You want to try at least some of the makeup trends out for the season. But is basic black liner really doing your eyes justice? Fortunately, we have perfect eyeliner picks for every eye color, eye shape, and skin tone.

Every girl has at least one black eyeliner in her beauty arsenal. It is ideal for creating a smoky eye or glam winged look.

Now are you ready to up your eye game? There are practically as many eyeliner color options as shadows. As with most things beauty, it is important to remember this color choice is super personal. Certain shades enhance some eye colors and skin types more than others.

Stumped on which would look best on your peepers? Read on for tips on choosing the perfect eyeliner for your lovely eyes.

Perfect Eyeliner by Eye Color

Blue: Sure, deeper blue eyeliners bring out the best in blue eyes. But if you want some serious wow factor, go for gold, copper, or emerald. Try Lavera Soft Eyeliner Green.

Green: Sporting some gorgeous green peepers? Make the most of those babies by using deep plum and mahogany shades. Try Ilia Beauty Pure Eyeliner My Generation.

Brown: Brown can totally handle brown shades. Why not go for something completely different and wear navy or cobalt? Try Ilia Beauty Pure Eyeliner Nightclubbing.

Hazel: Hazel hues are as varied as they come. One universal eyeliner hue for this lovely shade is bronze, which can either lean toward olive or gold. Try Benecos Natural Eyeliner Olive.

Perfect Eyeliner by Skin Tone

Black eyeliner can be too harsh on fair skin. Opt for a more natural look by using a muted neutral in brown, grey or dark green. Try Ilia Beauty Pure Eyeliner Sweet Jane.

Medium skin tones can handle black eyeliner well, but also look great in other, more daring dark tones. Give bronze or deep purple a try. Try Inika Eyeliner Purple Minx.

Darker skin tones can go for the bold with more intense color and metallics. Go for gold, silver, or royal blue. Try Benecos Natural Eyeliner Bright Blue.

Now that you’ve chosen the best shade (or two, or three) for your eyes and skin tone, learn how to play them up. If your eyes are more round, accentuate outer edges with a bit thicker line to make eyes appear longer. For small eyes, don’t drown your eyes with thick liner. To make eyes appear larger, apply a thin line to upper and lower lash line. And if eyes are close set, use the same trick as for round eyes in color, anything but black or brown will do.

Add these tips to your holiday party look and get ready for a stellar season. Cheers!

*Disclaimer: Help support EcoSalon! Our site is dedicated to helping people live a conscious lifestyle. We’ve provided some affiliate links above in case you wish to purchase any of these products.

Related on EcoSalon

Good News! Hangover Makeup is Actually a Trend

The Best Organic Makeup Brands Consumer Guide

6 Tips on How to Look Better Without Makeup

Image of woman applying eyeliner via Shutterstock

The post A Guide to Perfect Eyeliner: Make Your Eyes Light Up appeared first on EcoSalon.

Winter is coming right up. This means cozy fires, hot cocoa, and playing in the snow. It also means extremely dry skin and cracked hands.

Why do our digits seem to get hit the hardest in winter? Sandpaper skin and gnarly cracks are not only unsightly, but painful too.

Once we turn on the indoor heating and the air brings a bit more chill, our face shows extra dryness right away. And we adjust our skincare routine accordingly. We turn to a more emollient moisturizer, or add an oil or balm to our skincare regimen, and our facial skin issues are usually resolved. But the skin on our hands is thicker than elsewhere on the body, and doesn’t show signs of dryness and irritation as quickly. We often don’t notice our dry hands until we have redness, scratchy skin, and deep cuts.

Preemptive care is essential in staving off extremely dry skin this winter, and keeping hands soft, smooth, and pretty straight through to spring. The key is to start now.

Stock up on hand cream and start using it even before your hands show the signs of winter drying. Keep one near each sink in your home, one in your purse or gym bag, and another on your nightstand for easy access. At nighttime, the glove trick works like a charm to give hands an infusion of moisture. Don’t be afraid to slather it on before bed and don gloves (or a pair of socks) for deep hydration.

Exfoliate, if you are already to the cracked skin stage, wait until your skin has healed to do any exfoliating. To keep skin smooth and ready to soak up moisture, use a scrub twice weekly to slough away dry skin. This sugar and honey lip scrub (honey is great for softening skin!) does double duty as a hand polish.

Soap and water is drying. Yes, it is a good idea to keep hands clean any time of year, especially in cold and flu season. But washing with a soap made with harsh surfactants is ultra drying. Opt for an organic hand wash, like SKIN Naked Foam unscented shave cream and wash, made with natural oils, and remember to apply hand cream afterward. And unless hands truly need washing, substitute a nontoxic hand sanitizer. EO is the pro at making safe sanitizers and offers a wide variety.

Protecting skin from wind and cold also helps to keep them from becoming dry. Score a pair of glam gloves to, you know, go with your ear muffs.

Choosing the best hand cream for extremely dry skin is super important. Certain natural ingredients are better than others at protecting skin and warding off dryness. Olive, avocado, and coconut oils are all beneficial to dry skin. Shea butter helps to seal in moisture and protect hands.

To heal deep cracks and callouses, apply a salve to affected areas. SKIN Healing Calendula Salve and Laurel – Healing Balm are both good options.

