Aura Cacia rosehip oil | Evan Healy Rose Geranium Hydrosol | Josh Rosebrook nutrient day cream | RMS – un-cover up & master mixer | Kjaer Weiss mascara |tinkle face shaver | shiva rose glow face balm | laurel eye serum | R+Co Aircraft | Meow meow tweet deodorant | Hurraw lip balm | De Mamiel cleansing balm | tenoverten fall polish
I’ve been using all of these “natural” (mostly organic & vegan) beauty products for several months at least and re-purchased most of them (except the Laurel Eye serum, I’ve only used that for a couple weeks, and the tenoverten nail polish), so I wanted to update you on the results, and what I think about each of them.
Nighttime routine:
Wash with de Mamiel cleansing balm, and then Osmia Organics facial soap, then combine hydrosol and rosehip oil and pat it all over my face. Wait until that dries, then apply Laurel eye serum and Shiva Rose glow balm.
Morning routine:
Splash with water in the shower, hydrosol/oil combo again, Josh Rosebrook tinted SPF moisturizer and go. If I’m going “out” or feel like doing more, I’ll use RMS’ un-cover up on my cheeks and master mixer on my eyes and as a highlighter. I’ll curl my eyelashes and add mascara.
Notes:
I have been using the rosehip oil/hydrosol spray combo for several months and am beyond happy with how “bright” my complexion is and soft my skin feels. I can’t imagine ever NOT doing this. In combination with the shiva rose glow face balm, my skin has never looked or felt better. I’ve re-purchased all of these things multiple times; I buy the rosehip oil and hydrosol at Whole Foods and my salon sells Shiva Rose.
Kjaer Weiss mascara – this is great for me, since I don’t really care that much about mascara other than it darkens my lashes AND is very easy to remove, AND I wanted something that was vegan, natural, etc. If you’re picky about mascara, you probably won’t like this one; it’s thick and clumpy, and comes with a plastic wand, not a “brush.” I love it, and it suits me fine, although you have to carefully re-insert the wand into the mascara or else it is so thick it will squeeze out and make a mess (that happened). Oh, it’s also refillable; you just buy the insert and slide it back into the silver case.
Makeup – I’ve never worn a lot of makeup, and it’s not because I think I don’t need it necessarily, it’s just because I really really don’t like to look “made up” and I’ve never found any makeup/foundation/etc. that will give me a non-made up look. I prefer a natural, no-makeup look and sometimes don’t wear anything at all, and it’s always been that way. I shy away from lip color (it’s jolting, seeing myself with lip color) and eye makeup scares me. So, there’s that.
I am very happy now just using the Josh Rosebrook SPF tinted moisturizer, mostly alone, and sometimes with RMS un-cover up on top, to tame some of the redness I get on my cheeks. It’s not a lot of coverage, but it’s enough for me.
Face shaving. Wow. Life-changing. I’ve only done this once, and with a lot reluctance, but a friend does it and we were out recently at Sally Beauty Supply to replenish her supply, so I got some to try. I don’t know what’s taken me so long. More later, perhaps, after I’ve done it more often, but so far so good…
I’ve been very very happy with the Meow Meow tween deodorant, it kept me “fresh” all summer. Interestingly enough I got the tub version to use for travel, and found it less effective than the push-up version – I don’t know why that is.
I LOVE my new tenoverten nail polish! The colors are all good, and it has staying power. I’m a convert to this brand, and appreciate their 8-free, more natural, eco-friendly formulations, although I’m still using a relatively toxic base coat and top coat.
What are your favorite natural beauty products? Any recommendations? What are some things you’ve repurchased and used for years??
So glad to find another face-shaver! I felt like I was alone in doing this for so long, but seems like more and more people are doing it now. I’m interested to hear your take on it.
Whoa! I am so thrilled by this post. Lately, I’ve been trying to switch to more natural skincare and makeup products, too, and this post gave me a lot of good ideas. Can you please elaborate on the hydrosol/rose hip oil combo? Is that how you moisturize your face? I’ve never heard of either of those products, so I am really intrigued. My skin (particularly around my nose and on my chin) gets dry by the end of the day, so I know my moisturizer isn’t cutting it, but I’ve struggled to find a solution and I’m curious to hear your thoughts. Thanks, Grechen!
i have only done it once so far, but man…it works so well, and i didn’t have a lot of sensitivity or issues at all.
my chin is the most sensitive, for some reason, like it feels very slightly razor-burned, but nothing more than that. no breakouts or anything. i just make sure to moisturize really well afterwards.
life-changing.
