Making Up & Going Natural

From about nine-months pregnant to about three-months after birth, me & makeup just didn’t get along. For awhile I couldn’t even see my legs, let alone shave them. Then, when I could see everything again, I didn’t even remotely have the time to think about shaving. A face full of makeup seemed like a pipe-dream for a Sasquatch like me. 😉 Most days I was lucky to get a brush through my hair and over my teeth before heading out the door. Lately, though, things have been coming together again. Slowly but surely I am finding (magical) ways to make time for some of my simple, feminine pleasures like makeup and getting dressed in something other than leggings and a loose tee.

During pregnancy I decided to stop using toxic products. I was appalled when I learned how dangerous many of the ingredients in common beauty products are. (Do your own research on the subject. This is a great article to start with.) I began to use natural soap & household cleaning products, and natural makeup, too. Our skin is the largest organ of our bodies and many substances can penetrate it and get absorbed into our bodies. Going forward, I plan to buy only natural products. Of what you see pictured here, all but three of the products are natural/organic/vegan.

My makeup routine is fairly simple:

1. Tinted moisturizer over my entire face — Jane Iredale’s Dream Tint Tinted Moisturizer. (100% Natural)
2. Concealer for the ever-present bags under my eyes — I use MAC concealer at the moment, but plan to switch to a natural alternative when I run out.
3. A dust of shadow over my eyelids — I am loving Natural Quattro Eyeshadow by Benecos at the moment. (100% Natural)
4. Pink blush over my cheeks — Not even sure where my current blush set came from probably a gift from ages ago.
5. A sweep of brown eyeliner and black mascara to finish my eyes — Lavera Volume Mascara in Black. (100% Natural)

I also have loose mineral powder that I use when I have the time and want my makeup to last longer. And finally, I’ll sweep some bronzer on for extra warmth when I’m in the mood. Altogether I spend about 8-minutes getting my makeup on. I don’t do it every day, but when I do it, I feel better. I don’t do it for anyone but myself. I feel good about making natural choices and supporting companies that choose not to add harmful chemicals to their products. The other benefit to going natural is that the makeup is much kinder to my sensitive eyes.

For more ideas and information about natural, non-toxic beauty, check out my friend Britanie Faith’s blog, Beauty by Britanie. All of my natural makeup purchases were first recommended by her and she is my #1 inspiration for natural beauty.