Best Hand Creams for Extremely Dry Skin

1. SKIN Lemon Mousse Extra Dry Hand Cream

2. Pai Fragonia Sea Buckthorn Hand Cream

3. Amala Hydrating Hand Cream

4. Lavera Basis Hand Cream

5. Cocovít – Coconut Oil

6. 100% Pure Coconut Hand Buttercream

*Disclaimer: Help support EcoSalon! Our site is dedicated to helping people live a conscious lifestyle. We’ve provided some affiliate links above in case you wish to purchase any of these products.

Related on EcoSalon

5 Yummy Facial Care Products to Make You Glow

Fight the Chap: 5 Best Ways to Soothe Our Winter Lips

9 Natural Skincare Products to Beat the Cold War of Winter

Image of woman holding tea in winter via Shutterstock

The post The 6 Best Hand Creams to Combat Extremely Dry Skin appeared first on EcoSalon.

You no longer have to sacrifice performance in the name of healthier products. Still, shopping for natural cosmetics can seem daunting. There are so many natural beauty brands around these days. How can you tell which are the best organic makeup brands?

We’ve evaluated many natural cosmetics lines, zeroed in on the cream of the crop, and comprised this guide to help you get started. Everything you need to know about choosing the best organic makeup brands for you.

We skip straight over the greenwashed, pseudo eco, barely natural stuff and get straight to what’s best in organic makeup. Top brands, quality ingredients, and high performance design. We put each brand through our safety criteria so you can be sure everything here is made with natural and organic ingredients, and free from harmful chemicals. We have also noted any pertinent certification and commitments in each brand summary, such as BDIH or NaTRUE certified, cruelty-free, gluten-free, or vegan.

Want a real life opinion on these products? Of course you do! Professional makeup artist, Kelly DeMauro, has tried them and gives her honest evaluation to help you make better buying choices. Like going shopping with a girlfriend who has a whole lot of experience.

Here’s what we look for in a safe cosmetic product:

Safe ingredients – The first step in identifying a safe cosmetic is to take a look at what it’s made of. This means reading the ingredient listing. Cosmetic ingredients go by many names and can be difficult to decipher. Use our handy Dirty 13: Most Harmful Ingredients to Avoid in Cosmetics list to help ID toxins in beauty products. Find an ingredient you are unsure of not on our list? Search The Environmental Working Group Skin Deep database.

Clear ingredient listings – Truly natural cosmetic manufacturers are proud to display the healthy ingredients they use. If a product does not include a clear ingredient listing, assume it is not safe until you can find more information.

Brands we can trust – Cosmetics brands with a clear ingredient and manufacturing commitment are worth following. Brand websites usually include a page on safety criteria. If a conventional product line begins carrying a “green” product or two, best to investigate before purchasing.

High performance – It is not worth buying a safe product if it doesn’t perform well too. All products and brands we recommend behave like conventional products, or better.

Of course, price factors in to buying decisions too. We get that! Which is why we’ve included a handy pricing code for each of the brands in our Best Organic Makeup Guide, ranging from least expensive ($ from $9-35 ), moderately priced ($$ from $12-50)  to higher in price ($$$ from $15-150). Scroll to bottom for a complete pricing breakdown of brands at a glance.

Ready to learn more about the best organic makeup brands? Let’s go!

1. 100% PURE *Antioxidant Rich* $$

Brand Highlights: Fruit dyes give these makeup items their vibrant hues, including products for face, cheeks, lips, eyes, and even a skin luminizer. Antioxidant rich, 100% Pure cosmetics help to protect from environmental damage and premature aging.

Vegan, nano- and cruelty-free, produced using solar power, biodegradable and recycled packaging. Read more about 100% Pure’s commitment to safety.

Why We Love It: 100% Pure uses real fruit pigments to color its makeup products. Acai berry Eye Liner? Blackberry Mascara? Peach Cheek Tint? Delicious!

Who’s Wearing: Jessica Alba loves the Tinted Moisturizer with SPF.

2. ALIMA PURE *Good for Rosacea/CIS* $$

Brand Highlights: The finest grade minerals are used to create these makeup products. Collection includes mineral powder foundations, concealer, highlighter, bronzer, blusher, and eyeshadow in a wide range of rich colors, plus mascara, eyeliner pencils, and six lipstick hues. To go with the mineral powders, Alima Pure offers the most extensive range of makeup brushes we’ve seen yet. A makeup artist’s, or any gal’s, dream.

Nano-, gluten-, and cruelty-free, enviro-friendly packaging, and BDIH certified. Read more about Alima Pure’s commitment to safety.

Why We Love It: Alima Pure wants you to love their makeup as much as they do. So, they’ve come up with several application tutorials, plus a cool foundation color selection tool.

Best For: These mineral makeup products work well on all skin types, from acne to dry, and even sensitive. They are gentle, breathable, and beneficial to those with rosacea or Cosmetic Intolerance Syndrome (CIS), and are bismuth oxychloride (BOC) free. Added bonus: The titanium dioxide and zinc oxide included in the foundation provide some SPF protection for incidental sun exposure.

3. BENECOS *Super Affordable* $

Brand Highlights: The Maybelline of natural makeup. Ok, here’s what we mean. Benecos is free from toxins, high performance, budget friendly, and everyone loves it. This well rounded line up includes everything you need to stock your makeup kit.

German made, BDIH certified, fair trade, cruelty-free, biodegradable, recycled packaging. Read more about Benecos’ commitment to safety.

