All-Day Wearing & Beautiful : Beyond Matte Foundation!

You might know already that I am a bit of a fan of Jane Iredale products.

For me, as a pro makeup artist, they do give me the textures and performances I require, while being low-tox and cruelty-free.

What you also already know is that I am a lover of dewy skin! BUT:

I can’t use a dewy foundation on everyone, for every occasion, in any climate on any skin type. Sometimes matte is best.

Matte doesn’t need to look all dry, wrinkly, cakey or powdery either. Matte can look just like perfect baby skin.

Velvety, smooth, even and yet radiant in all its matte glory.

Insert: Beyond Matte Foundation.

Did I mention that lasts all day with ease? That the coverage makes it easy to skip concealer and additional layers? It’s so smooth it also totally doesn’t need a primer.

Yep, that’s right. Although I prefer priming with proper skincare anyways, that is a different story.

So if you are oily/combination skin, live in humid conditions or prefer a more flawless matte finish, this one is for you.

Here is a short story of what happened when I wore it:

I had to road test this foundation to be sure that it deserves a place in my pro-kit.

So after I received my bottle, I quickly applied it in the morning before heading to a playgroup with my toddler. When I came out of the room, my husband immediately commented and complimented on how great my skin looked.

I was surprised that he even noticed. Husband was busy getting ready for work, my skin is usually pretty ok, and also he is NOT a fan of makeup in general.

He said my skin looked amazing and I looked so well.

At the playgroup three more people commented saying that I looked very well and asked if I had been having a very relaxing time etc. which couldn’t have been further from the truth.

We haven’t had the bests sleeps that week, and I had a few stressful situations with work/travel/deadlines.

So I have to give individual credit to this foundation.

My skin is slightly dry over Winter and Spring has just started, so of course, any dry areas showed up with this foundation. But they would have with any foundation. It was more a question of looking after my skin better.

In the evening it was still in place, beautifully and it looked so even and radiant.

The two little mini pimples that I had that day were entirely covered, no concealer needed.

I highly recommend this foundation. Also and especially for the time-poor, as it applies very quickly and fuss-free and it lasts. It does it all. Unless of course, you want dewy. It doesn’t do dewy.

Thank you, Jane Iredale, for creating another fabulous and wearable product.
You earned extra vegan brownie points with this one:

1. It’s Vegan
2. It’s pro quality
3. It comes in a large variety of shades including deep skin tones.

I will add this to my kit, and it will serve me well on all this hot Summer destination weddings!

My favourite Vegan Lipsticks

Happy international lipstick day!!!

Out of all my personal makeup, lipstick is possibly my favorite. It's just such a fun product to me. It's less about "faking" or changing the way you look but more about self-expression, color and fun.
A natural lipstick can also be a nice way to hydrate lips and look more polished.
And while I found it fairly easy to find an abundance of cruelty-free & toxin-free lipsticks finding vegan ones is a whole new challenge, as most natural brands add beeswax.
Not that there is anything toxic in beeswax, but as a vegan, I try to avoid all animal ingredients when possible. So while I do allow some sustainable cruelty-free products with beeswax in my kit I like to give an extra shout out to the brands that manage without!

Here are my fave vegan lipsticks which are also non-toxic!
They are all my fave for different reasons, the list in no particular order.
 

Ere Perez just relaunched their line of Olive Oil Lipsticks and the colours, textures and pigments are spot-on! Highly recommended!
(In fact ALL their lip products are amazing so don't hesitate to try the Carrot Colour Pots or tints! All of which are vegan)

Ere Perez also has a wonderful selection of sheer lip colours, perfect for every day.
The Cacao Lip Colour! I always carry "Dash" in my handbag for a quick pop of colour.
For a sheer colour they still deliver lots of pigment and some lasting power.

The Beauty Archive! A selection of fabulous Scandinavian boutique lipsticks.
Read all about them here.

Jane Iredale Lipgloss if you are looking for a classic luxury lipgloss that is vegan and toxin free look no further than Jane Iredale.

