A version of this article was originally posted on No More Dirty Looks
My Relationship with Makeup: I have been a product girl since I was, well, a girl. My grandmother was very glamorous. I’d spend hours in her bedroom “organizing” her perfume bottles and decking myself out in her costume jewelry. She inspired in me a love for exquisite packaging—of product and self.
While I was getting my Master’s in English lit and trudging through grueling reading lists and seminar papers, I took comfort in the lipstick in my bag or the perfume I was wearing. During that time, I became interested in healthier eating and transitioned to a vegan diet. Gradually, this period of transition began to stretch beyond what I ate—I also started researching the ingredients in my cosmetics and was shocked by how chemical-laden and unhealthy most of them were. I recall the sunny afternoon when I threw away my last conventional product. Since then, my bathroom (and skin!) have never been the same.
Through my work with Peaceful Dumpling, I’ve learned about and fallen in love with many luxury, natural vegan beauty brands. To me, there’s nothing more glamorous than wearing makeup that’s good for the body and kind to animals. I’d like to think my grandmother would agree.
In my bag right now…
Concealer: Vapour Organic Beauty Illusionist for brightening those telltale under eye circles. I love the spicy, invigorating scent and how easily it blends.
Foundation: Alima Pure Satin Matte Mineral Foundation in a light olive tone. I’m amazed by the spectrum of colors they offer. Alima was one of my first natural switches—I’ve kept it in stock ever since!
From time to time, I also use Vapour Organics Atmosphere Soft Focus Foundation—it’s one of the cleanest, liquid foundations I’ve come across. It lovely if you want slightly dewey, medium coverage. Best of all, it doesn’t feel like you’re wearing a mask!
Blush: Alima Pure Luminous Shimmer Blush in “Leigh” and Alima Pure Satin Matte Blush in “Melon.” I use to alternate between the two, but now I’m brave enough to use both to contour the cheekbones I somehow failed to notice for years. (Well, for so long they were covered in acne—which is now much less of a problem thanks to veganism and natural products!)
Eyeshadow: Josie Maran’s Eye Love You Too Palette offers beautiful, earthy shades. To enhance the green in my irises, I apply the rose-gold to my moving eyelid. I use the matte brown as an eyebrow filler. I love the feminine case and the names of the shadows (“chirp” and “bunny” are my favs). I also adore Modern Minerals Shimmer Eyeshadow in “Winter Rose.” Extra glam for those days when you just need glitter.
Eyeliner: Absolute Mineral Soft Line Eye Pencil by DeVita International is a recent favorite of mine. Not only does the pencil come with a sharpener and a smudger (awesome!), it’s truly long-wearing. Read my DeVita review and tutorial here.
Mascara: MultiplEye Lash Enhancing Primer and Lights, Camera, Flashes by Tarte. I have fairly modest lashes, and high-drama mascaras never fail to seduce me. The main draw back of Lights, Camera, Flashes is that it takes forever to completely remove. The primer helps with volume and length—and most importantly, it helps mascara bleed less—so key for those natural mascaras.
Lips: “Purely Kissable” by Juice Beauty and Alicia Silverstone is my favorite lippy at the moment. Read my review here. Using old fashion lipstick in a tube reminds me of my grandmother and her aura of classic glamour. For pure nourishment, I’m loving the six-ingredient Ellovi Lip Butter.
Perfume: Grasse Roots Perfumery perfume oil samples (my favorite is “Janus,” a woody fragrance). I have some deep nostalgia for some of my old, “dirty” perfumes, but I’m thrilled about the natural, phthalate-free blends by Grasse Roots. As I noted in my review, they’re complex and sophisticated—the perfect complement to sipping a soy cappuccino in a chic café.
I also keep Pacifica Mediterranean Fig Solid Perfume in by bag. Its bright scent reminds me of spring, and I dab a little on when I’m feeling grey.
Latest from Mary: Vintage Hollywood Hair and Makeup Tutorial
Do you want to share the contents of your vegan makeup bag? We want to hear from you! Contact us here.
__
Photos: Mary Hood
