My Top Five Vegan Foundations!

Looking for an updated version of this list?  Check this post here!

Not pictured:  Hourglass Immaculate Foundation

I have combination to oily skin, so please keep that in mind when reading this. However, I combat this fact by using a great primer (usually Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer) to make my skin appear a little more normal. I fully believe that all of these foundations can be worn by all skin types.

1. Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Full Coverage Foundation SPF 15 – 1.7 oz - $38.00

This is definitely my current favorite foundation. It is NOT full coverage immediately, but you can very easily build it up to be. I have been wearing this as both my foundation and concealer. It has fantastic coverage, even when applied lightly, and offers good oil control. I haven’t had any issues with patchiness, and although I wouldn’t say it lasts 12 hours on me, I definitely get a minimum of eight hours. They want you to use their big bamboo brush with this foundation, and while I agree that a large, dense synthetic brush is necessary, I strongly dislike the size of the brush head. I use a Real Techniques buffing brush, the Sephora Mineral Powder Brush #45, the Sephora Pro Airbrush #55 or #56, or the Urban Decay Good Karma Optical Blurring Brush if you get my second favorite foundation.

2. Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Foundation – 1 oz - $38.00

This foundation is everything you want out of a lightweight foundation. It offers color coverage without adding any texture (which is both good and bad, depending on your needs). It feels amazing because it feels like you’re wearing nothing at all, yet for those with no texture issues, you will be left with flawless skin. I am a huge fan of the finish of this foundation, and really love it. This is a fantastic foundation for anyone who likes how lightweight a tinted moisturizer is, but want more coverage. This foundation nearly won out the spot for number one, but I am in a long term relationship with my Amazonian Clay foundation at this point. They want you to apply it with their smaller, dense, synthetic fiber brush, and re-designed their pre-exisiting Good Karma foundation brush to make it perform even better with the formula. Important notes: it’s very liquid-y, and you have to shake the bottle before each application.

3. Beauty Without Cruelty Ultimate Natural Liquid Makeup-up – 0.5 oz - $23.95

I hadn’t realized that this was only a half an ounce, and that’s mainly because this bottle has lasted me so long (and still isn’t finished). It’s a beautiful, naturally radiant formula that looks like your skin, only better. I would compare the finish to NARS Sheer Glow, so if you prefer a more matte look, or are more on the oily side, you’ll need a good primer and setting powder. It applies easily, and it’s also wonderful with a fluffy, dense, synthetic brush (though I’ve also used a beauty blender type sponge and a flat foundation brush with no issue). It’s a great foundation since it’s so natural looking, I can’t imagine anyone truly disliking the finish. I will warn that the shades run possibly a tad dark, so keep that in mind when you order. I wear fair, and it’s still possibly a little too dark for me.

4. Hourglass Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation – 1 oz - $55.00

Where to begin: I love this foundation. If price were no factor in how I graded things, this foundation would certainly be in the top three. However, it is a little pricy and it kills me just a little every time I walk by it at work (because I’ll never bring it home with me). The price, however, is due from it’s promises (not claims!) that you do NOT need a powder with it, it WILL control oil, and it WILL have and maintain a matte finish all day. That is a pretty big list of demands, but this foundation delivers. I pair it with the Mineral Veil Primer and a stippling or buffing brush, and couldn’t be happier. The coverage is great and the range of colors is excellent (except for deep to very deep skin tones).

5. Pumpkin and Poppy Full Coverage Mineral Foundation – 30 grams - $10.75 (on sale)

I am not a huge fan of mineral powders of any sort, but I do make an exception when it comes to Pumpkin and Poppy. The owner is a long time internet friend, and I know that a lot of time and love goes into every product she creates. She worked very hard to bring out a full coverage mineral powder foundation that also has a large range of shades. She is currently reformulating all of her foundations, so look for those to return later this year. Another awesome thing about Pumpkin & Poppy? In the past, you could order a "refill" for your empty foundation, which helps reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in landfills! I think she will be bringing this program back. She also offered custom mixed colors (ie: if you find that mixing two parts of one foundation to one part of another was your perfect shade, she'd send you that, instead of having to buy both).

Review & Vegan Insight: Dr. Brandt's Pores No More Moisturizer

I have particular atrocities with my skin directly related to my combination/oily skin type.  I get a little.. shiny in my t-zone and my pores are huge.  I've had a pore on my cheek next to my nose that has been huge for years.  I'd given up all hope on it.  Then my lovely co-worker, Susan, made me a sample of Dr. Brandt's Pores No More.  I'll try anything, even if I don't end up buying it, just so I have the knowledge to tell a client how it went for me.

