I have chosen to go ‘green’ this St. Patrick’s Day, but not necessarily in the context of the colour of the Emerald Isle… Instead, I have recently been given the chance to try out two brands, namely Inika and Evolve - Organic Beauty, which are green in the sense that they are cruelty free and vegan make-up/skin care ranges consisting of products for the face, eyes, lips and hands.
The Inika products are 100% Halal and come in a luxurious, classy black and gold packaging which is made from recycled materials (and is also cruelty free). The Evolve product is hand made using 99.7% natural products. And as I love all things organic, I couldn’t wait to try out these gorgeous products with no nasties to harm my skin along the way.
I got to try a gorgeous blush and two different eye products from Inika, along with a blemish serum from Evolve, all of which helped me look my best with less harmful chemicals applied to my face.
Inika Loose Mineral Blush – Red Apple (£23)
Inika says: - ‘Containing light reflecting pigments to give cheeks a gorgeous glow, it will promote a healthy warm glow while adding texture and radiance for a natural finish’.
As this blush is finely milled, it allows for a beautiful blend on the skin. It is free from oil, alcohol, fillers, fragrance - and preservatives too, prioritising the health of your skin (which we could all benefit from). For application of this blush you can apply to the cheeks as desired, however as it is highly pigmented - so a little goes a long way. This shade (Red Apple) in particular gives a deep rosy glow on the cheek adding life to your complexion. It was very slightly too red for me, but I’d wanted to try the shade anyway to test pigmentation depth, and in any case, there is also ‘Blooming Nude’ and ‘Peachy Keen’ which would be more my usual shades (check them out online, they are really fab colours). Additionally, if the loose blush doesn’t tickle your fancy, Inika also has a range of stunning baked blushers to help you achieve the desired glow in a way that is suited to you.
Inika Pressed Mineral Eye Shadow Duo – Gold Oyster (£22)
Inka says: - ‘Each shadow boasts a high performance mineral colour that is rich in pigment, crease-proof and long lasting.’
This gorgeous warm toned duo shade is the perfect ‘go-to’ eye shadow, as you can easily use both shades to create a simple yet stunning every day look (which you can also pop in your handbag). The shadows are great for sensitive eyes as there are no added harmful chemicals and as they are ‘crease free’, those of us with hooded eyes or matured skin can rely on these without fear of smudges or a dreaded patchy eye look. For application, Team Inika recommends that you use a base - the Inika Perfection Concealer, or simply your preferred concealer or primer, for best results. The pigment of this particular shadow is nice and natural, which allows for building the product’s intensity as you like it, plus it makes blending easy - mistakes are easily fixed.
There is a selection of seven shades available in the Mineral Duo Shadow collection, ranging from these golden warm tones to much more cool tones to achieve whatever look you wish. If you’re indecisive like me and don’t want to limit yourself to two shades, you can also opt for their ‘Day to Night’ palette which offers a variety of 7 (mostly warm toned) shades - perfect for the most natural look right up to the most intense look.
Inika Certified Organic Eye Pencil – Graphite (£14.50)
Inika says: - ‘Handcrafted pencils with natural plant ingredients and mineral colour blends. Soft and creamy texture that wears all day without smudging’.
With coconut oil as the key ingredient of this product, it is hard to go wrong - and it makes this pencil so perfect for the most sensitive eyes. This shade, ‘Graphite’ is a gorgeous grey, which I think is perfect for everyday wear as it is not too dark yet still adds definition to your lash line. With a creamy consistency it gracefully glides on to the lash line with no drag when applying. I love that you can apply it to the lower lash line, above your lash line, or generally all over the lid for a more smoked-out dramatic effect. It is long lasting and smudge free, perfect for a long day at work or even for a special occasion. Paired with the duo shadows you can achieve a full glam look if you top up.
With nine shades in the collection, ranging from the darkest ‘Black Cavier’, or the most colourful ‘Pure Purple’ to brighten up your eyes, these liners are suitable for any time of day or occasion. Again, if the pencil liner doesn’t seem appealing to you, Inika also offers a liquid liner if that is your preference.
Good news - at the minute if you subscribe to ‘The Healthy Revolution’ mailing list on the Inika website you will be first in the know about offers and new releases and you’ll receive £5 off your first order with FREE shipping.
Evolve Organic Beauty- Blemish Serum (£22)
Evolve says: - ‘This natural yet powerful skin treatment can be used on blemish prone and congested skin at any age as well as oily and combination skin to decrease sebum production and blemishes, leaving skin clearer and helping to protect skin from future breakouts’.
In other words, this can be described as handmade heaven in a bottle. It is recommended to apply this ‘rainforest rescue serum’ to clean skin morning and night, however if you have an unwanted spot that you need banished before an important event, you could apply this throughout the day as necessary for fast results. Within a day or two, your blemish will be visibly better with little inflammation. This serum is unlike other blemish care products due to its organic nature, and it does not sting or irritate skin making the little extra price worth it. As it’s a serum, I know those with oily skin will fret - however it is totally suitable as it is a non-oil based serum with a great consistency.
These types of organic products mentioned are definitely the way forward in skin care and make up technology, as they’re suitable for sensitive skin and also aren’t harmful to the environment. I most certainly will be going green with the help of these organic goodies in my beauty bag this St Patricks Day. Will you?