We got our shipment of Afterglow cosmetics & I’m in love! Their eye liner is amazing. It comes in a powder form. I dab a little water onto my contoured brush, dab a little of the eye powder & blend until it’s a creamy paste. I then apply. The colors are beautiful.

Amazing quality. I love that the ingredients are organic & completely gluten-free. I can’t explain how nice it to be able to wear lipstick without worrying about my guys! I’m really happy with the quality & the colors & the choices!

Mineral makeup has increased in popularity as we become more and more conscious of the effect products have on our skin and bodies. Mineral makeup is free of irritants like perfumes, preservatives such as parabens, alcohols and dyes that many traditional makeup brands use. However, many mineral makeup lines contain Bismuth Oxychloride. Bismuth Oxychloride is a chemical that produces shine. Although the FDA has approved this for use in cosmetics, 75% of the users (mostly women) are allergic to this chemical. When you use a product containing bismuth oxychloride you are pushing small metallic particles into your skin, that will clog your pores. Acne and roseacea sufferers who use these products find that they also irritate and aggrevate their condition. You can tell if you are allergic if your face itches after application. This chemical is also not complimentary for use on older skin because the shimmery look creates a mask-like appearance that enhances wrinkles making skin look older and feel drier than it is.                                                                                   

After years of struggling to find a makeup line that did not make her sensitive skin itch and break out with acne, Kristin Adams founded Afterglow Cosmetics mineral makeup line which suited her needs. “All the women in my family are sensitive to food, cosmetics and perfume” says Kristin. “I started using make-up to cover up acne but it seemed to only make my skin feel and look worse.”  To develop the line, Kristin teamed up with one of the foremost cosmetic chemists in the industry. Their focus on using only pure, natural and organic ingredients make Afterglow‘s mineral makeup a favorite with dermatologists and estheticians worldwide. But even with all the great benefits, many women that have switched from traditional makeup to mineral makeup are confused about how to the best way to use mineral makeup. Here are a few tips that will help optimize your experience.  

How To Use Mineral Makeup:  For those with dry, flaky skin, add a small amount of powder into the palm of the hand. Add a drop of moisturizer. Blend the two products together until a smooth, creamy consistency is achieved. Use your fingers or make-up wedge to apply. For young or blemished skin, apply it in very sheer layers bronzer or foundation with a vegan kabuki brush or flat top brush all over the face. Loose powder mineral makeup is NOT designed to work with a sponge. Mineral bronzers and blush can be applied with a fan brush, blush brush, kabuki brush, or flat top foundation brush. Apply to areas where you want a fresh sun-kissed glow. To apply eye shadow, dip an eye shadow brush into the desired color and apply to your eyelids. For liquid eyeliner, wet your brush with water; dip into the desired color of mineral powder.  Mix water and powder together on the back of your hand or in separate container until well blended; apply to the lid as desired. Afterglow Cosmetics has ten shades of organic lipstick and five shades of organic lip gloss with botanicals. These are premixed for ease of use. However if you feel the desire to create your own shades, dip your lip brush into your favorite lip balm/stick/gloss and then into the mineral powder of your choice. Blend well and then apply to lips.

  Afterglow Cosmetics is composed of pure mineral ingredients, 100% vegan, Gluten Free, Paraben Free, Bismuth Oxychloride Free while offering the highly pigmented color palette you crave.  Afterglow’s products have continuously been among the most highly rated for safety on the Environmental Working Group’s “Skin Deep Report” website. Afterglow are also proud signers of The Breast Cancer Fund’s Compact for Safe Cosmetics (Campaign for Safe Cosmetics) to advocate for safer cosmetics. For more Information about Afterglow Cosmetics Visit:

http://www.afterglowcosmetics.com 

The latest in news on Afterglow Mineral Makeup is that the organic makeup stands out as in an international hit.

Read all about it in the Global Fashion Report.

  

  Reena’s Make-up Bag Favorites

Foundation: Afterglow Cosmetics Organic Foundation in Shell and Finishing Powder in Medium. “Both make your pores all but invisible and give a nice glow while controlling shine.”
Blush: Afterglow Cosmetics Blush in Smitten. “It’s a matte shade. For my oily skin, it’s the best.”
Mascara: Afterglow Cosmetics Pure Soul Mascara in Mink. Actually achieves a “bright eyed look” after a weekend of ‘grape appreciation.’

 

 Afterglow Cosmetics’ Organic Mineral Foundation is 100% natural, contains a natural sunscreen, and it suitable for even the most sensitive of skin. Sadly, the trial tub was the wrong shade for my porcelain (ahem!) skin, so I handed it over to Norma of Keeping It Realtor (who does have sensitive skin), who writes:“I’ve never really been much of a foundation wearer. I hate the feeling of heavy makeup on my skin, so tinted moisturiser normally suits me fine. As someone with, ahem, more mature skin, I also prefer a “dewy” look, rather than a powdery one, which I think can be very aging, so, when I tried Afterglow Cosmetics Organic Mineral Foundation, I have to admit, I didn’t really expect to like it. Well, it just goes to show that it’s always worthwhile trying out something different every once in a while, because this was nothing like I’d imagined it…For a start, this foundation is as light as a feather on your skin - probably not surprising, given that it’s a powder, but as I mentioned, I had expected to feel like I was caked in makeup, and that wasn’t the case at all. I brushed it on (a proper kabuki brush would’ve been a good idea here, but I didn’t have one, so used the biggest brush I had), buffed it in, and was really surprised by the coverage, which was sheer, matt, and not at all chalky, which is what I’d worried about.As for the fine lines - my daughter has always hated mineral makeup because she finds it emphasizes any lines she has, but this wasn’t the case for me. I couldn’t say it made me look younger (but of course, it doesn’t claim to), but it definitely didn’t emphasize the lines, and just left my skin looking smooth and even - I really didn’t feel like I was wearing it at all.Overall, I was very pleasantly surprised by this. Will I give up my tinted moisturiser for it? Well, maybe not all the time, but I will definitely be alternating it with this one now!”Buy: Afterglow Cosmetics Organic Mineral Foundation

