Peacekeeper Cause-metics

Photo by Steve Prue
Makeup by Anita Nouryeh using Peacekeeper lipstick and Gloss

photos from http://www.iamapeacekeeper.com/

check out their website!!!!


I went to wholefoods/body yesterday and picked up a few lip colors from Peace Keeper Cause-metics. I had used 1 or 2 products from them before so it just made sense to continue with them. This line is made from organic and natural ingredients and is cruelty free.

Peace Keeper is not only a line of lip products but they also have cruelty free and naturally formulated nail polish colors as well. So far I've only tried the Lipsticks, glosses and a lip balm. 75% of the ingredients are organic (written on the box) and not only that, this company also distributes a certain amount of their proceeds to support women's issues (also written on their box). I can't say enough about this line. I love it!!! I've used the lipstick on myself, my mom uses it and I've used the lipstick and gloss on photoshoots and weddings. The pigments are strong meaning they last for quite a while.The texture is nice and creamy and stays that way, it doesn't cake up after it's been worn for a while. The gloss does need to be touched up a bit more often but not much more than a gloss from any other mainstream makeup line. I would definitely reccomend this line for both makeup artists and everyday women 100%!!!!

Cover FX

for more photos and shopping, check out the website at www.coverfx.com

2 years ago at the makeup show in NYC I stumbled across a makeup line called Cover FX. I chatted with the sales rep for a bit and had her try some of the products on me. I found out that they not only sell it online but that Sephora carries it as well. They do not make eyeshadows and blushes. They do make a bronzer in a few different shades but it is primarily a foundation, concealer and powder line. I wasn't in love with all of the products but I could definitely see the potential and absolutely get behind their goals.

This makeup line originated as a medical makeup line used in hospitals for burn victims. So it is quite literally a medical grade makeup line. All of the products include minerals in the ingredients and some of the creamy products contain moisturizing properties such as vitamin E to soothe the skin as it color corrects. I've used the concealer on photoshoots and on myself, and have learned recently that this product line is used by makeup artists working in Television. I can see why they use it for TV because it is mostly a full coverage kind of makeup best for the very bright lights used when filming that medium.

In my experience, what I've learned from working on films being shot in HD is that you have to be careful on set when the lights used are not the extremely bright TV lights. When working with cameras like the newer, very popular Red camera for example, a key point to remember as a makeup artist/hairstylist is that the lens will pick up every single strand of hair out of place or a dry patch of skin and magnify it. So the goal is to be able to manipulate the full covering effects of this kind of makeup and blend it in to submission not only for Film and TV but also for everyday wear. In other words, to apply it in a way so that it's there but not really there.

here's what i've experimented with from this line:

1. Concealer/ Cream Foundation: With this particular line, the cream foundation is also the concealer. It is extremely full coverage so the trick is finding the best way to achieve both concealing and balancing the skin using a few different tones of color. And as a matter of fact they have a starter kit that helps you step by step with this. But let me start from the beginning.

For years I've used one color of foundation all over the face on myself and on clients as most people do, but what happens is that it creates a flat face ( if you've seen news casters on TV recently you know what I mean by a flat face ). As time has gone by I realized what was missing and have been working to perfect the art of blending 3-4 colors to create the best flawless skin tone possible.

We tend to forget when we are trying to create flawless skin, that we have bone structure. So when we only apply one color we eliminate that bone structure and have to recreate it by highlighting and contouring which can look very made up as the end result. Having said all that, the starter kit, is the perfect introduction to blending 3 shades of foundation together to get the perfect skin tone.

The starter kit comes in Fair, Medium and Dark. It contains a palette of 3 foundation colors with a mineral translucent powder, the skin prep which is their primer for makeup, and a foundation brush. On the back of the box they give you step by step instructions with a picture of where and how to use the 3 colors. Ultimately you will find the best method for yourself as you practice blending but as a beginner their instructions are pretty accurate.

2. Skin Prep: Their skin prep is their primer. It is meant to be applied directly to the skin to prepare the skin for makeup. The consistency is much like a serum. A serum is a sort of liquid meant to hydrate the skin as the step before moisturizer. In this case they are using it as a way of making it easier to blend the makeup. Of course, that was not my experience. Let me elaborate......

