Blog of cruelty free beauty reviews to help you & your animal friends!
The Josie Maran Argan Essentials is a Kit that I obtained with 500 points that I had in my beauty bank at Sephora. Although I already had two of the four products that were contained in the Kit, I still placed it in my shopping basket because I love the products that I had tried, and wanted to have some in travel-size, and another (Argan Lip Treatment) that was a full size.
Here’s the box: 
Embryolisse is a cruelty free brand that I have been wanting to try, and I was so excited when I won some of their products in a Facebook Giveaway! The first product that I would like to review is:
The photo of Embryolisse above, in a snowbank, was taken on March 23, when, although it is supposedly “spring,” we still had snow on the ground! [Read more...]
It Cosmetics goal was to create intense pigments for a naturally pretty look and to formulate the eyeshadows to “diffuse the look of lines and wrinkles on the eyes and lids.”
It Cosmetics is certified cruelty free by PETA!
This beautiful Palette is housed in a faux leather case that reminds me of a large wallet, and it is lightweight enough to not only take on a trip, but to keep in your handbag. The Palette ribbon pull allows one to easily take out the dual ended brush, and there are little magnets on the inside of the case to keep the Palette safely secured.
A piece of plastic covers the shadows when you open the Palette. A great mirror!
You can see the dual ended brush (above) that is also included in the Palette.
Eye shadow shades are:
Heavenly, a pearl white
Cashmere, a matte creme
Satin Sunshine, a pearl light yellow
Je Ne Sais Quoi, a shimmery nude pink
Earth Angel, a matte beige cashmere
Ipanema, a golden beige pearl
Romance, a satin rich taupe
Venus Love, a pearl coppery rust shade
Azure, a midnight navy
Plum Passion, a rich matte purple
Espresso, a matte deep brown
Jet Black, a matte black
(click on photos to enlarge)
The photo below was taken three hours after I swatched the eyeshadows!!
Photo (in low light) at a restaurant:
I first applied Earth Angel to my eyelid & then blended Je Ne Sais Quoi, Espresso & Venus Love. Extra Venus Love in the outer lid crease.
I used Ipanema as an eyeliner
I’ve tried It Cosmetics’ eyeshadows previously, so I had very high expectations, and I was excited to be able to sample more colors. This is a superb Palette!
I love that in addition to being cruelty free, all the eyeshadows are free of talc, parabens, sulfates, mineral oil, petrolatum, synthetic fragrance, and phthalate free.
They are non-comedongenic (won’t clog your pores ) and hypo-allergenic–great news for those of us with sensitive eyes. Each eyeshadow is infused with anti-aging ingredients: hydrolyzed collagen to plump lines, anti-oxidants to ward off free radicals, Acai, Vitamins A, C & E, and green tea extract, which helps to target puffiness.
It Cosmetics advertises their eyeshadows as being able to last all day. Do they? Yes!! I wore a primer, and had zero fall out! I even “wore” swatches on my arm all day to test out how it fared with periodically rubbing my arm during the day. You’ll notice that one of the swatch photos was taken three hours into testing!
This is a very versatile Palette. There are matte and shimmer shades, and the eyeshadows can be used as eyeliners, too, of course. The eyeshadow can be applied both dry and wet; applying them wet gives a great extra pop of color! The shadows are very pigmented, and are beautiful, rich colors.
I love that the eyeshadows are so soft and whether you have to worry about fine lines or not, it’s nice to have such silky shadows to use.
It is possible to get a really nice swatch of color on your eyes with just one gentle swipe of the brush. The dual ended brush is actually quite good, although not quite up to the quality of the brushes that It Cosmetics sells separately. I don’t think it’s a big deal though, considering that the Palette is very fairly priced at $38.00; and you’re getting 12 wonderful eyeshadows, a mirror, and the brush.
Disclosure: I received the Palette for review. All links are for your convenience only.
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Moxie Reviews™ 2012. Content copyright. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author/owner, Moxie, is strictly prohibited.
Pin ItIT Cosmetics has a new Collection! That’s exciting because not only does it Cosmetics, by Jamie Kern, have “innovative technology cosmetics,” but it is also certified cruelty free by Peta!
it Cosmetics generously sent several products for me to review.
Live, Love, Laugh Vitality Face Disc, Bye Bye Under Eye, two cosmetic brushes, and Vitality Lip Flush. Keep reading to find out all about them!
