❤ Bubble and Bee Deodorant Spray ❤

K this is not the product obviously, but it is just too cute not to add to my review!

Well I can’t believe that I am going to talk about my armpits, but frankly, I think the time has come. Deodorant is one of the things that made me decide to change over to natural products, though it was a rocky start finding one I liked.  Natural deodorant is probably the hardest item to switch to, since everyone’s chemistry is a little bit different.  I am sharing what has worked for me.  It may or may not work for you.  The great thing about buying from Bubble and Bee is that they have a deodorant guarantee. Doesn’t work for you? Stephanie will send you a replacement at no charge until you find the one that works for you. You just pay for shipping.

Me and my sweet, who I tortured
with my deodorant quest

Finally! The days are getting longer, warmer and sunnier, putting my new deodorants from Bubble and Bee to the true test.  Guess what? They passed with flying colors!  I use the Lemon and Clove oil spray, which works great on its own. I also like to spritz my special “perfume” from Bubble and Bee that’s a raspberry, brown sugar, vanilla, coconut concoction over the top just for added scent.  My pits are smelling extra lovely these days, a fact that was confirmed by my brave and obliging husband.  For nearly two months I have been subjecting him to a post workout sniff test, and he obliged me every time. Now, that is what I call love!

I do hard workouts 5-6 days a week with back-to-back classes on several days (typical is Zumba then a boot camp-style weight class, or running then class).  Since I have been using Bubble and Bee, I have never, ever had a problem with odor: even if I can’t shower right away after.  Also, I am not one of those girls who simply glow in exercise class. I am truthfully a sweaty mess, especially when I work out indoors.

Yes, you do sweat when you wear deodorants without antiperspirant, which takes a little getting used to. However, I never look sweaty outside of exercising, so I have learned to live with it.  Sweating is the body’s natural way of cooling and cleansing itself and our pores.  To block sweat glands with the aluminum that is in conventional deodorants is not only unhealthy, it is potentially dangerous.  Aluminum is linked with Alzheimer’s and potentially cancers, so why risk it if you can find something that works just as well?  Bubble and Bee's sprays work by combining organic grain alcohol with scent controlling essential oils.  This is a great combo since bacteria will never grow resistant to the alcohol.  Hence, once you find the one you like it should keep working for you.  No more sniff tests for me these days thanks to Bubble and Bee. 

Merci Beaucoup! (Really making that college french work for me, huh? lol!)

❤ Eco Belle Elle

The once over……….........

I’m bidding a (not-so-fond) farewell to: Dove Deodorant

Eco Belle Elle product pick: Bubble and Bee Lemon and Clove Deodorant Spray

Buy it: Bubbleandbee.com or naturaljoybeauty.com (love natural joy beauty store by the way and a review for them is in the works, however if you want the deodorant guarantee, buy directly from Bubble and Bee.)

Gonna lighten your bank account: $9- $10.85 depending on the deodorant formulation you choose, which is honestly more than I’m used to paying for deodorant.  However I am happy to spend the money on something healthy that actually works.  Deodorant is one place where I don’t want to play it cheap!

Cheers to:  Safe, certified organic ingredients and a good mister that doesn’t clog. The products last a loooong time too!

Jeers to: The fact that you have to order it and pay shipping. Bleh! Though I have started a campaign at my local co-op and also at the Bellevue Whole Foods to carry their line. Several of the Whole Foods locations in Utah and Colorado carry the Bubble and Bee brand.  Also, the aluminum bottle- though it is internally and externally coated like your soda and food cans so it doesn’t leach. I believe I can overlook this, but I heard that a change might be in the works.

Shop 'til you drop?: I would definitely buy this again, in fact, my deodorant orders are getting costly cause I just can’t say no to trying the entire Bubble and Bee line!

EWG score: 0-1 Depending on product selected! Bellissima!

Ingredients: Quadruple-distilled grain spirits, organic lemon essential oil, organic clove essential oil. Simple and easy to understand list, in fact, you could potentially drink it since grain alcohol is edible and so are the oils- though of course it wouldn’t be recommended.

Company low down: Love my Bubble and Bee

BONUS POINTS:  Shop with abandon! I have found everything they offer to be safe and fabulous.

❤ Intelligent Nutrients Volumizing Spray ❤

To end our hair week I will close with the best and brightest star in my hair lineup.  This volumizer was given Elle Magazine’s Green Award, so of course I had to try it.  Elle you didn’t fail me! Love, love, love this volumizer! What can I say? Sometimes I want big hair.  This gives me a little pouf at the roots and lasts all day.  It smells divine.  Kind of lemony and fresh, but light.  No styling residue either. 