I wasn't a fan of the skin prep. Not only did I try it to prep the skin using Cover FX's makeup but I also tried it underneath other foundations from various companies and found the same problem. I found that even though it felt good on the skin it really just sat on the surface almost creating a slippery base for the foundation which then made it hard to blend. I found that as the day wore on my skin went back to appearing dry and dehydrated because the skin prep wasn't doing the job they said it should. And on a photoshoot I found I needed to powder more than usual because the models skin was extra shiny from the prep.

So the other night, not wanting to give up on this stuff, considering it covers my blemishes very well, I tried my old faithful standby. I washed my face and then used Dr. Hauschka's Rose Day Cream to moisturize. I then applied my "fair" palette from the starter kit using my own modified version of the blending technique, powdered my face and took a look. As I've said before, the Rose Day Cream is amazing. It made all the difference. My skin was balanced, hydrated, glowing and the makeup didn't look heavy at all. It lasted all night without touchups and I was very happy! It just goes to show you that when you find something that works well with makeup you should stick with it. Using the Rose Day Cream as a base, I would definitely recommend the cream foundation for sure!

3. Translucent powder: It's a really nice powder. It sets the makeup well but doesn't look chalkey. It's a mineral powder so it's not too matte, it has just the slightest hint of a glow but not shimmery. I really like it.....:)

4. Mineral Foundation Powder: The mineral foundation powder that they carry is very beautiful as far as how it finishes the skin but it's extremely full coverage. Most of the mineral foundation powders I'm familiar with have the capability of being full coverage but you can build it that way, it's not like that from the first stroke of the brush. This one is. The packaging needs a little help. They don't make it easy to not get powder everywhere , making a mess, and the applicator is strange. I think it's supposed to be a sponge applicator that is shaped like a brush but when you use it it's like you're painting the powder in thick streaks across your face. I had to then take a regular blush brush and forcefully blend the powder away. It didn't work very well and I looked very made up. As I said the finish is beautiful, like a porcelain doll with a bit of sparkle. But the work isn't worth it. There are better mineral powder foundations out there, but give it a try......maybe it'll work for you.

5. Liquid Foundation: I'm not sure what they were doing with this product. It's pasty and thick but doesn't cover very well. It also doesn't blend very well. it just sort of stays in the spot where it was applied and doesn't move. I think it could have potential with a bit of time and experimentation but I found what I needed with the cream foundation mixed with the Dr. Hauschka Rose day Cream. This just seemed like an unnecessary step.

I'm glad I was able to make the cream foundation work for me because I understand the importance of a line like this. It's primarily for people with skin discoloration from serious burns to simple genetics. But genetics doesn't have to mean big dark spots or big white spots. It could be something minor like my red apple cheeks that every girl in my family has. They get super red at times and I get self-conscious. Everyone wants to feel beautiful and it's hard to find a good foundation in the green/clean makeup world that covers well, be the right color scheme, and still make you feel like yourself.

Cover FX will work if you use it correctly. :)

Jurlique

Vegan

About 9 months ago I was hired by my first strictly Vegan bride. What I thought would be a cinch, turned out to be a whole new lesson in reading labels and understanding ingredients. Initially when we had our first consultation, I used all of my minerals on her. I knew the minerals from La Bella Donna (www.labelladonna.com) were fine for vegans because that particular company only uses 4 minerals in their makeup and only plant- derived emulsifiers in their lipsticks/glosses. But when she contacted me closer to the date of her wedding, asking me to re-think the lip color, it was then that the search for the true definition of vegan cosmetics began and that I've been continuing to investigate ever since.

Her main concern as we decided on the lip color was to ensure that not only were the cosmetics we were using cruelty-free (no animal testing) but free of any animal byproducts as well. I spent the week before her wedding scrambling around, reading labels and hunting down Vegan cosmetic brands only to find that unless one is a vegan and familiar with the terminology, it's a challenge to truly understand the minute details of these ingredients.

As a meat eater, I occasionally forget that when I'm reading labels for my blog, that just because a company is "green" doesn't mean that they are cruelty and animal byproduct free. Furthermore, you can read all the ingredients on the planet but if you don't know exactly what they are on their own, then you can't really know if the particular product you are reading about is precisely what you are looking for. For example, one instance where I was reading ingredients at Sephora, I read that "Carnuba Wax" was used. Well I automatically assumed that "Carnuba" meant animal because the word I associated with it was Carnivore. When I went home and looked up Carnuba wax, it was defined as a plant based wax. I was a bit embarrassed with my uneducated assumption of the word and was reminded of the horrible grades I received in my high school biology class.

