In the eye of the beholder
In this issue of Resource, we learn that not all ‘organic’ beauty products are as ethically and environmentally divine as they claim. Resource’s ladies wondered how they’d perform practically, and selflessly offered up their faces to trial ‘natural’ make up
barefaced beauty
Barefaced Beauty’s mineral blush – suitable for vegans – is ‘made with a high density of the most expensive ingredients on the market’. Not bad for £8, eh? Shame then, that the colour was so iridescent that the effect on pale skin was less barefaced beauty and more rouge-faced clown. Their mineral foundation (£12) comes in powder form, but is free of talc, and provides good coverage and a smooth finish. It doesn’t fare well in sweaty situations, though, so those that cycle to work ought best save it for nights out.
Living Nature
Living Nature’s ‘Warm Summer’ Blush at £15 is a nifty handbag-sized blush and brush set that comes in sleek cardboard packing. The colour is pretty, but unless you’re stuck in an ‘80s make-up rut, a little goes a very long way! Once on, though, it has good staying power. At £10, the eye pencil in ‘Midnight’ performs as well as most high street options, but, as with most high street options, some of it tends to slip down and fill in those tiny underye lines. The other downside is it comes all the way from New Zealand.
bareMINERALS
Bare Escentuals bareMinerals Matte SPF 15 Foundation is formulated to give shine-free coverage and skin, renewing properties for a flawless, natural matte finish. Finely milled, the foundation feels silky and light and is available in 15 shades. When used with the brush, the foundation gives an excellent finish and the rotating lid inside the pot means a mess free application. Available at Selfridges for £24.
NVEY ECO
NVEY Eco’s cosmetics line uses only organic ingredients. The mascara (£14.50) contains vitamin B5 and nettle and horsetail herb, which act as conditioning agents. It is easy to apply and doesn’t dry out or clump eyelashes. Aesthetically, its results are on a par with other non-organic mascaras. The only downside is that it doesn’t stay on very long and easily rubs off. The lipstick (£16.40), similarly, goes on smoothly, and shade 354 really is a striking red. As with the mascara, though, its longevity leaves a bit to be desired. www.nveymakeup.com
green people
The Eco Lipstick from Green People has a lot going for it: it is the first certified organic lipstick in the UK, and it contains fairly traded Cupuacu butter and coconut oil. The colour of ‘Candyfloss’, however, left our tester worried she’d look like she actually had some of the ubiquitous fairground food stuck on her face. It turned out, though, that the colour barely showed up and the lips were merely slightly shimmery. Whether or not that’s a good thing is in the eye of the beholder… £10.99. www.greenpeople.co.uk