I tried the sample, which lasted me about a week, and now I am literally in a vegan-researching panic because my sample is nearly out and I am positively in LOVE with this product.  No one seemed to have a definite answer because it appeared vegan & cruelty-free but none of us knew for sure.  Our skin care educator was in today and I attacked him with questions (poor guy).  He told meeee:

[paraphrased]  Dr. Brandt is both vegan* & cruelty free.  He synthesizes ingredients in lab because natural (animal) sources are both cruelly obtained and terribly inconsistent.  Consistency is a HUGE deal to him.  The only reason he doesn't get certified is because he uses honey in a couple of products and therefore is technically not vegan.

After that, he and I had a conversation about why honey is cruel to obtain and he was actually quite shocked.

So, on to the actual product.  I absolutely love the Dr. Brandt's Pore No More moisturizer, and I now want the whole line.  It has done so much for my skin in such a short amount of time.  I will definitely be purchasing, despite the hefty price tag.  It's $55 for 1.7oz.  I'd like to say a little goes a long way, but use is about what you expect.  It's still worth it to me, it's that good.

If you're interested in it, but don't want to spend $55 on one item, pick up the Pores No More Travel Kit that includes trial sizes of the cleanser, the toner and the moisturizer.  I'm interested in the whole line, but I'm really happy with how it's working with my current skin care, which includes the Beauty Without Cruelty AHA Facial Cleanser.

Nutmeg & Coconut Milk Mask // I thought I was so clever.

I had read somewhere that Nutmeg was great for use in a face mask so one night when my skin was feeling particularly unhappy, I decided that it was time to give it a go.  I combined it with coconut milk, and was very happy with my results.  I thought that I was terribly brilliant until I gave "nutmeg coconut milk mask" a search on google and found this.

I was a little disappointed to find her doing just about the same thing as me (with the exception of using some poor, unsuspecting cow's milk instead of some poor, unsuspecting coconut's) but over a year before I thought I'd invented some great new mask.

OH WELL.  Let's veganize it & make it better, shall we?

1/2 tbsp ground nutmeg
1 tbsp coconut milk (whole fat & plain is going to be the most nourishing; I used the kind that you use as a milk replacer, but feel free to get the kind commonly used in cooking)

Mix these two items together in a small bowl to create a runny paste.  Yes, I'm aware that runny and paste are contradictory.  Slather the mixture all over your face, taking care to distribute your ground nutmeg as evenly as possible.  Massage all over for a good minute or two, and enjoy the delicious smell of nutmeg (and coconut milk if you're into that sort of thing).  Rinse with warm water and pat dry.  I found this left my skin very happy, but follow it up with the appropriate moisturizer if your face feels tight or dry.  Do this once a week to maintain that beautiful, hydrated, exfoliated glow.

FTC:  I bought the nutmeg, and there is a chance that j0hn bought the coconut milk.  I am not affiliated with the blog I linked too.  These are my honest opinions.

REVIEW: Beauty Without Cruelty!

I am extremely excited to be reviewing these products from Beauty Without Cruelty.  This is a brand that had brought to my attention, and I was, of course, very intrigued.  There aren't a lot of full color cosmetic lines out there that are cruelty free and vegan.  If you'd like to know where BWC came from, read their bio here on their page.

So what did they send me?

L to R: Natural Cream Concealer in Fair, the Natural Infusion Lipstick in Deep Plum & the Aromatherapy Skin Care AHA Facial Cleanser

Let's start with the concealer.  It's creamy, it's rich, and precise in the best way possible.  I've never used a pencil concealer like this and I really appreciate how easy it is to conceal around my nose around it, as this is where some of my serious redness is.  It's also easy to use under the eyes and blend out with my C425 Tapered Concealer from Crown (they're a match made in heaven).  It's available for $15.95.

The lipstick is hydrating and very pretty.  However, because it's hydrating, I suggest using a primer or a good lip liner first, and like you should with any high contrast lip look, set the edges with concealer or powder.  I love the color payoff, and the color in general of Deep Plum.  There aren't a lot of vegan lipstick lines with this many colors.  Even the packaging is absolutely adorable.  They are $22.95 each.

The face wash is amazing and also breaking my heart.  I was using it morning and night, but I'm going to have to reduce this to just morning because I'm starting to get a little flaky around my chin, sadly.  Other than that, I have no complaints about this cleanser and I love how soft my skin feels after I use it.  This item could possibly become a holy grail item, as I plan to repurchase.  It runs for $11.95 for 8.5 fl oz.

Overall, I'd have to say that I am very satisfied with Beauty Without Cruelty.  The prices teeter around the lower side of high end, or the higher end of drug store for the most part.  The products are good, and even better, they are vegan!  I definitely recommend trying something from Beauty Without Cruelty today!  You can start by entering the giveaway on my youtube!  ;)

FTC:  These items were sent to me by BWC's PR department for use and consideration.  I was not compensated for this review.  These are my honest opinions.