Green People Instant Definition Lip Crayons

Back in the (very) early 1990's I rocked a deep plum or dark red lip. I was a fully paid up member of the Rimmel Black Cherry fan club (if there ever was such a thing). Deep red lips and black liquid liner along with patchouli oil perfume, long tasseled skirts or skinny black jeans and lots of big silver jewellery was my uniform (for want of a better word).

Over the years I became more and more passionate about animal welfare and cosmetic testing and so switched my allegiance to The Body Shop - the ethical high street option (pre-L'Oreal of course). My black cherry lipstick was replaced by a chunky lip pencil that (possibly) went by the name Cinnamon.

The Body Shop Cinnamon lip pencil (I'm going with Cinnamon but please correct me if you can better recall) was a deep, earthy, plum brown shade with a matte finish. Yes th formulation was slightly dry and yes there was drag but I loved it. The one draw back was that I never had a chunky pencil sharpener when I needed it so I remember using kitchen knives to sharpen it on a regular basis!

It is here (after that long pre-amble - apologies for that) that I bring in the Green People Lip Crayons...

A few months ago I was kindly sent the (then) latest additions to the Green People make-up collection; a trio of chunky pencil style lip colours. I have been playing with them on and off over the past few months and it has been great to use a lip pencil once more. It sounds corny but there was an overwhelming sense of familiarity; holding and applying a chunky pencil shaped lip colour brought back all of these memories from my youth.

Comparing the crayons to their early/mid nineties predecessor, times have defiantely changed and product development has moved on. This trio of pencils do need sharpening (they also kindly included a sharpener in the package) but that is pretty much where the similarities end; the texture, application, not to mention the ingredients are significantly improved (what would you expect?).

The crayons are rich and creamy in texture, making them easy to apply and means they don't drag uncomfortably on the lip. They are also super handy for scribbling on napkins - I never have a pen when I need one!

Ingredients wise, the Instant Definition Lip Crayons tick nearly every box. Packed full of botanical extracts such as Carnauba Wax, Shea Butter and Baobab Seed Oil, they hydrate and nourish the delicate skin on the lips. Their beeswax content does mean they are not suitable for vegans, however they are cruelty free and of course certified natural by ECOCERT.

The three shades break down like this; Praline is a neutral earthy shade which can be built up to a deep matte brown; Blossom a delicate floral pink with a softly shimmering finish and Sangria is a rich burnished russet with a slight satin sheen. Of the three there is one that has had far more excursions than the others; Praline. I was surprised by this as I imagined that Sangria would be be pick of the bunch but Praline's matte finish has won me over.

As with most pencil products, the Instant Definition Crayons longevity of wear is pretty good - even if you are a lip licker like me. Green People also released Enrich & Enhance Lip Primer* around the same time which is designed to provide hydration to the lips whilst giving them a solid base on which to apply lip colour and increase wear.

The crayons are priced at £12.95 and are available from Naturisimo and Lucy Rose (amongst others).

Green People was founded in 1997 by Charlotte Vøhtz after her young daughter battled with multiple skin allergies and eczema. With over 100 award-winning, certified organic products that are free from SLS, parabens, phalates, petrochemical, alcohol, synthetic fragrances and colourants, the range is designed to protect, balance and respect your body.

www.greenpeople.co.uk

*I have yet to give the Pimer a proper go, so stay tuned for an update on this

Ingredients:

(* denotes organic ingredient)

Sangria: RICINUS COMMUNIS (CASTOR) SEED OIL*, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE (NATURAL EMULSIFIER), MICA (NATURAL MINERAL), GLYCERYL RICINOLEATE, EUPHORBIA CERIFERA CERA (CANDELILLA WAX), CERA ALBA (BEESWAX), COPERNICIA CERIFERA CERA* (CARNAUBA WAX), MYRISTYL MYRISTATE, BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA) BUTTER*, CETYL ALCOHOL, ADANSONIA DIGITATA (BAOBAB) SEED OIL*, ARGANIA SPINOSA (ARGAN) SHELL POWDER*, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, TOCOPHEROL, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 77499

Blossom: RICINUS COMMUNIS (CASTOR) SEED OIL*, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE (NATURAL EMULSIFIER), MICA (NATURAL MINERAL), GLYCERYL RICINOLEATE, EUPHORBIA CERIFERA CERA (CANDELILLA WAX), CERA ALBA (BEESWAX), COPERNICIA CERIFERA CERA* (CARNAUBA WAX), MYRISTYL MYRISTATE, BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA) BUTTER*, CETYL ALCOHOL, ADANSONIA DIGITATA (BAOBAB) SEED OIL*, ARGANIA SPINOSA (ARGAN) SHELL POWDER*, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, TOCOPHEROL, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 77499