Why We Love It: Benecos makes a BB Cream that a) is free from harmful ingredients, and b) actually works. It also helps to calm redness and irritation. Win!

Best For: Women or makeup artists who are looking to stock a natural makeup kit sans the sticker shock.

Kelly says…

Benecos Lipstick: Very nice! Definitely hydrates. Application: Use a liner underneath for long lasting color.

Benecos Eyeshadow Quad: Well-milled, almost creamy texture which makes application a breeze. With these four staples it is easy to mix and match from day to night and since the colors are already picked out for you, you don’t have to worry that they won’t go together. Application: Use with primer for longer lasting color.

Benecos Mascara: I liked the application and the natural fullness it gave my lashes, this isn’t a product to use for a dramatic look but as a simple everyday look I think it’s great.

4. DR. HAUSCHKA  *Best Mascara* $$

Brand Highlights: One of the first natural beauty brands, Dr. Rudolf Hauschka started the company in 1935 in Germany as an avant-garde natural medicines line. Dr. Hauschka’s medicinal creations sans alcohol for preservation caught the attention of many anthroposophic doctors of the time. It also caught the attention of the Nazi Party, resulting in the ban of these medicines and imprisonment of Dr. Hauschka.

Dr. Hauschka teamed with esthetician, Elisabeth Sigmund, in 1960 and began creating healthy skincare. Stable cream bases that required no chemical preservation and natural essential oils were the basis for the line. The rebel brand continues to serve up high quality beauty products today. Truly the pioneers of natural beauty.

The brand utilizes only the best quality ingredients, many of which are grown organically and biodynamically in its own gardens. Dr. Hauschka products are certified natural by NATRUE and BDIH. The Dr. Hauschka makeup line includes essentials for face, eyes, and lips. Read more about Dr. Hauschka’s commitment to safety.

Why We Love It: Has to be the mascara. You know how you’ve tried natural mascara after natural mascara only to be let down time and again? All you want is a mascara that offers color, length, and volume, along with no smudging or running. It’s enough to make you run back to the synthetic stuff, right? Wait! If you have yet to try this gem you are in for a treat. This is not only a great mascara, it is the natural mascara.

Who’s Wearing: Used in Hollywood in film and TV, and Broadway. Just check out the long list of places Dr. Hauschka has starred.

5. HAUT COSMETICS *Sample Sizes* $$$

Brand Highlights: Haut may mean skin in German, but to us it means these natural cosmetics are…hot, hot, HOT! Super clean and totally modern with a unique twist. This range covers the beauty gamut with mineral pigments and creams for face, cheek tints and balms, lip gloss and tints, and eye colors and brighteners.

Mascara?, you ask. Nope, Haut Cosmetics takes a different route with lashes. As in faux lashes. It’s true, the most lush and fluttery lashes made from sanitized human hair. For real. Quell your mascara melancholy and get your fabulous fringe on.

Vegan, gluten- and cruelty-free. Read more about Haut Cosmetics’ commitment to safety.

Why We Love It: The step by step guide to creating your own custom color, with options that address your skin issues, wants, and coverage concerns.

Best For: Women looking for customizable makeup products or who have trouble matching foundation.

6. ILIA BEAUTY *Pure Modern* $$

Brand Highlights: You know the saying, it’s what’s on the inside that counts? This goes for beauty products as well as humans. Still, Ilia Beauty products are just as gorgeous on the outside. You certainly won’t be afraid to keep these beauties on your bathroom shelf. Nor will the quality of these high performance makeup items disappoint. A celeb favorite, Ilia lipsticks and products for face have made many a star appearance. Gorgeous modern colors in high performance formulations.

Cruelty-, gluten- and dairy-free. Read more about Ilia Beauty’s commitment to safety.

Why We Love It: Let’s just say, we don’t hate the wide array of glorious lipstick shades and blogger collabs.

Best For: Anyone who likes their eco makeup with a modern edge.

7. KARI GRAN *Minimalist Beauty* $$

Brand Highlights: Small but mighty. This label may not carry a huge selection of makeup items, but a well edited crop of lovely must haves. Customizable mineral makeups and tempting Lip Whips are the staples of Kari Gran.

Wild harvested, non-GMO, cruelty-free. Read more about Kari Gran’s commitment to safety.

Why We Love It: A new way to customize foundation. You choose your mineral foundation color and mix with a pump of Kari Gran Essential Serum. Lightweight hydration with the light reflecting benefits of mineral powder.

Best For: Those who feel a healthy lifestyle and skincare regimen is the basis of their beauty kit.

Kelly says…

Kari Gran Essential Foundation: Very happy with the color, a little really and truly goes a very long way. Application: Use as a cream for easy application.

Kari Gran Mineral Eyeshadow: Suitable for a wide range of skin tones. Application: May be used wet or dry, use primer to avoid creasing.

Kari Gran Concealer: Don’t need to use a great deal of product to achieve results. Color stays true all day. Application: May be applied wet or dry with brush, sponge, or fingers.

Kari Gran Setting Powder: Gives a nice finish. I did not experience a cast at all.

Kari Gran Lip Whips: Sinks into your skin effortlessly and truly hydrates. Definitely a staple.

8. KJAER WEIS *Luxe* $$$

Brand Highlights: Dream formulas in killer packaging. That’s Kjaer Weis in a nutshell. Super creamy makeup in brilliant hues shape this line of products for face, eyes, and lips. Apply with fingertips or a brush for a natural look, only better. Layer for more intensity.