First to be reviewed: IT Cosmetics Live, Love, Laugh Vitality Face Disc:As I pulled the large disc out of the box, I was happy to see that it is enclosed in extra cardboard (white, pictured below) so that not only did my bronzer, blush, and illuminator arrive safely, but the large mirror was unbroken!
Live, Love, Laugh Vitality Face Disk is a waterproof anti-aging matte bronzer, brightening blush tint, and radiance illuminator:
It Cosmetics Vitality Face Disc is quite large in size (22.22 g 0.78 oz.), and includes a large mirror inside. It is infused with anti-aging, hydrating ingredients. The disc has hydrolyzed collagen, peptides & drops of light™ technology, plus vitamins A, C, E, grapeseed, green tea, slim and aloe.
Ingredients: Mica, Dimethicone, Magnesium Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Water (Aqua), Butylene Glycol, Camellia Sinensis (Leaf) Extract (Green Tea Extract), Collagen Amino Acids, Acai. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide, Black Iron Oxide, Yellow Iron Oxide, Red Iron Oxide, Manganese Violet, Ultramarines, Mica Iron Oxides, Mica Titanium Dioxide, Tin Oxide.
This is free of: talc, paraben, sulfate, mineral oil, petrolatum, synthetic fragrance, and phthalates. It is hypo-allergenic and non-comedogenic. Those wishing to avoid “cones” should note that there is dimethicone in this product.
Full directions, with a color diagram, are given on the back of the box.
You can use the Jumbo Mega Luxe Powder Brush (reviewed later in the post), and apply the bronzer to those areas of your face that you would like a little more color. For example, you can use the bronzer for color across your forehead, nose and chin; also the bronzer is excellent to put underneath your cheekbones and your jawline for dimension.
Use the luminating radiance powder on the areas of your face where you want light and illumination; this would be along the top-side of your cheek bones and your brow bones.
The vitality blush may be applied to the apples of your cheeks for a really nice looking glow.
If you want a little shimmer in your bronzer, you just have to swirl your brush in both the matte bronzer, and the laminating powder.
I love that this is waterproof, and that, when applied correctly, is sure to give your face, as advertised, “a naturally pretty glow of health and vitality to your face….” I’ve always read that using bronzer is the secret to always having a youthful glow, and it Cosmetics Vitality Disc will most certainly help you to achieve that. I would completely agree with it Cosmetics that the Vitality Face Disc is an “all-in-one makeup must-have.”
Bye Bye Under Eye Anti-Aging Vitamin K & Collagen Concealer was created to be a full coverage concealer, one that would allow someone to use it and say, “bye – bye” to under eye issues. What’s great about Bye Bye Under Eye? Find a color match, and you have a waterproof formula that will not budge. It contains Vitamins K, A, C, E and Collagen, which it Cosmetics has written has been “clinically proven to reduce under eye puffiness and discoloration while strengthening the delicate skin of the under eye area.”
It is hypo-allergenic and non-comedogenic. Make sure you do your usual morning routine of moisturizing, and sunscreen, etc., and then pat the tiniest amount on areas that you want covered. When I write the tiniest, I mean it. This will cover an amazing amount with the smallest drop. Put a little bit of powder over it, and you’re set. It won’t come off until you remove it. Really great formula!
To help you with your color choice, the above photo is courtesy of it Cosmetics, as I only can describe the light color. I have a very fair complexion; therefore, light worked perfectly for me. However, as you can see, the medium would work for 70% of skin tones.
Bye Bye Under Eye has been a bestseller product for it Cosmetics, and now a super-size (1 oz.) is available! I just can’t imagine how long it is going to last. You need just a drop of the product to cover a lot of area, so to have this super size is incredible.
Heavenly Luxe Ultra-Plush Jumbo Powder Brush and Heavenly Luxe Dual Airbrush Concealer/Foundation Brush
The makeup brushes arrived nicely package in a tube, and they quickly fluffed right out and felt unbelievably soft. If you notice the label on the top brush container (there is also one on the container below that is not showing) it reads: Made in China.
However! I emailed it Cosmetics, and they have assured me, in writing, “Our brushes and all of our products are cruelty free. Our brushes are made of cruelty free synthetic hair and we never test on animals.”