My Big Hair Inspiration....
Though I am not that brave
(or sexy & kittenish for that matter!)

It is a little more expensive than what I had been using, but it is a pretty hefty bottle that has will last a really long time (like 4-6 months with daily use).  But really, when was the last time you looked at a hair styling product and saw that every ingredient in its list was certified organic? Unheard of! The only three ingredients not organic in this are things that can’t be certified like water, citric acid and Vitamin E. All of which we eat and drink every day. Just think, when you are spraying with abandon, no need to hold your breath......this product is so pure, that it’s edible! To prove it the company’s founder actually drank a hairspray champagne cocktail at the company launch party. (Maybe their hairspray is better for drinking then styling, since I didn’t love it.  Unfortunately, it left a flaky residue on my dark hair. So sad, cause I really love this product line and their mission.)

The founder is Horst M. Rechelbacher, the same man that established Aveda. Though this is a much cleaner line of products.  I love this company! They use 100% renewable energy to power the manufacturing of their products.  More profoundly, the founder Horst Rechelbacher, actually donates all after-tax profits from the sale of Intelligent Nutrients products to environmental and social causes. Their website is a thing of beauty if you have a chance please check it out! www.intelligentnutrients.com

Intelligent Nutrients…..Good for you, good for the planet!

Cheers! (hairspray cocktail optional)

Eco Belle Elle

The once over……….........

I’m bidding a (not-so-fond) farewell to: Goldwell Volume Double Boost Rootlift Spray

Eco Belle Elle product pick: Intelligent Nutrients Volumizer (thank goodness for your shorter and easier to remember name)

Buy it: intelligentnutrients.com or spiritbeautylounge.com

Gonna lighten your bank account: $29 (I know, ouch! But sooo worth it)

Cheers to:  Healthy, edible, certified organic ingredients and a delicious scent.  Nice packaging, with a good mister that doesn’t clog

Jeers to: Yeah, it’s expensive, let’s move on…..

Shop 'til you drop?: I would definitely buy this again

EWG score: Higher it is a 3 or 4, but only cause of the ingredients limonene, linalool, geraniol. Which are essential lemon oil, and clove oil. These up the rating only because some people can be allergic to them. EWG is a great place to start but sometimes it annoys me, since it can’t tell the difference between something that is synthetic and what is natural. So take some of the ratings with a grain of salt, please!

Big Hair Icon: The Beautiful Bardot

Ingredients: water/aqua, acacia senegal gum,1 alcohol denat.,1,3 glycerin,1 aloe barbadensis leaf juice,1hydrolyzed milk protein, nigella sativa (black cumin) seed oil,1,2 cucurbita pepo (pumpkin) seed oil,1,2 rubus idaeus (red raspberry) seed oil,1,2 vitis vinifera (red grape) seed oil,1,2 vaccinium macrocarpon (cranberry) seed oil,1,2 citrus aurantium amara (bitter orange) peel oil,1 elettaria cardamomum (cardamom) seed oil,1 citrus noblis (mandarin orange) peel oil,1 chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower oil,1 lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil,1 vetiveria zizanoides (vetiver) root oil,1 cymbopogon martini (palmarosa) oil,1 citrus aurantium bergamia (bergamot) fruit oil,1 citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) peel oil,1 citrus medica limonum (lemon) peel oil,1 citrus grandis (grapefruit) peel oil,1 limonene,1,4 linalool,1,4 geraniol,1,4 citric acid, tocopherol (vitamin e)

Company low down: I cannot say enough great things: philanthropy, certified organic ingredients, sustainable and renewable manufacturing processes as well as cutting edge growing practices. Go see for yourself.

BONUS POINTS: Super bonus round points!!

❤ Organic Excellence Wild Mint Styling Spray ❤

Before I converted to my natural beauty products I was addicted to the Goldwell line of styling products.  In fact, their volumizing hair spray and root boost were my favorite hair items.  I foreswore all other hairspray and volumizing products, since those were the holygrail of hair styling.  When I made the switch I wanted to give up aerosols since they have propellants, which are nasty for you and the environment. 

Do you think she uses aerosol hairspray?!?

