27 Nov 2012

RMS Beauty swatches


In my Spirit Beauty Lounge haul, i ordered some samples of rms products I hadn't tried yet, the new Lip Shine in Sublime, Cream Eye shadows in Lunar, and the new  Karma.

{Sublime, Karma, Lunar}

Karma is described as a rich, dark, browny-black with a hint of silver and is great used as a liner. I find this color, more so than the others, has a bit more staying power and is more pigmented, in saying that it does still crease and smudge, but being a creamy product that is so easily fixed that it doesn't really matter. 

Lunar, a creamy white pearl shimmer, is very similar to the Living Luminizer in how it can be used, but is a lot more pigmented and slightly thicker. It's nice as an everyday shadow, and great with karma for a smokey eye. 

Sublime, a sheer bright fuchsia pink is a beautiful color, especially for the warmer months. The texture of this is different from the other lip shines, which I found to be somewhat drying and sticky, sublime is actually very moisturising and goes on smoothly making lips look fantastic and healthy. 

  
 {Wearing Karma as liner, Lunar as shadow, and Sublime on lips}





 

Ilia Beauty Mascara



 In my latest mini haul from I Am Natural Store, I picked up one of  Ilia Beauty's new Mascara's in Nightfall. This mascara is said to be a "Natural mascara that will lengthen, thicken, and condition lashes" and it surely does lengthen and condition. I'm not sold on the thicken part, which as you can see by the photos below they don't appear to be thicker, just more defined, I can live with that though, I have never owned a natural mascara that has the ability to separate and lengthen my lashes like this one does, and I love it. If I want to go for the really dramatic, thick lashes, I just apply a little of my Larenim Mineralash mascara in Jet Black to the roots to make them appear fuller and more...fluffy?

When Sasha first spoke of the mascara wand on her facebook page, I pictured all those colorful ads selling drugstore brand mascaras with "new and improved wands to give you the most gorgeous lashes ever", but this wand, my friends, truly is genius! It is such a tight squeeze in the neck of the bottle that it scrapes of all excess so you have just the perfect amount of mascara to not leave your lashes all clumpy and smudgy, and the brush itself isn't fibrous, catching heaps of product, it seems to be plastic with little bristles that really get in between your lashes, separating and lengthening, to make them look amazing.


The actual mascara seems to take a little longer than normal to dry, but not much, and stay's put all day. When it comes to washing it off, it actually comes off very easily with just cleanser and a muslin cloth, without leaving those patches of smudged black around my eyes and on my cheeks. The best part is the conditioning effect, my lashes stay looking hydrated and soft all day, not an ounce of dry flakiness to be seen. Love it! 

Ilia Beauty mascara come in four colors: Nightfall - rich black, Asphalt Jungle - bold charcoal grey, Macao - subtle copper, and Shadow Of A Doubt - ash brown. I will definitely be purchasing the last as an everyday mascara. 

{without}

{with}

Water (aqua), Octyldodecyl Behenyl Citrate Crosspolymer Brassica Campestris, Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer, Copernicia Cerifera (carnauba) wax*, Hydrogenated Glyceryl Abietate, Crondrus Crispus (Carrageenan), Aloe (Barbadensis) Leaf Extract, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Butter, Triisostearyl Citrate, Stearic Acid, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Silica, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E), Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Hexylene Glycol. May Contain: Mica, Iron Oxide (CI 77499, CI 77492, CI 77491), Ultramarines. *Certified Organic Ingredients. Ingrédients Certifiés Biologiques.

21 Nov 2012

Vapour Organic Beauty


After receiving my parcel from I Am Natural Store the other week, and trying the Vapour Perfector, I fell in love with Vapour even more, so in  keeping up with my obsession for beauty products with a creamy texture, I recently purchased a few more products from the line and some samples of their foundations.

I seriously cannot think of a single thing I don't like about this brand...Everything I have tried I have loved, the textures, the scents, the finish, the color, and everything else, i think everybody should own at least one Vapour product!

I purchased, in full size, Halo Body Spotlight in Brilliance, Mesmerize Eye Color Treatment in Flash, and samples of Atmosphere Soft Focus Foundation in 115 and 120 and Luminous Foundation in 115 and 120. 

