Ecco bella del mio core, mio core,
L’anima t’invio.
T’invio l’anima il mio pè, mio pè
T’invio l’anima del mio pè
Perchè ti adoro.…
Natural products, especially natural beauty products, are increasingly popular for a variety of reasons. While The Advice Sisters review products of every sort and from every company you can think of, I am proud to say that I am a Brand Ambassador for Eco Bella (see my profile on the next to last page) a line that offers “Intelligent Beauty” which includes natural and organic skin, hair, body, and make up products. Since 1992 Ecco Bella has been a natural beauty pioneer with formulas that are unique, inspired and shared with savvy beauty experts. Ecco Bella founder Sally Malanga is a proud, EccoBupscale “tree hugger” who cares about people, causes and the Earth around us.
I was attracted to the line at first, because of their amazing Lip Gloss which I found in a gift bag. From there, it wasn’t a big leap to love the rest of the Ecco Bella makeup line. The same (flower wax) coating that protects flower petals from the elements is infused into the Ecco Bella FlowerColor Makeup collection. The result is that the Ecco Bella FlowerColor Makeup creates a protective layer that keeps your natural moisture from seeping through your makeup so it stays fresher, longer. The products don’t have toxins or chemicals to dry and irritate your skin, and all you will see in the ingredient list is a pure mineral enriched with high quality, natural ingredients. Here are some of my favorite items from the Ecco Bella FlowerColor Makeup Collection:
The Ecco Bella products fit nicely into cardboard compacts and you can change up the colors as you wish. Two half moons of Ecco Bella eye shadow fit into one round compact, or four would fit into the two-well compact. There are a dozen colors of the FlowerColor Eyeshadow Refills ($14.95) mostly in earthy and natural tones. The mineral makeup is silky smooth and glides on with intense color that doesn’t crease. The shadows are naturally-preserved. Gluten-free & vegan. Beauty Tip: Try a lighter color as an eyeliner or to highlight the center of your eyelid. Use darker colors to define an area and add depth, such as the crease or the outer corners or your eyes. I tried camel and fawn, both warm shades in peach and taupe. If you need a compact, the lightweight, re-useable, Ecco Bella Paperback Duo Compact ($10.95) for two blushes or one blush and two eye shadows, or the Paperback Single Blush Compact ($9.95) would be perfect.
The Ecco Bella FlowerPower Blush colors ($15.95) are also intense, but natural looking because they are made from natural pigments. These subtle colors are actually much more opaque and intense than you might think from looking at the photo. A little goes a long way so layer until you get the look you like. l There are colors for warm to cool skin tones containing sweet almond oil, natural pigments, flower wax and vitamin E. The blushes are talc-free, gluten-free, fragrance-free with no additives to cause sensitivity. If you want to, you even use these as an eye shadow. I tried Coral Rose,” a universally flattering mid pink/rose). The other colors ares equally lovelyl: Earthy Rose, Peach Rose, Wild Rose and Nutmeg. If you need a compact, the lightweight, Ecco Bella Paperback Duo Compact ($10.95) for two blushes or one blush and two eye shadows, or the Paperback Single Blush Compact ($9.95) would be perfect.
I love travel-friendly products, and the Ecco Bella FlowerColor Natural Liquid Foundation ($25.95) in a small tube is easily portable. As with a lot of foundations, it’s hard to select the perfect color if you don’t have the ability to try on the various possibilities. However, since this is mineral makeup, and reasonably sheer, you will find it easier to make a good fit. I tried Light Beige that gave good coverage without being heavy or sticky. But this product is more than just a foundation, it’s treatment, sunscreen and foundation all in one. The water-based foundation has SPF 15 which is minimal, but still helpful to guard against the sun’s UVA /UVB rays. In addition, the foundation has organic herbs, and antioxidants. Organic aloe vera soothes and hydrates skin, while saccharide isomerate, a natural sugar bind water to the skin acting as a reservoir for continuous moisture. Organic herbs and vitamin E also help to rejuvenate, protect and soothe skin. For those who need to know, the foundation is also gluten, vegan & paraben-free.
For those who just use powder, the FlowerColor Face powder ($30.00) is opaque, moistly matte, and intense enough to pinch-hit for a light foundation. It’s a talc-free finishing powder with flower wax-coated pigments provides natural light to medium coverage in a flawless finish. The powder comes in it’s own recyclable paper compact with a mirror and puff but you can’t refill this one. Green tea extract, flower waxes, aloe vera and vitamin E make this naturally-preserved. gluten, talc and fragrance-free with four vegan colors, great for your purse. I tried “Pale” which offers good coverage for light to fair skin tones.
Lip products are the one product that I personally prefer knowing have ingredients that aren’t going to do me any harm, especially since the average woman “eats” about 4 pounds of lipstick in a lifetime, and some claim it is up to 8 pounds in a lifetime. I assume it depends upon how much product you put on your lips on a daily basis, but testing out the Eco Bella FlowerColor Lipstick ($19.95) I was happy to find a natural formula of vegetable waxes, oils, and mineral pigments that are naturally preserved. The lipstick is a moisturizing balm as well, and it’s good to know that the FlowerColor lipsticks are also gluten, FD&C dye, petroleum and fragrance-free. In addition, most of the 17 lip colors are vegan. I tried “Primrose” (one of the vegan shades). It’s a fabulous, a rich, deep rose red that looks natural even though it is an intense color. It is my new “go-to” that seems to look nice with everything I wear.