I had not used pump hairspray since freshman year: In the days when the scent of Aussie Sprunch Spray and Herbal Essences Hairspray invaded every olfactory sense at our school, permeating hallways and classrooms.  Luckily, we have come a long way baby!  I love the Organic Excellence Wild Mint Styling Spray.  It smells delicious (like light mint that quickly dissipates) and holds really well.  It also doesn’t leave any flaky styling gunk on your hair when you brush it out either.  An experience that I had with many natural hairsprays.  I like hairspray since it gives my slippery hair a little more body and makes it easier to style. A little goes a long way with this product. 

Peace, love and beauty

❤ Eco Belle Elle

The once over……….........

I’m bidding a (not-so-fond) farewell to: Goldwell Volumizing Hairspray

Eco Belle Elle product pick: Organic Excellence Wild Mint Styling spray

Buy it: amazon.com or organicexcellence.com

Gonna lighten your bank account: $11-13 each

Cheers to:  Healthy organic ingredients, alcohol free and a yummy smell

Jeers to: The ugly label, sorry, but it has to be said. Super retro colors and an ugly font.  Sorry, but I am a font snob.

Shop 'til you drop?: I would definitely buy this again

EWG score: 1

Ingredients: Purified Water, Guar Gum (Guar Bean), Vegetable Protein, Vegetable Glycerin, Panthenol (Vitamin B5), Lavender Extract*, Rosemary Extract*, Peppermint Oil*, Grape Seed Extract*. *Certified Organic Herb

Company low down: They have a lot of great information on their website as well as a huge product offering including organic supplements, etc…

BONUS POINTS: 30 day moneyback guarantee on their products purchased from their website, so try everything risk free. 

❤ Organic Excellence Wild Mint Shampoo and Conditioner ❤

I have decided that this week will be hair week at ecobelleelle.  This is timely since I will be having my regular salon appointment this week.  Because I like my hair long there is only one eternal question….bangs or no bangs? I am thinking no, but we will see.  So where should I start? I am thinking shampoo and conditioner would be a good place.  So far I have tried a few “natural” ones. My very first was Yes to Carrots.  Unfortunately from here on out I will be saying no to this product.  It made my scalp feel like an entire fire ant colony was setting up camp on my head.  Miserable! Later I read that it had perfume in it and a bunch of other nasties (I told you this was my earliest pick).  Second, I tried John Masters Organics Evening Primrose Shampoo.  It has better ingredients, although I do not like to use cocoamidopropyl betaine (wow! I just spelled that without googling it first and I did it right!), because of its instability and potential to create carcinogens. It was okay, but I thought it was kind of expensive for the amount of product, and it just isn’t sudsy enough.  Plus, I do not like the smell of it and it lingers on your hair for hours.

My Shampoo makes me happy....
Though maybe not this happy!

My final product and favorite has been Organic Excellence Wild Mint Shampoo and the companion conditioner.  The price is good, it smells divine like mojito mint, and it lathers up really well.  The smell is not at all strong if you do not care for mint, but it is a very fresh scent it does not linger on your hair.  If you have used tea tree or other mint shampoos in the past and found that burning, tingling feeling off putting, 
no worries, this product does not do that. The conditioner is really moisturizing, without being greasy or thick.  This is the most similar product that I have found to more mainstream (SLS containing) kinds of shampoos, in that it lathers well and makes your hair feel clean. Sodium Laureth Sulfate is a cheap detergent that makes lots of bubble and has a bunch of nasty junk in it.  It is drying to the hair and scalp and strips color on color-treated hair.  Many non-natural shampoos have moved away from this ingredient for those reasons, however some of the alternatives just don’t lather or leave my hair feeling kind of filmy.  I highly recommend Organic Excellence.  I have found that if my hair is feeling kind of weighed down or dull, adding a little pinch of baking soda and rinsing with a vinegar and water combo perks it right up.  This is a trick our grandmothers used to use before detergent shampoos were invented.  My own grandma who was a hairdresser in the days where hairstyles were called coiffures, passed down this trick to her six sisters and four daughters so this is definitely a tried and true method in my family. 

So lather up, buttercup!

❤ Eco Belle Elle

The once over……….........

I’m bidding a (not-so-fond) farewell to: Pantene, Dove and Goldwell Shampoos and conditioners

Eco Belle Elle product pick: Organic Excellence Wild Mint Shampoo and Conditioner

Buy it: amazon.com or organicexcellence.com

Gonna lighten your bank account: $12-16 each

Cheers to:  Healthy organic ingredients, bubbles and a yummy smell

Jeers to: The ugly label, sorry, but it has to be said. Super retro colors and an ugly font.  Sorry, but I am a font snob.

