Makeup to Go! » vegan http://www.makeuptogo.com ...Makeup Concierge Services from the mind of a professional media makeup artist Tue, 07 Sep 2010 20:53:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc en hourly 1 Cool Places – Vert, Venice/Los Angeles http://www.makeuptogo.com/cool-places-vert-venicelos-angeles/ http://www.makeuptogo.com/cool-places-vert-venicelos-angeles/#comments Wed, 20 Jan 2010 14:01:29 +0000 admin http://www.makeuptogo.com/?p=645
Vert (Abbott Kenny Location)

Vert (Abbott Kenny Location)

As mentioned previously, I’m a huge fan of the developing trend of organic/naturally derived and/or vegan cosmetics that are coming into the marketplace. But no product does anyone any good if you can’t find it anywhere, so before I go into talking about the various product lines I’ve discovered, I decided to take a moment to talk about specialty stores I’ve found that carry them.

My first and favorite of these stores (in Los Angeles) is Vert (french word for Green, pronounced Ver like the beginning of ver-y). Vert was founded by makeup artist Renata Helfman who is a passionate advocate for the Green movement within the cosmetics industry. Led by her success as a media makeup artist (where she worked on such stars as Balthazar Getty and Kate Hudson) she sought to find an answer to the questions all makeup artists are asked regularly – “What’s the best makeup?” and “What’s the best skincare?”. Her store is a tightly pieced together collection of some of the finest hair care, skin care and makeup available on the market currently. I took a client there last summer and she and I both went amok amongst Vert’s vast collection. As much as I like the makeup they carry (Vert carries Josie Maran, Jane Iredale and RMS Beauty) I have to say it’s the Skin Care/Bath and Body selection that wins the prize. They have several brands I’d not heard of before going there including the 100% vegan and “dirty-30″ free line, Keys Soap, Red Flower – who makes skincare, bath and body and hair care and is one of those lines where everything smells so delicious you just want to eat it, and the absolutely incredible Ayurveda inspired line Pratima. The selection of haircare is quite strong as well (including Sebbag Essentials, a new line started by celebrity hairstylist Eric Sebbag with whom I’ve had the pleasure of working so you KNOW I’ll be talking about that line further), and the store also has some home products. The space is light and airy and smells wonderful when you enter and the staff are friendly and helpful without being pushy. It’s the kind of space where you can take your time and see what things are but then when you need help someone will be there to help you.

NOTE: I went back to the store just to get an update before writing this article and it turns out that Vert is moving from it’s Venice location to a site more in the city (likely on La Cienega Blvd.). They are currently having a sale of all of their existing stock and then will be closed for about a month while they transition to the new space. For more information and to stay current on developments of the new space opening, join the Vert mailing list.

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]]> http://www.makeuptogo.com/cool-places-vert-venicelos-angeles/feed/ 2 Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics is Killing It (and Me) http://www.makeuptogo.com/obsessive-compulsive-cosmetics-is-killing-it-and-me/ http://www.makeuptogo.com/obsessive-compulsive-cosmetics-is-killing-it-and-me/#comments Sat, 25 Jul 2009 13:36:09 +0000 admin http://www.makeuptogo.com/?p=242 Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics (OCC) is a cosmetics line founded by pro makeup artist David Klasfeld. Makeup lines started by makeup artists – NARS, Stila, Make Up For Ever, Shu Uemura – are generally my favorites because they are developed by people who know how makeup should act, what it should do, and how it should perform. What was particularly appealing for me about OCC right from the jump is that the line is entirely cruelty free and most of the product line is vegan. Until very recently finding professional grade vegan products was nearly impossible, so as a veggie I was stoked to learn of a new veggie-friendly line. The item that drew me in was the item that started the line – the Colour Lip Balms. No ordinary balms, these are super moisturizing but super pigmented balms that exist somewhere in between chapstick and lipstick.

Now David and the OCC crew have outdone themselves with the introduction of the Lip Tars. Crazy doesn’t even begin to describe this product. Somewhere between a lipgloss and a lipstain but with a smooth satin finish the likes of which you’ve never felt before, the Lip Tars are THE “It” makeup item right now. I honestly do not know one makeup artist who hasn’t tried it yet and to try it is to fall in love with it. The Lip Tars are currently available in 20 shades including a clear gloss, 5 primaries for custom blending and then colors ranging from the subtle to the outrageous. For basic makeup wear, the colors are pretty and ready to go right out the tube, but if you are a mixologist and want to create your own shade, the sky is the limit with this product. I got my first Lip Tars at The Makeup Show in March 09 and then new colors came out and I got those at IMATS. Now even more new colors have been released, so I’ll have to get those too. New colors are seemingly added daily. You will want all of the fashion colors. I certainly do…

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tars

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tars

P.S. – the other items in the OCC line are fantastic as well. I’m particularly fond of the Loose Color Concentrates pigments. These are very concentrated, not necessarily the easiest product to use, and definitely not for the faint of heart. But once you get the hang of them, you’ll be hooked.

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