Having said that, it is months later and I've done some reading on Vegan cosmetics and here's what I've learned so far:

A specific company can say it's cruelty free but the thing is that quite a few of these cosmetic brands are owned by one large corporation, such as Loreal. Loreal tests their products on animals so even if your smaller label says it doesn't test on animals, the company that owns it may. So make sure you know whether or not the company you buy from is owned corporate or not.
On the other hand, MAC cosmetics is owned by Estee Lauder and MAC does absolutely no testing on animals whatsoever. I used to work for them and I can say with certainty, it's a fact. So it's important to do your research and if you're curious you can always contact the customer service number for whichever company you are using cosmetics from, just to double check.

Ingredients made from animal byproducts were more of a challenge for me to find. But here are some that stood out as relatively common: Beeswax, Honey, Dairy products.

here are a few that were a mystery to me and so I took some quotes from Wikipedia.com to provide you with definitions as simple and straight forward as possible:

1. Lanolin

Lanolin (German, from Latin lāna, "wool", and oleum, "oil") also called Adeps Lanae, wool wax or wool grease, is a yellow waxy substance secreted by the sebaceous glands of wool-bearing animals. Most lanolin used by humans comes from domestic sheep. Lanolin is also frequently, but incorrectly, referred to as ‘Wool Fat’ by many of the world’s pharmacopoeia even though it has been known for more than 150 years that lanolin is devoid of glycerides and is in fact a wax, not a fat.[1][2] Lanolin's waterproofing property aids sheep in shedding water from their coats. Certain breeds of sheep produce large amounts of lanolin, and the extraction can be performed by squeezing the sheep's harvested wool between rollers. Most or all of the lanolin is removed from wool when it is processed into textiles, such as yarn or felt.
Lanolin’s role in nature is to protect wool and skin against the ravages of climate and the environment – it also seems to play a role in integumental hygiene.[3] It is therefore not surprising that lanolin and its many derivatives are used extensively in products designed for the protection, treatment and beautification of human skin.[4]



2. Royal Jelly
Royal jelly is a honey bee secretion that is used in the nutrition of larvae, as well as adult queens.[1] It is secreted from the glands in the hypopharynx of worker bees, and fed to all larvae in the colony.[2]

Royal jelly is collected and sold as a dietary supplement, claiming various health benefits because of components like B-complex vitamins such as pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine). The overall composition of royal jelly is 67% water, 12.5% crude protein (including small amounts of many different amino acids), and 11% simple sugars (monosaccharides), also including a relatively high amount (5%) of fatty acids. It also contains many trace minerals, some enzymes, antibacterial and antibiotic components, and trace amounts of vitamin C.
Royal jelly can also be found in some beauty products.
Royal jelly may cause allergic reactions in humans ranging from hives, asthma, to even fatal anaphylaxis.[14][15][16][17][18][19] The incidence of allergic side effect in people that consume royal jelly is unknown. However, it has been suggested that the risk of having an allergy to royal jelly is higher in people who already have known allergies.[14]


3. Carmine

Carmine (pronounced /ˈkɑrmɪn/ or /ˈkɑrmaɪn/), also called Crimson Lake, Cochineal, Natural Red 4, C.I. 75470, or E120, is a pigment of a bright red color obtained from the carminic acid produced by some scale insects, such as the cochineal and the Polish cochineal, and is used as a general term for a particularly deep red color of the same name. Carmine is used in the manufacture of artificial flowers, paints, crimson ink, rouge, and other cosmetics, and is routinely added to food products such as yogurt and certain brands of juice, most notably those of the ruby


To conclude, I'd like to thank my vegan bride for sparking my interest in uncovering the general mystery of Vegan cosmetics and I look forward to knowing more. Unfortunately, I did end up spending a lot of money purchasing products for her with no re-imbursement…and she did email me 5 times a day for about a month before the wedding asking me to research ingredients. It’s tough sometimes to bend over backwards for my clients and their requests. But in the long run, I learned something important about reading ingredients and I also learned that sometimes as much as I want to please everyone, I do sometimes have to draw a line.
And as far as food goes...I don't think I could ever give up meat and dairy...but thanks all the same!!! :)

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics

Makeup and photos by anita nouryeh using Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics


Last spring I did makeup and shot some photos with Donna Sonkin, Holistic Health Counselor (www.getthinforthecamera.com) the foundation/powder I used was from the line, Youngblood. I was so happy with how amazing and flawless her skin looked (especially since the photos are the real deal...no retouching....) that I decided to go ahead and purchase more of the makeup and try all of it.

