Cosmetics range can be purchased online from http://www.adorncosmetics.com.au/ and shipped worldwide.

Thank you for choosing truly cruelty free products!

Charada x

Adorn Anti-Aging Loose Mineral Foundation Ingredients: Mica (CI 77019), Zinc Oxide (CI 77947), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), may contain (+/-) Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Ultramarines (CI 77007), Tin Oxide (778161).

Truly Cruelty Free

The ever expanding world of truly cruelty free makeup is so exciting! Truly cruelty free is what I call products that are free from all animal ingredients and never, ever tested on animals. I want to show you that just because these products come with a vegan label, they are in no way inferior! In fact, because these vegan products are created by people who are so incredibly passionate, they are very often superior in many ways. Including length of wear, pigment, and ranges of colour. They are generally even created with ingredients that are less harmful when absorbed by our skin or licked off of our lips. Our skin is our body’s largest organ and it absorbs any cosmetic and beauty products we apply, but skin friendly is not my number 1 goal.

I’m here to help. My goal is to make it easy for everyone to find truly cruelty free alternatives to makeup products. I want it to be easy for anyone from makeup artists and makeup enthusiasts, to those who only wear mascara or a touch of lipstick, to search for and find wonderful vegan products to meet your needs. I also want to help businesses transition to cruelty free and vegan beauty alternatives. I put a lot of energy and research into the information that I provide, and if there is something you would like help with in regards to vegan beauty or the vegan lifestyle in general, I would genuinely love to assist.

There is no reason that we can’t all be the naturally beautiful, glamorous diva, or sun-kissed-year-round-bohemian-babe that we desire to be, while respecting our fellow earthlings and using only truly cruelty free products.

Charada x

PS – I’m in the process of building a website and app designed to make purchasing kind products so much easier. Check it out here, and follow my progress on social media!

Is it truly cruelty free? Find out what’s hiding in cruelty free beauty products.

Review by Dale: Anastasia Beverly Hills Foundation Stick

Review: Vegan Cuts March Beauty Box

Review: Hot Tresses Rehab Trio

Review: GlamNatural Mascara

Review + Swatches: Adorn Cosmetics Luxe Mineral & Organic Lipstick

Review + Swatches: GlamNatural Lip Cream in Poco Loco & Dolcetto

Review: Sukin Purifying Facial Masque

Review + Swatches: GlamNatural Cream Blush in Barely There

Review: Cover FX Custom Cover Drops

Review: Blue Beautifly Skincare

Review & Swatches: ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip

Review: Gressa Minimalist Corrective Serum Foundation & Air Focus Foundation Brush

I ❤ Oils!

Review: Sukin Micellar Cleansing Water

Review: Everyday Minerals Cheek

Review: Hurraw! Balm

Review: Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics (OCC) Cosmetic Colour Pencils

Review: Adorn Vegan Kabuki Foundation Brush

Review: Adorn Anti-Aging Loose Mineral Foundation

Truly Cruelty Free

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