The Intelligent Refill system means you buy the uber cool compact once and replace with refills. Reduces waste and makes trying out new colors more affordable.

Cruelty- and gluten-free. Read more about Kjaer Weis’ commitment to safety.

Why We Love It: The sheer, dreamy colors win all women over. But the signature red Kjaer Weis box with jewel-like compact contents is the Tiffany’s makeup equivalent.

Best For: Those who love sheer, buildable color.

9. LA BELLA FIGURA *Exotic* $$

Brand Highlights: The women of La Bella Figura have taken what they know about skincare and created equally supreme makeup products. LBF creates extracts from herbs they grow themselves. And in community gardens of Chicago, no less. Now that’s dedication to the craft.

The La Bella Figura makeup line includes exotically hued cream blush and lip colors, plus a corrective highlighter, coming soon.

Vegan, non-GMO, and gluten-free. Read more about La Bella Figura’s commitment to safety.

Why We Love It: With the Seed to Skin program, La Bella Figura seeks the “most sustainable, unrefined and potent ingredients” to use in its products.

Best For: Sensitive and congested skin types.

10. LAVERA *Non-Allergenic* $

Brand Highlights: A straight forward cosmetics line that behaves like conventional makeup, only no harmful or harsh ingredients. Lavera offers beauty must haves for the essential makeup kit. Items for face, eyes, and lips, and even a BB Cream.

Lavera was originally created as a solution to reactive skin conditions. All products, including makeup, are super gentle on skin and eyes.

Vegan, NATRUE Certified Natural, cruelty- and gluten-free. Read more about Lavera’s commitment to safety.

Why We Love It: Celebrity makeup artists, models, and actresses love Lavera makeup. Debra Messing, Jerry Hall, and Suzy Amis, to name a few.

Best For: Those with very sensitive or reactive skin, allergies, or women undergoing chemotherapy.

Kelly says…

Lavera Foundation: Matched very well. One of the best matches I’ve had in any cosmetic line. I love that it enhanced my natural skin tone while subtly reducing any redness, and would recommend this to those looking for something similar to a BB cream. Application: Best results with fingers.

11. RMS BEAUTY *Cult Classic* $$$

Brand Highlights: Organic beauty darling, this tried and trusted brand has been seen on many a runway and fashion mag. Created by celeb makeup artist, Rose-Marie Swift, as a means to dealing with the toxic build up in her blood stream from years of using mainstream cosmetics in her work. The result? The clean, high performance cosmetics Swift uses on her clients (and herself!) today.

A coconut cream base gives RMS Beauty cosmetics for face, eyes, and lips a rich glossy texture. Never drying or dulling, these products give brilliant color and a youthful appearance. The range also includes mascara and facial powder.

Gluten-, soy-, nano-, and cruelty-free. Read more about RMS Beauty’s commitment to safety.

Why We Love It: Cult beauty hit RMS Beauty Living Luminizer is the best known highlighter for good reason. Nothing offers instantly glowing, radiant skin quite like it. Use on face, eyes, collarbones, even lips.

Best For: A dream for dry and mature skin, but women of all skin types love these cosmetics. A GOOP favorite.

12. TATA HARPER *Upscale Homegrown* $$$

Brand Highlights: Growing and harvesting ingredients, designing and developing natural products, on site small batch production. Sound too good to be true? This is how Tata Harper cosmetics are made. The idyllic Vermont setting and home grown feel of these beautiful products are tempting. The fact that they are also super luxe and perform like a dream is the crowning glory.

Tata Harper cream based cosmetics for lips and cheeks are suffused with natural pigments. Soften and moisturize the skin while offering sheer, vibrant color.

Vegetarian, EcoCert Certified Natural Cosmetics, gluten- and cruelty-free, recycled and recyclable materials. Read more about Tata Harper’s commitment to safety.

Why We Love It: Tata Harper cosmetics are produced in cow powered facilities. Learn more about how it uses sustainable energy from recycled methane gas.

Who’s Wearing: Gwyneth Paltrow, Christy Turlington, and Julianne Moore are Tata devotees.

Kelly says…

Tata Harper Limited Edition Honey Resurfacing Mask: Loved using this gentle resurfacing mask! Used the mask shortly before bed and found my skin looking plump, hydrated, and fresh the following morning.

13. VAPOUR ORGANIC BEAUTY *Celeb Fave* $$

Brand Highlights: Designers behind this brand are natural cosmetics product formulators and a former Kevyn Aucion Beauty president. To say they know beauty is an understatement. The outcome is Vapour Organic Beauty, an extensive line of pure makeup products.

Foundation and skin perfectors, lip colors and plumpers, eye color, blushers, bronzers, and highlighters. Everything you need for the well rounded beauty kit.

Cruelty- and nano-free, recycled packaging. Read more about Vapour Organic Beauty’s commitment to safety.

Why We Love It: Vapour offers a sample program of 5 samples for $15. Great way to try before you invest in full sized products.

Who’s Wearing: The list of celebs and bloggers who love Vapour Organic Beauty is long. They’ve even collaborated with health gurus Kimberly Snyder and Gwyneth Paltrow on curated collections.

Kelly says…

Vapour Concealer: Neutralizes darkness without heavy coverage or a finish that is too matte and opaque. I actually look very well rested!

Vapour Multi-Use Stick: Sheer but noticeable color.

