With the holidays fast approaching, and spending on the rise, I have had lots of reader interest in cost-effective organic cosmetics. While there are lots of luxury cosmetics (organic or not) on the market, you certainly do not have to spend a fortune on skincare and makeup to get safe and effective products. Luxury does have its place, but daily use items should be affordable.
I posted a similar version of this article over on
Feelgood Style too. That is how much interest I’ve had on the subject lately. Following are my tips and favorites to keep you healthy, gorgeous and in the green. There are even a couple of deals thrown in to help you along the way…
Organic Skin Care & Body Care
Lavera (one of my long-standing favorites) makes both skincare and makeup that are not only fabulous, but safe and budget-friendly. FACES Organic Skincare Systems offer products for each skin type. My top picks –
Wild Rose Cleansing Milk ($19) and
Calendula Balancing Cream ($23.50).
*You can find Lavera products at LoveTrueNatural.com. Get 20% off your first time order with code FIRSTORDER. (First time order offer excludes kits and clearance items.)*
SKIN brand offers a wide range of products for face and body at very reasonable prices. And they come in bigger sizes too. My faves from this brand –
Apricot Mango eye cream (($24.95),
Lemon Lips lip balm ($6.95) and
Naked Skin unscented face & body lotion (14.95).
*Get 15% off all SKIN brand products at Caren Online through Jan 15th 2012 with code SKIN15*
For body, it is hard to beat
Shea Moisture Organic Coconut & Hibiscus Shea Butter Wash($9.99). Thick and rich (so it lasts a good, long time) and smells delicious. Love it! Added bonus: you can pick it up at Target, Wal-Mart or Walgreen’s.
Makeup
Lavera is also one of my staple makeup brands, with prices ranging from $11-$24. My all-time favorite mascara is
Volume Mascara in black ($20) and
Mattifying Mineral Finish Loose Powder ($20), both of which last a long time.
SANTE is another terrific organic makeup brand, and offer lots of products and colors. I totally love the
Eyeshadow Sticks ($12) and
Eyeliner Pencils ($11). Both go on really smooth but stay put.
Another all natural makeup line that is also easy on the pocketbook is
Benecos. The range begins at just $9 and even includes
nail polish free from the most harmful polish ingredients. While I have not yet tried any Benecos products personally, they do come highly recommended. Look for my review on this line coming up soon.
*You can find Lavera, Sante and Benecos products at LoveTrueNatural.com. Get 20% off your first time order with code FIRSTORDER. OR score this awesome Benecos Holiday Glamour Set for eyes, only $30! (First time order offer excludes kits and clearance items.)*
100% Pure makes great skincare and body care, but it is hard to beat their cream blushers,
Pot Rouge ($15). Come in lots of sweet colors, too. Same goes for their
Shimmery Lip & Cheek Tints ($15), a multi-use product.
Don’t worry, we won’t forget the lips.
Crazy Rumors Lip Colors are pretty, tasty, and keep lips super soft. And at just $4.99 you can have a couple.
Tips
There are a few tricks you can use to extend the life of your organic cosmetics. While there are certain products you will probably use up more quickly (facial cleansers, moisturizers, foundation), others are a good long term investment.
A good facial oil not only offers your skin added hydration and glow-i-ness, but can stretch your moisturizer and double as a treatment. I like to add a few drops at night to my regular moisturizer. No need to purchase a nighttime moisturizer, and a facial oil lasts and lasts because you only use 2-3 drops at a time. You can spend a mini-fortune on facial oils, but two I like that are not bank-breakers:
MuBeauty ($45) and
Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil ($24.95).
Purchasing samples and try-me sizes are a good way to see if you like a product before laying down the cash for the full-size.
Spirit Beauty Lounge has a great deal on samples – purchase 9 samples for $25. Caren Online also sells
Try-Me sized products at very reasonable rates.
Have some favorite budget-friendly products of your own? We'd love to know about them! And if you have any questions on these (or any other) organic cosmetics, please leave me a comment below.
Image: elycefeliz at Flickr.com, Creative Commons license
