Review: Nature's Gate Pomegranate Sunflower Shampoo and Conditioner

When you pay hundreds for your hair color, it's a shame to watch it fade in a matter of days. That's why color-safe hair products were developed. It may seem easy just to buy what your stylist recommends, but if you're looking for something vegan or just something more affordable, check out your local health food store. Nature's Gate offers one option for vegans: the Pomegranate Sunflower Shampoo and Conditioner.

Pros:

• Textures similar to conventional products
• Affordable
• Retail availability
• Nourishing for color-treated hair
• Fragrances are phthalate-free

Review: E.L.F. Essential Flawless Eyeshadow

Sea Escape Palette

Many drugstore brands are tested on animals, but did you know that there are a few cruelty-free budget brands? One of these is Eyes Lips Face (E.L.F.), which is sold at stores such as Walgreen's and Target. While I usually stick to their mineral line, I decided to test out the E.L.F. Essential Flawless Eyeshadow to test out brighter pressed vegan shades, which can be hard to find in many natural lines.

Pros:

• Available in brighter shades
• Very affordable ($2)
• No parabens
• Colors can be worn together or alone
• Vegan and cruelty-free

Review: Rainbow Honey Nail Polish

Did you know that many nail polishes aren't vegan? Many conventional brands, particularly red shades, contain carmine. When you're looking for polish, I recommend getting one that's both vegan and free of the "Big 3"(formaldehyde, toluene, and dibutyl phthalate). One brand that passes this test? Rainbow Honey.

Pros:

• Super cool themes and polish names
• Available in many fun colors
• Big 3 free (formaldehyde, toluene, and dibutyl phthalate)
• Mini (half size) bottles offered
• All vegan line

Review: Acure Day Cream

As a makeup artist, I often get asked about moisturizers for use under makeup. A good day moisturizer needs to be light enough to hydrate without leaving skin oily. Day moisturizers can also be mixed with powder foundations for DIY liquid foundations. So selections a quality product is crucial. One great pick? Acure Day Cream.

Pros:

• Absorbs quickly
• Yummy fruity scent
• Many organic ingredients
• Claims to help fight lines (wrinkles)
• Retail availability
• Gluten-free and vegan
  

Review: Beauty Without Cruelty Natural Eye Pencil

Delft Blue Pencil

When it comes to eye makeup, I look for some of gentlest products available. I wear contacts and have sensitive eyes, so I can't tolerate harsh products. Fortunately, there are some eyeliners on the market that are both gentle and high-quality. One of these is the Beauty Without Cruelty (BWC) Natural Eye Pencil.

Pros:

• Smooth, creamy texture
• Sharpens easily
• Rich color
• Will smudge if desired
• Gentle ingredients
  

Review: Acure Superfruit + Cirtus Argan Oil Bar Soap

No matter how many fancy body washes, shower gels, or scrubs I try, I always go back to bar soap. Bar soap is a great, simple cleansing product that helps me keep my showers shorter and conserve water. It is indispensable, yet somehow hard to get just right. Acure Organics has a great bar that doesn't wear down too fast or too slow - it's just right. It's called the Superfruit + Cirtus Argan Oil Soap.

Pros:

• Yummy fruity scent
• Non-drying
• Mostly organic
• Doesn't wear away too quickly
• Retail availability
  

Review: Jane Iredale PureMoist Lipstick

PureMoist in Katerina

Before I was a makeup artist, I wasn't really a lipstick person. Lipsticks were often dry, emphasizing flakes or cracks on my lips. I tended to prefer glosses and tinted balms. However, lipsticks have been getting better and better. Jane Iredale now offers one that is very moisturizing and feels more like a glaze than a stick. Ladies, this is not your mother's lipstick - it's creamy and smooth for the modern age. The name? PureMoist lipstick.

Pros:

• Smooth, creamy texture
• Yummy scent
• Beautiful packaging
• Broad color range
• All shades are vegan
  

Review: Au Naturale Organic Creme Foundation

Creme foundation in Sand

There are dozens of vegan powder and liquid foundations on the market, but what if you want something with a little more coverage? Whether you're looking to spot-conceal, hide pigmentation imbalances, or simply like a creamy formula, sometimes the ordinary foundations won't cut it.

Cream foundations are versatile products, but they are often hard to find in gentle formulas - let alone vegan versions. Fortunately, Au Naturale offers a Creme Foundation made with organic lavender oil that is gentle and offers full coverage.

Pros:

• Gentle formula
• Includes organic ingredients
• Can double as a concealer
• Offers SPF 15
• Buttery formula
• Full coverage

Review: Furless Black Beauty Makeup Brush Set

I've been eyeing Furless brushes for a long time. With their sleek designs and affordable prices, this all-vegan company really stands out from the competition. I was thrilled when the Australian retailer offered to let me try out their Black Beauty Brush Set.

Pros:

• 100% cruelty-free
• Hand-crafted
• Sturdy construction
• Soft, fluffy bristles
• Affordable prices
• Well-balanced set
  

Review: Lily Lolo Vegan Mascara

There are a lot of great vegan mascaras out there, but most of them have a very soft, natural finish. This seems to satisfy a large number of consumers who seek out these products due to allergies or environmental concerns. However, as a makeup artist and beauty fanatic, I like a mascara with a little more "oomph:." I want one that lengthens, thickens, and helps define lashes - one that provides a more bold look. Enter Lily Lolo, a U.K. company. They offer a vegan mascara that not only looks snappy but instantly gives you that extra boost.

