Natural & Non-Toxic Makeup from Lavera (review + demo)

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Lavera Makeup Review & Swatches

Since a lot of you guys are interested in natural and non-toxic alternatives to conventional makeup, I decided to start featuring clean beauty brands more often on this blog. Today I am sharing my thoughts on Lavera makeup, and a super low-key FOTD look.

This German brand of toxin-free, natural cosmetics has been around for quite a while now, and recently celebrated their 30th Anniversary. Growing up in Russia, I used to buy Lavera lip balm, which was quite the splurge at the time [I could get six LipSmackers instead!], but nothing worked better for my chronically chapped lips. Last year, while trying to incorporate safer makeup products into my routine, I decided to give a test run to two items from Lavera catalogue that stood out to me: Illuminating Eyeshadow Quattro in #3 Indian Dream ($30) and Volume Mascara in Black ($19).

Lavera Illuminating Eyeshadow Quattro palette is available in three color variations, but I think that #3 Indian Dream is the most striking one, with autumn-inspired colors that are beautifully warm and dramatic. The palette can be easily used for bold makeup looks, as well as something more subtle and toned down for everyday wear.

From personal experience, I noticed that many natural eyeshadows tend to be a little chalkier and less pigmented than conventional ones, but these are pretty nice. I used a lightly dampened sponge applicator for swatches to show the color better, but they can be used both wet and dry. The eyeshadows are easy to blend and don’t kick up too much dust in the pan. There was some minor fallout from the brown shade when I applied it dry, but I’ve got nothing negative to say about the other three.

Lavera Illuminating Eyeshadow Quattro in #3 Indian Dream (swatches)

On the lids the eyeshadows start off with medium opacity, but it’s easy to build up the intensity with a few extra strokes, especially when using a dampened applicator or a finger. I tested the wear time without primer on my oily, slightly hooded lids, and at the end of the day the creasing was minimal. Frankly, I probably wouldn’t even notice I wasn’t looking for it.

All in all, I think Illuminating Eyeshadow Quattro in Indian Dream is a decent all-natural alternative to conventional makeup. Just when you start thinking that non-toxic eyeshadows are kind of blah, Lavera once again proves that it’s totally doable to make a great product without compromising on quality or safety of the ingredients.

Keep in mind that the palette comes without an applicator, so you will need to use your own brushes. I also recommend using primer for best results.

You will LOVE it if:

• You like to support cruelty-free brands.
• You wear contacts. This palette is recommended for contact lens wearers.
• You avoid synthetic colors and fragrances in cosmetics.
• You are looking for non-toxic alternatives to conventional makeup.
• You don’t like to buy makeup made in China. Lavera products are manufactured in Germany.
• You try to avoid controversial eyeshadow ingredients, like parabens and talc.
• You prefer natural & non-toxic cosmetics.

You will HATE it if:

• You prefer full intensity color in one swipe.
• You never use primer.
• You are sensitive to any of the ingredients.
• You don’t buy makeup you can’t easily swatch in the store.
• Minor fallout from the dark brown pan is an issue.
• You don’t like having to use a dampened applicator to get opaque color.

Ingredients: Vegetable Glycerin Oil, Silicon Minerals, Seaweed Powder, Lecithin, Micro Crystalline Cellulose, Magnesium Stearate, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Algin, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Alcohol, Essential Oil Blend. May contain: Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Pearlescent Pigment, Iron Oxides, Carmine, Tin Oxide.

Lavera Volume Mascara in Black

Lavera Volume Mascara comes in two colors – Black and Brown, and I personally prefer the former for everyday wear. Earlier I mentioned that good natural eye shadows that are hard to come by, but high quality natural mascaras seem to be pretty common. I tried a few from several different brands, and they were all great.

Lavera’s Volume Mascara is formulated with organic Jojoba Oil and Wild Rose Oil to condition and nourish the lashes throughout the wear. The formula is not waterproof or completely smudge-proof, although it is smudge resistant. I notice a bit of smudging along the bottom lash line at the end of the day. Once I stopped using it on my lower lashes, the smudges went away, too. I have oily lids, so I think the constant rubbing of the mascara against the skin caused the formula to melt off and leave marks. Because of that, I don’t think this particular mascara will work well for someone with very hooded lids or a monolid.

The mascara is equipped with the standard fluffy volumizing wand, and it definitely gives my lashes the desired effect. They are normally pretty sparse and adorned with discolored tips, so they look even shorter. That’s why good volumizing mascara is a must have in my routine. Volume Mascara helps build thickness at the roots, making my lashes appear thicker, longer, and more voluminous.

You will LOVE it if:

• You like to support cruelty-free brands.
• You have sparse eyelashes that need volume.
• You wear contacts. This mascara was ophthamologically tested and recommended for contact lens wearers.
• You avoid synthetic colors and fragrances in cosmetics.
• You are looking for non-toxic alternatives to conventional makeup.
• You don’t like to buy makeup made in China. Lavera products are manufactured in Germany.
• You try to avoid controversial mascara ingredients, like parabens, heavy metals, and mineral oil.
• You prefer natural & non-toxic cosmetics.

You will HATE it if:

• You prefer waterproof mascara.
• You have hooded eyelids or a monolid.
• You plan to use it on bottom lashes.
• You are sensitive to any of the ingredients.

Ingredients: Water, Organic Alcohol, Dodecane, Rhus Verniciflua Peel Wax, Cetearyl Alcohol, Pullulan, Organic Butyrospermum Parkii, Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate, Cellulose, Hectorite, Organic Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Sorbitol, Dehydroxantham Gum, Acacia Senegal Gum, Trehalose, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Natural Fragrance. May contain: Iron Oxides.

Minor creasing I was talking about earlier (after about 6 hours of wear).

The whole eye look consists of a mix of taupe and pink over the lid, a smidgeon of brown in the outer corners along the bottom lash line, and then a couple swipes of orange in the crease, plus three quick coats of mascara.

I know I could have done more with the palette, but elaborate glam looks are just not ‘me’. I attempted them before for blog posts, special events, and such. Truth is, I always ended up secretly hating the photos of myself in heavy makeup. I didn’t like that I was trying way too hard to be someone I’m not. I decided from now on to just do what makes me the happiest, and that is glowing skin, healthy flush on the cheeks, and colors that play up my best features without overshadowing them. Besides, I think there are lots of women out there interested in quick makeup looks for every day. 😉

BOTTOM LINE:

I’ve been lurking in clean beauty Facebook groups and Reddit threads, and I noticed that people who just began transitioning to a non-toxic routine complain that the makeup is really not that great. I thought the same thing when I tried some products for the first time. Truth is, certain types of makeup will never be as pigmented or long-wearing as their conventional counterparts, because natural beauty companies consciously try to avoid specific pigments and ingredients used to enhance texture or longevity.

With that said, I was pleasantly surprised with the overall performance of both Illuminating Eyeshadow Quattro and Volume Mascara. The eyeshadows have some of the better formulas for being all-natural, and the mascara is about the same as many others I tried in the past. They are both good choices, but I still haven’t found a non-toxic shimmery eyeshadow formula or a mascara that would truly wow me. I guess I am still unconsciously comparing apples to oranges, though.

Have you tried natural makeup before? What are the best and worst natural products that you used? Let me know in the comments below!

P.S.: In case you are wondering about all the green in the background, I took the photos last fall. I didn’t have time to share my review until now, sorry! 🙂