When it comes to makeup, my first health advice is to minimize its use as much as possible. Today’s typical commercial options are filled with so many harmful ingredients, for both us and the planet and so many women, use so much of it daily. Secondly, if one wants to wear makeup, to only choose and use the finest, natural products. For some women wearing no makeup is the preferred or common most natural thing. For others wearing some makeup is desired. The good news is that today those of us who so desire, can enjoy makeup in both a healthy and eco-friendly manner thanks to the abundant options available.

My personal journey with makeup has included both a drastic reduction in use, as well as a switch to optimally natural products. For the past few years, I only wear eye makeup, wearing no face or lip makeup. I do tend to go natural and completely makeup free more often today as well, however I do find a certain art to my eye makeup routine that I greatly enjoy. I have therefore made sure to constantly seek out the most natural options available. My eye makeup routine involves 3 products: a liquid eye liner, eye shadow (2 colors) and mascara. I have found an incredible natural mascara from Real Purity, a semi-decent natural liquid eye liner from Suncoat and have had experience with a few natural eye shadows. One of these is from the company Larénim and it is a fully natural, mineral eye shadow.

Larénim is a company founded by Kirsten Corcoran due to her interest in truly healthy and beautiful cosmetics. Upon struggling with skin issues like acne, expanded pores, rosacea and irritated skin and eyes for years, Kirsten assembled a product line that she would be able to wear. Her determination and knowledge of health and a strong sense of aesthetics came through in a cosmetic line that improves, instead of harms the skin. In 2004 Larénim launched into the natural products industry and in 2006 it was acquired by Nutraceutical.

Larénim’s eye shadows come in over 80 different colors, which gives a beyond outstanding choice for personal color preferences. The shade I tried was the Serendipity, which is a beautiful white, with a sparkling shimmer to it. It is an excellent choice for use as a color on the lower eye lid or highlighting accent on the upper lid.

In terms of the ingredients, they are as the company is known for 100% mineral ingredients with nothing else aded. I really don’t think it can get any better in terms of a natural eye shadow. The EWG Cosmetic Database rates this product as a 1, meaning excellent or low hazard.

In terms of usage, while I adore the color and look on my eyes, and appreciate the all natural mineral ingredients, I did not enjoy that this was a loose powder product. I normally like my eye shadows to be pressed (solid) powders. This makes them easier to apply (less messy) and also decreases the amount of particulates for inhalation. While high quality mineral makeup is generally harmless to the skin, it is not ideal to inhale. Of course, limited personal use is probably not a big deal in comparison t someone working as a makeup artist per se. Even though it was a loose powder, it was fairly easy to put on, especially when I got used to it, and stayed on exceptionally well throughout the entire day. At the same time, it was very easy to wash off at the end of the day.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while this is a good product and probably cannot get any better in terms of ingredients, I probably would not buy it again as I did not enjoy the loose powder format. I love the ingredients, I love the color and quality of the product, but would much rather find something in a pressed powder format.

In general though, it appears that Larénim does have some high quality natural makeup options to consider for those of us who like to use some makeup but only of the most natural and least harmful kind. If you are looking for a natural eye shadow and don’t mind the loose powder format, I definitely encourage you to check out their amazing selection of colors.

Ingredients

* Rating hazards based on EWG Cosmetic Database

Packaging

The eye shadow comes in a small cylindrical container with a screw-on cap, and it is a 2g size. The plastic container and outer cardboard box that it is housed in are both fully recyclable when product is finished.

Price (as of this posting)

  • $6 – $10.00 at selected health or beauty stores
  • $9.49US per package from Larenim.com
  • $9.49US per package from Amazon.com

Availability

  • Selected health food and beauty stores stores across North America
  • Not widely available in Canada
  • US, Canadian and International online retailers as listed above

The Good

  • Outstanding color
  • Beautiful shine and sparkle
  • Excellent variety of other colors
  • Long lasting
  • 100% Mineral ingredients
  • No parabens
  • No bismuth oxychloride
  • No chemical sunscreens
  • No artificial aromas or fragrances
  • No FD&C dyes
  • No chemical ingredients or preservatives
  • No gluten
  • No nano-sized particles
  • Non-comedogenic (does not block pores)
  • No talc
  • No oils or fillers
  • Does not “spoil.” (Minerals do not support bacterial growth.)
  • Not tested on animals and is cruelty-free.
  • Made in U.S.A.
  • Suitable for all skin types
  • Vegetarian friendly
  • Great price

The Bad

  • Product comes as a loose powder, which will not be ideal for some