Here's what I learned:

Primer/liquid foundation/loose powder: Amazing! Beautiful!!! The one thing I will say is that I used the foundation with the primer and I also tried it on it's own with a moisturizer from Dr. Hauschka, and I have to be honest and say the primer is there for a reason. The end result for that flawless look is smoother and has a more perfect finish using the primer than it does without it. So even though we all try and pinch our pennies when we are buying cosmetics, don't skimp on the primer. You'll be so much happier having it be a part of the makeup application.

Pressed Setting Powder: It's effective for sure, but for everyday use I would say use it once and then find something like blot papers to absorb your oil throughout the day rather than touching up with the setting powder throughout the day. It's very absorbent and can look dry/caky if used too often or with too heavy of a hand in the application. I'm assuming it was probably created for more of a Television/Film makeup application than for an everyday makeup. That doesn't mean you can't use it, just use it sparingly. Instead, as an alternate, I would use the loose HD powder that I used on Donna. The finish is the perfect balance of not too shiny and not too caky. I would call it a satin finish. My favorite way for skin to look, just a wee bit dewy but not over the top....

Eyeshadow: So far I've only tried the standard eyeshadows. They do carry loose powder pigments but when I was shopping I figured I should try the regular eyeshadows first. The consistency is soft and blends well. The pigmentation is strong so you don't have to pack it on. I would say the color selection is not fantastic. Don't get me wrong, the are beautiful, but I wasn't blown away. I guess I was expecting to see something I've never seen before but that wasn't the case. Having said that though the shadows are very natural and pretty and they photograph well, for sure...and they are practical....you'll definitely get good bank for your buck because they are colors you can use everyday and then add one or two darker colors to change the look from day to night relatively easily....

Blush/Bronzer: The cheek colors are gorgeous!!! Love 'em!!!

Lipstick/Lipgloss: I tried about 5 lipgloss colors and 4 Lipsticks. As I said about the eyeshadows, the colors aren't anything I've never seen but they are VERY pretty!!! They look natural with a "pop"....they look great in person and in photos and you can easily mix them to create more colors, which is always my favorite thing to do!

Mascara: Not my fave....kinda clumpy and didn't do anything as far as volumizing or lengthening...I basically felt like the mascara tinted my eyelashes and that's it....not worth the $....

To conclude, I think Youngblood's strength is definitely their foundation/skin colors. They have a great variety of skin tones so that everyone can use it. Check this line out, I guarantee you'll find more than one product you'll love!!!

Tarte Cosmetics

Images from Tartecosmetics.com


I went to Sephora to check out the full line of Tarte Cosmetics. I was pleasantly surprised to see that almost their entire line is now petro-chemical, paraben, gmo and sulfate free. The boxes that are within that genre are marked "health couture".... but I must admit that almost everything had that label. I have to believe that they are phasing out the old stuff and soon the line will be entirely natural. I have tried almost everything in the line and I have to say generally I am extremely happy with almost everything I've used on myself and on clients.

As you can see from the pictures in my previous posts, Tarte photographs well and give you a flawless look that is relatively easy to achieve.

Eyeshadows: The color selection is well rounded. They have a variety of palettes with different color schemes....such as warmer soft colors and more neutral colors. A lot of the shadows have shimmer in them, some are more shimmery and sparkly than others. There are matte shadows in the line just not quite as many, which in reality is the case in a lot of makeup lines, green or mainstream. But the secret to eyeshadow with shimmer is that it's absolutely age appropriate for anyone, the adjustment for age/sophistication is just how you apply the rest of your makeup to compensate. So for example, someone with more advanced skin or someone who is a bit more conservative with their style could use a shimmery eyeshadow and then make sure that nothing else in the makeup application on the face has shimmer. In other words, make sure your blush/bronzer is matte and your lipstick has no frost or sparkle in it. Then you will have a well balanced and beautiful makeup and still feel like yourself.

