Living Ethically is part of Ethical Earth Limited, a Limited Company established in 2004 by its Directors, Stephen and (Gorgeous) Samantha Ellis for the purpose of promoting organic, green and ethical lifestyles.  Although a limited company, Ethical Earth operates under a voluntary ‘non profit’ policy.  Their intention is not to profit from this venture, and pledge to donate any profits that may be generated to charitable causes.

The intention of the site is to make an ethical lifestyle choice easier, in the process helping to sustain the world we live in now, and preserving it for future generations to enjoy.  Sites listed on Living Ethically are chosen because they provide organic, eco-friendly and/or ethical products or services, not on their ethical credentials.

The website livingethically.co.uk has just been given a fresh new look, and now contains links to over 800 different UK websites, all grouped into helpful and intuitive categories, and all offering online shopping. And this is just in the shopping directory – there are many more within their information pages.

To visit Living Ethically just click on their link under Websites of Interest.

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

I’ve been having a bit of a mad few weeks and quite frankly, could use a bit of a glow, before, after or however else it wants to appear, so I was super excited to hear about a new mineral make-up, called Afterglow Cosmetics.

It’s a leading mineral make-up US company and the entire range is gluten free, cruelty free and vegan, making it the perfect choice for anyone looking for something super pure (or just the fussy ones amongst you).

I am in love with the eyeshadows (especially Storm, perfect for smokey eyes as it blends beautifully) the super dense pigment is incredible and apparently Marion Cotillard is a big fan of the lipsticks and she’s uber pretty so I’m willing to bow to her selections.

Bag yourself some purdy minerals from www.afterglowcosmetics.co.uk

It would take a lot to drag me away from my beloved NARS Orgasm (more of that later), but this week I’ve been trying out Afterglow Cosmetics’ Organic Mineral Blush, and have been pleasantly surprised with it.

For those who haven’t heard of the brand, Afterglow Cosmetics is one of the leading organic mineral make-up brands in the US. Their products are now available in the UK, too, and the range is completely gluten free, cruelty free and vegan. So you can look beautiful with a conscience basically.

The blush itself is a shimmer effect (there are also matt finishes available) which I love. I mean, give me a bit of glitter and I’m a happy girl. It’s not so glittery as to be unwearable in the daytime, though: when I tried it on the back of my hand I thought this was going to be strictly a “special occassions only” look, but once I’d actually applied it to my face, I was left with more of a pleasant glimmer/glow than out-and-out glitter, which is nice.

I tried ‘First Blush’ which is the browny-pink shade shown above. A light dusting of this gives a very natural look, which you could actually use all over your face as a bronzer, while a slightly more loaded brush creates that “flushed cheeks” look. Most impressive is the staying power: like most of the mineral cosmetics I’ve tried (and unlike “regular” makeup) this will stay put all day long – no extra applications required.

Organic Mineral Blush is £18 and available in eight different shades from the Afterglow Cosmetics website.

Mineral makeup is everywhere right now, and Afterglow is one of the newer additions to the UK cosmetics counter, having been a huge success in the States. It’s got great ethical credentials, is certified cruelty-free by the BUAV and contains no parabens or fragrances. So how well does it actually work?

I managed to get my hands on a few samples of the ‘80% organic, 100% natural’ range, and have asked a few members of the office to give me their verdict on the brand.

I tried the dusty rose blush, the first mineral blusher I’ve used. I liked this product a lot, as it was so soft and velvety it blended into my skin with ease, and gave a really natural-looking glow. It was easy to get the shade and intensity just right using a brush, creating as much or as little definition as you want. Get it online for £18

Catwalk Queen Editor-in-Chief Gemma tried the organic mineral setting powder over the weekend. The idea of this product is to help absorb oil to create a smoother finish, but it’s also loaded with antioxidants to help preserve a youthful glow. Gemma tried the ‘light’ setting powder, and commented: “It’s a perfect texture and works really well, but it’s more yellow / orange toned which doesn’t work so well with my skin. However I’m wearing it today,
and I think it looks quite natural.” Get it online for £22