Hot on the heels of all things natural and organic, mineral make-up is everywhere at the moment, but look before you leap on the bandwagon. Not all mineral products are any better for your skin than ’standard’ make-up. Many contain parabens, dyes and fillers, along with a chemical called bismuth oxychloride which can give a rather unatural orangey glow.  Our current fave for quality mineral make-up is 

US brand Afterglow. Their organic mineral foundation contains pharmaceutical grade minerals and pigments, natural sunscreen and age-defying antioxidants. A worthy investment, especially if you have super-sensitive skin.  It’s even suitable for people with gluten sensitivity.Afterglow Organic Mineral Foundation, £28 (20 shades)
www.afterglowcosmetics.co.uk

Green-eyed Girl: Perfectly Green Skin Care
By Tess Kurzeja

When it comes to glowing by day and night, keep makeup light and fresh with a thin layer of tinted moisturizer and foundation followed by a hit of Afterglow’s Organic Glow Bronzer ($18 at afterglowcosmetics.com). This loose bronzer lends a unique summer “glow” that enhances skin tone without the orange hue that other bronzers are known for. 

 

Eco Zen Boutique, a socially conscious, green fashion boutique announced the opening of its new online store at ecozenboutique.com. The eco-friendly shopping site offers eco chic clothing, organic cosmetics, recycled handbags, earth friendly jewelry and green gifts and goodies at competitive prices. In addition, Eco Zen Boutique is offsetting its carbon footprint through Carbonfund.org, one of the country’s leading carbon offset organizations.

Eco Zen Boutique focuses on balancing style and sustainability by handpicking each product line according to the company’s commitment to environmental stewardship. All products at ecozenboutique.com are organic, fair trade, recycled, reclaimed or otherwise sustainable providing a simplified shopping experience for a growing segment of fashion- and eco-conscious consumers.

“You don’t have to sacrifice style to make a difference. It takes each of us doing just a little more to make a big change collectively. If you have a choice, why not buy the product that causes the least harm to the environment, to the people who made it and to your own body?” said boutique owner Tandy Stepp. “It’s easy going green if you start small. The next time you need to replace your mascara, mineral foundation, eye shadow or lipstick, try one of our organic, paraben-free, non animal tested products by Afterglow Cosmetics. The flattering color palette is not only beautiful but does not contain harmful ingredients like most off the shelf make-up does today.”

 

It is said that the average woman ingests up to four pounds of lipstick or gloss in a lifetime. According to the Environmental Working Group, a partner of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, one-third of personal care products contain at least one chemical linked to cancer. With that in mind, I decided to begin looking for some safe alternatives, and I found a GREAT one with Afterglow Mineral Cosmetics’ Organic Love Lipsticks.

Depending on the shade, these lipsticks are made with approximately 70% to 82% certified organic ingredients. Some of the key ingredients include organic jojoba seed oil, Vitamin E, organic pomegranate seed extract, organic grape seed extract, and organic apricot kernel. The rest of the ingredients are iron oxides and micas, (for pigment) and titanium oxide (for opacity), which are all pharmaceutical grade inert minerals. Organic Love is free from petroleum, gluten, paraben, nuts and the entire line of cosmetics is cruelty and gluten free. These gals over there are on the ball!

Aside from all those benefits, the lipstick itself goes on light and smooth, not heavy and waxy. Your lips will feel fabulous, as though the nutrients were going to work to moisturize and condition instantaneously. For real!

I highly recommend this product, so go to their site, drop $22 bucks and eat all the lipstick you want.

Note: Visit the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics site, which has a ton of information about all beauty products and their ingredients. You will find it invaluable.

Posted by Kristine Livadas @ I Dream Of Greenie

Afterglow Cosmetics is the brainchild of safe cosmetics advocate, Kristin Adams, who says, “Many organic and natural cosmetics still include paraben preservatives, which are known to play a role in the development of breast cancers. We believe women deserve to use amazing cosmetics without risking their health.”As a luxury mineral makeup line, Afterglow Cosmetics is rated the top makeup line for safety by the Environmental Working Group. Afterglow Cosmetics contain no parabens, petroleum derived ingredients or synthetic dyes. “The product is comprised of pure inert minerals which allow us to keep them preservative free,” says

Adams, which also makes it perfect for those with sensitive skin or those allergic to other makeup lines. Additionally, the minerals serve as a natural sunscreen, blocking both UVA and UVB rays.

But what really sets Afterglow Cosmetics apart from other natural makeup lines is their color selection. Afterglow kicks it up a notch by offering a vibrant color palette in 21 intensely pigmented eye shadow shades. Having sensitive skin herself and tired of wearing “crunchy” colors like taupe,

Adams decided to launch her own full-line of natural mineral makeup. From delicate daytime iridescent pastels like “purr” to exotic shades like “detour” that can take you straight to the club, all have amazing staying power and a sexy shimmer thanks to ingredients that are naturally luminescent.