One of the new-to-me brands that I had the pleasure of trying for the first time during my Clean Beauty Month in April was Hush + Dotti. In the age of Etsy shops it’s hard to surprise anyone with handcrafted beauty products, but these guys get major props for keeping their formulations clean, safe, non-toxic, and vegan.
“Born out of our passion for a healthy lifestyle…”
While the concept of clean cosmetics is not new, the entire industry of non-toxic beauty is still flying under the radar, considering that a lot of people don’t know safe makeup is even an option. Hush + Dotti found a sweet spot in this untapped niche, and aside from being one of the few mid-range brands that produce safe and ethical cosmetic, their products are just really darn good. No lie!
I had the opportunity to select my own sample kit here, and since I wanted to try a little bit of everything, I opted in for a lipstick, a concealer, a mascara, and a bronzer.
Speaking of, Hush + Dotti does not exactly make bronzers per se, but rather the company offers a single formulation of their lovely Pressed Mineral Foundation in a wide range of shades, some of which can be used as bronzers even on those of you with caramel complexions. The lightest shade is around NC15, and the darkest is actually dark. For my “bronzer” I picked Beach Girl, which is described on the website as the “perfect tone of medium brown – not too much warmth and no red undertones”. I would say that it works quite well as a bronzer for warming up the skin tone. I love my fair skin, but sometimes it can look a bit too sickly when I don’t get enough sleep. That’s when a few light sweeps of a neutral-toned bronzer along the edges of my face usually do the trick. However, Beach Girl didn’t work for me as a contouring shade, because of those warm tones peeking through when it’s blended out. For contouring I usually stick with something that’s cool-toned, even ashy, with colors that emulate natural shadows. And we all know, those are never warm. 🙂
To sum it up, Hush + Dotti Pressed Mineral Foundation in Beach Girl works wonders as a bronzer for fair skin; not so much as a contour.
And now some ingredient nerdiness. In the ingredient list below you’ll see a couple potential triggers, but keep in mind, sometimes it’s all about the sources. While Bismuth Oxychloride can be potentially irritating for very sensitive skin [due to the shape of the grains], the ingredient itself is safe for use in cosmetics if sourced from a country that has very strict purity standards in place. All of Hush + Dotti ingredients are sourced in the USA.
Ingredients: Mica, Bismuth Oxychloride, Zinc Oxide, Dimethicone, Silica, Boron Nitride, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Punica Granatum, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Romarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf. Caprylyl Glycol*, Phenoxyethanol*. [+/- May Contain] Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891) Iron Oxides (CI 77491, 77492, 77499). *Concentration 0.25%.
I raved about Hush + Dotti Organic Concealer in my April favorites post, because seriously guys, this is exactly the type of formula I love. It’s creamy with medium to medium-full coverage and a luminous finish. I still prefer dry formulas in pencil or stick format to conceal blemishes, but for dark circles there’s nothing better than this brightening goodness that still makes my skin look like skin.
Hush + Dotti Organic Concealer in Jane is a good match for NC15 skin tone, and it feels very comfortable throughout the day. If you have oily eyelids, I would recommend lightly dusting it with some setting powder to make sure it stays on all day without creasing. But even if it creases, the formula feels more like skincare so it’s very easy to touch up if you ever need to. Thought I’d mention that, because as you know, some concealers are not touchup-friendly. Once they smudge, they just look like crap and any extra layers just make it worse. Well, not this one! 🙂
And yes, the ingredient list really is that clean.
Ingredients: *Ricinus communis (castor) seed oil, *Cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, Uuphorbia cerifera (candelilla) wax, *Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil, *Theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, *Butyrospermum parkii (shea butter) fruit, [+/- may contain]: Titanium dioxide (CI 77891), Iron oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Tocopherol (vitamin e), Rosmarinus officinalis leaf extract. *Certified organic.
