My Favorite Winter Lipsticks.

I tend to wear more lipstick in the fall and winter months - I don’t know why?! My summer skin just wants to be bare while my winter skin craves more pigment. My mom has always been a lipstick lover - I recall so vividly that she always gravitated toward brick red/burgundy shades, and I always feel a sense of nostalgia for her when I put on a similar color. Isn’t that funny?

As many of you know, I have spent a lot of time over the years researching green beauty brands and here are a few that I LOVE along with different shades that work best.

My favorite “neutral” winter lipstick is Axiology organic lipstick in “Devotion” - it’s a peachy-copper shade with the slightest hint of shimmer, and I just love how it feels really neutral but still really put together. This looks really good if you want to wear a smokier eye and just need something simple for your lips.

Wearing Axiology organic lipstick in “Devotion”

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Wearing Axiology organic lip crayon in “Enduring”

My favorite pop-of-color winter lipstick is Axiology organic lip crayon in “Enduring”. It’s a berry/brick matte formula and I just love this color - it makes me feel like my best self even if I’m not wearing any other makeup.

I didn’t mean for my two favorites to both be Axiology, I just have really been gravitating towards these shades because I feel like they just work for me with my skin tone. I also LOVE that this brand is completely non-toxic, cruelty-free, and comes in super flattering shades for every skin tone. I super geek out on the packaging, too (it’s SO PRETTY), which makes it all the more fun and special. Girl stuff.

My runner-up choices are the Ilia Multistick in “A Fine Romance” (a cranberry pink/red shade that doubles as a cheek stain!), Honeybee Gardens in “Desire” (a subtle red, if there ever was such a thing!), and RMS Lip2Cheek stain in “Illusive” (I love using this on my cheeks, too!)

These lip colors make really sweet gifts for friends and family (I am gifting several of these this Christmas), but you also want to make sure you pick up 1 (or 2) for yourself!

P.S. - Great green beauty gifts for under $30 from one of my favorite non-toxic beauty retailers!
P.P.S - My Green Beauty cheat sheet if you’re interested in learning more about beauty brands I love and use!

Green Beauty Trials: Blush & Highlighter.

I'm continuing the non-toxic beauty trials! I have been so surprised at how many wonderful products I've discovered since deciding to go green with my beauty routine. I assumed this would be an expensive and unsatisfying process, but surprisingly, it's been the opposite! So many online natural beauty retailers offer affordable sample packs which makes it easier to try out products and shades before committing. And the industry has come such a long way because there are so many high-performing products that truly rival all the conventional ones from my old makeup bag. In fact, I think it's time to toss out my old stuff - this green beauty thing isn't just a fad for me.

I am still in the process of trying out a few other blush options, but I'm not in any rush because I love what I'm sharing here today!

Blush:
ILIA Multistick
in "A Fine Romance" and "At Last"
If I could pick my favorite green makeup discovery since embarking upon this journey, this would be the one. I LOVE THIS PRODUCT. I have used it every single day since I got it (especially in the "At Last" shade) and I will keep doing so! I've always thought multisticks couldn't possibly work really well for more than one thing, but this one proved me wrong - it actually performs so well! The cheek tint goes on really creamy and has buildable color, so if you want just a hint of color or more of a pop, you can use this stick to achieve both! And I love the color on my lips - "At Last" looks like a naturally pretty everyday color while "A Fine Romance" has that rosy, french-girl-just-rolled-out-of-bed look to it. I love both shades and have been wearing them everyday for over two months now. Using this stick on my cheeks and lips makes me look and feel put-together in under 60 seconds, which is all I get for beauty on some days (#momlife).

Highlighter:
Galaxy Milk Illuminate Beauty Oil
I haven't ventured much into the world of illuminators (I have a healthy fear of the whole contouring practice), so this one was a step outside of my normal zone. My sister was wearing it and it looked so so pretty on her, so I had to give it a try. First of all, it smells like a heaven of vanilla. SO good. And second, you don't need a lot to achieve a shimmery, kissed-by-starlight effect. This is really fun if you're going out at night or want to look extra dewy, but it's not a daily must-have (for me). Also, I purchased the sample size of this and it was plenty! If you decide to purchase, definitely purchase this size! This would also look really pretty if you were wearing a tank top and applied some to your shoulders and decolletage. 

RMS Beauty Living Luminizer
This product has so much hype about it so I thought I should give this one a try, too. I applied it to the tops of my cheekbones and it gives an even, pearly sheen. It really brightens my face and has more of a foundation texture, so it glides on in a creamy way. I like how it brightens the area beneath my eyes just enough to make me look awake but not so much that I look like a teenybopper going to a Backstreet Boys concert (although man, those were THE DAYS.)

I still want to try out a few Kjaer Weis lip and cheek tints, because this brand is known for the vibrant pigments (and fancy packaging!) I also want to try a few more multisticks, like this one from RMS, this one from W3LL PEOPLE and this one from Vapour, because they are all highly rated. Multisticks offer such a value - and they free up a lot of space in my makeup bag :)

Any other natural, non-toxic cosmetics or brands that you think I should look into? I'd love to hear your recommendations!

P.S. - My picks for the best non-toxic mascara and foundation + concealer :)