Fra Lippo Lippie  this is the hippest, brightest, funnest (I know this doesn't exist, but it fits the product!) lipstick. Super indie and SO pigmented. Read all about it here.

Trying Happy Skin - My skin on Cloud 9

Happy Skin, sounds lovely, right? Isn't that what we are all after.

My skin is happy most of the time. A good diet and overall health & happiness contribute to that. But to keep my skin happy it's important to use toxin-free, natural skincare.

An Australian brand I have been keen on trying is Happy Skincare.

They just send me their Cloud 9 Deep Cleansing Balm & Raindrops On Roses Hydrating Toner.
Both products have a great, clean ingredient list. Both contain MSM which is a form of sulphur, naturally derived from Algae which has multiple benefits to the skin, including brightening and clearing acne.

The cool part is that the Cloud 9 Cleansing Balm is not a one trick pony.
You can also use the Cloud 9 Deep Cleansing Balm as a

• Hair treatment to tame the frizz
• Cuticle treatment for sexy nails and
• Foot balm so your tootsies always look good in a pair of heels
• Barrier cream when you're out battling the elements (perfect for snow season and winter cycling)

The cleansing balm is a great makeup remover and smells fresh.
You can use it with water as a cleansing milk or as classic balm cleanser by massaging the product onto dry skin and then removing it with a damp cloth.
The packaging is no fuss and great for travel. Nothing luxurious, no glass but practical.

The Hydrating Mist is a lovely rose water-based product. Great for refreshing makeup or skin during the day but also as part of your skincare regime. Ahhhhh! So refreshing.

I really love their Dilo Oil too, which I have featured previously. It's a super healer!

Happy Skin creates lovely no-fuss products with clean ingredients.

All certified vegan, cruelty-free and with mostly organic ingredients.
My verdict: Definitely worth a try!

Quinoa Water Foundation - Revolution in Natural Makeup

Ere Perez just keeps launching new great products.

I am a fan of Quinoa as food, you know those delicious little grains packed with nutrients?
Faye loves them too and they are a staple in our kitchen. Until now I haven't thought about it as a skincare or beauty ingredient, but this new foundation has changed that.

As the name suggests, the Quinoa Water Foundation is as light as water.
It comes in a glass bottle with a dropper, which reminds me of serum foundations.
It's great for all skin-types and I find it very suitable even for warm and humid weather given its featherlight texture. I am trialling & testing it in the windy, cold Winter weather here right now and am still very impressed.  It certainly helps to lock in moisture and it's perfect for everyone that doesn't like the feel of makeup on their skin. You can not feel this product, it's so light and really blends into the skin

The finish is smooth and natural. It's not dewy or glossy nor mat. Just like healthy skin.
The coverage is light and buildable. You can layer it for more coverage. I would describe it as light coverage though. Perfect for your everyday wear. Really good for sensitive skin or skin prone to breakouts.

The application is easy peasy.
It's recommended to use the multipurpose brush, but fingers do also work well. Yay!

Thank you Ere, for bringing out another vegan, cruelty-free, toxin-free product that works!

Scout Organic Makeup Chubby Pencil Love

Scout Cosmetics is an Australian Organic Makeup Brand with clean ingredients and I was intrigued by all the chubby pencils.

Pencils with cream products are just SO easy to use, perfect for real people, mums, travellers and others having a life to live and not hours to spend on their makeup.

But even as a pro-artist these products come in handy and are quick to sanitize with a sharpener and won't require brushes.

I tried the Pure Colous Lip Liner pencil in Pink which doubles as a beautiful Eyeshadow Pencil and Lipstick. Acutally, you can use them on the cheek too, if the colour is suitable.
The Eyeliner Chubbi Pencil and the Corrector Pencils were a real hit too. The texture and pigment are fantastic in all of them. Definitely professional quality. They are easy to blend and have a good staying power for a cream product. All these products are vegan too!

This was my first time trying Scout Cosmetics and I will totally be happy to try out more from this range and recommend it!