Shop 'til you drop?: I would definitely buy this again, and I love their hairspray as well

EWG score: 1

Ingredients: Purified Water, Olive Oil (and) Coconut Oil (and) Potassium Lactate, Vegetable Glycerin, Peppermint Oil*, Fennel Extract*, Hops Extract, Balm Mint Extract, Olive Leaf Extract*, Ginger Extract*, Mistletoe Extract*, Allantonin (Comfrey Root), Citric Acid, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Lemon Grass Oil*, Burdock Root Extract*, Sage Extract*, Rosemary Extract*, Grape Seed Extract*. *Certified Organic Herb

Company low down: They have a lot of great information on their website as well as a huge product offering including organic supplements, etc…

BONUS POINTS: 30 day moneyback guarantee on their products purchased from their website, so try everything risk free. 

❤ Vapour Organic Beauty Aura Multi-Use Blush ❤

 I love blush, it is such a simple way to give your face a fresh little glow.   My favorite blushes are usually those that emulate my post-run glow, which is a rosy-pink.  However I have been known to also rock a shimmery coral-y look.  Hello Nars Orgasm! I went through a stage where blush was the makeup statement I was making.  This happens to me mostly in the wintertime when I feel particularly washed out.  I love a warm pink cheek on all that pale milky skin!

Aura blush is a wonderful product and one of my absolute favorite things from the Vapour line.  I got the color “Torch” which is a VERY bright fuchsia pink, that blends to a sheer, flushed pink.  It comes in a giant lipstick like tube, which will last forever since it is so pigmented.  I like to put two big dots on the apples of my cheeks directly from the tube and blend it with my Sephora Airbrush contour brush.  I find that when I use my fingers I sort of end up wiping it off.  It also seems to wear better for me using a brush, though it is not necessary.  It is not greasy at all, so if you are prone to breakouts I think the consistency would be fine. 

It works really well for a lipstick too, though I don’t usually do the matchy lips and cheeks thing.  The color torch is very close to what they are showing Courtesan as on the advertising pic on the Vapour website.  It is not really shimmery.  In fact, it is hardly noticeable as having shimmer at all, more like a soft glow.

I have yet to find a product from Vapour that I don’t like.  Their product performance is great and the colors range is gorgeous.  I can’t wait to try their version of Nars Orgasm blush which is called Intrigue. I’ll let you know once I get it!  UPDATE: I got the "Intrigue" blush shade and it is super pretty, but really almost too light for my skin.  I think if you were extremely extremely fair it would be a good way to impart a little peachy glow. 

The once over……….........

I’m bidding a (not-so-fond) farewell to: MAC blush and Nars Orgasm

Eco Belle Elle product pick: Vapour Organic Beauty Aura Multi-Use

Color tried: Torch- a sheer vibrant cool pink

Buy it: spiritbeautylounge.com, vapourbeauty.com

Gonna lighten your bank account: $28

Cheers to:  Healthy organic ingredients, highly pigmented colors that will last a while.

Jeers to: The colors are so pretty that it’s hard to choose, thus I want the entire color range!

Shop 'til you drop?: I would definitely buy this again, I can’t wait to try more colors

Can't wait to try:  Atmosphere Soft Focus Foundation

EWG score: 2

Ingredients: Organic/Bio Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Oil, Organic/Bio Cera Alba (Beeswax), Silica,  Castor Isostearate Beeswax Succinate, Organic/Bio Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Essential Oils & Natural Fruit Essences, Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E), Boswellia Carteri (Frankincense)*, Organic/Bio Ocimum Sanctum (Tulsi/Holy Basil), Organic/Bio Nelumbo Nucifera (Lotus) Flower Petals [+/—: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, 77492, 77499), Mica (CI 77019), Carmine (CI 75470)] *Wildcrafted

Company low down: They have a great company philosophy and a huge range of products and colors. Check out their company info and philosophy at vapourbeauty.com

BONUS POINTS: 100% of proceeds from the sales of HONOR Elixir Plumping Gloss are donated to benefit breast cancer research at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute, where they are working towards the first breast cancer vaccine! Plus if you follow them on Facebook or sign up for email notifications on their website, they have all sorts of specials. Recently I got $80 of products for $18!