14. W3LL PEOPLE *Funky Chic* $

Brand Highlights: Funky name at the forefront with a unique founding crew behind this brand of healthy cosmetics. Designed by an “elite makeup artist, cosmetic dermatologist and treehugging entrepreneur”, W3LL People is minimalist makeup that’s max on style.

The line may be paired down in quantity but over delivers on color and quality. Choose from items for face, lips, cheeks, and eyes.

Cruelty-free. Read more about W3LL People’s commitment to safety.

Why We Love It: Foundation and concealer stick in one. Who doesn’t love a good multi use product? And the powder mineral eye colors are earthy perfection.

Best For: The urban minimalist with mad style.

Kelly says…

W3LL People Foundation: New best friend? Maybe. Evens out everything just enough to look natural and healthy. Stays on all day without much need for touchups.

W3LL People Mineral Blush: Gorgeous natural “lit from within” look. One of my favorite powder blushes I’ve used in ages. I’ve also been using it to matte my lipsticks for extra staying power with a bit of a pink flush.

PRICE RANGE BREAKDOWN OF BRANDS

$ From $9-35: Benecos, Lavera, W3LL People

$$ From $12-50: 100% Pure, Alima Pure, Dr. Hauschka, Ilia Beauty, Kari Gran, La Bella Figura, Vapour Organic Beauty

$$$ From $15-150: Haut Cosmetics, Kjaer Weis, RMS Beauty, Tata Harper

Related on EcoSalon

Retro Chic Fashion for Fall: On Trend

6 Spicy Fall Beauty Trends to Wear Now

Beauty Vlogger Owns Internet Bullies [Video]

Top image adapted from Shutterstock

The post The Best Organic Makeup Brands | Consumer Guide appeared first on EcoSalon.

Fantasy beauty product – one that moisturizes, protects, provides coverage and anti-aging benefits, and even lends some skin clearing action. Well hold onto your knickers, this baby is a reality. Check out our best BB creams for summer skin.

BB creams. You’ve heard of them, seen actresses pushing them on TV, flipped past pages of them in magazines. But what the heck are they? And do you need one this summer?

BB stands for beauty balm and it looks like a tinted facial moisturizer. Oh, but it is so much more. BB creams offer lightweight hydration with more coverage than most tinted moisturizers, and also includes sun protection and a touch of antioxidant action. Poof! Dream come true.

Because light hydration is totally where it’s at for summer, multitasking beauty products are hot weather staples. And BB creams definitely fall into this category. Super easy to apply and practically weightless. Skin perfection on the fly.

Now imagine all this, only with natural ingredients. Healthy plant oils, pure mineral color and protection, and natural antioxidants make BB creams even more powerful. You get your flawless complexion while fighting blemishes and wrinkles too. And because they are feather weight, don’t melt or smear like heavier foundations.

So kick your heavy foundations and concealers to the curb for summer, and try a natural BB cream. You won’t be sorry.

4 Best BB Creams to Try for Summer Skin

1. Lavera Organic BB Cream

For every skin type, especially those with sensitive skin. Antioxidants protect, while calming ingredients even out skin tone and calm redness. The matte formula smooths imperfections and refines pores.

2. Haut Cosmetics BB Cream

This brush on BB cream is such the multitasker. It primes, hydrates, brightens and evens skin tone, and provides water resistant sun protection. Antimicrobial organic coconut oil helps to prevent breakouts. Choose from three natural shades.

3. Juice Beauty SPF 30 Tinted Mineral Moisturizer

Zinc SPF protection and mineral tint make this product effective. Fruit acids keep skin clear and bright. This lightly hydrating moisturizer is perfect for all skin types. Choose from four tones.

4. La Mav BB Creme

This Certified Organic BB crème offers matte finish for all skin types. Rosehip oil helps to diminish age spots and sun damage, and rosemary zaps blemishes. Kakadu Plum holds anti-aging benefits.

Related on EcoSalon

Can You Fight Sunspots Naturally?

Natural SPF Oils: Do They Provide Real UV Protection ?

3 Anti-Aging Skin Care Tricks to Protect You From the Number One Skin Ager

Image of girls in summer with perfect skin via Shutterstock

The post The 4 Best BB Creams for Summer Skin appeared first on EcoSalon.

The bare face is trending this spring. Was that a collective sigh? Here’s how to pull off the simplest ‘no makeup’ makeup look ever.

The bare-only-better look made a splash on spring runways this year. It’s easy, elegant, and so perfect for warm weather.

Sure, some models were truly makeup free and looked terrific. But if the thought of going makeup free, other than during a good Netflix binge, makes you want to wear a bag over your head, take heart. It’s simple to pull off the bare-only-better look with a little help from the right makeup items. Even the glowiest of the glowy enlist a little help when it comes to the naked face.

The bare faced look is all about simplicity, so it shouldn’t include several products and good chunk of your time. As in, forget about mascara and eyeliner for the moment. All you truly need to attain the best ‘no makeup’ makeup look is a few minutes and as many products.

What You’ll Need for the Simplest ‘No Makeup’ Makeup Look

Tinted moisturizer // Put the foundation away for this look. Use a two in one moisturizer with tint. Lavera Beauty Balm (BB Cream) offers dewy coverage, evens skin tone, and hides blemishes. Plus it looks way more natural than heavy makeup. Instant perfect complexion.