yes, that’s all i use to moisturize now – basically when you buy the hydrosol, it comes with a pamphlet and suggests that you pump first some oil/serum in your fingers, then add a few sprays of the hydrosol, also in your fingers, then pat the combo on your skin. i’ve been doing that for about six months and my face has never felt so hydrated. now that it’s getting a little drier, i’ll use a little of the shiva rose balm in the mornings also, but in the summer i don’t need that extra step.
before this, i was just using argan oil, which i liked, but the rosehip oil/rose geranium spray has really brightened my face. it’s really noticeable.
a note on the shiva rose balm – it feels almost like putting vaseline on your face, so you need VERY VERY little, and I don’t always use it during the day, because it can tend to feel a little oily if you use too much, but at night, i soak it in.
my skin is generally very dry also. i don’t tend to have dry “patches” per se, but it tends more to the dry side…
Fascinating! Aside from brightening, do you find this combo more hydrating than argan oil? I just may have to run to Whole Foods this week and buy these products. I also really want to try the Hurraw products you’ve mentioned a few times. I have a serious problem with chapped lips and I’m always on the hunt for new solutions.
yes, i have definitely found it more hydrating than argan oil. i did use 100% squalane oil that i thought very hydrating as well, but i think the rosehip oil adds that brightening/skin-tone evening out factor that i also need.
i’m OBSESSED with the hurraw lip balm!! i’m obsessed with lip balm anyway, but this stuff is so good. i have one now in every room of my house, and a few in my bag 😉
I’m an everyday makeup kind of gal, and I’m a huge fan of Alima Pure. They make a fantastic cruelty-free, vegan mineral powder foundation (the Satin Matte Foundation) that only has four ingredients and comes in 40-some shades. I believe it saved me from a dark time for my complexion during which the breakouts were brutal—so I’m a total convert. I also really like their blushes.
forgive my ignorance, but what is face shaving?
It’s pretty much like it sounds- I use special razor for the face/small areas and shave most of my face with it! It’s wonderful for peach fuzz and upper lip hair…
If you google face shaving for women there are tons of resources.
wow. that’s something new to me. thanks.
it doesn’t cause coarse regrowth?
I have only done it once so far but from what I’ve read, that is a myth. I don’t have any coarse regrowth…
I recently bought Drunk Elephant’s Lippe balm and it’s fab despite the dumb name–very moisturizing, not too waxy, smells/tastes good, and lasts.
I like W3ll People “Bio Brightener” highlighter, too.
Skin care: Oil clean at night with a mixture of castor oil and grapeseed oil. Moisturize with argon oil. In the morning I wipe off my face with diluted apple cider vinegar and use raspberry seed oil as a moisturizer. Unless travelling when all I use, morning and night, is coconut oil. I also use coconut oil as a body moisturizer.
Make up: I’ve simplified to just RMS. Uncover-up, living luminizer, Karma eye polish as eye liner, and mascara. I have one lip2cheek and one lipshine that I use as both lip and cheek color. When travelling I skip the living luminizer and eye polish and take a pencil eyeliner.
I’ve been tempted by Stowaway cosmetics but have resisted thus far!
I feel like I’m constantly looking for ways to care for my skin. I am using First Aid Beauty moisturizer right now, with Cover FX primer/sunscreen. I also use an on-the-spot treatment morning and night but I don’t feel like it’s actually helping much. At night, I use Cerave’s PM moisturizer, but I don’t really love it. My skin broke out really badly recently, and I have no idea why. So I might just throw everything out and start again. As a religious face shaver, I will definitely have to look into those cute shavers!! And yes, you totally have magical and glowy skin 🙂
I’m not a big makeup person either but I also love the RMS un-cover up and master mixer. I just add some mascara and lip color and I’m done. I like the Vapour lip conditioner. It feels so nourishing on the lips. I’ve been loving the Nudus lipstick this summer.
I have been paying more attention to my skin lately, especially now that I am in my mid 40s and noticing some changes. My skin is a little drier and I have been trying out different face serums. So far I like the Laurel Sun Damage Repair and Leahlani Champagne Serum.
I think that I’ll have to try that Shiva Rose balm. Her entire product line looks beautiful.
the shiva rose balm is wonderful, and lasts a very long time since you don’t have to use much. and the containers are great to reuse also (they’re glass).
surprised by how great Burt Bee’s lipstick is. I have the scarlet red color and it is just good
<3 skincare posts. I am on day 3 of using my newly purchase de mamiel cleansing balm and love it so far. My recs are:
1. One Love Organics Cleansing Oil: Washes off cleanly and takes off eyeliner!
2. Blissoma's Mild Rice Cleanser (2nd cleanse)
3. Evan Healy Lemon Thyme Hydrosol (when experiencing breakouts)
4. Josh Rosebrook face mist
5. Kahina eye serum (one of few eye treatments that don't give me milia)
6. Any of the SkinOwl oils (besides lavender, which I haven't tried)
I have normal-oily skin. At that phase of life where I get some breakouts but have to think about anti-aging (fun).