❤ Rejuva Minerals Bronzer ❤

I took a small leap when I ordered this.  I took another when I tried it for the first time.  This time it was in a little happy dance.  There were no reviews for this that I could find, except for one lil bitty thing on the company website.  I love bronzers, especially for summer.  They are fantastic for contouring, and because I’m a pale girl, to give a little life to my skin.  Okay, I’m not quite as white in the summer despite my obsessive sunscreen use (I spend a lot of time on and in the water).  Nevertheless, I remember one time I went shopping in December for some foundation and their lightest color was too dark for me.  I promptly asked the lady if they had anything in “corpse.”  I don’t think she got it.  I think you get the picture though.

This stuff is great.  It is light, sheer, blendable and buildable.  It doesn’t go on too dark or too orange.  It is a nice neutral light brown, meaning it works for many different skin-tones and colors.  I would say the color is very comparable to some of Benefit’s bronzers.  It is a bit lighter and less red-brown than Hula, but along those lines.  It has a nice silky texture, probably in large part to the rice powder.  It also does not contain titanium dioxide or nano-particles (nano-particles are ingredients refined to the point that they can be absorbed straight into your skin, see below for more info)  If you read my previous posts you know I don’t usually like to use titanium dioxide in loose form, though it is great in a liquid form for sunscreen.  Rejuva bronzer also does not contain mica.  Though I am not opposed to mica in my products, so many things have it that I worry about over-indulging in the glittery goodness.  I think balance is key in most everything, so I to vary ingredients in my everyday products.  Also, I prefer a matte bronzer look.  If you don’t feel the same as me about glitter, feel free to add shimmer powder over the top of this.  It looks really pretty that way. 

Cheers to spending the summer not looking like an extra from Twilight!! 

❤ Eco Belle Elle

PS. “Nano-particles” or micronized ingredients are controversial in cosmetic use.   Nano particles are found in many foundations and sunscreens since we desire a flawless coverage from these products.  In the case of sunscreen, they make it easy to blend the white away.  Nano-particles should be avoided, as they filter readily through the skin directly into your tissues and bloodstream.  Without the benefit of an intervening process, such as digestion, it could be problematic for our bodies.  For more on nano-particles please see:  http://www.ewg.org/node/21738 and http://www.ewg.org/nanotechnology-sunscreens. 

The once over……….........

I’m bidding a (not-so-fond) farewell to: Benefit Hula Bronzer and Clinique Bronzer

Eco Belle Elle product pick: Rejuva Minerals Bronzer

Color tried: There is only one, it’s pretty neutral so it should work for many people

Buy it: www.rejuvaminerals.com

Gonna lighten your bank account: $29 for a 10 gram jar, $15.75 for a 5 gram jar (they are running a discount though, so check below)

Cheers to:  Healthy certified organic and non-threatening ingredients.  No mica, titanium dioxide, or nano particles. Cute, non-plastic packaging (it has a plastic sifter cap, fine by me).  Nice texture and highly pigmented, yet blendable and sheer.  Gluten free if you need that feature.

Jeers to: Only available in one place that I could find.  Also, it is too bad that you can’t try it out without spending $15.75

Shop 'til you drop?: I would definitely buy this again, but not for a while.  This one will definitely last a long time, even when used daily.

Can't wait to try:  I’m looking forward to trying their new lip gloss trio and maybe a finishing powder

EWG score: 1 excellent!

Ingredients: Boron Nitride (synthesized natural mineral), 
Kaolinite (Clay)
, Ecocert Organic Oryza Sativa (Rice) Powder, 
Iron Oxides (pigment),
*Certified Organic Punica Granatum  (Pomegranate), 
*Certified Organic Pyrus Malus (Apple), 
*Certified Organic Prunus Domestica (Plum), 
*Certified Organic White Tea 

Company low down: Developed by beauty company insider, Brenda Hyre, these products were created for sensitive individuals prone to allergies.  Rejuva Minerals has signed the Compact For Safe Cosmetics, is a member of the Natural Products Association and PETA’s Cruelty-Free Company program.

BONUS POINTS:

Discount! I don’t know how long this is going on.  I got it directly from the company website.  It is a nice deal and takes the sting out of shipping. Rejuva Minerals Coupon Code

SAVE 15% ON ANY ITEM (NOT ALREADY DISCOUNTED) TODAY! COUPON CODE: 1292883112

❤ Real Purity Mascara ❤

Hi Everyone!

Sorry for not having any recent posts. I was on a little vaca with my family, to the most unnatural place on earth. Las Vegas!  It was so fun though!  I loved being warm and outside by the pool for the for the first time in months.  How sad is that, since it is nearly June?  Well back to rainy reality.............