Blush/Bronzer: The one problem with the powder blushes and bronzers is the consistency. The powder blushes are extremely powdery and do not blend very well. The colors are relatively generic and the selection is not that great. But it's workable, so the palettes that they make that have eyeshadows, blushes, bronzer and lipstick all in one are definitely usable but the blushes are just not my favorite.

The powder bronzer has a lot of gold undertone in it. On some skin it looks gorgeous but what I noticed on myself is that it looked dirty and a bit orange, very similar to the spray tanned women I've seen or worked on when they've had too much sprayed on.

The cheek stain on the other hand is amazing! I love the colors....they look so natural and they are easy to blend in to the skin looking as if the color is coming up from underneath.

Lipstick/lipgloss: The colors are really pretty even though they don't have an extensive variety the way MAC or Chanel or any other mainstream makeup line does. But having said that I found 6 or 7 colors that I really liked so I'm confident that anyone could find at least one gloss and one lipstick that they would feel fits their style and looks beautiful.

La Bella Donna (Mineral Makeup) the real deal.....

Photos by Halston Bruce

Makeup by anita nouryeh using La bella Donna mineral foundation powder


I’ve already mentioned La Bella Donna mineral makeup with my blog, but I wanted to devote a bit more attention to it. To me, it’s one of the best mineral makeup lines out there. Not only do I have an attachment to it because it was my first real introduction into the mineral/green/natural makeup world, but because I’ve used it for a long time and I’ve seen how it photographs and wears on an everyday level. In both cases, it’s absolutely gorgeous. But as I've said previously, in an editorial situation, it does have a bit more texture so you have to be careful in the application to make sure its not too metallic. So i would suggest setting the loose mineral powder with the pressed to make sure it's smooth and not too shiny.

The loose foundation powder is wonderful. It has a bit of a shine/shimmer that gives the skin a healthy glow. A little bit of it goes a long way, so you can start with a thin wash of it with a large brush as a natural clean base or you can build on it to make it full coverage. You can also use a small flat brush and use it as a concealer for blemishes and even under the eyes.

If the loose foundation powder is a bit too shiny for you, they also make a pressed powder that has a matte satin finish. It’s mostly matte but there is a slight sheen that isn’t really shiny, it just reduces the chance for typical results of most matte powders which can be chalky and cakey at times. Personally I use both the loose and the pressed. I like to dust a thin wash of the loose powder all over my face for a nice base and then set with the pressed. I find that setting with the pressed eliminates the need for touching up throughout the day.

The eye shadows and powder blushes are really pretty. The color choices aren’t immense but there is definitely enough variety to have a natural/neutral look, a smoky look and a look with a bit of color. They blend so well together and into the skin that it physically requires no work. I mean you place the brush where it needs to go, blend and the color/shadow is perfectly placed on the eye or cheek.

The mascara is great. It has a nice amount of thickening and lengthening and doesn’t dry hard. The only thing is it’s not waterproof so using it for brides has gone out the window for me, but I use it on myself and it gives me just enough “wow” to feel pretty and natural but not too made up.

The same is true with the eyeliner pencils. They are soft and rich and blend very well for a soft smoky look, or you can create a thick bold line that’s full and dark if that’s your thing too. The only problem again is that they are not water resistant so using them for brides and/ or on a very hot day, can get a bit messy just because they tend to melt a bit more easily.

The lipstick and lipgloss is really nice. Most of them are pretty sheer but buildable. So potentially you can use them like a stain just for a bit of color, or you can build the color to a fully rich tone that looks and feels like a lipstick you’d buy from Chanel or Bobbi Brown. Again, like the eyeshadows, the color selection isn’t vast but its enough to give you choices for a variety of looks and I guarantee you will find at least 2 or 3 colors that jump out at you right away.

The most fascinating thing to me about La Bella Donna as a company, is that they provide information about their products that is not only factual about minerals and their benefits but also how simple it is. The explanations of the ingredients are easy to understand and actually fun to read.

La Bella Donna is an approachable line. Even though they are located at specific resorts/spas and online which is a rather intimidating venture considering it’s hard to see the products, the people who work for the company (including myself a few years ago) truly stand behind this product and are excited to impart their knowledge of it to everyone. You can purchase it online at the website www.labelladonna.com. There is a lot more info about all the ingredients on the website…..take a look and enjoy!!! ☺