Natural Makeup Blog

I have always been a natural-type of girl. This isn’t to say that I am a tomboy, I like girly things like dresses and high heels, but I have never worn much makeup. A little bit of lipstick every now and then is about as far as I go. But recently I have been more interested in learning to apply makeup.

My sister is the complete opposite of me. She has always worn a full face of makeup and she considers herself an expert in its application. So of course I went to her when I wanted to learn how to wear eye liner. She was very helpful. She taught me how to lightly apply the liner and how to smudge it in to my lashes. The technique she showed me really brings out my green eyes.

 Neem oils and extracts come from the Azadica Indica, or Neem, tree.  Neem has been in use in India since 4000 BC.  Ancient texts refer to neem as the curer of all ailments and is referred to by local people as ‘the village pharmacy’ because of its myriad of uses.  The Neem tree is seen as good luck in India and is a key herb used in Ayurveidc and Unani medicine.

Neem is antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antiseptic, and antiparasitic which makes it very beneficial to both natural skin care and cosmetic applications.  With its Vitamin E and essential amino acids, neem oils and extracts contain moisturizing and skin regenerative properties which is ideal for vibrant, radiant looking skin.

Pearls have been treasured for thousands of years in the orient as highly prized gems.  They have been used on clothing, as jewelry, in medicines, and as an anti-aging element in natural skin care and cosmetics.

In ancient Chinese history, pearl powder was used and believed to be beneficial for skin protection, for skin lightening, and for keeping skin soft, smooth, and lustrous looking.  Pearls contain many essential amino acids including arginine, lysine, serine, cystine, and glycine, plus calcium.

Ammonia is formed as a result of the putrefaction of animal and plant matter.  It is widely used today in the production of nitric acid, ammonium salts, sulfates, nitrate, carbonate, chloride, and in synthesizing hundreds of compounds which can be found in many beauty care products and cosmetics.  Ammonia is widely used as a building block for the synthesis of many pharmacauticals, in plastics, in personal care products like toothpastes and soaps, and in hair products such as shampoos, dyes and permanent solutions. 

This liquid is very toxic and should be avoided in products you purchase and use.  Inhaling ammonia can be fatal and contact with skin causes serious reactions.

Because ammonia is used to manufacture chemicals which are then given a different name, it’s difficult to know what ingredients to avoid in regards to ammonia.  The most widely used chemicals that contain ammonia have ‘nitro-’ , ‘nitroso-’ (compounds that are created with ammonia), and ’sulfate’, or ’sulfite’ (ammonium salts) in the chemical names.  Some examples of these are nitrite, nitrate, sodium alkyl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, and sodium lauryl sulfate. 

For natural makeup and skin care, avoid using products with ammonia and ammonium chemicals as much as possible.  For best results, use natural products that don’t contain synthetic chemicals and compounds in their ingredients.

True beauty comes from within. But it helps when you could also enhance your physical appearance with safe cosmetics that don’t harm the skin. Go for mineral makeup that is made using the finest natural ingredients. This type of makeup will give your skin a radiant look while infusing the skin with beneficial vitamins and nutrients while you wear it.

For your eyes, apply base colors to create an even eyelid skin tone before putting on contour colors or shades that give depth and shading to the eyes. Don’t forget to add some highlighters to highlight areas of your eyes. Lastly, use mineral eye liner to accentuate the outer area of your eyes.

Silk has been used for skin and body care for thousands of years.  In ancient Chinese medicine, silk is said to have been used by health practitioners to care for and dress wounds.  In Ayurvedia medicine, silk was used in massage techniques to deeply stimulate the muscle tissues. 

As a natural cosmetic ingredient silk powder has the abilities to radiate and reflect UV rays, help with moisture balance, absorb excess skin oils, protect with anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, and strengthen with its many amino acids like glycine and serine that are building blocks for skin protien and essential for natural moisturization.  Silk Powder is also gentle enough for sensitive-prone skin.

Clematis Flower Essence has been found to bring about focused awareness.  It helps those individuals indifferent to daily experiences, with grounding in life, helping with greater clarity and alertness in order to more effectively evaluate present experiences.  It helps bridge the gap between the physical world and the world of ideas.  Clematis essence may also foster great creativity.

In addition to natural makeup and skin care, flower essences can be beneficially added to help naturally balance many aspects of health and life.

As each flower has a different physical texture, color, pattern, and smell, so do they also hold a unique imprint and vibration, or ‘essence’.  As science tells us, everything (including flowers) are made, at the very basic level, of energy or vibrations.

Flower essences were discovered by Dr. Edward Bach in the 1930’s and were found to be beneficial for balancing human energy on emotional and mental levels.  Each flower was found to carry certain, specific essences that had beneficial effects on different emotional states – often resulting in noticeable calmness in many people.

Many Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques products contain several flower essences, with the intent of creating natural makeup that not only has beneficial effects on your skin, but beneficial effects on different levels of your health as well.

The loofah plant is a cucurbit, a group of plants including gourds, pumpkins, and cucumbers. It grows as a flowering annual vine. The pollinated flowers grow cylindrical green fruits that eventually develop into a fibrous seed pod.   When mature,the fruits become a tough mass of fiber that makes a wonderful natural exfoliant.  Loofahs are excellent in the bath or shower.  Their exfoliating action leaves your skin feeling clean and tight. 

To use, squeeze a small amount of cleanser on the loofah and gently exfoliate the face with small circular motions.  For best results, allow sponge to dry between use, and replace every 4-6 weeks.  For natural skin care, Natural Facial Loofahs keep your skin healthy and fresh-looking. 

Women with pale skin can sometimes come across as sickly-looking. Put on some cheek color to minimize the whiteness. Cheek colors come in various beautiful shades you will delight experimenting with.

Apply these to:

~ Add depth and color to your face
~ Subtly contour your cheekbones
~ Compliment your facial features
~ Give you a more radiant look