So, admire away! The top brush is the Jumbo Mega Luxe Powder Brush. It really is luxe; there are more than 120,000 hairs used to create this brush.
The Dual Airbrush Foundation/Concealer Brush will help you achieve a flawless application.
Not only do I love that the brushes are cruelty free and animal free, but I would never know that they are synthetic. They are beautifully made, of nice weight, and I had no issues with losing any of the hairs on the brushes.
Do you just want a “flush of color on your lips?” Then check out it Cosmetics Vitality Lip Flush in Je Ne Sais Quoi.
The color is a sheer pink, and here’s a swatch: 
Vitality Lip Flush is a 4-in-1 Natural Anti-Aging Lipstick Stains that will take the place of four products: lipstick, anti-aging conditioning lip balm, ultra-hydrating lip gloss, and lip stain. The all natural formula contains plum oil, cherry oil, shea butter, aloe and jojoba. anti-aging anti-oxidants including Vitamins A, C, E, Acai, Green Tea and White Tea to protect and ward off free-radicals. It was incredibly hydrating and the color for me was really beautiful. I love that it really is just a little bit of color, and is perfect for my skin tone!
Vitality Lip Flush is free of talc, paraben, sulfate, mineral oil, petrolatum, synthetic fragrance, and phthalate free. It’s also hypo-allergenic and non-comedogenic.
I will have a post to remind you, but all of the above products will be available for one day only on Friday, July 27th, exclusively at QVC. Total retail value of the TSV (Today’s Special Value) is $236.00. The TSV price on July 27th will be $59.94
Disclosure: Products sent for review. All links are for your convenience only!
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Moxie Reviews™ 2012. Content copyright. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author/owner, Moxie, is strictly prohibited
Pin ItArgan oil. Love it! I specifically love the Josie Maran Argan Oil, and I decided to make it my first review at Moxie Reviews. That’s because it’s a product that I have bought and used, for over a year now. I plan to review more in Josie’s line, but I believe that since argan oil is used in over 90% of her cosmetics line, it is important to start with that.
Josie Maran has not only modeled, acted, and become a Mom, but also, since 2007, become the owner of her own business. When pregnant with her daughter, Rumi Joon, she was concerned about toxins in not only the food she was eating, but in the products she used on her skin. In searching for for natural products, she found many to be lacking. Hard to believe that a model would make the statement, “I don’t like makeup;” however, it was the feeling of it on her skin that she objected to, being “cakey” and “oily.” Josie decided that being a model gave her a different perspective on how she believed a cosmetics company could and should be. It was to be both eco friendly, healthy, and to add to that tall order, chic!
It was while modeling in the South of France that Josie told an older woman she had beautiful skin. Her secret? Argan Oil. Argan Oil is produced from the kernels of the argan tree, native to Morocco. The oil is rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids.and lightweight, which eliminated Josie’s objection to makeup feeling, “heavy.” If you have any kind of allergic reaction to nuts you may want to check with your physician before using.
There are many argan oils that are being sold, so why do I recommended and buy the one from Josie Maran? Argan oil is expensive. There is a limited supply since the argan tree grows only in Morocco, and the demand is increasing. While other companies may promote products containing argan oil, carefully check the label. It may be just one ingredient of many. Josie Maran Argan Oil is 100% Argan Oil, and entirely vegan. Argan Oil will have a slightly nutty aroma but is quickly absorbed by the skin and the nutty smell dissipates and you are left with a nice sheen. No artificial fragrances are added to Josie’s.
Because it’s organic, it does have a shorter shelf life. It’s important to note that Josie’s company works to make sure to ship it off at the right time. Another reason I buy from Josie’s company is that her products are never tested on animals. Of course, that’s a requirement to be reviewed at Moxie Reviews.
100% Organic Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil*
*Certified Organic Ingredient
**Natural Ingredient
The only unfortunate incident I’ve had while using the Argan Oil was after purchasing my second bottle. I was a klutz and somehow managed to drop the glass bottle on the bathroom floor. Not a happy ending seeing my “liquid gold” on the bathroom floor with glass shards! At least the bottle was recyclable.
Josie’s Argan Oil is available in different sizes, and a good way to try it out is in the “to go” size bottle of .5 oz. Find the Josie Maran Argan Oil at josiemarancosmetics.com, Sephora and QVC.
Photo Credit: Josie Maran Cosmetics
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