We introduced you to strobing last year. You know, contouring’s less labor intensive cousin? Well, forget all that. A new beauty trend is here and you are going to love it for summer.

The latest beauty trend is called “stripping” and it is super hot. And not nearly as sleazy at it sounds.

Since a more natural look is on trend this year, and thank golly for that, it isn’t a surprise that the number of products it takes to achieve the look is more minimal too. You’re yearning to bust out the good ol’ bronzer right about now, aren’t you?

We all want to shake off our winter pallor and sport a healthy glow this time of year. But the old ways of bronzer are behind us. Stripping, or “sun stripping”, is a way of using bronzer that makes it look like you’ve actually spent a little quality time under the sun. Who comes in from a fun day outdoors with a uniformly bronzed face? No one. Ever. That’s why all-over face bronzing got kicked to the curb in favor of this new approach.

Best of all it’s fast, easy, and requires only one product. Here’s how.

How to Perform the Stripping Beauty Trend in 4 Easy Steps

1. Choose a bronzer. Here’s the trick with stripping. You want it to look natural, so stay away from bronzers with shimmer and select one that looks good on your skin tone. Also, powder works best for stripping. Alima Pure Bronzer comes in two color choices, light bronze and medium bronze, and is super natural looking. Another option is W3LL People Bio Bronzer, a universally flattering shade that looks like a true glow.

2. Use the right tools. You don’t want your bronzer everywhere. A semi-sturdy brush, like the Alima Pure Flat Top Brush, is perfect for applying the bronzer. You will also want a blush brush, like Alima Pure Blush Brush, for blending.

3. Apply the bronzer. After applying your foundation or tinted moisturizer as usual, apply a strip of bronzer across apples of cheeks and bridge of nose, where sun hits your face when you are outdoors. This is going to look wacky, but stay with us.

4. Blend it out. Now, using the blush brush, blend the strip of bronzer outward slightly and buff to a natural looking glow.

That’s it, peeps. Couldn’t be easier and you will love the just-been-out-in-the-sun look it gives your skin.

*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

Quick, Your Makeup Is Melting! 5 Best Beauty Tips on How to Survive Summer

4 Simple Summer Makeup Looks Using Only One Product

7 Natural Beauty Reasons You Should Wear Less Makeup

Image of girl with bronzed cheeks via Shutterstock

The post Beauty Trend Alert: Stripping is the New Strobing appeared first on EcoSalon.

Have you switched out your spring makeup kit? If you’ve yet to add a new lipgloss, you are going to love this. Lippies bursting with springtime color and freshness.

Lipgloss may possibly be the most fun beauty product to buy. It feels good on lips, gives the best shine, and can go either casual or dressy. Love it!

Today we are not talking lipsticks, lip creams, or lip tints. This is all about the gloss, baby. Slick, shiny, gooey, lipgloss.

If you’ve been rocking a neutral lip through winter, it’s time to get your pucker spring ready. Read on for blooming beautiful lipgloss picks for the upcoming season.

6 Hottest Lipgloss Colors This Spring

1. This one will get your little ticker thumping. Ilia Beauty Lipgloss in Heartbeat is a sheer primary red that shows up as softly bitten lips. Totally spring and totally glam. Perfect for those who prefer a red lip but want something a bit softer for spring.

2. A sheer berry screams warm weather. Osmia Organics Whisper Lipgloss is super glossy, super subtle, and oh so pretty.

3. For a fruity kick of color, try W3LL People Bio Extreme Lipgloss in Grapefruit. Soothes and shines while giving off a light hit of fresh color. Mint extracts help to plump up your pucker, too.

4. Because pink makeup is such a good thing, and sparkle is so much fun, Juice Beauty Reflecting Gloss in Pink has to make this list. Sweet, shiny, antioxidant-rich, and (most importantly) brilliantly pink.

5. Nothing says spring like this sweet pea pink. Acure Organics Lip Lush in Shmexy offers petal fresh color and high shine, in a convenient tube and nifty little $5.99 price tag.

6. A little sparkle works any time of year. Wear W3LL People Bio Extreme Lipgloss in Gold on its own or layered over your favorite springtime lip color.

*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

Something Unexpected in Spring Makeup: Violet Hues for Every Face!

The Quickest, Easiest ‘No Makeup’ Makeup Look Ever

Good News! Hangover Makeup is Actually a Trend

Image of girl with pretty lipgloss via Shutterstock

The post Your Guide to the Hottest Lipgloss Colors for Spring appeared first on EcoSalon.

The sculpted makeup look ala KK’s clan has been as hot as full brows were in the ’80s. Oh yeah, on fleek brows are still hot, but could the whole ultra-defined thing be taking a backseat to a more natural look this season?

Going for a simpler, less time consuming look feels right, especially for spring beauty (it’s here sooner than you think!). Still, most makeup lovers shudder at the thought of pale skin and invisible cheekbones. Even ‘no makeup’ makeup calls for a hint of color. We are not talking bare here, but back to basics. As in, good ol’ blush.

Yep, this (practically primitive) makeup item appeared on runways for the spring shows (Marchesa featured a pretty pink) and is primed for its comeback. And with makeup trends of 2016 calling for a healthier, more natural look, blush couldn’t be more perfect for the job.

Feel blush on its own has to be boring? This flushing beauty is more versatile than you may think. Cream, stain, powder, stick. Pink, peach, gold, bronze, plum. All you have to do is find what works for you and you’ll be blooming with spring-worthy glow in no time.

Blush Basics (for Not-So-Basic Blushers)

Cream or Powder? All skin types can pull off either choice, but powder can make drier skin look older, and cream can make oilier skin slippery and shiny. The nice thing about cream blush is the dewy glow it gives to skin. A little goes a long way, so cream can be layered for a soft or more intense look. It can also double as a lip color. Powder is a quicker application and you don’t have to deal with color on your fingertips.

What About Stain? Cheek stains (or tints) offer a more intense color and have staying power. These products work on all skin types, though can make larger pores more visible.

How to Choose the Right Blush Color

This is important. Enhanced natural glow is what we are going for here, not baby doll cheeks or ‘90s bronze streaks.

Fair Skin: Rose gold, like Tata Harper Volumizing Lip and Cheek Tint in Sweet, works well on fair skin with pink undertones to match the tone without bringing out too much pink. For fair skin with yellow undertones, try a peachy pink, like Vapour Organic Beauty Aura Multi Use Blush in Tender.

Medium Skin: Medium skin tones with yellow undertones look great paired up with a neutral mauve. Try Alima Pure Satin Matte Blush in Geranium. Medium skin with pink undertones need the warmth of apricot, as seen in W3LL People Universalist Multi-Use Colorstick in Satin Blood Orange.

Dark Skin: Olive skin tones look fabulous in a straightforward peach or tangerine. May we suggest Kjaer Weis Cream Blush Compact in Sun Touched. Darker tones can pull off a deeper plum or raisin hue, like Vapour Organic Beauty Aura Multi Use Stain in Enchant.

As for applying blush? We love this handy tutorial by the gals at Birchbox on how to apply blush by face shape.

*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

8 Simple Steps to Spring Cleaning Your Diet and Your Life

Makeup image via Shutterstock

The post Gorgeous Blush Colors That’ll Make You…Blush 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.