Highlighter // Wondering what to do about those dark circles? A good highlighter does more than add that lit-from-within look to skin, though it is the bomb at that too. If you’ve ever noticed that concealer seems to bring out the redness in your eyes, highlighter will be your new dark circle banishing BFF. No kidding, give it a try. Applied under eyes, highlighter reflects light, brightening the area without looking makeup-y. Kjaer Weis Highlighter is the perfect neutral tone that manages to illuminate and add depth at the same time. For the bare face look, apply to cheekbones, bridge of nose, and brow bones too.

Lip + Cheek // Yep, only one product needed here. RMS Beauty Lip2Cheek in Smile, sweet multitasker that it is, does double duty as a lip and cheek tint. And the universally flattering, just-jogged-around-the-block natural flush is spot on perfection.

That, my lovelies, is seriously it. Three products and you have your ‘no makeup’ makeup look on in one minute flat. Out the door and on to fun, springtime stuff.

Related on EcoSalon

Would You Go a Week Without Makeup?

7 Natural Beauty Reasons You Should Wear Less Makeup

Your Best Lip Color: A Month By Month Guide

Image of bare faced woman via Shutterstock

The post The Quickest, Easiest ‘No Makeup’ Makeup Look Ever appeared first on EcoSalon.

6 iconic lipstick colors, now with a touch of green.

Meet Nancy Wake, the “White Mouse” of World War II. Described as “one of the most effective and cunning British agents working in German-occupied France during World War II,” Wake hid Allied servicemen in her home, parachuted into enemy territory, and knew how to wield a machine gun. Also, she traveled nowhere without her Chanel lipstick.

That’s some iconic color.

Today, sans machine guns, we’re privy to the classic colors of old. Be it nude, coral pink, or classic red, the green beauty industry offers up a bevy of iconic colors. Here are our favorite picks for archetypal lips.

Classic Red by Lavera ($19.00)
Think Marilyn Monroe, Bette Davis, Barbara Stanwyck and other classic stars of the silver screen. Made with certified organic ingredients, Lavera’s “Red Berry Charm” provides a vivid, intense color with almond oil and Shea butter. The company commits to offering up natural cosmetics which are certified natural by BDIH of Germany.

Nude by Ilia ($24.95)
First encouraged by flower power in the 1960s, a natural sheer nude now suits any occasion. Ilia offers up “Nobody’s Baby,” a color made with 85% certified organic ingredients. It’s so silky that you don’t even need a gloss for sheen: in fact, it’s designed to act as a lip balm at first swipe. Free of synthetic preservatives, fillers and petro-chemicals, it also comes in a recycled aluminum case. Ilia is also cruelty-free.

Foxy Brown by Living Nature ($26.00)
1970s screen legend Pam Grier inspires us with this classic warm tone. Today, Living Nature continues the trend with all-natural ingredients. Offering up an iridescent sheer color with “Warm Rocks,” this hydrating lipstick is cruelty-free. Made with natural botanicals of New Zealand, the company provides a comprehensive guide to their ingredients.

Coral Pink by Jane Iredale ($20.00)
Bright, coral pink made a splash in the 1980s when preppy handbooks deemed pink and green the hottest color combination. Jane Iredale takes this festive hue into the 21st century with “Erin,” an iconic coral at home in Newport, Rhode Island or California. This silky, conditioning color is also free of dyes and synthetic preservatives.

Punk Purple by Afterglow ($24.00)
Debbie Harry, Joan Jett, and Pat Benatar made girl rockers cool in the 1980s. Today, we’re paying homage to these power players with a deep purple pucker. Afterglow offers up “Merlot” for some organic lip love. Made with 100% natural ingredients, Afterglow promises that their product is made with no parabens, nanos, bismuth oxychloride, gluten or talc.

Gold Shimmer by Primitive ($17.50)
Want to add a 1970s glam disco sheen to your lips? Check out “Taj Mahal” from Primitive, a vegan and versatile gold shimmer that’s perfect for layers or to stand alone. Primitive offers up clean and pure ingredients, providing a silky color made with Shea butter and jojoba oils. This lipstick is also cruelty-free.

Image: cerromijares

The post 6 Classic Lip Colors To Channel Your Favorite Female Icon appeared first on EcoSalon.

ColumnWant to have an iconic summer look beachside? Follow these tips.

Sun-bleached blondes with beach tousled hair, smoldering black eyes and pouty nude lips captured a time in the ’60s when curvy women in bikinis lit up movie screens. Over the decades, Brigitte Bardot and Claudia Schiffer have been inspirational icons for this playfully seductive summer look – one that will never go out of style.
GUESS’s Spring 2011 campaign reignited the part of me that would love to go wild with a box of peroxide, a teasing comb and a kohl pencil. Like most things that inspire me, this is a pretty unrealistic look for anyone who wants to do more than sing songs with choreographed dance moves on the beach. The reality is that much black eyeliner would protect from sun glare, but would be a nightmare as soon as one drop of salty water hit.  If you plan to stay dry and want to have some fun with your makeup recreating yourself as a ’60s beach bombshell, here’s the how-to.

Black out

To start you’ll need a black eye pencil, black liquid eyeliner, black eyeshadow, a tube of black mascara, and an eye contour brush.

