I love everything about the face and it’s expressions but I have always been especially infatuated with the brows. Brows have the ability to change the look of the entire face. It is almost magical. I believe it is because they frame the ‘windows to the soul’, the eyes. When I was younger my girlfriends would often catch me studying their brows as they were trying to share something with me and would say “Hey, my eyes are down here!” I understand why more and more women are turning to brow tattooing. It is wonderful to be able to create the perfect brow with makeup but it is a huge time saver if your brows are already done when you wake up. Some are blessed with beautifully lush brows that just need a touch of evening out here and there. Others, like myself, over did it with tweezing, and when you over tweeze, the hairs do not always grow back over time. Sickness can also cause brows to become thin, or sparse brows can be a reminder of having been sick.

I tried brow tattooing myself but the procedure was done almost two decades ago. Back then, it was done in a blocking or stippling pattern. I like the new method much better because it doesn’t look like a tattoo if done correctly. It looks like tiny brow hairs. Also, it is important to make sure that the technician you go to uses crushed earth pigments and not synthetic ink. The pigments should be vegan and 100% natural. Feather stroke is about creating the look of actual brow hairs with fine strokes. After getting my brows done twenty years ago, I moved to the west coast to go to makeup school. So when it was time for a brow touch up session a couple years later, I had to go to a different technician. Her style of brow was much different than the first time I had them done. I didn’t want to hurt her feelings but I honestly couldn’t wait for them to lighten up to the point of disappearing. I opted to grow out my natural brows as much as possible in hopes of covering up the tattoo. At the time, I was doing a lot of traveling to hot and balmy places. I was not applying sun protection to my brows so my brow tattoos actually disappeared at warp speed all on their own. So thankfully nature stepped in and naturally erased my brows tattoos for me.

If you have recently had your brows done with the new feather stroke method, this same thing could happen to you, even if you love your new brows. They are an investment so protecting them with natural SPF daily is of the utmost importance. I recommend apply our RASPBERRY ELIXIR as soon as you begin the healing process {and this goes for any type of tattoo-not just brows}. Your brows will be crisp and dark at first as the tattoo heals, as well as being a little sore and sensitive. You will go through a period of tingling and itchiness as the skin renews itself over the next week. I recommend applying one spray to the inside palm of our hand and then gently tapping the product into your brows with your index finger.

Our RASPBERRY ELIXIR  contains 35-50 spf but it also reduces inflammation in the skin. Nothing is added to the oil and nothing is taken out. Our oil is cold pressed and certified organic red raspberry seed oil from certified organic red raspberry seeds, which are grown locally without the use of synthetic chemicals.

 Red Raspberry Seed Oil is a rich source of Omega 3 and Omega 6 essential fatty acids and antioxidants; including Vitamin E, polyphenols and ellagic acid. These natural antioxidants mop-up skin damaging free radicals that are caused by sunlight and other environmental stresses. Its anti-inflammatory action soothes irritated skin.

 Due to Red Raspberry seed oil’s high antioxidant content, moisturizing and anti-inflammatory effect, and its natural UV protection, it is included as an ingredient in skin care products for anti-aging, brightening, moisturizing and balancing. The potential UVA and UVB protection afforded by raspberry seed oil is reportedly similar to titanium dioxide with an SPF protection factor of 28-50 (Oomah et al 2000)*. This nourishing and healing oil is also a main ingredient in our HAUT CARAMEL TAN. It treats irritated skin such as dermatitis, eczema and psoriasis.

Things to keep in mind in your quest for the right technician from a makeup artist’s point of view:

-certification

-experience/before and after photos

-only 100% vegan and natural pigments are used

-choose a level of colour that will suit you without makeup

-do a rough sketch first and do not just go with the current brow trend shape

I am still amazed when I look around at how far makeup has come since I started my line. I remember working for a line fresh out of makeup school that evoked this simplistic, natural feel in its marketing and packaging. However, when I dug deeper I was confused as to why I could not pronounce the ingredients. I was kind of looking around, thinking, ummm – is it just me who is feeling a little betrayed here? Even after I started my line, I was doubtful anyone out there cared about the same things as me, or got excited about the same things as me when it came to beauty. I would start to explain about the potency of the raw ingredients I had lovingly hand blended into each unique formula. Often a client would cut me off and say, “I don’t really care what is in it dear, what I want to know is if it works.” I have learned over the years that everyone is on their own path and as excited as I am to make someone feel naturally beautiful, I need to be patient and let them come to me when they are ready. Usually the point where someone was fully on board and believed in what I was doing was when they bumped into a friend, also a client of mine, whose skin glowed and looked youthful and vibrant. They wanted to know what they were doing differently. When makeup has truly beautiful, clean ingredients and zero crud, it speaks for itself.

WHERE DO I BEGIN?

We get so many emails from new clients who are wanting to clean up their makeup bag and are not sure where to begin. Most start out by saying they are having a hard time figuring out what shades would suit them best online. Take a deep breath and let us handle that part! It’s free and we have been doing this for twelve years for people all over the world without ever seeing them in person. We have been able to match all their unique skin tones with the perfect colour and coverage for their lifestyle and they have been our clients for years. We have a pretty good feeling we can do it for you too.

#1 READ OUR CONSULTATION PAGE

The more background you can give us on what you have been struggling with regarding your makeup routine, or if you do not even have one, the better we are able to help. Once we match you up with a colour palette, you can start with samples and see what textures work the best for your skin type. If you decide you would like to customize the colours a little more before you order the full size, you will have the ability to do that too. Make sure that when taking photos, your source of lighting is 100% natural and that you take a photo in two or three different areas, close to a window. Light can reflect off the skin in different ways depending on the climate and the time of day.

