i'm in love. my wallet also hates me.
on tuesday i went to visit my sister so i could check out her favorite make-up line, la bella donna. in a previous post, i mentioned that i'm switching most, if not all, of my face products (skin and makeup) to all-natural alternatives and my first stop was at my sister's derm office to check out la bella donna.
who: created by a mother and daughter team who struggled with their own skin challenges and created la bella donna to promote and share information about the amazing benefits of all-natural makeup.
what: a complete collection of mineral-based formulas that are actually healthy for the skin. this all natural makeup line is made from cherished mineral pigments derived from rock that (according to their brochure):
- heals, soothe, calm and do not irritate the skin
- covers, corrects, beautifies and protects
- does not clog pores
- corrects all skin challenges - acne, oily skin, rosacea, eczema, melasma, psoriasis (hmm not sure about this one but i'll see how it does with my eczema)
- balances the moisture content in the skin
- is ideal for sensitive, allergy-prone skin
- contains natural non-chemical sun protection - provides a full spectrum sun block protecting your skin from harmful UVA/UVB infrared rays
- provides superior coverage all day because of the high color pigmentation (a little goes a long way!)
- contains light refractive qualities which immediately reduces the appearance of lines and wrinkles
- will not harm the body as there are no chemical ingredients which means it's safe for pregnant women
their products only contain the following:
- micronized titanium dioxide - non-chemical sunblock (SPF 20)
- iron oxides - the source of color
- bismuth oxychloride - anti-inflammatory properties
- zinc oxide - anti-inflammatory properties
- free of any FD&C dyes, oils, talc, alcohol, parabens, cornstarch, chemicals
sounds pretty good, right?
michelle, who is a RN at the derm office, helped me and man alive, i wasn't even paying attention to what she was saying to me because i couldn't stop staring at her gorgeous skin. i'm talking about totally air-brushed skin that you only see in magazines and you couldn't even tell that she was wearing makeup. when she told me that she only uses la bella donna products, i pretty much handed her my credit card and told her that i would buy everything she recommended (i'm a sucker for good products). she thought i was joking but most certainly was not.
michelle was great at suggesting the products that would work well with my skin tone and what's great was that she never pushed me to buy anything. i had 4 products i wanted to replace: bronzer, blush, loose (setting) powder and pressed powder (compact) so after trying on a few shades and playing with a few things (and falling in love with them), i hauled the following:
compressed mineral foundation in 'honey' | pure mineral foundation in 'umbria' | compressed mineral blush in 'tangerine' | baci moisturizing lip sheep in 'incredibly beautiful'
both the loose and compressed powders are actually foundation powders so it gives me a hint of color therefore, i didn't even need to buy a bronzer. when michelle finished applying it on my face, i looked in the mirror and my skin looked so beautifully dewy and flawless i wanted to makeout with myself.
here are my two favorite products:
if you didn't already know, i'm a big-time lip gloss junkie. i only own one tube of lipstick but a drawer-full of lip gloss. when i discovered that their baci glosses are also organic, contain hyaluronic acid, vitamins and anti-oxidants, i had a tiny orgasm. i've always had some issues finding glosses that don't feel sticky or makes my lips feel weird but this gloss is wonderfully moisturizing and has a pretty hint of pink that makes my lips look so kissable, you'll have to control yourself the next time you see me.
the picture of the blush makes it look really orange but in fact, it's a very pretty peachy/coral. i'll probably go back and get a pinky color but for the warm weather, this is just perfect. now i can be like those models in the magazines with perfectly blushed cheeks *flicks hair back*.
so what does this mean with my existing makeup? i sent out an email to my friends and i'm so glad thast most of it got nabbed. gal pal, leesh, already had dibs on my NARS blush and bronzer. what was up for grabs:
- laura mercier loose powder (85% full!!)
- stila smudge pot in black (barely used, maybe 4 or 5 times!)
- NARS lip gloss in oasis (barely used)
- stila smudge stick in brown
- stila smudge stick in black
- NARS oasis lip gloss (barely used!)
- bobbi brown lip gloss in kir sugar (only used twice!)
seriously, it really hurts my heart to let go of all this makeup.... i don't even want to think about how much money that is but if it means it'll be better for my skin, then i have to do what i have to do.
do you use any all-natural makeup?