Green product suggestions:

Living Nature Eye Pencil in Midnight

Lavera Liquid Eyeliner (vegan)

Alima Pure Satin Matte Eyeliner (to be used as eyeshadow) in Black (vegan)

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Brush #004 (vegan)

Pro tip: Put foundation on after eyeshadow so you can easily clean off any powder that may have dropped onto your face.

1. Line the upper and lower lashes of your eye with the black eye pencil. This doesn’t need to be precise but it does need to be thick and dense.  You may have to go over it a couple of times to get the right intensity.

2. Take your eye contour brush and begin buffing the edges of the lines to diffuse them up into the crease for the upper lid.  For the lower lid, pull the liner with the brush down to about the place where the ends of your lower lashes touch. On most people that’s about ¼ of an inch.

Pro tip: Do not connect the inner corners of the eyes with black and leave the water line free of liner to give a more wide-eyed effect.

3. Use the brush and go more heavily into the crease of the upper lid with black eyeshadow using a windshield wiper motion using very rounded strokes. Leave a fair amount of space between the shadow and the brow bone. Everyone’s eyes are different, so for some it maybe 1/8 of an inch and for others almost 1/2. Concentrate the color on the outer edges of the eyes. Make sure that the edges aren’t pointy, rather soft and arching. Follow with just a touch of shadow underneath the eye following the rounded curve. Keep the application a bit lighter here.

4. Curl your lashes.  A lot.

5. Whip out that black liquid liner and make a thick line across the top lashes. Then paint on a thick, but slightly thinner line underneath.  If you are feeling very deft, make the lines a little bit thicker towards the outer corners of the eye as you go.  Remember not to connect the inner corners with liner because it will shut down the eye and make it look more punk rather than 60’s.

Pro tip: If you mess up your liner use a pointy cotton squab dampened with a touch of water to quickly “erase” your mistake.

6. Layer on the mascara. This look has nothing to do with restraint. If you need to use half a tube on both upper and lower lashes then do it! Clumpy and pointy work here.

A bold brow

Is anyone getting tired of hearing me say that bold brows are the way to go for pretty much every look? This look really needs it and it’s what is most modern. Naturally groomed and less manicured brows add a great frame to the eye and structure to the face. Need a quick tutorial on that, check out this video.

Don’t touch those freckles!

If you are blessed to have a freckly face or even a freckle-less face, don’t cover it with a pile of foundation.  Let your skin show through and only conceal the tiniest bits where necessary.  The key to this look is really keeping things raw, rough and textured.  Use a tinted moisturizer with SPF to help even skin tone, protect and allow the skin texture to still be seen.  Try Josie Maran Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30.

Light lips

To balance such a heavy eye, a very nude lip is the way to go.  There’s nothing overly skilled about this part.  Just slap on some lip color and you are set! Ecco Bella makes a great natural, vegan lip color called Almond that should do the trick.

Alright beach babes, get out their and show ‘em how glamorous your summer style can be!

Editor’s note: Got a celebrity look you’d like to copy or a trend you’d like to see incorporating healthy, non-toxic makeup? Send your questions to High Definition columnist Kristen Arnett at beauty@ecosalon.com

New York City based Kristen Arnett is an internationally renowned makeup artist and founder of the Green Beauty Team, styling high profile celebrities and runway models as well as a sought after beauty expert, educator and teacher for other makeup artists.

Image: Ellen Von Unwerth for GUESS Inc.

The post High Definition: Beach Bombshell appeared first on EcoSalon.

Don’t get caught this spring without some new beauty essentials to keep your look fresh.

Mystikol Eye Liner by Jane Iredale ($20.00)
Bright, super-saturated colors are on trend for spring, and we’ve filled our makeup bags with the all-natural best. Not a makeup artist and want expertly-lined eyes? Not a problem, this innovative new eyeliner sports a powdered applicator that even the most unwieldy artist can use with ease. One side offers a powdered eyeliner in rich colors so popular this spring, such as bright lapis lazuli, rich aquamarines, and shimmering onyx. The other side provides a complimentary highlighter for enhancing your peeps. Calibrated for sensitive skin, the Mystikol is gentle solution for sultry eye seekers.

Blue Volume Mascara by Lavera ($20.00)
Bright, eye-popping colors are all the rage this season, and the bright mascara hues offered by Lavera are right on trend. With organic jojoba and wild rose oils, this paraben and heavy-metal-free mascara offers up a hydrating cover for your lashes. Best of all? It’s not left running down your face at the slightest dew drop of humidity. Lavera, which is certified natural by BDIH of Germany, has been ranked highly by experts as a safe natural cosmetic line.

MySteppes Makeup Kit by Jane Iredale ($58.00)
Want a mini-makeup bar that can fit into the palm of your hand? Mineral makeup giant Jane Iredale has introduced her MySteppes Makeup Kit, an all-in-one compact containing two lip glosses, a blush, a bronzer, and a mirror for touch-ups on the go. Available in two shade themes, warm and cool, each kit features hand-picked colors such as Iced Mocha and Crabapple or Cotton Candy and Pomegranate. We love the stackable packaging which makes it an easy addition for on-the-go makeup touches.

Argan Illuminizer by Josie Maran ($28.00)
We’ve always known a healthy glow is the best makeup, and this new product gives it to us in a bottle. Adding an instant luminosity to our face, neck and collarbones, the Argan Illuminizer eliminates dark circles and conditions the skin. The Illuminizer sports universal coverage that compliments any skin tone. Containing some organic ingredients, this product is free of parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, and phthalates. (Don’t forget to layer a sunblock underneath for ultimate skin protection.)

