About Face: Food Isn't The Only Thing Organic
Photo by Nicolas Padron
When it comes to makeup, I'm a firm believer that less is more.
I've never really been into heavy foundation and eye makeup (except for special occasions / events.)
I actually never wore makeup until my late teenage years when I was going on castings and even then it was just moisturizer and mineral powder. Everything I learned about makeup and skincare was by observation and asking the makeup artists I worked with their favorites and tips and tricks.
I'm super minimalist when it comes to makeup even still, and have also become very aware of using products that have added benefits and good for you ingredients so I can keep my skin looking fresh and young without harsh chemicals. I had heard great things about an all organic skin care line, RMS Beauty and finally treated myself by purchasing both the "un coverup" and volume mascara last month.
I have to say I was anxious about swapping out my usual tinted moisturizer with the un cover up balm, but I'm obsessed with the results. With this stuff, a little goes a long way but it brightens up and seamlessly conceals any blemishes I have, without covering up my freckles and going overboard. The shades that RMS carries are also really true to my actual skin tone (before my moisturizer was too yellow/orange.) The mascara is subtle but defines my lashes and doesn't irritate my eyes/ contacts because it's organically formulated.
Here are a few of my favorites:
Concealer: Kosas is my all-time favorite concealer. Why? because they have an Incredible shade range (which is generally a personal struggle for me, so something I truly appreciate.) They also have silky smooth formulas that effortlessly melt into your skin (instead of sitting in an awkward cakey layer on top) not to mention on trend branding.
Tinted moisturizer: I had a love affair with this medium coverage Beauty Counter tinted moisturizer and even used to buy it 2 tubes at a time I loved it so much (no joke). The color match was so perfect it looked like it was part of my skin and half the time I used to get away with looking like I didn’t have makeup on at all. Then sadly, they discontinued it and I honestly haven’t ever fully recovered. They still have this version which I have a love/hate relationship with since it has more lightweight coverage so it requires building to get a full coverage effect. I recently tried their Beauty Counter featherweight foundation in shade 230 and have fallen in love. It’s kind of insane since it’s a literal perfect match for my skin tone (which is incredible since as a mixed race girl it usually means I have to mix 2-3 different colors together!) Highly recommend!
Tinted moisturizer (with SPF): I recently discovered this tinted moisturizer by Ilia. I’m all about a multi-use product and really appreciate how this has a high SPF sunscreen literally built into it’s formula, with decent color coverage and serum. It’s perfect for the summertime and traveling since it has sunscreen already built in so one less thing to pack. Perfection? I’d say so.
Highlighter and eye palettes: RMS is a leader in organic skincare that’s made from top-notch ingredients that make an impact. They have a few incredible highlighter products and luminizers that are perfect for everyday use. I’ve been a fan for a while now and am happy it’s become way easier to find (it’s now sold at Sephora in addition to Blue Mercury, Dermstore, Net-a-porter, RMS.com and Violet Grey.) It’s no wonder the brand has a cult following from Victoria’s Secret models like Gisele Bundchen, Lily Aldridge, and Miranda Kerr.
Clean beauty boutiques:
Credo beauty - this place is like the Sephora but filled with nothing but clean beauty brands. In short, it’s paradise.
Violet Grey - I love how there’s an editor component to this site and everything is well vetted, impeccably curated. I feel confident even trying brand new products from this site because I trust their recommendations.
Beauty Counter - I admire this brand’s commitment to transparency, sustainability and being a leader in creating all-around incredible products.
The Detox Market- The selection here is is incredible and I love how knowledgable the staff is in answering questions, lending their honest POV about each product and helping you find just the right product for you.
Blue Mercury - I recently discovered this store’s amazing conscious beauty selection. They’ve done a great job partnering with brands that are committed to creating products that are toxic-free additives and harmful curating a group of naturally-derived skincare and makeup brands such as Mara, Natureofthings and Osea.