Also recommend the Gressa foundation for days when you want to be "made up" if you know what I mean. Said as a person that wears minimal daily makeup.
thanks for the recommendation for the gressa foundation – i’ve seen that around here and there and wondered about it.
i got a sample of the one love organics cleansing oil and i loved it too…
I am a big fan of the MyChelle brand for skincare, which I buy at Whole Foods. I started out using the Perfect C Serum and loved the results in helping fade my hyperpigmentation, despite the design flaw with the pump mechanism (poorly designed pump resulted in a lot of product loss because it leaked out/crusted at the top of the bottle). Once I finished that bottle I tried the Mad Hippie Vitamin C serum because it was cheaper and didn’t have a pump bottle, but am very meh on the results. At this point I’m using the Mad Hippie just to finish the bottle, but once I’m done I’m going back to the MyChelle serum. I also love MyChelle’s Sun Shield SPF 28 Coconut. The coconut scent dissipates once you apply and really does a good job protecting your skin. I wore it throughout a very hot and sunny European vacation and at a 3 day music festival and never once got burned or broke out (the formula is on the thicker side because it’s a mineral based SPF, but didn’t clog my pores like other brands have so I can deal with some additional shininess). I’m excited to start using the Ultra Hyaluronic Hydrating Serum now because in conjunction with the recent colder, drier weather, my normally oily-combo skin is getting drier thanks to a benzoyl peroxide acne treatment from Kate Sommerville. Recently started using the Giovanni 2Chic Ulta-Sleek Conditioner with argan oil that I got at Whole Foods, and am so far very pleased with it. Haven’t tried much on the makeup front, but am interested in trying out RMS if I can find them sold in-store somewhere first. Most of their potted products contain coconut oil, which is comedogenic, and so I’d like to test out before committing to buy.
I am a sucker for organic products, i once came across an organic skin care make up kit by a girl from London, Mychelle is worth looking at anyways….
I recently found your blog after googling for Everlane reviews and I LOVE it! Wow! So much great stuff here, your reviews are really helpful.
I’m really curious about the face shaving thing. Can you elaborate on why it is life changing? After going through chemotherapy for breast cancer I had some really weird facial hair growing – like blonde fur. I googled a little and got up the nerve to shave it off and luckily it hasn’t come back. I still have the usual/normal little unnoticable fuzz on my face and it would never have crossed my mind to shave it. Anyway, just super curious about the life changing aspects of that! I’m off to google.
TMI…face shaver here, too! I don’t have special razor, but I’d advocate for one since I’ve come close to accidentally shaving off necessary chunks of my hairdo. It just makes my skin feel so smooth and it exfoliates. I am weaning off of my usual makeup staples and going with less. I’m just finding that less is more as I get older. Surprisingly, this nude lip gal has embraced the bright lip! I think it’s because I’m wearing less eye makeup and letting my hair go grey. It just works, and I’m trying it as a new “signature look.” So:
Cleansing is usually an oil, I love Bobbi Brown’s, or a prescription I have from my derm doc. Treatment for Acne (Yes, in the “Oh sh*t” department, you can still get pimples at age 57…) by Kate Somerville, Good Genes serum by Sunday Riley, Clarins Enhancing Eye Lift followed by Kiehl’s Super Multi-Corrective Cream at night. During the day, splashes of cold water, and the Good Genes, plus the eye serum and a few drops of Herbivore Botanicals Lapis Oil. I wear a tinted moisturizer with SPF by Dr. Dennis Gross or Lune + Aster CC Cream, Vapour Multi-stick for cheeks and lips in “Courtesan” and Well People Expressionist Mascara in Purple. I love my new routine! And now that I let my hair go curly (I found the BEST stylist who also does Christie Brinkley and a bunch of other celebs. And she’s a friend of a friend who has been here all along!)since I have a cut that works, I have changed my entire hair routine, but that’s for another post!
Vapour Beauty does have lovely multi sticks, but you may want to check their “Carmine Free” list for products that are truly vegan and do not contain Carmine. You will find that the Charm, Cheeky and Virtue Multi colors fall into this category. Happy shopping!