{115, 115, 120, 120}

I'm not really a foundation fan to be honest, I have never really found one that I like. They either go cakey, don't blend well, sit in lines and crease, or they are just crap! But these...OhEmGee! They are fantastic, both the stick and liquid forms are so easy to apply, sit well, give healthy looking coverage, they last ages on the skin and when on, they don't feel like a foundation at all. I have applied both with and without the Stratus Skin Perfector and they work the same each time so as far as im concerned, I am now a full blown foundation lover. Both 115 and 120 work well for me, but 115 is slightly lighter than my skin tone so I have been using 120, 115 would probably be my summer to winter shade.

Soft Focus Foundation: $51.00 for 32.45g

Organic/Bio Camellia Oleifera (Camellia) Seed Oil, Organic/Bio Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Oil, Organic/Bio Lecithin, Organic/Bio Cera Alba (Beeswax), Silica, Essential Oils and Natural Fruit Essences, Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E), Boswellia Serrata (Frankincense)*, Organic/Bio Ocimum Sanctum (Tulsi/Holy Basil), Organic/Bio Nelumbo Nucifera (Lotus Flowers) [+/-: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, 77492, 77499), Mica (CI 77019)]

Luminous Foundation: $37.00 for 9.65g

Organic/Bio Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Oil, Organic/Bio Cera Alba (Beeswax), Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Silica, Essential Oils & Natural Fruit Essences, Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E), Boswellia Serrata (Frankincense)*, Organic/Bio Ocimum Sanctum (Tulsi/Holy Basil), Organic/Bio Nelumbo Nucifera (Lotus Flowers) [+/-: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, 77492, 77499), Mica (CI 77019)] 
* Wildcrafted

I chose the Mesmerize Eye color in Flash because its a nude-ish hue, described as a mushroom taupe, and I love it! It is slightly darker/more brown, than my usual eye shades but it actually works really well with my skin tone, giving a bit of depth to the eye, and it goes with any look. When used with rms lip2cheek in muse, I can achieve a great subtle smokey eye. 


$18.50 for 3.11g

70% of the ingredients are certified organic
30% of the ingredients are pure minerals and vitamins
Organic Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Oil, Organic Cera Alba (Beeswax), Silica, Castor Isostearate Beeswax Succinate, Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E), Organic Chrysanthemum Morifolium (Chrysanthemum) Flowers, Organic Euphrasia Officinalis (Eyebright), Organic Equisetum Arvense (Horsetail); [+/-: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, 77492, 77499), Mica (CI 77019), Carmine (CI 75470)].


Lastly, the Halo Body Spotlight...Wow! I saw this a while ago but was unsure of whether to buy or not because having kids, I don't really go anywhere often enough to need something like this. I decided to buy it anyway as summer is coming up and it's nice to have some highlighted areas when wearing bright fun colors. When first applied it is very full on shimmery, but once blended it gives a beautiful subtle glow which goes with anything.

$36.00 for 15g

70% of the ingredients are certified organic
30% of the ingredients are pure minerals and vitamins
Organic Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Oil, Organic Cera Alba (Beeswax), Lysine, Silica, Essential Oils & Natural Fruit Essences, Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E), Organic Euterpe Oleracea (Açai Berry), Organic Calendula Officinalis Flowers, Organic Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf  [+/-: Titanium Dioxide (Cl 77891), Iron Oxides (Cl 77491, 77492, 77499), Mica (Cl 77019)]

I seriously love the new packaging they are bringing out, the plastic tubes are nice, but the new metal ones make the products look that much more fancy. 

20 Nov 2012

I Am Natural Store: sample reviews


Recently I was contacted by the lovely Rosanna from the online natural beauty shop, I Am Natural Store, asking if I would like to pick a couple products to try and review...I was ecstatic as Rosanna had just started stocking Vapour products and I was dying to try the Stratus Soft Focus Skin Perfector.
 I also chose to try the Ila Spa Face Oil for Glowing Skin, as I have heard great things about it.