Fuchsia Lip Pencil by Zozimos Botanicals ($13.00)
What’s got organic makeup artist Jessa Blades excited for spring? Bright, juicy colors offered up by Zozimos Botanicals. As Jessa told us, “I love the fuchsia lip pencil by Zozimos Botanicals. I fill in my whole lip, smack my lips together to really let it sink in, and then swipe a bit of H. Gillerman flowers lip balm on top and voila! The pop of color mixed with the moisture from the balm makes the perfect combo- without being too glossy.”

Taj Mahal Lipstick by Primitive ($17.50)
We love this luscious lip cover by Primitive, which adds a shine to lips that can withstand the windiest spring storms (See: Applying lip gloss and then immediately having your hair stuck to your mouth). It goes on lips smooth as a lipstick but picks up the light as if you’ve got diamonds dancing across your pucker. Primitive offers up vegan lip care with clean and pure ingredients made in the USA.

The post Our Top Picks for Your Spring Makeup Bag appeared first on EcoSalon.

Fall is sweeping across the Northern Hemisphere, and many of us are starting to bundle up against the cold. For the lighter skinned lots, this means a loss of that summer glow. And when you spent the summer months alternating between organic sun blocks and healthy doses of Vitamin D through sunbeams, it can seem like a loss. So some turn to self tanners. But can a product that literally turns your skin a different color be safe?

Sunless tanners contain a sugar that reacts with the skin’s proteins to create the golden hue so coveted by tanners. Called Dihydroxyaceton (DHA), it works on the top layer of skin cells and does not penetrate the deeper layers of skin. This is why the tan fades so easily in a few days. DHA often comes from plant sources such as sugar beets and sugar cane. The Skin Deep database gives the ingredient a low to moderate hazard rating depending on how much you use the product. (It gets a 2 if you use it relatively infrequently, but can go as high as 5 if you use it daily.)

So if DHA is okay in moderation, then why do traditional self tanning products rate so poorly when it comes to product safety? Basically, it’s the reason that many traditional cosmetics can rate so toxic, and that is due to the presence of a baddie of fragrance. Most of the chemicals used in fragrance are petroleum derivative. Further, they contain chemicals that are connected to cancer, allergies and more. Other sunless tanners contain the toxic preservatives otherwise known as parabens.

Your best bet? If you’re going to use self-tanner, make sure the product is as clean as possible – aka free of fragrance, parabens and more. One of the more well-known green self tanners on the market is Lavera’s Self Tanner ($26.00). Winner of several eco accolades, the product claims to give a safe, natural tan with organic soy extracts. Containing organic ingredients, it is certified natural by the BDIH guidelines of Germany. It is also free of parabens, SLS and synthetic preservatives.

But how does it work? After a hop in the shower, I slathered some on my gams. The fragrance is light but noticeable. It does give you a nice, overall glow after a few hours, and it’s a great option for a last-minute color. It goes on a bit like a moisturizer and isn’t too heavy. Is it perfectly clean? Not quite, as Skin Deep rates it at a moderate hazard (the presence of fragrance does it again!). But if you’re okay with that and looking for a little color, it’s not a bad option – and it is certainly better than many of the traditional self tanners on the drugstore market.

FTC Compliance

Image: evilerin

The post Are Sunless Tanners Safe? appeared first on EcoSalon.

Lip gloss – it’s so sticky, it could trap bugs. Seriously, I sometimes feel like I could make like a human fly strip if I just stand very quietly while wearing a good gloss. And forget leaving my hair down in anything less than a shellacked bun – stray wisps are almost magnetically attracted to my newly glossed lips.

So yes, maybe I’m not such a big fan of lip gloss. Not to mention, most traditional brands contain more parabens and fragrances than a makeup counter at the mall. Nonetheless, I recently decided to take a look at what the eco-world offers on organic and/or natural lip shine. And I found Lavera’s Lipgloss.

Lavera racks up lots of eco points. Its lipgloss contains some certified organic ingredients like Jojoba seed oil, aloe vera extract, shea butter, almond oil and more. Lavera claims this product contains “emollient and non-sticky oils of Vitamin E and Jojoba are repairing moisturizers. [It also contains] crushed Natural Minerals add shimmer and an anti-aging Sun protection.”

Further, Lavera’s products are all BDIH certified natural. This means it carried the certified natural cosmetics seal. The materials are sourced from biological wild collections, are not tested on animals, are allowed to contain inorganic minerals, and do not contain any synthetic fragrances. This product contains minerals, which by designed are not classified as a food ingredient. (There’s also been rumblings about possible dangers of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide — which this product contains. Skin Deep gives these a low to moderate hazard rating, depending on the grade.)

Therefore, they cannot be certified as organic by the USDA. (Confused? You’re not alone. Different organizations have different standards for what is considered organic and/or natural.)

But how does this gloss work? It gives a pleasant tinge of shine – and best of all, it’s not too sticky. (And frankly, I give it major points for this tidbit.) It’s rather like a lip balm in its emollient effect, and it has a lovely berry taste to boot. Does it last? Not really – I was reaching for my reapplication not long after initial application. But all in all, it’s a nice little gloss that can ease your eco-conscious. You can buy it for $16 here.

FTC Compliant

The post Looking at Lavera’s Mineral Lip Gloss appeared first on EcoSalon.