/Saffron Rouge

Going Green With Your Makeup Routine | Luscious Lips

I’m so excited to share my top 5 picks for Luscious Lips this Spring! Natural and organic can also be fierce and fabulous, and I’ve got just what you need for the perfect pout.

ONE: I’ve learned that luscious lips begin with good preparation. I’ve tried all manner of lip balms and treatments in my time, and one rises well above the rest. Not surprisingly, it comes from the amazing Tata Harper and her team of organic innovators. There are three different lip treatments in her line, but my favourite is BE ADORED, a rosy-tinted lip treatment that softens my kisser and gives it a subtle, natural-looking pomegranate stain. {That is more than just a description! The stain of colour is literally derived from pomegranates!} The magic for me is this lip treatment’s ability to increase volume with their Bio-Fill technology which is, of course, derived from totally natural and organic ingredients like olive, apricot and avocado oils. BE ADORED works beautifully on its own or as a base for the rest of my top picks for perfect pouts!

TWO: Remember the post on Cheeks? I know I already raved about Vapour’s Multi-Use Stain {in Crave} in that post, but the product is so fantastic it deserves a second high-five. The colour is much more subtle than how it looks onscreen, and while it applies as a clear and radiant peach on my cheeks, with a more concentrated hand on the lips it creates the perfect orangey-red pout. For my fair complexion with slightly golden undertones, this makes for the perfect dramatic red lipstick. LOVE it!

THREE: Once again, this product is one that makes the grade in two separate categories! RMS Beauty’s Lip2Cheek {in Smile} is my go-to fave for something bright and fresh without being too sachrine a colour. The coconut oil base means it blends beautifully and leaves lips soft and supple.

FOUR: I always have to have one classic lipstick in my bag that I can wear with just about everything. I think of it as an enhancement on what nature intended – polished enough to look like I’ve pulled myself together, but not so dramatic that I look overdone. For me, that lipstick is Vapour Organics Siren Lipstick in Desire.  It was the lovely ladies at Saffron Rouge who put me on to this must-have makeup find, and the texture of this lipstick is perhaps what impresses me most. Many products that are adequately moisturizing disappear about 30 minutes after they’ve been applied. Vapour’s Siren Lipstick, however, softens with staying-power to match. It’s the perfect all-day “never let them see you sweat, pull it all together with a smile” product. I’m jonesing to try pretty much every shade they’ve got!

FIVE: For gloss, why not go for something totally dramatic, like Vapour’s Elixir Lip Plumping Gloss in Bitten? My thanks again goes out to the ladies at Saffron Rouge for this fabulous find. This gorgeous lip-shiner was named People Style Watch’s #1 Lip Gloss, and the texture is amazing. Never sticky or tacky, just outrageously sexy, gossamer shine. Full-on glamour in a tube.

So those are my top five picks for luscious lips this Spring! I hope this leaves you empowered to be green, clean and organic with your makeup routine while totally embracing your fierce and fabulous self! Watch for more recommendations on body and hair, and some makeup tutorials to come!

xo
s.

By |May 2nd, 2013|0 Comments

Going Green With Your Makeup Routine | The Great Mascara Search, Part 1

I have so enjoyed the process of discovering incredible, natural, toxin-free products on this journey of going completely green with my makeup routine. It has been quite an education, and I’m so excited that we can share in the learning together!

I must thank the lovely ladies at Saffron Rouge for so graciously leading me to some of the niche products that I was searching for. Case in point: they led me to our first mascara contender in The Great Mascara Search {aka The GMS}! Yes, mascara is so important that I’ve given it its own category in this journey! And so, without further ado, here are my thoughts on Dr. Hauschka’s Volume Mascara.

In weeks to come, I’ll be sharing some makeup tutorials from the very talented Justine McKnight. Her response to using this mascara was that she was quite pleasantly surprised at how amazingly it applies – she wasn’t expecting that out of a natural product!

It’s true – it applies like a dream. The brush has the perfect density of bristles to ensure that every lash gets coated without clumping. The product lengthens and defines lashes for an easy natural look with one coat, but it is also buildable for a much more dramatic look with a few coats. It is essentially everything I would look for in a mascara…except…I have watery eyes. And this is neither waterproof nor created for ladies who tear up easily. So for me, the search continues! But if you are not a watery-eyed woman like myself, then I cannot recommend this mascara highly enough. It really does hit all of my “must haves” but that last one!

Next week I’ll be sharing my top picks for cheeks as I continue Going Green With My Makeup Routine. Hope you’ll join me!

To your toxin-free, glamorous health.
xo
s.

By |April 10th, 2013|1 Comment

Going Green With Your Makeup Routine | Eyes

I’m so excited to introduce you to some of my favourite finds in my journey to going green with my makeup routine. With the basics of foundation, concealer and powder covered, it’s time to move on to the colour, the glamour, the details!

I have fallen in love with Alima Pure. They are all about minimal ingredients for maximum impact, and their collection of shadows is just gorgeous. Thanks to Alima, I have pulled together 3 different looks to help you follow the current makeup trends while keeping it pure, green and clean.

SULTRY + SMOKEY
Why not create this look with plums instead of boring old black or brown? I think it’s much more glamorous and sophisticated in this palette.
Base or inner corners of eyes: Hellebore
Smokey contour or wash for lid: Grace
BRONZED BEAUTY
This look is my favourite and a huge trend for Spring.
Base: Chai
Contour: Brown Sugar
Liner: Paparrazi
NUDE + NATURAL
This is a gorgeous go-to look for everyday. Pulled together without being overdone.
Base: Mohair
Contour: Auburn
Liner: Mahogany
BEAUTIFUL BRUSHES
Once again, Alima has my heart. Their Taklon bristle brushes are hypoallergenic, cruetly-free and as good as any pro brush I’ve ever used. I’ve started my collection with:
#39 Large Shadow Brush: Perfect for applying shadow over your lids and brow bone.
#36 Pointed Crease Brush: Perfect for contouring
#37 Eye Blending Brush: The name says it all! I use this to soften the edges of my contouring and blend shadows together.
#33 Angle Liner Brush: This is the PERFECT brush for filling brows with this powder, but it is also amazing for creating a soft liner and can also be used for really precise contour. I love it so much I have two, one for brows and one for shadows! I’ll be doing a tutorial in days to come on how to ID your brushes for their specific uses so you don’t have to wash them daily.
LOVELY LINERS
I’ve tried two natural liners so far and love them each for different reasons.
Vapour Beauty’s Mesmerize Liner is creamy and blendable – gorgeous for a soft, smoky look. I can’t wait to try it in their new colour, Truffle!
Living Nature’s Midnight Liner is dryer than Vapour’s liner without tugging on the eye area – perfect for filling in the lash line and lining the inner rim (I just do this on the upper lid for a more dramatic lash look).
OK, so there is something missing from this Eye Collection. Mascara! Next week I’ll post my first review in The Great Mascara Search. It’s a good one, but I’m still on the hunt for amazing, natural options and hope to bring you more reviews so you can find the one that’s perfect for you!
I hope these amazing companies have inspired you to explore and experiment, knowing you can express yourself naturally! Wishing you a healthy, happy Wednesday!
xo
s.
By |April 3rd, 2013|2 Comments