I was sent a full size Vapour Soft Focus Skin Perfector, which I thought was extremely generous, and also makes me very happy for the simple fact that this is THE BEST SKIN PERFECTOR IN THE WORLD!!!! Everything from the smell, to the texture, from the ease of use to the subtle gold shimmer in it, makes this a must have product.
The first time I used this, I just squeezed a little on the back of my hand, and after rubbing it in, I spent the next few hours randomly sniffing my hand because the smell is incredibly delicious and sweet, and made me senses go wild. On my face, the product spreads and is absorbed easily, and leaves my face with the softest, most velvety feel, and makes an incredible base for both my Vapour liquid and stick foundations and my rms beauty "un"-cover up. This is a real winner in my book...another one to add to my 'never run out of this' list. I have even applied this product and added noting over the top, as even on it's own, it still makes skin look beautiful, granted it doesn't cover blemishes, which it doesn't claim to, but the glowing goddess look is more than enough for me.


$58.00 for 1.06oz
 
70% of the ingredients are certified organic
30% of the ingredients are pure minerals and vitamins
Organic Camellia Oleifera (Camellia) Seed Oil, Organic Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Oil, Silica, Organic Cera Alba (Beeswax), Lysine, Organic Lecithin, Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E) Organic Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil & Organic Lecithin & Organic Cucurbita Pepo (Pumpkin) Seed Oil & Organic Papain (Papaya), Sambucus Nigra (Elderberry) Fruit Extract, Mica (CI 77019), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Essential Oils & Natural Fruit Essences, Boswellia Serrata (Frankincense)*, Organic Ocimum Sanctum (Tulsi/Holy Basil), Organic Nelumbo Nucifera (Lotus) Flower Petals
* Wildcrafted


  The Ila Spa Face Oil for Glowing Skin is a truly luxurious product, I haven't noticed a dramatic change in my skin as I didn't use it every single day, but I did notice that if I applied it at night, I would wake up with such soft and plump skin, which is impossible not to love. This oil is a blend of the ultimate in skin nourishing ingredients, with Argan oil and Rosehip oil as the two main ingredients.  The only thing about this product that I am unsure about is the scent...it has such a potent, intoxicating mix of oils that it is hard to figure out if I like it or not. It is not a bad smell, just very strong and i tend to be sensitive to strong scents, but if that is not an issue for you then you might just love this. 

$105.00 for 30ml



Wild-Grown Argan Oil (Argania Spinosa Kernal), Rosehip Seed Oil (Rosa Canina), Sandalwood (Santalam Spicatum), Rose Otto Oil (Rose Damascena Flower Oil), Vitamin E Oil (Tocopherol Extract), Naturally Occurring Citronellol, Farnesol, Linalool.
 

If you haven't checked out I am Natural Store yet, I highly recommend you do, they stock some fantastic brands and have some more on the way. I recently did a mini haul from them and I cannot wait to review everything I bought. 

27 Oct 2012

Avitalin





Last month I was sent some samples from Avitalin to try and review, Avitalin is a company I had only just come across when I recieved an email from them so I was happy to try a few of their products. 

I was sent samples of the Hydroessence Nourishing Mask, Vitality Phytocell Complex and 2 samples of the Luminizer Tinted Moisturizer.

Luminizer From the website: 'This light, moisturizing formula with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide is used instead of foundation. It provides translucent coverage, reduces redness, and smoothes away imperfections. A veil of warm color with a hint of shimmering gold, it gives the skin a luminous appearance.' On application of this product, the above statement of a "translucent" product is correct, it is so sheer that it doesn't look like there is anything on the skin as far as color goes, it didn't reduce the redness on my nose and forehead, but, it did give my face a gorgeous glow, and who doesn't like to glow!? I wouldn't call this a tinted moisturizer, just a Luminizer, because that is what it seems to me and it does a great job of it, plus with an SPF of 25, you really can't complain. This would be a great product for daytime, especially in the summer months when you don't need much on.  $55. for 60ml

 Vitality Phytocell Complex. From the website: 'This luxurious complex combats chronological and environmental aging with plant derived stem cells. It works to rejuvenate skin tissue and ensure the longevity of skin cells.' As far as the aging claim goes, I cannot say 100% whether this works, as not only have I not been using it long but I also don't really have any aging signs to improve as of yet, but I can tell you that it is a nice moisturizer. On application, this feels somewhat like a gel type cream, it's thin and smoothes on easily, and it moisturizes really well. Im not sure if this would do the job for my excessively dry skin in winter, but right now, it works wonderfully.  $68 for 41.4ml

Ingredients: Aloe barbadensis (aloe) juice, Cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, Camellia sinensis (green tea) extract, Euterpe oleracea (acai berry) extract, Glycyrrhiza glabrafrom (licorice root) extract, Malus domestica (PhytoCellTec™) extract, embryonic phyto complex, cetearyl olivate, sorbitan olivate, cetyl palmitate, sorbitan palmitate,  Olea europaea (olive) oil, stearic acid, xanthan gum, Salix nigra (black willowbark) extract, fragrance (essential oils).


