Up until last month, I’d been a big believer in natural mineral makeup lines.  I loved the long list of no’s that mineral makeup offered (like no fillers, no talc, no alcohol, no silicones, no perfume, no PEG’s and of course no preservatives).

But this recent change of season has jump started my spring-cleaning spirit.  Armed with a garbage bag in tow I started tossing anything in my room and bathroom that were a bit ‘iffy’—surprisingly that included my mineral makeup. A quick reread of those ingredients and I found two sneaky culprits: Mica & Titanium Dioxide.  

Mica is known for it’s lovely sheer and glitter effect. Unfortunately, while mica is (usually) naturally occurring, Mica can cause significant lung scarring when breathed in over a long period of time. This is one of the reasons why manufacturers of mica require the use of protective gear and masks. If you end up sticking with a makeup that does have mica in it, make sure to apply it in a well-ventilated area.

Titanium Dioxide (aka CI 77891) is often used to create a white/opaque base in mineral makeups. But you really want to steer clear of titanium dioxide made from ultrafine (aka nanoparticles). The tiny size of the particles let’s the metal become easily absorbed into the body, which may damage cells or DNA.

Studies have shown that makeup w/ harmful or irritating ingredients can create premature skin aging. Nobody wants that.  So, I gave those minerals a flick of the wrist and opted for something a bit more health conscious.

Enter Omiana. A company which just happens to be the fastest growing pure makeup line on the interwebs. Omiana provides makeup options that are uniquely free of mica and titanium dioxide (and a whole plethora of other sketchy ingredients) plus they are also cruelty-free, vegan, ethically sourced and made in the USA.

20 minutes on Omiana’s website and bought four products. A concealer, mineral pencil, eyeshadow and powder foundation, it came out to be $90.

After applying my rosewater primer, I applied Omiana’s Redness Concealer Cream to a few of my problem areas. A dab hid a forehead blemish really well and helped even out the skin tone between my skin and cheek. Ultimately, after a two-day test, I decided this concealer isn’t the best at hiding my dark under-eye circles. However, when it comes to blended coverage, I’m impressed. It looks lovely.

For foundation, I’m a loose powder girl.  So I opted for their “Gorgeous” powder and applied liberally. It was wonderful and stayed better than my typical Laura Mercier powder foundation. I also appreciated how it made pores appear a bit smaller—instead of magnifying them, like some powder foundations tend to do.

On to the eyes. When I opened the loose eyeshadow shade (Golden Olive Shimmer) I was a bit worried I’d ordered something far too dark. But I applied the tiniest of tiny bits to the brush, tapped it out and voila, it actually looks a lot lighter when applied to lids. Considering the minuscule amount I used, this shimmer makeup could last you a really, really long time.  I think I’ll use “Golden Olive” for my night outs and try to order the Omiana pressed trio option for lighter for daily wear.

The mineral eyeliner was one thing I’ve looked forward to the most.  I have pretty sensitive eyes, and any product that touches my inner lid has to be incredibly gentle or else mid-day irritation/itchiness becomes inevitable.  Anyways, I chose the Omiana’s more neutral “Taupe” option and tentatively applied from the inner corner out. This product alone gets four stars for staying power. Better yet, I lasted a full workday without scratchy eyes. It was amazing! Well done Omiana, I think you’ve just made an eyeliner girl out of me.

Oh, on a total side note, another plus about Omiana is the limitless exchange policy.  Omiana pays for an exchange label so you can send back any makeup that might not suit your fancy (or match your skin tone).

Lots of Love!

XOXO,

Lemon

Good for You - EWG’s website rates every specific product that I ordered from Omiana (concealer cream, loose foundation, taupe eyeliner and shimmer eyeshadow) with straight “1’s”. That's impressive! I also loved their transparent truth-in-labeling program for each product. All of Omiana’s products are free of talc, mysterious particle coatings, nanoparticles, bismuth oxychloride, propylene glycol, and gluten free.  For more sensitive skin, Omiana also offers six other product lines to cater to specific skin needs like: titanium dioxide-free, without mica, zinc oxide-free, boron nitride-free, ultramarine-free, or iron oxide-free.  There are some ingredients included in some of the various Omiana products to be mindful of: Yellow #5 Lake (CI 19140) and tocopheryl acetate. I’ve found that Omiana often provides links to similar products without those ingredients too.

Good for Others - Omiana sources (and certifies) that all their packaging comes from factories with fair working conditions. This company also believes women shouldn't have to choose between attachment-style parenting and careers; so they created an office that blends a modern nursery (complete with compostable diapers and nursing couches) with an eco-chic industrial workplace. I loooove that they approach such a healthy mom-work-life balance! Omiana is also vegan (and source to shelf) cruelty-free. We've got our fingers crossed that Omiana will add some sort of social initiative soon to the rest of their heart-felt processes.

Good for Earth -  Omiana’s packaging is currently recyclable and they’ve mentioned they hope for future packaging to be made from compostable or re-recycled-materials.

C&C Overall - I really love the natural (low-key) look that Omiana gives me. For day-to-day wear I'm usually trying to sport the "low-makeup" look and these products are spot on.  I feel like they help my skin feel more even and at the same time it doesn't feel heavy. I also have seen a lot less breakouts in my T-Spot with Omiana (especially when compared to the more chemical-filled mineral makeup I used before).  Quick tip: With Omiana's powder foundation I use a concealer brush to add generous amounts of the foundation over a blemish and then I'll follow up a second layer lighter foundation with a powder brush to blend it in. Works like a charm.