Pros:

• Volumizing formula
• Beautiful packaging
• Gentle ingredients
• Gluten-free and vegan
• Provides a bold finish

Review: Gourmet Body Treats White Ginger Hand & Foot Scrub

When I moved to Austin, I found that my skin became drier. Products like scrubs and exfoliators suddenly became very useful, as they help remove the dead skin and reveal bright new skin. One of these exfoliators is Gourmet Body Treats White Ginger Hand & Foot Scrub

Pros:

• Yummy sweet ginger scent
• Gentle ingredients
• Made with organic sugar
• Helps exfoliate skin while providing moisture
• Easy to apply
  

Review: Ecco Bella FlowerColor Lipstick

I've recently heard that FD&C dyes are from coal tar, and some people recommend avoiding them. I like to play it on the safe side, so I was shocked to discover just how many "natural" brands use FD&C dyes, particularly as a replacement for carmine in vegan lipsticks. It seems it can be tough to get certain shades of red and pink without either carmine or FD&C dyes, but a few companies have managed this feat. One such line? Ecco Bella's FlowerColor Lipstick.

Pros:

• Over 10 vegan shades
• Gentle formula
• Gluten-free/no FD&C dyes
• Sleek black packaging
• Smooth application
  

Review: Benecos Nail Polish

Vintage Red

I have a love-hate relationship with nail polish. It seems like every time I decide to start wearing it, I take up a new hobby like playing the ukulele--which just happens to destroy polish. Most nail polishes chip off after a couple of days on my hands, and only a few have ever risen to the challenge of daily wear and tear. One of these special contenders is Benecos Nail Polish, which claims to be long-lasting and chip resistant.

Pros:

• Long-lasting
• Chip resistant
• Smooth, silky finish
• 5-free: No formaldehyde, toluene, camphor, phthalates or colophony
• Large variety of colors
• Vegan and gluten-free

Review: Acure Superfruit Cleansing Gel

It would be nice if my blemish problems were limited to my teen years, but, unfortunately, they never seemed to vanish entirely. I have combination skin, so I seek out products that help with oil control in all the right places (forehead, nose, and chin). Acure sent me their Facial Cleanser Gel (Superfruit and Chlorella Growth Factor), which is targeted to combination and oily skin types. I put it to the test.

Pros:

• Contains many organic ingredients
• A little goes a long way
• Lathers well
• Pleasant fruity scent
• Cleanses without drying
• Vegan and gluten-free
  

Review: Zosimos Botanicals Lipstick (updated formula)

Like a great work of art, many cosmetics require iteration to reach their full potential. Sometimes a company listens and incorporates customer comments, reformulating products to create something even better. Zosimos Botanicals is one such company, and they recently reformulated their lipsticks to be even creamier than last time I reviewed them. Read on to see how the new version stacks up.

Pros:

• Creamier formula
• Broad color range
• Eco-friendly refills available
• Sample sizes offered
• Gentle formula with organic ingredients

Review: Annmarie Gianni's Sun Love

Annmarie Gianni recently sent me a product called "Sun Love," which appeared to be a sunscreen. After testing it, however, I discovered that this creamy, zinc-based sunscreen is more like a tinted moisturizer that offers sun protection. So just how does Sun Love perform?

Pros:

• Yummy chocolate-lavender scent
• Gentle, zinc-based sunscreen
• Includes several organic or wildcrafted ingredients
• Lightweight, tinted formula
• No "sunscreen smell"

Review: Acure Organics Lemongrass + Argan Stem Cell Shampoo and Conditioner

I tend to be loyal to certain hair products. I have long hair that has a tendency to tangle, so I am particular about my conditioners. I was excited to try Acure's Lemongrass and Argan Stem Cell Shampoo and Conditioner, as I'd heard good things about the line.

Pros:

• Vegan and gluten-free
• Safe for color-treated hair
• Shampoo lathers well
• Conditioner leaves hair soft
• Fresh, lemony scent suitable for men or women
• Made with many organic ingredients

Review: Gourmet Body Treats Beauty Box

If you love to try new beauty products, monthly subscription boxes can be a fun way to get new samples on a regular basis. Fortunately, there are vegan boxes as well. Gourmet Body Treats recently started offering a monthly beauty box filled with vegan cosmetics and skin care products.

Pros:

• Vegan and gluten-free
• Gentle ingredients
• Made in the USA
• Variety beyond cosmetics
• Comes with a website discount
• Good value
  

Review: Giovanni Soothing Unscented Facial Cleansing Towelettes

Sometimes it can be inconvenient to wash your face the traditional way. Whether you're at the gym, running errands on a hot day, or traveling, facial cleansing towelettes can be a convenient way to refresh. I tested out Giovanni's Soothing Unscented Facial Cleansing Towelettes on a recent trip to Hawaii.

Pros:

• Gentle ingredients (some organic)
• Cleaned and removed eye makeup
• Convenient to use
• Retail availability
• Unscented formula

Review: Gabriel Color and Zuzu Luxe Lip Liner

Gabriel Lipliner in Red

As a makeup artist, a good lip liner is an essential component of my kit. Unfortunately, lip liners are often neglected in natural makeup lines - especially the reds. I sought out Gabriel's lip liners when searching for a true vegan red, and I wasn't disappointed.

Pros:

• Vegan and gluten-free
• Offered in a range of colors
• Retail availability
• Gentle formula
• Smooth texture