Hydroessence Nourishing Mask. From the website: 'This delicate, creamy mask provides instant hydration and calms irritated skin, leaving it smooth and supple.' I cannot tell you how good it is to use a mask that doesn't leave me running to the bathroom to wash it off so I can quickly moisturize. Applying this was just like applying a thick layer of moisturizer that you don't rub in, and upon drying, it felt just like moisturizer sinking into the skin too. After washing it off, my skin did feel nourished so it definitely does the job that it claims. $45 for 41.4ml

I have only listed the ingredients for the Vitality Complex as I personally emailed Marina and asked for them as they are not listed on the website. So, my only suggestion I could give this company is to add the ingredients to their website, as I received samples, I'm not sure if they are on the actual product packaging either, but personally, I don't purchase anything if I cannot find a full list of ingredients to go through first and I'm sure many people are the same, although I'm sure if you send Marina an email, she will happily send you a list of the ingredients. 

*These products were sent for my honest opinion, I was not paid for this review.

19 Oct 2012

A girl can dream...


By nature, I tend to be a big dreamer, constantly off in my own little world day dreaming about things I want to do, places I want to see, but mostly, natural beauty products I want to buy! As I am also an obsessive list maker, I wanted to share a few products that are on my Wish List. 

May Lindstrom Skin The Complete Skin Experience | Spirit Beauty Lounge 
 This goes right at the top of my list because at $380 for the set, I'll be wishing for a while, but these products sound incredible, the packaging is to die for and with names like 'The clean dirt' oil and 'The youth dew', how can you not want to try them?!


Ilia Beauty
I have been wearing the Ilia Lip Conditioner's every day since getting them, they are that good, so naturally I want to try more of the products. The next Ilia products on my list are the mascara in Nightfall, lip conditioner's in Shell Shock and In Paradise, and multi-stick in Tenderly. From a photo Sasha posted on facebook a while back, it also looks like she will be bringing out some powder's as well.



Lotus Wei Infinite Love Trio
I recently purchased the Lotus Wei Joy Juice Elixir and I am addicted to it. The effect is subtle but noticeable enough to make it a product I want to always have on hand. I put roughly 10 drops into my 500ml bottle of water and sip it throughout the day or especially when the kids are playing up and I'm feeling uptight, it seems to take the edge of of my tension making things seem not so bad. Anywho, I have read great reviews about the infinite love trio and as I'm all about the love, I am looking forward to trying this set.




 Honore Des Pres Vamp A NY
I got a sample size of this perfume and I cannot explain how incredibly delicious it is. I basically used the whole mini bottle with in a few days, as being natural, the scent doesn't last as long and I like to smell it all day, and I have had to really discipline myself into saving the last bit for my girl's night this weekend. This fragrance is so very elegant, yet fun and flirty all at once, and has quite the seductive scent to it. For anyone wishing to give natural fragrance a try, I definitely recommend starting with this one.

Jane Iredale Professional Brush Set
Lastly, but not least, this brush set really calls out to me. I know there are many eco-friendly, vegan brush sets out there, but something about the natural wood handle's makes these look so classy and attractive to my picky eyes. The Alima Pure and Everyday Mineral's brush's sing to me as well. I can already tell I will be one of those people with a gazillion cosmetic brushes taking over my beauty space.

12 Oct 2012

Current Fave's

I haven't done a favorites post in a while, so I thought I would share the products i'm loving right now. 

RMS Beauty "un"-cover up. 
Yes, again! I know that I rave on about this product a fair bit but it is still, and has been since I first purchased it, my absolute favorite concealer.  I recently purchased another in 22 to mix with 11 as my skin has lightly tanned a little and it gives the perfect combination colour. As 22 is slightly too dark, I can use it for a subtle contour.

