There is a wave of new clean mascaras coming onto the market at the moment, which is fantastic news but they are all black. Now I like a black mascara as much as the next Make-up Artist but what about brown? Brown seems to be very overlooked these days but it is an incredibly versatile colour that has many depths and hues, so for this post, put your chestnut aversions aside and take a look...
Shadow Of A Doubt from Ilia Beauty
There is no reason to be uncertain about this mascara. Nearly a year ago I featured this mascara in my Top five list of Organic Brown Mascaras and it is still a product that I reach for regularly.
Forget any preconceived ideas of conventional brown mascaras for there is not a hint of chestnut, chocolate or cocoa in this tube. This is a deep ashy brown with a slight grey hue; a modest and flattering tone.
Shadow Of A Doubt is a fabulous mascara for those with very fair eyelashes and who want the impact of a dark (rather than chocolate) lash but feel that using a black is just one step to far.
An excellent choice for adding a little definition to the eyes and lashes rather than making a statement or for giving lower lashes a little more oomph. Surprisingly I have tendency to use this mascara to darken the lashes of men more often than women. The slightly greyer tones create a very natural looking lash if combed through thoroughly or applied in my favoured manner by using a mini fan brush.
The consistency of the mascara is not as wet as many of its toxin free counterparts and it dries reasonably quickly on the lash. One coat will give a very natural definition to the lashes, so it takes a little work to create a voluminous lash.
Not being a water-proof mascara it will panda (a personal but very technical term for mascara running/shadowing and generally gathering anywhere or on anything that isn't an eyelash) if subjected to a little moisture, so it not the ideal pick for using on an outside shoot if there is any potential for precipitation. Having said that it is very good at sticking to the skin if it does get wet and so a good remover is really required to ensure the eye area is left clean.
For me the one negative of this particular product is the applicator. I am not a fan of this style of wand whatsoever and Ilia are not alone in using them in their mascaras. I generally find them a little more unwieldy than a traditional wand and they are rather prone to painfully spiking the eye - or maybe this is just me..?
£22.00 from Content
Launched in Vancouver in 2011, Ilia Beauty was founded by Design graduate Sasha Plavsic. Originally based on the desire to understand the ingredients written on the back of a lipstick box, Ilia Beauty has grown from just six lip conditioners to forty cruelty free and USDA certified products.
Ingredients:
(Denotes *Certified Organic Ingredients)
- Water (Aqua), Serenoa repens (Saw Palmetto) Fruit Extract*, Aloe (Barbadensis) Leaf Extract*, Hydrogenated Glyceryl Abietate, Brassica Campestris, Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer, CoperniciaCerifera (carnauba) wax*, Chrondrus Crispus (Carrageenan), Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Butter, Triisostearyl Citrate, Stearic Acid, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Silica, Hydrolyzed JojobaEsters, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E), Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenethyl alcohol.
- May Contain: Mica, Iron Oxide (CI 77499, CI 77492, CI 77491), Ultramarines.
- Main Image: Joseph Cotten in Shadow Of A Doubt (Alfred Hitchcock: 1943 ) via Dulwich On View
- Body Image: Ilia Beauty
Hmmm.... That looks a really flattering colour. My lashes are fine and not that long but very dark, so I've always steered towards black, but this brown looks like it might look pretty and subtle against green eyes. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHey Lucy
DeleteIt's a beautiful shade and I haven't found one person it doesn't suit as yet. It would look great with green eyes and is certainly worth the investment if you want a change from the standard black :)
L