There’s a new and exciting brand of lipstick on the market… and one that promises to keep nasty, irritating ingredients such as synthetic preservatives well away from your lips. I think sometimes we forget just what we are putting on our lips (and ultimately into our bloodstream) and sacrifice quality for cheap products… because they are cheap!

Well, if you are conscious about toxic synthetics running around your body you need to get your mitts on a stick or two of the Afterglow range (there are 15 colours to choose from), which we recently trailed for ourselves.

The Review:

What was immediately apparent was the feel of the lipstick once on, it didn’t feel as oily as most other lipsticks, more creamy if you like. The second thing that is most noticeable is that your lips don’t tend to dry up, it’s like adding a creamy moisturiser to your lips. Thirdly, there’s no disgusting perfume taste left in your mouth… result! Finally, removal is incredibly simple and our lips felt… well, refreshed and moist rather than the normal dryness (and staining) so many other lipsticks leave you with.
Sticks retail at a respectable £22 for a 4g stick, but once you’ve tried it for yourself we’re confident you’ll be converted!

What do you get when you blend natural, organic, mineral makeup with the high-fashion highly pigmented hues you crave? An afterglow, of course! Created by Kristin Adams, a naturalist and artist who “believes that the ritual and transformative power of cosmetics are indeed a daily form of personal art and expression,” Afterglow Mineral Cosmetics offers a high-performance, high-quality, never-tested-on-bunnies, and mostly vegan variety of products that are easy on your skin and on animals.

Perfect for sensitive skin, Afterglow’s myriad mineral-based cosmetics are gluten, Paraben, talc, and bismuth oxychloride free. What’s this business about bismuth, you ask? You know how some types of mineral makeup can sometimes make you itch and break out? Blame the bismuth.

Afterglow’s vegan collection of foundations, powders, blushes, bronzers, eye shadows, mascaras, and eyeliners are guaranteed not to crease, cake, or flake out on you.
Because Afterglow is approved by PETA for leaving animal testing out of its beauty regimen, we’re proud to present Afterglow founder Kristin Adams with our Trail-Blazer Award.

Log onto www.caringconsumer.com for a more cruelty free lifestyle.

Organic Mineral Foundation by Afterglow
Price: £28
Stockist: AfterglowCosmetics.co.uk

Afterglow Organic Mineral Foundation comes in unassuming, yet surprisingly clever packaging. The pot has a clear lid, which enables you to see how much foundation you have tapped out without having to remove the lid – making it easier to use than other similar brands. The powder glides onto the skin easily and gives a good, even coverage. On oily or combination skin it may feel a little tacky to the touch and could leave you with a shiny complexion later in the day, so to combat this Afterglow has an Organic Mineral Setting Powder which helps with oil absorption. For anyone with a dry complexion the foundation should cover well enough on its own without being too drying. This foundation surpassed the ELLE team’s expectations for not only being good quality, but being effective, too.

The second highly commended is awarded to Afterglow Mineral Cosmetics for its Organic Lip Love Lipstick. Afterglow combine mineral extracts with certified organic antioxidant ingredients such as grape seed extract and pomegranate extract that have age-defying properties. The range is also PETA and Leaping Bunny approved.

Lifescape – Healthy Ethical Living
Issue: December/January 2009

Viva Life Magazine
Issue: 39 Winter 2008