Ilia Beauty Tinted Lip Conditioner-Nobody's Baby.
Probably the best everyday lip colour I have found yet, I do wish it were more nude, but it goes with everything and makes my lips look great. 

RMS Beauty Oil.
I purchased a sample of this from Spirit Beauty Lounge and it really is a nice oil. It has a slightly nutty scent to it, and it soaks straight into my skin giving it a beautiful glow. It is also the perfect base/primer for my rms concealer.

Whole Truth Dia De Los Muertos Essential Oil Bath Bar.
I purchased this after reading the tips section on the Spirit Beauty Lounge site, as I was looking for a product that would actually help clear up the congestion on my back. I haven't been using it for more than a week but I have already noticed a difference. The smell is a bit odd, not bad, just different and I love the marbled look of the different ingredients. 

Acure Organics Lemongrass + Argan Stem Cell Shampoo & Conditioner.
I have only used the once since purchasing as I recently dyed my hair and I don't want to strip the colour quickly, but these are incredible. My hair usually goes oily and limp within a day or two of washing it, which drives me insane, but this stuff kept my hair clean for about 4 days. To me, it smells exactly like the Acure Organics Gel Cleanser. 

Hydrea London FSC Certified Professional Body Brush.
I have always been a fan of dry body brushing but I was a little lazy about it as the brush I had was made with cactus bristles and was a little too rough. I have been getting right back into it after purchasing this one, medium bristles, feels great and my skin is loving it. 

Vapour organic Beauty Aura Multi-Use Blush in Spark.
I purchased this last year I think and it got buried in the back of my drawer until I found it recently and I have been using it a lot since. It has the perfect pink tint without being too overpowering for my light skin tone and looks great on a barely there makeup look. I will definitely be buying Tenderly soon as I adore the no makeup look with just a hint of colour. 

8 Oct 2012

Ilia Beauty



Normally when I buy a new beauty product I wait a week or so before reviewing so I can properly test it out. That is NOT the case with Ilia Beauty! 


I have had these products for 3 days and I can already tell I am going to go nuts on this brand and buy everything like I did with RMS. I purchased Two full sized lip conditioners in Dizzy and Nobody's Baby, and 4 samples: Crimson &Clover, In Paradise, I Put A Spell On You and Shell Shock. 

{Dizzy, Nobody's Baby, Crimson & Clover, In Paradise, I Put A Spell On You, Shell Shock}

I love love love Dizzy, it's not too orange but it does have that gorgeous peachy/tangerine color that I adore so it will definitely be my go to for summer. It also seems to have a faint sherbet-ish type of scent that I can't really put my finger on because it is very faint. Nobody's baby is basically the same color as my lips but slightly different. When I chose to purchase Nobody's Baby, I chose it because it is said to be a nude, which I guess it is in the sense that it looks like your lips but better, but it wasn't the type of nude I was hoping for. None the less, I love it. 

I have dodgy lips, no matter how much water I drink or whether I exfoliate them, they are constantly dry and yuck, which usually makes it hard to wear any lip colors. Even with my beloved rms lip shine in Bloom which is nourishing, I found that even that dried my lips out a bit and I had to apply lip balm underneath. Not so with these lip conditioners. They have incredible color payoff whether you apply a light slick or a few layers and the color seems to stay on for a while, plus I don't have to apply anything else to my lips which makes me very happy. 

I haven't worn the sample lip products, Yet, but I will soon. I did however try the multistick (I put a spell on you), and I loved it. I really don't think the orangy blush suits my fair skintone but that didn't stop me from enjoying it. It was easier to spread once i'd warmed it on the back of my hand first. 

I am very keen to try the new mascara's that are available for pre-order now, might be hard to choose a color though, they all look great, and I think a lipstick and the lip care products will be in that order too.

{Dizzy}

5 Oct 2012

It's Arrived!!!

I cannot explain the excitement I felt arriving home today to see that, not one, but two parcels of beauty goodies had arrived. 

I received the samples that the lovely Marina from skincare brand Avitalin had sent me to try and review, but also my, what seemed to be long awaited, Spirit Beauty Lounge order. 

I will get right onto reviewing the products from both companies once I've slathered, slicked, and swiped them over my body, but for now, some teaser pics :)



20 Sept 2012

Beauty Tool Kit pt.2


When I emailed Dasha from Green Make-up recently, I also emailed Katey Denno from The Beauty Of It Is and asked if she could also give give me some advice/tips on products to use.