#2 MAKE SURE YOU USE PLANT BASED SKINCARE

If you are using products underneath our makeup products that still contain Dimethicone, Mineral Oil, and other ingredients that are not compatible with your body, you will not get the results you could be getting out of our products. It is important that your skincare routine is as simple and clean as your makeup routine. If you are not sure if a product is clean, feel free to ask, or browse the new apps online which will give it to you straight! Like I mentioned above, if there are ingredients you cannot pronounce, chances are the product is not 100% natural.

#3 BE AWARE OF WHAT YOU ARE PUTTING INTO YOUR BODY

If you want to achieve better skin, what you put into your body is just as important as what you put on it. Make sure you stay well hydrated through the day. Drinking teas like Organic Dandelion Root will keep your liver cleansed and this will make skin glow! Add some fresh aloe to your smoothie in the morning to make it extra- alkalizing! Try to choose all different colours of vegetables and fruits to get the most variety of potent antioxidants. I am also a huge fan of fermented juices as they give the body what it needs to create its own vitamins. The added benefit is that it does not only improve your skin’s health, it will improve your energy and even your mood.

#4 LAST BUT NOT LEAST, DO NOT FORGET YOUR TOOLS

I honestly feel lost without my brushes, like I am all thumbs. Makeup brushes allow you to create a polished look in a minimal amount of time. If you invest in good quality vegan brushes and look after them, they will last you a lifetime. I put a lot of thought into the making of every brush. Our luxury vegan brushes allow you to create so many different types of coverage, colors, and texture. We want you to have fun with your makeup and the way it is applied. We are just an email away to help with any questions or concerns you may have and hope this helps take the guess work out of it so that you have more time to PLAY!

In makeup school I learned how to do a lot of different types of makeup. ‘Pretty’ makeup was actually a really small part of the course. The makeup portion I learned the most from was the aging makeup for film and TV. What stayed with me the most was how it only took a few steps to really age the face.. I decided that THAT would be how I would focus on makeup application. I would do the exact opposite of those steps when teaching others how to apply their makeup. I will be going over the steps in my next post, MATURE MAKEUP PART II. Application is an important part but to me it is 80% the ingredients that allow me to create glowing looks on all ages. There are a few ingredients I have worked with in the past that I was constantly told were safe and would make skin look ‘more youthful’. Now I am often asked why I have chosen to leave these popular ingredients out of our formulas. I will explain to you first my feedback on an ingredient as a makeup artist and then from a green chemist perspective.

BISMUTH OXYCHLORIDE

ARTIST: This became the natural alternative to talc. I saw this on the ingredient list in all the first mineral makeup brands that started cropping up two decades ago. It is what sort of confused me at first about mineral makeup. It was supposed to be ‘pure’ but I would notice it made my own combination skin look like an oil slick. It was also impossible to create a ‘matte look’ for editorial and film makeup. Bismuth also has a strong pink undertone. Not only does it clog pores, it can permanently stretch pore walls, as well as causing acne and redness. If you notice a line requires a mineral ‘veil’ over the application of foundation, this is a sign the foundation contains Bismuth.

GREEN CHEMIST: This is very similar in chemical composition to ARSENIC. The biggest concern about using Bismuth Oxychloride is that it frequently causes irritation and sensitization such as redness, itching, rashes and inflammation. The MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) lists it as a potential irritant to humans when come into contact with the skin and/or eyes. Because of its molecular crystalline shape, experience itching from this ingredient, particularly when they sweat.

MICA

ARTIST: Although I did a lot of bridal makeup in my younger days, my calling and my passion has always been mature makeup. Women of all ages should feel beautiful.. However, I would become so frustrated with the presence of this ingredient in the products i used because it enhanced fine lines to the max. Now there are more MICA-FREE lines like mine but it is one of the reasons I actually started to mixing my own makeup. I noticed Mica could make someone look decades beyond their years in just a few quick swipes (see photo below). All too often a bare-faced, 40+ client would hop in my makeup chair and confess that she just kind of ‘gave up on makeup’ because it made her look older. Because it is very inexpensive it is used as a filler and has no benefit to skin.

GREEN CHEMIST: This mineral breaks into the thinnest of flakes which are then wet ground finer and finer but they remain flakes. And flakes have edges. So they shimmer. But what do fine edges do, as well? They cut. This causes inflammation and irritation on the surface of the skin, much like with the ingredient Bismuth Oxychloride. When Mica dust is breathed in, what its tiny flakes do is scar the lungs. No studies yet show the same dangers for cosmetics, but Cosmetics Database website lists mica as moderately hazardous.

TITANIUM DIOXIDE

ARTIST: Titanium Dioxide gives mineral makeup sunscreen and coverage and is used in most sunscreens, paints, plastics, and even food.This is the an ingredient I was not sure I would ever figure out how to do without because when I looked around, almost every other line listed it in the ingredients. Surprisingly, after a lot of experimentation, I was able to create a formula for each product that performed just as well, if not better, without it. I have found that TD is similar to Talc and Bismuth Oxychloride. What I have noticed about our Titanium Dioxide Free formula is that it is not as drying and ultimately ‘aging’. Makeup is lighter and bends more easily.

GREEN CHEMIST: Research suggests that TD dust, if inhaled, is a group 2B cancerogen = a possible cancerogen. French scientists proved that TD nanoparticles could be just as toxic as Asbestos (a close relative of TD), accumulating in the lungs and causing lung irritation, inflammation and, ultimately, cancer. Instead of repeating a previous post HERE is a link to the lowdown on Titanium Dioxide.