So you want to know about mascara?  I'll be completely honest: a good natural mascara is hard to find.  I went through several on my quest to find what is often referred to as the holy grail of mascaras. The first gave me length, but no volume and couldn’t hold a curl to save its life.  It also completely disappeared by the end of the day. As in, poof! I was no longer wearing mascara.  The second was more like a lash tint.  The third was goopy and dry.  Like Goldilocks and her quest for the perfect bed, I couldn't find one that was just right. 

Let me preface this review by telling you that natural mascaras have difficulty competing with synthetic versions. It takes a lot of chemicals to deliver the kind of results that you would find with something like Diorshow.  I am willing to sacrifice a little when it comes to using a healthier mascara option, but I don't feel like I have to with Real Purity.  I have to say that for a natural mascara, Real Purity is as close to performing like a standard mascara that I have found.  I have very straight, long, fine lashes that are hard to curl.  I also have had a longtime love affair with my eyelash curler.  I have about 10 Shu Uemura leftover curlers that I can’t seem to throw out.  Mascara with curled eyelashes is the one thing that I pretty much always do before leaving the house.  I don’t feel “done” without this step, so I was sad when the all the natural mascaras made my curly eyelashes droop back to their former straight, sad state.

I also demand a lot from my mascara, no flaking, no running, volume, length and super black color.  My past favorite mascara was L’Oreal Voluminous, and I used it for years.  I always came back to it, but I also loved Lancome Hypnose and Diorshow for a tube or six.  I also liked to layer different brands.  So I think you are getting the picture that I obviously have never gone with the “natural mascara” look.  I want ‘em big and borderline false looking, but not like spider legs!

So my new lash lovely is Real Purity mascara.  It is cheaper and better performing than the Jane Iredale Longest Lash ($34) that I used at first.  It also holds a curl! I couldn’t believe it. Totally made my day.  It is definitely the best natural mascara I have found, offering both volume and length.  It is a bit drier in consistency so it doesn’t take 5 minutes to dry like others I used.  It is also extremely buildable without clumping.  It doesn’t flake and it lasts all day long.  It will smudge if you have a creamy or greasy eye cream, or if you have oily eyelids.  So you could dust your under eye area with powder though, to make sure it stays put. It is pretty easy to wash off, either with makeup remover or face cleanser.  It doesn’t have any nasty chemicals in it either.  It holds up pretty well to sweat and rain (oh, Seattle how I love you) unless you start touching or rubbing your eyes. 

Natural Mascara is more gentle to your eyes and
lashes. It might not get you this.... but
they will be fuller and longer in the long run

I love to layer it over my Jane Iredale Lash Primer $15 (also of clean ingredients and yummy, natural vanilla smell).  It gives pretty much the same effect as my previous mascaras.  I still have some of my Jane Iredale Longest Lash left over so I layered it over the Real Purity, and WOW!!  Seriously pretty peepers: long and feathery and black.  I don’t know if I would repeatedly buy both because $50 is a little crazy on mascara, even for me, but hey, to each their own.

I purchased mine from Natural Joy Beauty for $11 with an E-coupon (I LOVE this store and Joy is so very sweet).  It usually costs about $13.  So it’s still a good value even at full price, but a little more than drugstore brands. 

So go ahead and lash out,

❤ Eco Belle Elle

The once over……….........

I’m bidding a (not-so-fond) farewell to: Loreal Voluminous (4), Diorshow (7) and Lancome Hypnose (4)

Eco Belle Elle product pick: Real Purity Mascara

Color tried: Black

Buy it: naturaljoybeauty.com or realpurity.com

Gonna lighten your bank account: $13

Cheers to:  Volume, Length, Curl! Buildable with no smudging or flaking

Jeers to: This is super petty, but the sad packaging, so generic and plain.  I actually broke the lid the second time I used it thinking it had to “click” to be closed and had to glue it back together.  That was just me being nitpicky though.  Like people, it’s the inside that counts.

Shop 'til you drop?: I would definitely buy this again, in fact I am getting a spare

Can't wait to try:  Pretty happy with the one mascara

EWG score: 2 excellent! No parabens or icky stuff!

Ingredients Purified Water, Beeswax, Kosher Vegetable Glycerin, Candellila, Cellulose, Pure Plant Extracts, Iron Oxide

Company low down:

Founded in 1986 by Virginia Easterling and now run by her son, a naturopathic doctor (president & CEO).  It is one of the older natural and environmentally conscious makeup companies out there.