As Katey explained in her reply, I'd caught her at a very busy time so her reply is brief, therefor I will not copy her email but I will share her suggestions.

  • Checkout Spirit Beauty Lounge-she stocks all the best products such as Kjaer Weiss cream cheek colors and Revolution Organics, plus many other brands she uses.
  • Instead of using disposable tools found in many makeup artist's kits, she uses a metal mixing tool to scrape the products from the containers and onto the back of her clean hand or a clean mirror for blending.
  • Katey keeps a good number or lip brushes in her brush roll, remembering who she used which brush on, then uses an SLS-free shampoo to clean them and a natural conditioner to keep them soft. 
  • Katey recommends Vapour Organic Beauty primer, which she states doesn't contain silicon so it differs from usual primers as it doesn't give that perfectly slick feel for foundation to sit on but does keep makeup from sliding off.
Brands Katey has suggested using are: 
  • Tammy Fender, Ila and Dr. Hauschka moisturisers
  • Burt's Bees lip color products
  • Mineral Fusion Concealer
  • Honeybee Gardens nail polish remover and mascara
  • Zuzu liquid eyeliner
Between the information I have received from these two incredible ladies, my kit is going to be filled with the best products.

Thank you Katey.

14 Sept 2012

My new Love: Vitamix


A few weeks ago I finally bought myself a Vitamix and I have to say it is the best big purchase I have ever made! Every morning we make smoothies and sometimes we make a few each day, my kids have even started drinking green smoothies with things like Kale, Spinach, Avo and other veg in them. 

The first smoothie I made was Kimberly Snyder's Glowing Green Smoothie, as it was the main reason I wanted a Vitamix in the first place, but we are always coming up with new ones based on what we have on hand. My partner is incredible at making up smoothie recipes but never remembers exactly what he put in them so I can't really share those recipes with you but I wanted to share this one I made the other day and it is incredible!

This is a rough guide and makes enough for two servings (or 4 small ones in my house).

1 1/2 - 2 cups coconut water
1 large banana or 2 small
1 avocado
1 handful fresh strawberries

Just add and blend. That simple. 

This recipe is so creamy and delicious, and although its not really a vegetable smoothie, it's a great one for the kids as a sub for store bought juice. 

I definitely recommend giving the GGS a try if you have a decent blender, it is so good for you and taste's great. 

There is also this post on Wellness Warrior that shows the basics for making the perfect green smoothie which I definitely recommend you check out, AND, if you have an iPhone there is a great app called Green Smoothies by Raw Family which has recipes, not only for smoothies, and a tab listing ingredients and their nutritional value.

Happy blending :)

12 Sept 2012

Beauty Tool Kit



I recently emailed Dasha from Green Make-Up asking if she could give me some recommendations or tips on products and essentials to put in my Natural Beauty tool kit. 

The reason for this is i've just signed up at Tafe to do a make-up and skin care course so I can get some qualifications and recognition behind me to start my own business. It's all very exciting and I cannot wait to start this journey. 

This is the reply I recieved: 

Hello Zara!

Thanks for passing by!
It's nice to hear that you are growing as an artist with green tools!
I'll try my best to answer you one by one to your questions:

A list of essentials to put in my tool kit?

If you meant a list in general I give you in attachment a general make-up kit checklist that I found very useful, especially at the beginning of my work. I still have it in case someone needs it.
It's a reminder checklist so that you don't forget anything before you go to work. 
Regarding my list of brands: are those that you have mentioned + those on my blog + some "older" brands that I have as a color referrer.
I hardly tell you the exact list of products, because it's full of different brands and products that I use intuitively, depending on the work. I also mix many products together and put them in palettes for instance. I also have some of my home-made products, like herbal balms, mix of essential oils, etc. 
Right now I am even upgrading it with some new products that I still have to check before and decide.

Many times, I also have to rearrange the kit depending on the work I do. (Marriage is not the same as video, fashion...). 
In short, I am and will be in constant update of my kit, especially with the evolving green products. 
I always advice to make-up artists that they should not stick just to one brand, as this way you don't grow as an artist.

