Review: Beauty Bar Baby

No parabens, sulfates, talc, preservatives, fragrances, dyes or fillers.  Almost 400 items to choose from.  Various sizes and prices on products with 5 gram shadow pots as low as $3... I could go on and on and all of these rave reviews are about one shop offering cruelty-free and vegan makeup: Beauty Bar Baby.  I was in awe over the variety and, of course, purchased plenty for sampling.  I've split the review into two parts, eyes and lips.  I have so many lovely photos to share, let's get to it!

The Eyes:

BBB offers an overwhelming range of shades and formulas from duo chromes to glitters to matte finish eye shadows. Below are some swatches for your viewing pleasure:

From left to right, $3 each for 5 gram pots: 'Lectric Pink (glitter) over Sephora's glitter primer, Enchantress (matte) on bare skin, Santa's Suit (duo chrome) on bare skin, and That's Really Bananas! (duo chrome) on bare skin. 

The glitter, like other formulas, does not adhere to skin without some type of primer or adhesive.  Beauty Bar Baby's is a bit different, however.  It appears to be a glitter/pigment hybrid so you're getting an extra bump in color with the glitz of your traditional glitter. 

The above is an eye look utilizing the 'Lectric Pink glitter.  It is far more sparkly in person; it's tough to capture glitter in a photograph.

Enchantress is a lovely, gray based lilac.  Santa's Suit is my favorite of the bunch, a red/gold/green shift with more sparkle then most duo chromes I've come across in the market.  That's Really Banana's is a true yellow to iridescent shift that is surprisingly wearable.  I used it in the look below:

The Lips:

Under the luscious lips category, BBB offers more formulas than colors, and that's just fine by me.  I had to have a lip balm in Pumpkin Spice ($2.75); it's smooth and silky and the fragrance is the finest I have come across in handmade lip balms.  Below are swatches of the lipstick and Lip Potions I got my hands on:

From top to bottom ($6 each): Unicorn Kisses lipstick in Princess Candace, Lip Potion in Stroke of Midnight, and Lip Potion in Ritualistic.  Below are some swatches on the lips for another look at these goodies:

A look using Princess Candace semi-matte lipstick.  This stuff is like butter!  It is smooth and opaque and is the consistency of melted lipstick in a tube.  It is best applied with a brush even though packaged in a lip balm tube.  If you want opaque coverage that is mostly a matte finish without all the dryness, this is the formula for you. 

Above is Stroke of Midnight.  It is packaged in a 5 gram pot and requires a brush to apply it.  It is a very thick, very pigmented gloss texture that can work as a sheer wash of color, or become opaque with a heavier application.  It's a glossy finish, as well.  Same applies for Ritualistic, below:

The Pros:

Everything was priced below $10, and at just $3 for eye shadow pots, you can afford some fun, fashion forward colors you may otherwise pass up if you're on a budget.  The eye shadows - particularly the duo chromes - have more sparkle to them then I am accustom to and I love them.  They are absolutely beautiful and I have found no sparkle to compare as yet.  Princess Candace, from the Unicorn Kisses collection, feels amazing on and that is rare for matte finish lipsticks.  I am terribly impressed with the Lip Potions too, as you can wear them in many different ways.  I swatched them heavily in the photos, but they can be used as a light gloss, or added to a lip balm, the possibilities are endless.  

The Cons:

If you plan on achieving full coverage with the Lip Potions, you'll likely need a similarly colored base lipstick or it can look splotchy.  Without lip liner, the Lip Potions also tend to bleed.  It takes some doing, but they're wonderful and easy to use if you apply a sheer coat.  

Bonus Information:

Overall, I am very pleased with everything I purchased and, if you are reading this now (September 23, 2014) I urge you to rush on over to Beauty Bar Baby's shop because the seller is offering a limited edition Halloween collection!  It is available for pre-order now and is $23 and filled with tons of goodies.  Did I mention it is packaged in an adorable wooden coffin?  I know I'm excited about it!

FYI: Talcum Powder and Cancer

As you may know by now, I'm a lawyer by day and budding beauty blogger by night.  I was genuinely surprised when I realized the two seemingly unrelated activities intersect frequently - but rarely in a good way.  As a beauty blogger, I like to be aware of what sort of ingredients are in the cosmetics I purchase and review.  As a lawyer, I receive information on said ingredients when there's a problem with them.  Enter the talcum powder lawsuits.  Back in 2009, a study by Dr. Margaret Gates and the National Cancer Institute and National Institute of Health led to the first of many lawsuits regarding the link between talcum powder and ovarian cancer.  These lawsuits are still ongoing nationwide.  So, what do you need to know about this common ingredient?  Here's the deal.

What is talc?