Praline: RICINUS COMMUNIS (CASTOR) SEED OIL*, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE (NATURAL EMULSIFIER), GLYCERYL RICINOLEATE, EUPHORBIA CERIFERA CERA (CANDELILLA WAX), MICA (NATURAL MINERAL), CERA ALBA (BEESWAX), COPERNICIA CERIFERA CERA* (CARNAUBA WAX), MYRISTYL MYRISTATE, BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA) BUTTER*, CETYL ALCOHOL, ADANSONIA DIGITATA (BAOBAB) SEED OIL*, ARGANIA SPINOSA (ARGAN) SHELL POWDER*, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, TOCOPHEROL, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 77499

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My Holiday Bag 2

I am on holiday!! I am on the beautiful, beautiful island of Sardinia, so you read this I am (with any luck) taking a relaxing stroll around the streets of the local town, exploring the beautiful Sardinian countryside or devouring exquisite local cuisine (I am a real foodie) in a little family run trattoria... *Sigh*...

As I am away, I thought I would share with you the contents of my make-up bag.

I have a tendency to pack light when I go away. I am not one for loads of make-up on a day to day basis anyhow and holidays are more often than not spent bare-faced and my focus is very much on skincare. That said this particular trip is very much a family one and the OMUA household are joined by my parents (AKA the babysitters) and that may (fingers crossed) mean that myself and Mr OMUA may just get a night out, so I am prepared for just such an eventuality...

Travel and sample sized products are a great way to keep help holiday luggage light and so I have raided my drawer of spare skin/hair/body care items for more portable alternatives to my full sized products - a great way to try out some products I have been holding off on too!!

So here we are...

Skincare

I've opted for a dual purpose cleanser/make-up remover with the Balance Me Cleanse and Smooth Face Balm (and muslin cloth) to save space (leaving my much loved [and slightly less practically shaped bottle] Beyond Organic Radiance Cleanser at home). I love this as it makes my skin feel amazing after use and the small exfoliating particles don't make my skin feel over

My must-have facial oil of the moment is the Beyond Organic Rejuvinating Serum. I am slathering this on night and day and although it doesn't quite match up to the Age Defying Serum (which I am sure you are aware I utterly adore) in terms of it's age-reducing qualities, my skin is super happy with it - despite the fact it is designed for combination skins - mine is pretty dehydrated and sensitive with a tendency towards dryness.

I am topping off the serum with a sample pot of The Body Deli Creme De La Rose Regenerative Moisturiser - a sample I have just opened and am thoroughly enjoying using.

My eyes are being cared for with a tube of Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream. A lightweight triple action eye cream to help minimise fine lines and ward off any puffiness or dark shadows whilst I am away.

SPF protection comes in the form of Jason's Facial Sunscreen. Not the cleanest of all natural sunscreens but it is one that doesn't irritate my face as I find many natural and organic facial sun creams too thick and heavy and in turn this brings my face up in heat bumps - you can't win!!

Surprise surprise, I have included a tube of my beloved Hurraw! Lip Balm (I had to get one in somewhere ;). This one is Grapefruit. I plan on liberal lashings on the plane to help combat dehydrated lips.

Weleda Sea Buckthorn Body Oil (this will obviously be decanted into a smaller, plastic bottle to save space/weight) will be covering my body on a daily basis. I am a complete convert to body oils and the Weleda ones are fabulous! I have just finished working my way through a fifth bottle of citrus and thought I should probably try another one - this I purchased at Weleda HQ last year during my trip to the gardens.

Make-up

I don't plan on wearing make-up everyday but it may be called for on occasion so I have packed a few basics...

My go-to base for easy application and minimal fuss is Madara Moonflower Tinting Fluid. I mix in a little facial sunscreen or apply over the top to protect my face.

Couleur Carmel Concealer will hid any dark shadows or blemishes which may occur during the holiday. Although the colour spectrum isn't that great, this is a lovely concealer that is easy to build up where necessary.

As much as I wanted to take a couple of Kjaer Weis shadow compacts, practical thinking came into play so instead I have packed Lavera Eyeshadow Quad in Purple Fantasy. Lightweight and perfect for mixing and matching to create anything from a smokey eye to a nude wash of colour. I have also packed an Lavera Eyeliner Pencil (although it seems to be camera shy in the image above).

Lashes will be coated with Jane Iredale Lash Extender and Conditioner (a product I can no longer live without) and then covered with a couple of coats of the last of my Neal's Yard Remedies Lengthening Mascara.

Finally, my lips have the treat of my new best friend Rhubarb from Bite Beauty High Pigment Pencil. This is such a versatile colour and it looks great for day and evening wear. Either apply directly from the crayon for full impact or dot a little on your finger for a lower-key look.

And thats it.

If you want to keep up with my adventures on this stunning island, I will endeavour to update my (non Organic Make-up Artist) Instagram account, so check it out :)

Main Image: Natasha Mileshina via Flickr

Body Images: Laura Jane Sessions - Organic Make-up Artist

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