They are here! All the way from the U.S. Just a tad excited! #vapourbeauty #organicbeauty #naturalmakeup #ecochic

Ecstatic! Think I might have found the perfect shade of foundation as well as the perfect primer+foundation+concealer combo! Primer: #vapourbeauty stratus instant skin perfector in 903 Foundation: #vapourbeauty atmosphere luminous foundation in 135 for medium skin with yellow/olive skin tones Concealer: #vapourbeauty illusionist concealer in 035 Best part: it's organic, 100% natural and chemical free and their products smell divine. I also love the fact that you can order samples directly from their website www.vapourbeauty.com. Will have a more detailed review after I get the full products and at least one month of use. #ecochic #naturalmakeup #nontoxic #organic #firstimpression #face

Just restocked on these lovelies. My favourite #natural #skincare brand has to be Moogoo @moogoocows -- made in Australia, this skincare uses natural ingredients, is mineral oil free and pH balanced. As a result, MooGoo products are gentle on the skin. My skin hates anything with mineral oil in it (sorry, Bio Oil, Sorbolene and the likes) as it leaves my skin more dehydrated and irritated. MooGoo does what it promises: its products moisturise your skin and even the soap and shampoos are moisturising rather than drying. The base of most of their products is milk protein but there are special products for those who are allergic to milk protein. I have used MooGoo for a little over three years now and will continue using them. And no, I was not paid to post this! Head over to www.MooGoo.com.au for full range of products.

A pop of colour on a gloomy winter day! My #firstimpression #quickreview of #karenmurrell lipstick in Coral Dawn: I can't believe that this is natural lipstick! It smells and tastes great. Needs a bit of pawpaw if you have dry chappy lips for it to glide well. Decent pigmentation level. U just really love this colour on my skin and the satin finish. Lasts well for a few hours and leaves a nice stain but definitively would not last the whole day! It would require reapplication for a solid colour after a couple of drinks and meals, for instance. #ecochic

Really happy to have discovered these gems at the university's book co-op! Karen Murrell's lipsticks are made from natural based ingredients, don't contain mineral oils, animal based materials or parabens. The pretty packaging is made of recycled materia. Let me say this again: It's toxic free, ethical and environmental-friendly. But most importantly, this NZ brand prides itself for making lipsticks that actually deliver in terms of colour and wearability. I love their range; you don't often see so much variety in any other natural lipstick brand - I wished I could buy them all! In the end, I opted for Magenta Moon and Coral Dawn to test if the colours would indeed pop out and if they are as long lasting as claimed. Besides, every girl needs a bit of pink and coral in their life! 😉 More detailed review to come.

The Epiphany

After a chat to a good friend I had made the decision to transition to natural skincare and non toxic and earth friendly beauty products. I don't wear a lot of make up, never used to. Rather, I had been on the other end of the spectrum for the last couple years: I would NEVER wear make up to work and only put on a thin eyeliner on my lashline and a single coat of mascara for special events. And my definition of a night moisturiser was the body lotion that we all wore as a family. I just couldn't be bothered with it! Until a couple of weeks ago. I had professional make up done and loved the way I looked. I loved the way it made me feel. That instant lift. It was a slippery slope from there. Even though I had only recently forayed into the world of beauty, but my skin was already feeling the fallout of my daily makeup and skincare regime. I don't want to give up on taking care of my skin and improving my look (look at it as public service--would you want me to subject the world to my dark under eye circles everyday?), nor do I want to continue wearing daily make up and skincare products that come at the extent of the planet and my own health. Surely there are better ways! My good friend, through her informative FB posts, had made me aware of the toxicity and unethical ways of conventional cosmetics, at the same time enlightened me to alternatives. I work in sustainability. I had always speak about leading not only a healthy life but also an eco conscious one. You know all that minimising your ecological footprint etc? Yeah, I should have known better. I should WALK the TALK. I have taken to task of exploring alternative sustainable, earth friendly, natural, and toxic free brands and methods out there. Therefore as a repository for useful resources, links, images etc, I have set up this tumblr. This would also serve as an outlet for product reviews and other thoughts relevant to this quest. I hope to record my efforts to help me reflect and improve my ways--but I also hope to inspire others to make the change. Let's get the research and experimenting started!