Product Review: Minimal Mommy Makeup with Iris & Romeo
I’m no beauty influencer and don’t have plans to be one, but this particular post is about makeup. Ever since our baby girl has been born, time continues to evade me. Here we are at almost 6 months. I’ve been shying away from taking photos because I seem to look tired all the time even though she’s sleeping a good 7-8 hours a night and filters can erase the bags under my eyes. My skin during pregnancy was amazing, but post-partum, I now see hyperpigmentation in some spots. My goal for the holiday season is to be in as many pictures as possible and I want to look as natural as possible. Remember those Kodaks of our mothers, I want something similar.
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My Take on Makeup
I’ve never really been a makeup person. It’s just not my thing and I am OK with that. I’m more than willing and have on several special occasions paid for a makeup artist to get me looking glam. I just can’t do it myself. I don’t have the skill or the desire to. The makeup I have is probably over 7 years old. Yikes! I do religiously apply a face moisturizer with sunscreen every day as my mama taught me. For the past few years though, I’ve been looking for a good, toxic-free, cruelty-free moisturizer that did not come in plastic. They are very rare to find. The toxic-free is now even more important since I put my face next to the baby’s all the time. You can use the Think Dirty App or the Environmental Working Group’s Beauty Database to see if what you are putting on your skin and your baby’s skin meets good, clean, beauty standards.
So I was happy to come across this brand called Iris & Romeo. After some research, I discovered that the founder of the brand was a former executive for a beauty brand who is finding herself writing a new narrative for woman’s beauty.
Updating this post after many years of using this product and I still continue to love it. Baby is now a pre-schooler. The company now offers more products, and more shades. I still currently use Best Skin Days SPF 30 and Power Peptide Lip Balm. Both products are in glass so a big plus. Vegan, cruelty-free, made in the USA, and free from all of the -ates.
Just as a side note, if you are big into makeup, I would recommend watching the Netflix documentary Broken - Makeup Mayhem which shows how “Influencer hype and scarcity marketing create conditions where counterfeit makeup thrives, tainted with bacteria, lead, arsenic -- and worse.” So if you are seeing some adverse reactions on your skin, consider the makeup you are using and triple-check that it is real and not counterfeit.
Let’s talk about zinc oxide for a sec. Zinc oxide is the primary ingredient in all sunscreens because it provides UVA and UVB radiation protection. The challenge with zinc oxide especially on darker skin is that it appears white if not formulated properly. Not necessarily the look I want to go for my everyday face lotion. Most natural sunscreens are like this because of the formulation and I’ve even tried mixing in some cocoa powder to add color, but that didn’t work out too well for me. If you are like me, you will find appreciate the fact that the Best Skin Days SPF 30 now comes in many shades and skin undertones so you can find the perfect match.
My skin routine is fairly simple. Wash every day with water, sometimes soap. I exfoliate with a homemade sugar scrub every few days when taking a shower and do a clay mask every few weeks or so.
I’ve been wearing the Best Skin Days for a few days and I like that it’s light and airy. I ordered the medium tone and that seems to fit my current skin tone now. I tan easily during the summer so I’m never sure about how a tinted moisturizer would look like. It doesn’t feel like you are wearing something tinted and love the fact that it has an SPF of 30. For the winter though, I’ve been doing a personal concoction of Vitamin E and argan oil moisturizer first, then the Best Skin Days moisturizer and it applies better in my opinion.
I also got the Power Peptide Lip Balm in Nude and Coral. They both apply well like a lip balm, but the color isn’t as strong so I wish I had gotten something a bit bolder, but at least these add some life to my lips.
Other things to know about this product:
Product Shipping
Item comes in a cardboard box and the product in cardboard boxes as well
Minimal packing and no plastic fillers or bubble wrap
Product Packaging
Product comes in glass with a plastic top.
The glass can be easily recycled or reused.
Cost
Best Skin Days - $48 for 1.2 oz / 35g
Power Peptide Lip Balm - $26 for .28 oz / 8g
Use the links provided to get 15% off your first order
I’m pretty happy that these allow me to still have a minimal and almost plastic-free bathroom. The price can feel high, but it’s something that I actually use every day instead of a bunch of $10 items that are half open and half used which to me is more costly in the long run. The products certainly add some umph to my look without me needing to spend a lot of time. I like their philosophy too and it’s in line with what I wanted which was a minimal face routine without harsh chemicals and toxic ingredients and sustainable packaging. I’m also very aware that I am in their target market, gasp, as I am older and don’t really have time to test new products. Just want something tried and true and simple. Some days I do pair this with the Maybelline Eraser to cover up some under-eye circles. It’s easy to use and doesn’t require a separate applicator which is another win for someone with little time and patience.
Update Jan 2021 - new swatch photo below and I’ve also been loving the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel with Hyaluronic Acid. Such a game changer to add some moisture to winter skin. Bought at Costco. Has a 4 rating on EWG.com so it’s not too bad.
