Ever since taking a class in college on the effects of endocrine disruptors, I have vowed to make conscious choices based on more research of the brand and ingredients in the everyday products I use. Ubiquitous chemicals including parabens and phthalates are found in many cosmetics, and avoiding them is no easy task. As I've mentioned in my Whole Foods Shampoo & Conditioner review, Skin Deep is a cosmetics database I refer to that is created by EWG to inform the public of potential hazards in a product. It's not the most comprehensive database, however, and often times the products I'm looking for are not listed. On one hand, I find myself giving in to a cosmetic product that received an unequivocal rating of 4-5 on the hazardous scale; and other times, I just want to give up buying makeup altogether and whip up a concoction of my own a la Crunchy Betty. In a perfect world, I wouldn't need to use anything to cover up blemishes, even out skin tone, or add color to my sickly winter complexion, because my skin would be perfect.
In reality, there are brands out there that have created products that answered the prayers of neurotic, conscious consumers like me. I had been eye-ing the products of W3LL People for a few months before buckling down to purchase their popular, Narcissist Stick Foundation. The brand was founded by a trio of a makeup-guru, an environmentalist, and a dermatologist, who came together to make products that are effective, natural and organic, and sustainable/environmentally-friendly. Talk about a triple threat! Replacing all the potentially harmful chemicals with all natural ingredients, their line of products include foundations, mineral powders, brushes, multi-use cheek and lip sticks, eye shadows and even an eyeliner. Since I was running out of foundation (I was trying to tide myself over with what I thought would be a drugstore dupe - Almay's Clear Complexion Concealer), I ordered the Narcissist Stick Foundation on beauty.com during their 20% off Friends and Family sale.
Keep reading for my thoughts on this product...
My order came packaged in a ziplock bag that seems to be made from natural recycled material. The tube of foundation itself is very simple, sleek and satiny - I know it's strange to notice the texture of a label. Its roll-up design also makes it convenient for travel and on-the-go application. I also did notice that the tube is not 100% full, ie. the tube could be rolled down even before I started using the product. Nevertheless, it looks like a hefty tube that should last awhile.
Ingredients
The ingredients list makes a flower child like me extremely happy. See below:
NATURAL INGREDIENTS
Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Oil* infused with Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea Complex) Leaf**, Ganoderma Lucidum (Reishi Mushroom)***, Morella Cerifera (Bayberry- wildharvested); Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Cera Alba (Beeswax)****, Silica, Essential Oils, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil (and) Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Extract, Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E), [+/-: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, 77492, 77499), Mica (CI 77019)] *Certified Organic by Stellar, **Certified Organic by QAI, *** Certified Organic by Oregon TILTH, **** Certified Organic by Koster Keunen
*it's 100% natural, and 60% organic
I love that most of these items are things I recognize and don't have to look up! Also, note the amount of items that actually come from nature - they give the product a woodsy, musky yet minty scent. The combination of different extracts and oils also explains why a few hours of wear might create a dewy glowing - not oily - effect on your skin.
Color & Application (also check out this YouTube video)
There are 6 shades available, from 1-6, and samples are available for $1.50 on their website. I ordered my foundation in shade #3, which is a light-medium shade described to suit people with yellow undertones. I find that it's a fairly good match to most areas of my face, but my forehead tends to be a little darker year-round so I could've gotten the next shade as well to cover the whole range.
Be sure to watch the YouTube link above for more information including a mini tutorial on how to apply the product. Sophie shows the method of dabbing the foundation with your fingers and transferring to areas on your face, which is what I have been doing. (So even though this is a good travel product, it's not ideal for germaphobes.) It's also tricky at first to master the amount of product you need because the product is so light that it doesn't feel as though you applying anything. Once your fingers warm up the foundation, you can visibly see the coverage that you build up. You can also use a foundation brush to apply all over the face, or what I like to do is to use a concealer brush to go over the blemishes and trouble spots. And finally, a setting powder is a good idea because as I mentioned before, a dewy glow does set in after extended wear - for someone with oily skin in the summer, this would not be pretty!
Wear
Somehow this product looks better with wear. I have been wearing this foundation through 10-12 hour days and I'm quite impressed with the amount of coverage at the end of the day - even on blemishes! The one caveat I have mentioned over and over in this post is the dewy effect, which might be a problem for some skin types. I personally enjoy this for the winter when skin tends to look dull. It's also nothing a little dusting of powder cannot fix.
Overall, I'm really enjoying this product so far. For something that is naturally made from a brand of integrity, and which provides long-lasting coverage and natural finish, I think it's worth the investment. There are special offers and deals on the W3LL People website, and beauty.com always has coupons and friends & family sales, not to mention the free shipping over $25. Yes, I'm already trying to justify my next purchase... on my wish list: Universalist Matte Multi-Use Stick in #7 and Hypnotist Eyeliner!
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