Shortly after cleaning up my diet, it didn’t take me long to discover clean makeup. This is because once I paid attention to what I was putting IN my body, it made sense to look at what I was putting ON my body as well.
I’ve already done posts about clean personal care, and I’ve shared my morning and evening beauty routines as well, but I haven’t gone into detail about my favorite clean makeup products. Probably because I’ve rarely worn any in the past year or so!
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Tinted Moisturizer – Suntegrity Tinted 5-in-1 Mineral Sunscreen
Technically, this tinted moisturizer isn’t makeup, but it’s worth mentioning as I don’t use anything else to even out my skin tone. No foundation, no powder, nothing. This is my holy grail product, and it also doubles as my face sunscreen. (I use “light” in winter, “golden light” in summer.)
Under Eye Concealer – RMS Beauty “Un”Cover-Up Concealer
This has a coconut oil base, which I like for under my eyes to keep them hydrated, ie. avoid wrinkles. However, because it’s so moisturizing, I only use it in the corner of my eyes or else it pulls my mascara off. I’m not a huge fan of raccoon eyes, or rubbing my eyes to get the raccoon look off. (I’m shade 11 in winter, 22 in summer.)
Spot Concealer – Dr. Hauschka Cover Stick
I discovered this when my cousin told me she broke out, and my response was, “Where?” It’s the most seamless spot corrector. The only drawback is the color choices are limited to ghostly pale (shade 1 or “natural”) and somewhat pale (shade 2 or “sand”). In Germany, I discovered another color, which I refer to as somewhat pale but make it summer (shade 3). Unfortunately, I haven’t found this shade anywhere in the US. So for you beautifully tan, olive and dark skinned complexions, this won’t work for you. (I’m shade 2 in winter, 3 in summer.)
Cream Blush – Kjaer Weis Cream Blush
I avoided this brand for years because it was so expensive, plus I’d never found cream blushes to work well for me. Then I found a way to sample color swatches from a site called The Detox Market, and I decided to try this fancy pants brand in different shades. Honestly, I love it. I wish I didn’t, but I do. This is nice for a daytime look or an “enhanced natural” look for a casual or vacation dinner. (The color I have is “embrace”.)
Powder Blush – Jane Iredale Pure Pressed Blush
Powder stays put a tad better than cream but doesn’t look as natural, which sometimes I like. Sometimes I want to be dramatic, okay?! Enter Jane Iredale, maker of my beloved magic mitt and eye shadow (below). I apply my Jane Iredale blush with the brand’s fan brush. (I use shade “copper wind” for natural drama, “flawless” for extra drama.)
Brow Pencil – Tarte Cosmetics Amazonian Clay Brow Pencil
When I say I don’t wear makeup most days, I’m not counting this brow pencil. I use this pretty much every day. I have a little cowlick in one of my brows so this is great to fill it in. Plus, I like having a bit of a brow, even if I’m just hanging out at home in sweats. I find this to be incredibly subtle but buildable. (I use shade “taupe”.)
Eyeshadow – Jane Iredale Pure Pressed Eyeshadow
I’ve been wearing just one eyeshadow for the past 10+ years, and it’s this one. You’ll find me using the same color no matter what, and I just layer it on for night versus day. I don’t even use a brush or anything, just my fingers, unless I’m attending a formal event. (I wear shade “dawn”.)
Eyeliner – Ilia Natural Clean Gel Liner
Alright, these last 2 categories are where I have to keep it real. I haven’t found a clean makeup product that does as good of a job or better when it comes to eyeliner (or mascara). That said, I do like Ilia for a smudge-y type of effect, and I’ll happily use it if
I want to wear makeup during the day. (I use “dusk”.)
Mascara – Lily Lolo Natural Vegan Mascara
I have tried COUNTLESS natural mascaras. There’s only been one clean mascara that worked as well as any I’ve ever tried, but it was discontinued (whyyyyyyy Korres, whyyyyyyyy?). Lily Lolo is a close second. Most natural mascaras transfer below the eyes, or at least they do for me. Lily Lolo does this the least. While looking up the link for it, I learned they have a new mascara product called Big Lash, so I’m going to check it out and report back.
As with my entire life, I’m all about progress over perfection. There are limitations to clean beauty products as I’ve mentioned above, so when I veer off the clean path, I try to choose the lesser of the evils. For me, one such brand is Lancôme because they formulate their mascara, for example, without some of the worst ingredient offenders (pthlates, sulfates, formaldehyde, etc.).
Who’s ready to clean up their makeup bag???