Talc is a mineral that absorbs moisture and protects skin from friction.  As you can see from the advertisement above, women have been using talc in the form of talcum powder for years.  However, talcum powder is mostly commonly referred to today as "baby powder."  Prior to the 1970's, naturally occurring talc, ground into powder form, contained asbestos.  Although asbestos is banned these days, in a 2013 lawsuit, it was alleged that studies showed that even asbestos-free talcum powder had the potential to cause ovarian cancer.

 

Where is talc?

Most dusting powders for adults or baby powders for infants contain talcum powder as the main (sometimes only) ingredient.  Talc is also a filler in certain eye shadows, face powders, foundations, blush and bronzers, etc.  You should check any powder based cosmetics ingredients list to see if talc is included.

 

Is talc really a threat?

The American Cancer Society summed up some of the research that has been going on in relation to the link between cancer and talcum powder.  So far the research has been focused on use of talcum powder in the genital area and the findings are mixed.  Some research suggested an increased risk to women of as much as 30%, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer, which is part of the World Health Organization, has declared asbestos-free talc to be "possibly carcinogenic" to humans.

How to avoid talc?

I'm no scientist and I don't intend to dictate whether or not people should avoid talcum powder entirely, but it is worth further research and consideration by we the consumers.  If, like me, you prefer to err on the side of caution, check the ingredients in any and all cosmetics you purchase.  If the ingredients aren't listed on the packaging, you may be able to find that information online on the manufacturer's website(s).  Just because a product is cruelty-free does not mean it is talc-free.  Luckily, due to the attention talc is getting these days, many makeup companies proudly declare if/when their products are talc-free.

At the end of the day it is up to the savvy consumer to do his or her homework before making a purchase.  The research on talc is still in its infancy but it is my personal belief that it is an unnecessary "filler" and there are many wonderful brands that don't use it.  Hopefully you find this information useful and it leads you to further research.

Review: Lime Crime

If you're a fan of indies, then you've likely heard of their darling: Lime Crime.  You've also probably read the good, the bad, and the ugly surrounding Lime Crime's founder, Doe Deere.  I, personally, am only concerned about makeup and sharing my opinion on the products.  So, let's just stick to that, shall we?  Lime Crime is a cruelty-free and vegan brand that most people know for their lip products.  However, they offer several palettes in the adorable tin packaging pictured above.  I chose Alchemy, a shimmery duo-chrome lineup that is perfect for building up a solid lineup of autumn colors.

Above I've swatched the Alchemy palette collection of pressed eye shadows.  Whenever I swatch, I use an ordinary eye shadow sponge and do one swipe across dry skin; no primer or lotion of any kind beneath.  I photograph the swatches in natural light (whenever possible) and don't filter the finished photo.  The colors from top to bottom:  Divination, Spellbound, Love Potion No9, Lucky Charm, and Incantation.

My two favorites, Divination, a brilliant, blue-based teal, and Love Potion No9, a dreamy lavender, are peacock-feather perfection, while the curious but wearable additions of Lucky Charm, a grass green shimmer, and Incantation, the color of a pumpkin spice latte or a burnt bronze/orange shift, remind me of an autumnal pumpkin patch.  Spellbound is a classic, blendable highlighter that works wonders in tying all of these shades together. 

A look I did utilizing ALL of the colors from the Alchemy palette.  I am also wearing Lime Crime's opaque lipstick in Coquette.  

A close up look at the above; I used Spellbound along my brow bone, with Love Potion No9 in the crease.  Lucky Charm is the true green on my lid with Incantation along my upper lashes.  The lower liner is Divination.

The Pros:

I love a palette that combines unusual colors one wouldn't normally include in the same collection.  As my makeup collection grows, I find myself seeking out the unique.  This is definitely it.  I didn't really have colors like these in my makeup bag.  The colors are vibrant but the formula is soft enough that it blends well.  You can layer this stuff on there for extremely vivid looks, or, like I did, blend it out for a wash of color.  I was pleased that the pressed cakes didn't turn to loose powder fall-out immediately upon use, as some tend to do.  The packaging is adorable and functional; it's just large enough to house the shadows without wasting space in my ever shrinking makeup case.

The Cons:

Pressed eye shadow palettes are never as budget-friendly as their loose shadow counterparts.  Ringing in at $35 the palette is still less expensive than major store brands, but may be too pricey for budget babes.  Unfortunately, it appears that once these palettes sell out, they won't be restocked.  I've yet to see a sale or promotional codes for Lime Crime, something I always hail indie brands for, but that is not to say they do not have them - just nothing I've come across.  

I'm having tons of fun with this palette, and it seems like that is the goal behind Lime Crime.  Regardless of their "politics" (for lack of a better term) the eye shadows are bold, bright and a great addition to any makeup collection.