Naturalla Beauty

A few months ago, Crystal from the All Natural Face asked me if I'd be willing to take some photos of their cream blushes for the new website they were planning to launch.  The new website is live now (check it out!), but the photos didn't end up being used.  All the same, rather than just leave them sitting in a file, I figured I'd share the photos here.  I've photographed and swatched 23 of the 27 cream blushes, plus the one cream highlighter, so I'm hoping they'll be helpful to anyone struggling to choose colors.  I grouped similar colors together so you can see how they compare to one another.  (Click on the photos to make them bigger.)  You can also read my full review of the cream blushes here.






Have you tried these blushes yet?  What are your favorite colors?

One product I've never been fully satisfied with are highlighters.  Either they're too shimmery and you look like a disco ball or they're too subtle and I can't even tell I've applied one.  With that in mind, you can imagine how excited I was to discover these two highlighting gems in a most unexpected place - my own eye shadow drawer!  Inika sent me two of their crème eye shadows to try, and while they're lovely as eye shadows, where they really shine, if you'll excuse the pun, is as highlighters.

First, let's talk packaging.  The crème shadows come in small squeeze top bottles and are very easy to use.  I like to squeeze a small amount onto the back of my hand and then use my fingers to apply it to either my eyes or the high points of my face.  You can also mix a small amount into your foundation for an all over glow.  



I received Champagne and Pink Cloud, two beautiful light shades.  Champagne is a pale gold and Pink Cloud is an icy, cool-toned pink.  Both of them have a luminous, satin finish without any actual glitter particles.  I've never before understood that natural, 'lit from within' glow that people talk about with highlighters, but these really do deliver just that.  On me, Champagne blends seamlessly and looks the most natural, but I could see Pink Cloud being a good match for some skin tones too.

(L to R) Inika Cream Eyeshadow in Pink Cloud, Champagne

(L to R) Inika Cream Eye Shadow in Pink Cloud, Champagne (blended)

Even though I use these most as cream highlighters, they're also lovely as eye shadows.  I find they work best as a light, sheer wash of color, since when you build them up, they become more difficult to apply evenly and can start to look a bit patchy.  If you want more opacity, your best bet is to apply multiple thin layers, allowing the shadow to dry in between each one, but even then, it can be tricky to get an even color.  I should also mention that, like a lot of other natural cream shadows, these are not crease proof.  I've worn them both with primers and without, and while I experienced some creasing either way, I get better results when worn over bare skin.  

The Bottom Line
If opaque, crease-proof shadows are a must, these may not be the product for you, but if you don't mind a little creasing or are in the market for an everyday highlighter that perfectly straddles the line between subtlety and glitz, Inika's crème shadows are definitely worth a look.  The only downside I can come up with is the $25 price tag.  They're definitely on the more expensive side, but since they do double duty as both a highlighter and eye shadow, I do think they're worth the money.  

Have you tried anything from Inika?


Ingredients: Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Mica, Glycerin, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Butyrospermum Parkii(Shea) Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Titanium Dioxide, Natural Tocopherol, Simmondsia Chinensis(Jojoba) Seed Oil, Glyceryl Caprylate, Persea Gratissima (Avocado)Oil, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Prunis Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Iron Oxides(CI 77491), Iron Oxides(CI 77492), Ferric Ferrocyanide, p-Anisic Acid, Water, Sodium Hydroxide

Disclosure: Product provided for my honest review.  I was under no obligation to write a positive review in return for free product, nor was I compensated for this post.  All opinions are my own.