I’ve written about ‘green’ makeup before in an earlier blog, here.  If you want to know why folks like me care about what’s in our makeup so much then start reading there.  Otherwise, dive on in!

Today I want to share INEXPENSIVE  clean makeup finds.  Two companies that are making top quality products without the fancy packaging and marketing budgets of bigger known brands are Silk Naturals and The All Natural Face. As I’ve got older and my skin drier, powder foundations have been looking, well, errrr…powdery!  I tried stick and liquid foundations by brands such as Vapour, Nvey Eco and W3LL People and while they all get great reviews, no single sample of anything I tried really rocked my world.  (Samples were purchased at Spirit Beauty Lounge.)  Either the color, the texture or/and the scent bothered me, and, frankly,  none are inexpensive.

Then I stumbled across the All Natural Face and saw they offered a cream foundation in 51 different shades – to be used as a concealer or foundation, with the simple ingredients of: organic jojoba oil, organic argan oil, candelilla wax (a plant alternative to beeswax), mica, oxides, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.  At less than $10, I had to try it!

While they don’t sell samples of the cream foundation, they do for their powder foundations at 35 cents each, so I ordered a handful to see if they had a color that would work well.  I also indulged in their Try Me Lipstick Sampler  for just over $5,  which includes your choice of five samples of lipsticks; a truly lovely lip exfoliating rub (enough to last ages) ;and a gloss which is more like a salve for use after exfoliating.  Finally, I bought, for $3.45, their Eye Shadow Primer.  They threw in a sample of a hydration mist/makeup sealant. The shade “Almond Goddess”blended right in on me, so I ordered that as a cream foundation and a full size lipstick of Cherries Jubilee (the warmest I can go for a red lipstick – quite a fun find).  I’m pleased with the eye shadow primer too and the hydrator/sealant did help the powder look less powdery.

I can’t say I love their website  but customer service via email is great, and I learned, when I emailed to ask about the foundation’s estimated spf, that the lighter the foundation the higher the spf as it’s got more (white) titanium and zinc oxide in it.  That’s handy for this fair lady!  (Estimated spf is 15-30, by the way.)

In the photo of me above, I’m wearing The All Natural Face’s Almond Goddess cream foundation dabbed on and smoothed out where needed.  Mascara is Korres Volcanic Minerals Volumizing Mascara.  Everything else is Silk Naturals: Desert Plum blush, Concerto lipstick,  Deep Brunette brow powder and Sleep in a Jar under eye powder.

Yup, lots of Silk Naturals products:  they are my first choice for lipstick, blush and eye shadows.   I can’t recommend them enough.  Prices are really reasonable, shipping is fast, quality is amazing.  They offer an incredible array of fabulous colors  just be sure to look at the photos they offer of the product swatches, not just the “dots” when choosing items.  In terms of quality, their lipsticks are moisturizing AND stay on for ages, and their powders are finely milled.  You do have to be ok with their lipsticks coming in Chapstick type packaging (see pic below).  I’m fine with it.  In fact, I kind of prefer it. They also make lots of dupes of high street brands and state that when relevant.

I hope I’ve provided you with some new information.  If any of you know of other like-minded makeup companies, do share!   I’m all for supporting businesses that care more about quality and low prices for consumers than fancy advertising and packaging!