Who works there: hair stylists and a makeup artist I adore! Her name is Alise and she was super helpful and sweet. Woman knows her makeup and how to apply it. I probably could've stayed there for days talking makeup and skincare with her.
What is it: It's a hair salon in the back and a green makeup and skincare store in the front.
When: I visited this place twice last month and they let you try on all the makeup you want.
Why did I go: You can't really tell makeup colors online, nor the texture. I had to try the stuff on in-person to make sure the colors looked good and that the stuff didn't break me out. Once I figured that out, it was easy to walk out with some products.
Remember my motto about trying stuff before you buy it?? This store is a dream come true for me because most green make up lines are sold online and not in stores. Colors are never as accurate as you hope they are and my biggest concern is breakouts. I've had some bad experiences with some natural makeup lines, so this was and still is my biggest challenge.
I went there and loved a few things--here is what I ended up getting:
1. RMS Un-Powder:
This is the green version of the Makeup Forever HD Powder. It's 100% silica powder, and it's non-nano. Nano particles are a problem because they are small enough to penetrate cells. Studies have also found them to be dangerous if inhaled because particles that are too small (nano-particles) can actually get stuck in your lungs. AH! To learn more, read this. I like RMS because they don't use nano-particle-sized anything in any of their makeup, so I can feel good about using their products. This powder is supposed to keep oil at bay. I don't really wear face makeup, so this is my powder and finishing powder in one. I'm still on the fence about this this purchase, but will write more about this one again in a few months. It wasn't a purchase I instantly fell in love with like the others….so we'll see.
2. RMS Living Luminizer:
WOW. Cream-based makeup used to freak me out because of the increased break-out risk factor, but this stuff didn't break me out at all. I use my fourth-finger, swirl it in the pot 5-6 times and pat it on top of the cheekbones. The castor and coconut oils in the luminizer highlight the area nicely and gives the illusion of an "inner glow." It doesn't last all day, but definitely lasts for many hours. The jar is small and the price is high, but the stuff will last forever, so I would gladly purchase this again.
3. Ilia Lip Gloss in Heartbeat:
I love this gloss. Looks bright red in the tube, but provides just a sheer layer of glossy, light redness to the lips. Can be layered on for more depth of color. Does not feel sticky either, pure awesomeness.
Another great makeup brand is Vapour--I really loved trying on some of their stuff! Their stuff also didn't break me out. I'm excited to write reviews about them soon.
Some quick makeup tips:
An interesting makeup tip we picked up from the makeup artist at Roots: bronzers and blushes make great eye shadows. Since those two products are designed to go well with a multitude of skin tones, they also make for great eye shadows. I've been using my bronzer as an eye shadow for the past three weeks and I've been loving it.
She even used an Ilia lipstick with an eye shadow brush as eye shadow on my friend and she looked fabulous! Genius, I tell you.
Take a look in your makeup bag for these multiple use products! It's nice knowing your makeup can multi-task, isn't it?
