I get really excited when I hear of existing companies taking steps to become eco-friendly or organic, but I love it even more when a brand new makeup line comes out that starts out that way. Stript, a new all-natural makeup line, calls it “eco-sexy,” which I might have to incorporate into my everyday vocabulary, it’s so neat.
Stript, the brainchild of makeup artist Gina Austin, is paraben-free, artificial fragrance-free, vegan, talc-free, free trade and comes in eco-friendly (and really cute) packaging, aka everything a sustainable girl could ask for in a makeup line. Channeling retro glam pin-up girl moxie, Stript uses Japanese blossom and almond as natural preservatives, green tea to counteract redness and puffiness, and shea butter for its moisturizing properties. Even their boxes are printed with soy ink and their brushes are made from vegan taklon, a synthetic filament.
A lot of the shades look really vibrant and fun, and I’m seriously digging on those chubby lip pencils they’ve got going on. I do wonder how their foundations stand up to other powder mineral foundations like, ahem, Pur (since I just can’t stop gushing about the silly stuff…). I’ve found with most mineral foundations (except Pur), the coverage is either non-existent or pathetically sheer and you’re better off using a translucent powder. Also, the shades get a bit ashy as they deepen, which makes it especially hard for darker-complected gals to find their mineral match. Taking a look at these, though, the colors seem pretty true and a bit on the warm side (which helps as colors with more yellow in them are less likely to get ashy as they get darker). Also, the foundation are matte, unlike Bare Escentuals, which have a bit of shimmer in all their products. Shimmer is fine in small amounts, but a complaint I hear often is that BE users claim to look washed-out in photographs. Here’s the reason: those light-reflecting particles also reflect the flash of the camera, so too much shimmer=deathly pale and/or disco queen. Use shimmer in moderation!
Um, back to Stript. I’m especially fond of their Jasmine eyeshadow, which looks like a great shade for everyone (I’m currently riding a reddish/pink eyeshadow obsession) and the Lolita blush (aside from being my favorite book of all time by my favorite author of all time, the color is rosy without looking too pink). Which ones can’t you wait to get your hands on?
Products are $6-$36 at select retailers.
