Down to Earth

There are few brands that I like more for their ethos than their products, but Aveda is one of them. That's not to say they don't have some fantastic products, because they do, but that they're such an ethical, thoughtful and considerate brand that that's what I remember. Aveda have just re-launched their make-up range which was discontinued some time ago because it was basically not up to scratch. I've had a sneaky peek at the new products on offer and the range is comprehensive, yet has something for everyone. Inevitably the focus is on the ingredients being naturally derived and ethically sourced, and the colour palette reflects this as it's mostly focused on neutral shades. There are some shots of colour in there though for girls like me who like to colour themselves in a little bit!

The make-up range contains everything for face, eyes, lips and cheeks and includes some star products like the eyeshadow transformer which literally transforms the shade of an eyeshadow from a subtle hint of colour to an impactful metallic look. You can see below that the shades really differ depending on the amount of formula you add in - you literally dip the brush in the water-like formula and swipe over the colour: easy peasy.

All of the products come packaged in recycled boxes and minimum amounts of plastic - so much so that the shadows, blushers and foundations come simply in their metal casings and no outer pack at all. There's another reason for this though, because Aveda are a clever bunch of people... They've developed cute little palettes which contain a magnetic base so all of the individual colours/blushers etc simply click in the bottom. This means not only are you helping the planet and keeping your make-up bag tidy, but also reducing the amount of space you need in your bag to carry all your make-up around! There's even a secret place to put your lipstick - in the hinge! Genius.

I love this range and think people will be falling over themselves to get their hands on it. The colours are great, the eyeshadows pigmented but the other colours subtle, the lipglosses and lipsticks available in a really great range of shades and everything is easy to work with whether you're a professional or clueless. These aren't cheap as chips, retailing at £13 for a lip gloss, £11 for an eyeshadow and £21 for a foundation, but with the ethics that are behind it and the ingredients that are within it it's worth every penny.