Every make-up artist should know the general list of essentials, like that one that I gave you. Then during time and work, the job of a good make-up artist is to accurately search for new products, textures and finishes, to discover them. And just through this process everyone will find what works the best for him/her. 

Never buy something because someone just said that is good, it may not work so well for you. So I recommend you to use the products that YOU like working with and to constantly upgrade your make-up kit. This way you will also grow as an artist, your senses will sharpen, you will be more open to new things and you will broaden your horizons in every field.
For example, in my make-up kit there are different brands of products (even some of the past because they worked for me in color/texture) and I never stick to just one or two brands.
Another thing about the products: search for different colors and textures and so build your kit according to them: for instance: you may prefer mineral powders or creamy foundations instead of
liquid ones, so you will look after those more and build your kit with different colors and brands that have mineral powder foundations. I am not a fan of lip glosses for example and I don't have so much
of them in my kit, so building a kit depends also on your make-up artist style.

About disposable tools, sanitizing wipes & natural sanitizing products suitable for cosmetics:

With disposable tools I suppose you meant lip gloss/mascara wands? Or even sponges?
Anyway, I noticed in the past that in US there is a big need and also some kind of "law" regarding hygiene. Which is not bad at all, I care very much for the hygiene, too. What surprised me was their almost obsessed use of huge amounts of disposable wands and high percentage of cleansing alcohol. Years ago while in contact with some US artists I also started to use these disposables. 
But honestly, I don't use them all the time. I prefer to sanitize the product before. What is more important and not so reasonable for many people is that if you will have fear and paranoia that something bad will happen, it will. I never had any bad experience with this, but I must also say that I care very well for the hygiene in my make-up kit every time I use it. I'm not fearful that something bad will happen to anyone. You may have the cleanest kit in the world, and your client can get an infection anyway. Everything does not depend on you and the rational aspect of things. If you do your job the best you can, from your heart, if you care for your kit = clean it and have fresh products, because you love your work and you trust, then nothing bad will happen. I realized also that all that paranoia with the hygiene is due to huge attacks of the pharmaceutical industry that is scarring people all the time with new diseases, infections, and consequently with a tremendous amount of fear, which is the root and cause for every disease.
I use the following disposables: cotton tissues, cotton discs and q-tips. Unfortunately, I still don't have always an option to buy all the time organic so I use also normal ones. I don't like make-up remover wipes, because they are a breeding ground of bacteria’s, even though they are green. I don't like the wet tissue immersed in the old liquid. 

For sanitizing my hands I'm very green :) I use my mix of essential oils, a tea tree hydrolat or the Bentley organics hand sanitizer: http://greenmakeup.wordpress.com/2012/01/17/washing-and-disinfecting-hands/
It's still quite hard to find an effective green brush sanitizer and cleaner on the market. I do the following: I have a lot of make-up brushes and so I always use clean ones. After use, I wash them every time gently with an organic soap: http://greenmakeup.wordpress.com/2011/05/27/how-to-clean-your-make-up-brushes/ Before using them I spritz them with the natural hydrolat of organic Lavender and Tea Tree that has lots of antibacterial properties and a nice nontoxic, aroma therapeutic smell. 

Regarding other disposables like puffs and sponges, I have a lot of them from the time I wasn't green and I also bought eco puffs from EcoTools that are now discontinued. But anyway I don't use sponges very much.
As you said, I agree not to produce waste. I also recycle some nice jars and bottles and reuse them.

What brand primer and other essential products like that you use?

The same brands as you listed. Vapour has a great one: Liquid soft focus instant skin perfector. I also like Inika's primer and 100%pure, but I have to say that I'm not so much obsessed with primers at all costs, because I rather prepare well the skin with massage and a skin care ritual chosen on the skin type/condition. I like to use primers, especially when there is no time to prepare the skin and I also like to try and discover new ones, but as I said I'm not a fan at every cost. I love oils, especially for mineral make-up and new organic moisturizers. Pai has very good ones. I did a post about it: http://greenmakeup.wordpress.com/2012/03/02/my-new-discovery-pai-skincare/


Hope my answer was helpful :)
Best,

  I was ecstatic to receive this reply, not only was it quickly received, but it answered all of my questions and gave me a great base to start with. 
Thank you very much Dasha.



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