In review: A full face of clean beauty
I’ve been patiently waiting for my current makeup favourites to run out so I could run (not walk) to get my hands on some new clean beauty products to try!
It just so happened that pretty much everything in my makeup bag had run out at once (isn’t that always the way) so I decided to purchase some products I’ve had my eye on for a while.
I posted a first impressions video on my Instagram and have worn the products for a week since, so here are my in-depth thoughts on everything I tried out, as well as a few products that I had already used before that were from clean beauty brands.
For context, I have oily skin, acne scarring, redness and blemishes. All of the products I have used are either vegan, cruelty-free, or use natural ingredients.
ILIA True Skin Serum Foundation
Shade: SF4 Bowen
Rating: 4/5
Vegan-friendly, cruelty-free
Packed with Niacinamide, Allantoin, and Aloe, his hydrating formula feels so good on the skin and is really breathable. The active ingredients are supposed to soothe and improve the skin over time, and so far this foundation has not broken me out in blemishes, as can sometimes happen to me when I try new foundations with skincare ingredients in, as I have particularly sensitive skin.
The coverage is light to medium and I would say it feels and acts more like a tinted moisturiser than a foundation in my opinion. This meant I needed to build up coverage with a few layers over any areas of redness and blemishes, but because the formula is so lightweight and breathable, it didn’t feel heavy or like I was wearing lots of layers!
The longevity of this foundation is solid, and over the week I found it lasted really well for at least 6-7 hours before it starts to show signs of wear. Although the formula is hydrating, this foundation really did not make me look oily at all, which is a rarity! Even after I took the foundation off, my skin felt soft and hydrated, so in my opinion, the infused skincare ingredients really do work to nourish your skin whilst you have the foundation on.
In conclusion, I really like the way this formula feels on my skin, but would maybe like it to have more coverage from just one single layer of application.
ILIA Liquid Matte Eye Tint
Shade: Dove
Rating: 3.5/5
Vegan-friendly, cruelty-free
I got this for free as a promotional offer when ordering from ILIA , so I wouldn't necessarily have bought this product myself, especially in this shade, which is a metallic grey, which isn’t something I’d normally go for. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the formula.
I first tried blending it out with a brush, which gave a really nice, subtle hint of colour. I then went in with another layer and blended it out with my fingers, which gave a really nice pop of colour!
Overall, the formula of this liquid eyeshadow feels really nice on the skin, drying to a powder finish but with the pigment of a liquid product. I didn’t find it creased much throughout the day, which is something I often experience with liquid eye products as I have hooded eyes. Although I don’t love the colour, I will wear this and like the formula, so I would consider trying a different shade in the future.
ILIA True Skin Serum Concealer
Shade: SC.5 Arrow Root
Rating: 4.5/5
Vegan-friendly, cruelty-free, natural ingredients
Like the True Skin Serum Foundation, this concealer is infused with skincare ingredients: Stabilised Vitamin C, Mastic and Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract, all of which help to brighten and refine the skin.
I don’t think I necessarily chose the right shade in this product, as it is a bit beige for my skin tone, but the formula is amazing! It is really rich and creamy, gliding on the skin nicely. I would say this concealer provides medium to full coverage. This concealer lasted really well, especially on my nose, where I find my makeup tends to separate the most and the quickest. I also found this formula very moisturising and it did not crease under my eyes, which I think is because it contains hydrating skincare ingredients.
I would highly recommend this product for the way it feels on the skin, as it is buttery smooth and moisturising, and for the longevity of wear it has.
RMS Beauty Master Radiance Base
Shade: Rich in Radiance
Rating: 4/5
Cruelty-free
This is a multifaceted product that can be used as a base or highlight, which is perfect for travelling or cutting down the number of items in your makeup bag. Having tried it both ways, I prefer to use this product as a highlighter, but if I was doing a no-makeup day in the summer, I would consider applying just this all over my face for a beautiful shimmery glow.
It comes with a spatula applicator which is great for applying it to exactly the areas you want and it is so pigmented, a little bit goes a really long way! With light reflecting pearls, this product truly makes your makeup pop. It feels really premium on the skin and the glass packaging also makes it feel like a luxurious product. The glass packaging is recyclable through RMS Beauty’s recycling programme. I will definitely be keeping the spatula after I have finished this product as it is really useful for applying cream products and it’s gold which is so bougie!
Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Dewy Liquid Blush
Shade: Hope
Rating: 5/5
Vegan-friendly, cruelty-free
Blush is my favourite makeup product, so this had lots to live up to - and it did not disappoint! If I had to keep only one of the products from this look, it would definitely be this blush. I only bought it in a sample size to try out, as I’m not really a cream blush lover, but I will definitely be buying the full size version of this.
Firstly, the pigment is beautiful and a little bit goes so far, you only need 2-3 dots of this for intense colour payoff. The finish on the skin is flawless, it is dewy without looking oily (a big pet peeve of mine with other liquid blush products I’ve tried) and it sits really nicely on top of other products for a radiant glow.
This blush blends out beautifully on top of other products and really does last all day. I’ve tried it on top of foundation and on no-makeup days and it really does just make my skin look flawless either way. If you try any of the products from this blog, I would definitely try this, as I’ve not tried any other cream blush formulas that look as good as this one.
Eyeko Black Magic Mascara
Shade: Cocoa Edit
Rating: 5/5
Cruelty-free, natural ingredients
This is a product I’ve had for a while now, and I absolutely love it! I bought it to go in my hand luggage when travelling and it was the perfect size, plus the tube style packaging makes it easier to fit into my makeup bag than a traditional mascara. I tend to get my lashes lifted and tinted, so don’t need my mascara to do too much for me, however I am obsessed with this formula.
This mascara does not go clumpy at all and, as an oily girly, I have never tried a mascara as transfer-proof as this one (even waterproof mascaras usually end up on my eyelid or bottom lashline!). The formula is so natural looking, I go for brown as I feel like black is a bit harsh on me, especially when I don’t have any fake tan on, but this mascara lengthens and defines whilst still looking like your real lashes.
The curved wand applicator makes it so easy to apply and the formula is enriched with Shea Butter and Keratin, meaning it nourishes your lashes and helps them grow whilst you’re wearing it, which I love.
Kosas Cosmetics Wet Lip Oil
Shade: Malibu
Rating:3.5/5
Vegan-friendly, cruelty-free
I’ve been really into lip oils lately, so couldn’t resist trying one from Kosas Cosmetics ,as I love their branding and overall vibe. This formula is packed full of hydrating ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid and evening primrose oils, and you can certainly tell! This product kept my lips so hydrated throughout the day, without feeling sticky at all.
The colour is beautiful and does not bleed out of the lipline, which I find brightly coloured lip products sometimes tend to do, especially moisturising ones. A little bit really goes a long way with this, and you don’t need much product to get good colour payoff and intense hydration. Even as the colour wore off throughout the day, as I was talking and eating, my lips felt nourished and hydrated all day long.
I particularly love how this product looks glossy without feeling like you are wearing anything or being sticky at all. My only wish would be for the pigment to last a bit longer, but the hydration is brilliant and it looks unreal when it’s freshly been applied.
Lush Emotional Brilliance Translucent Powder
Rating: 4/5
Vegan-friendly, cruelty-free
Another product I’ve been using for a while now, this powder is a dream for those with oily skin! It keeps my makeup looking flawless without completely mattifying it or making me look cakey! Infused with jojoba oil, this powder sets everything in place whilst keeping your skin looking glowy and not diffusing any pigment of the other products you are wearing.
My one gripe with this product is that it smells a bit funky (if you’ve used it you’ll know what I mean) but apart from that it is flawless, and I’d rather it smell funky than be infused with harsh chemicals to make it smell better!
This powder is the only one I’ve found that keeps me from getting really oily without dulling down the rest of my makeup or looking super powdery on the skin, so if you are a similar skin type to me, I would highly recommend it! A lot of powders also tend to stick to any blemishes or areas of scarring but this powder doesn’t, it’s really light and makes everything blend together on your face beautifully.
Final thoughts
Overall, I was really impressed with all the products I tried and how they all went together, I loved the final look! Having worn the products since my initial testing, I can safely say that they will all be making it into my daily makeup routine!
Looking good doesn’t have to cost the planet (literally) and the more we buy clean makeup products, the more the demand will increase!
