My Transition to Natural Beauty

I had shifted almost all of my products and food towards a more natural, holistic approach, but I had one vice that I simply couldn't give up... traditional makeup products. As someone whose Instagram suggestions are makeup tutorials and is on a first name basis with over half of the staff at my local Sephora, it was such a daunting task to give up my beloved makeup brands that I knew worked extremely well, but weren't necessarily the best thing for my skin and overall well-being. My transition started about eight months ago when I was diagnosed with peri-oral dermatitis - which is essentially an inflamed skin reaction near the mouth that resembles acne. Super cute, right? And the worst part is that it is often caused by ingredients in foundation and other traditional makeup products. I thought to myself um...HELLO! This is a sign that I need to bite the bullet and switch to all natural makeup.

Sigh. That's what happened the first few times I made all natural makeup purchases. I couldn't seem to find foundation or concealer that had the coverage and texture I was looking for, and most eye products weren't pigmented enough for me to achieve the look that I like. After two months of frustration, Chelsea (Founder of Rose Botanica), introduced me to lilah b. It was like (an all-natural) Christmas morning!

I was a bit skeptical to begin with, simply because as a total makeup junkie, I had SO many different palettes, brushes, bronzers, etc. Lilah b. believes that "with less you are more..." I have to admit, my first thought: ummmmm what? This was a huge transition for the girl with three full drawers of makeup, but I gave it a shot. And oh wow was I super impressed! Let's start off with the packaging - it truly is a luxury product line. You can feel from the weight of the compact that it is durable (and looks totally chic). Next, the ingredients have fundamentally changed the way I look at makeup. Not only do they omit hormone triggering & inflammatory ingredients that standard beauty companies almost always use (gluten, parabens, phthalates, sulfates & synthetic fragrances), but their formulas are beneficial to the skin! Coconut oil, aloe, agar, mother of pearl - why not have makeup that works to improve our skin while still doing the job, rather than causing breakouts or endocrine disruption?

I started off with their powder foundation and concealer, which are great because they are super moisturizing. Most foundations tend to dry out my skin, and the day after I wear them I have increased levels of acne and flakiness. None of that with lilah b.! To complete my look, Rose Botanica recommended the Aglow Face Mist to prime, set, and refresh my makeup. Aglow quickly became my favorite product as it helped me achieve a dewy glow and the lavender scent calmed me. After a few weeks, I purchased two of their Divine Duos, which can be used as both lip & cheek tint. These are extremely pigmented and stay on all day and don't even come off on a drinking glass when worn as lipstick, so be careful. Ahh, finally the "less is more" idea making sense!

Not only do I love my lilah b. products, but the line is so good that it has changed the way I view makeup. Now, I don't look at it as something that has to take 20-30 minutes to look good, and I definitely know that I don't need 1,000 products in my bag! I love how the line has simplified my makeup regime and overall views on beauty products. If you are new to all natural skincare, just know that there is in fact hope out there!

 by Rose Botanica Wellness Contributor, Halle Kearney  

About the Author: Halle Kearney is a former division I volleyball player who is passionate about self-care & wellness, particularly the mind-gut connection. She works in the healthcareIT field, and takes full advantage of her ability to work remotely. Halle has adventured across the country this year - living in the mountains in Montana and sunny Southern California to name a few. After dealing with many athletic-related injuries and stomach issues, Halle has found that eating healthy and incorporating time each day for self-wellness rituals has created all of the difference in overall well-being. Her perfect day starts with a tough cycling class in the AM followed by a blissful matcha latte and ends with meditative yoga & a calming elixir.