Naturally, I had to try a mascara, too, because I was on a hunt for something with clean, non-toxic ingredients that would give me bold lashes. The first botanical mascara I tried was from 100% Pure, however, I didn’t care much for the clumps and having to brush it out more times than necessary. Hush + Dotti Organic Mascara was on the other end of the spectrum: it initially goes on fairly sheer, but the coverage can be easily built up with extra layers. You’d think that it will eventually get clumpy and spidery, but nope! It keeps on looking natural even with 5-6 layers. Trust me, I tried to intentionally make it look bad, and failed [or did I win?]. Essentially, the extra layers help build the volume at the roots and the overall thickness of the lashes, but they don’t do much for length. Lesson learned: if you want bold, false lash effect, look in the mineral makeup department. For everyday girl-next-door, #iwokeuplikethis look a botanical based mascara is where it’s at though.
What I love the most about Hush + Dotti Organic Mascara ingredients is how pure they are. There are a whole bunch of nourishing oils, waxes, and extracts, many of them organic. It’s makeup that’s better to wear than not to wear, how cool is that?
Ingredients: Water (aqua), *Chamomile hydrosol (matricaria recutita), Copernicia cerifera (carnauba) wax, mica (CI 77019), *Coffea arabica (coffee powder), *Oryza sativa (rice) powder, *Helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, *Zea mays (corn) starch, Lecithin, Tocopherol (vitamin e), *Origanum vulgare (oregano) leaf extract, Thymus vulgaris (thyme) extract, *Cinnamomum zeylanicum (cinnamon tree) bark extract, *rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) flower extract, *hydrastis canadensis (goldenseal) root extract *citrus medica limonum (lemon) peel extract, vanilla planifolia, [+/- may contain]: titanium dioxide (CI 77891), iron oxides (CI 77499), (CI 77491), (CI 77492). *Certified organic.
Top to Bottom: Hush + Dotti Pressed Mineral Foundation in Beach Girl, Hush + Dotti Organic Concealer in Jane, Hush + Dotti Organic Lipstick in T-Bone.
Last, but not least, I figured I might as well try a lipstick, too, even though I already had several from other clean beauty companies in similar colors. What can I say, I’m a lipstick hoarder, and I definitely have more lippies than I need [or use], but I just love them so much. Hush + Dotti lipsticks come in nine wearable everyday shades that are easy by anyone to pull off. They even have a couple bold choices for those who fancy a dark lip or a classic red, but most are shades of beige, pink, or rosy mauve.
It took me forever to pick one to try, but I settled on Hush + Dotti Organic Lipstick in T-Bone, a pink coral with creamy consistency and luminous finish. That lightweight comfortable feel reminds me of Bite Beauty Multisticks, which cost about the same, but have slightly worse ingredients. And why pay more when you can have a better lipstick? That’s totally my own opinion though, Bite Beauty is a fab brand with lots of great products, but Hush + Dotti wins this one for me if I had to pick one. I mean, just look at that rich pigment!
Ingredients: *Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax , *Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Microcrystalline Wax ,*Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Vegetable Oil, Isostearyl Palmitate, *Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, *Mango Butter (Mangifera Indica), *Theobroma Grandiflorum (Cupuacu) Butter, *Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, *Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Grapefruit Seed Extract , Potassium Sorbate, Vanilla Planifolia, [May Contain: +/-] Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Mica. *Certified organic.
Well, I tried to be brief and somehow managed to make a super long post again. Sorry about that! I think you pretty much get the gist though: I am very impressed with Hush + Dotti makeup so far, or at least with the products that I sampled. The company also makes skincare, which I have not tried yet, but it’s on the list, and you’ll be hearing about it as soon as I do. Those of you looking to ease into clean, non-toxic makeup should definitely put this brand on your radar. These formulations are top notch and well worth your hard earned money. If you followed me long enough, you know that I don’t make such claims lightly.
So, the main question is do you need these?
The lipstick and the concealer are hands down amazing and some of the best in class. I would spend my own money on these, now that I know how well they work with my skin. The mascara and bronzer are not necessarily must haves, but they are both really good options to consider. Again, read above what I said about each one and what they do, because you might consider them must haves for your needs.
In closing, you’ll be happy to know that all Hush + Dotti beauty products are handcrafted in small batches using organic & vegan ingredients, and certified by Leaping Bunny, Cruelty Free International & PETA.
Have you tried natural makeup before? Which of your non-clean makeup products do you most want to replace with a healthier option? Let me know in the comments below!
