By Julia Edgley

Whilst getting to grips with a new beauty routine – organic or otherwise, ladies, we prowl the stores hunting for a replacement that is as close as possible to our tried and trusted, although toxic, brands. I didn’t know my yellow brick road search for the best lippy would lead me to the emerald city of cream blushers aka a Product Hack! How about rosy cheeks with a youthful sheen? Read on…..

My friends call me the lippy girl! I love vibrant pinks, deep crimsons and cool coral colours. Even in daytime, I’m not the neutral tone type of girl. With going green, I needed to replace this item first and foremost. I was, and I have to admit, the long-lasting lip colour queen. The longer the better. My OCD couldn’t handle having a lippy that wore off too quickly. So I tentatively went in search of the Holy Grail of organic lipstick.

For many, when going green, the first port of call is your local health store. For me, choosing make-up has to be a true 'touchy feely' experience. These products need to be tested – what does organic feel like, smell like, look like and even taste like? So personally, internet shopping didn’t appeal to me in the beginning. This way of shopping can lead to limited choice being available when it comes to lipstick. In my area, we have Benecos, Santé, Couleur Caramel and UNE. I was in search if a very vibrant pink lipstick that reminded me of the one I wore on my wedding day.

When doing the rounds of health stores at that time – Benecos seemed to have the best colours selection. I now have 3 shades: Hot Pink, Pink Rose and Purple.

A note on Benecos products: Benecos website is a German Company. In short they are against minerals oils, petroleum derivatives, paraffin and silicone. These products can not be metabolised and so accumulate in various organs or fat cells around the body. They are also free of SLS, Parabens, Phthalates, Silicons, PEG, synthetic colours, synthetic fragrance and synthetic preservatives. Benecos is also organic certified, and animal testing free!

The Verdict? So in terms of colour, these are great – vibrant and really stand out. They are very hydrating. Your lips feel so smooth when using their lipsticks. However in terms of staying power – not quite the result I was looking for. Still, I loved wearing my lippy and my search for the perfect lip colour continued.

Image (left) with thanks to graziadaily.co.uk

Whilst in a hurry to meet up with friends, I ransacked my handbag in search for my bronzer but instead I came across my Benecos lipstick, Pink Rose and having a make-up crush on Miranda Kerr and her amazing rosy cheekbones, I decided to use my lipstick as a blusher and the result was amazing. This was the best product hack to date!

The creamy consistency of the lipstick not only meant that the colour blended really well and evenly but also left a beautiful sheen on my cheeks - a really youthful glow. Astonishingly my new “blusher” stayed on exceptionally well.

TIP My skin tone is a cool autumn. I have cool tones, freckles, dark blonde hair and blue eyes but I tan very well. Pink Rose worked for me but experiment with what colour works best for you. When applying the lipstick as a blusher, use your fingers to dab it into your cheekbones.

This is now the most important product in my make-up kit and one that I will recommend to all my clients.

Original version HERE

Edited by The Riviera Woman