Testers from Ro Vie Cosmetics.. exciting!

Ro Vie (formerly Ethique), recently had a give-away of testers – where you could order some (up to 5) and they would send it to you absolutely free.

Now, being the cultured classy person that I am, I leapt all over that like a frog on E.  This is what I ordered! Eyeshadows: Silver Sugar, Surage Almond, Strawberry Bonbon. Blusher: Pinkebelle, and Finale – there finishing/setting translucent face powder.

What was sent was:

Eyeshadows: Chocolate Butterscotch, Sugared Almond, Blackcurrent Cream, Strawberry Bonbon, Loveheart, and Chocolate Lime, and blushers Pinkerbelle and Razzleberry.

So, HEAPS more than I asked for, but missing a couple out that I did want. You can bet anything you like I won’t be complaining! I’ve only had a quick look so far, but I’m really super taken by Strawberry Bonbon – it has a duochrome flash! I’ll show swatches of the things I havent shown, later on. Watch this space …. 🙂

Ro Vie Cosmetics Eyeshadow: Loveheart – Review and Swatch

I won this eyeshadow as part of Ro Vie’s facebook page promotion – they run a Fan Of The Week where they pick a name at random, and you get an eyeshadow of your choice. Oh, yes, please! Yay! This one I won back in January, when they were still Ethique, but in the process of rebranding to Ro Vie and focusing on the mineral makeup line.

And here it is!

Click to enlarge to see the shimmer! 🙂

Their website describes it as “Pale berry fruit coloured shadow perfect for warming any look. Very feminine pink- totally romantic.”. And that’s pretty accurate, although I found it an almost coral based deep pink with tan tones, which sounds like it should be startlingly wrong but is just so right.

on bare skin - no primer 🙂

You can use it as a sheer wash of colour, and just head on out the door, or you can intensify it with water or repeated application to a gorgeous not-at-all neutral shade. It really beautifully sets off other colours, too – I’ll post a photo of that later if I get brave enough!

It lasts a long time, doesn’t crease, and would work with just about any skin tone and eye colour. You can see it on their website (http://shop.ethique.co.nz/the-eyes-have-it/) or check them out on Facebook. $18 per eyeshadow, a 5 gm loose pottle. Heaps, in other words! And as always, Ro Vie do not test on animals, use natural and neutral + safe products, and are based in Christchurch, NZ.

Ro Vie (formerly Ethique) eyeshadow review: Pop Rocks & Chocolate Butterscotch

I mentioned in my last post on the Ethique eyeshadow that Ethique are changing their name and product direction: here is the news!  Ethique Elements (the previous mineral makeup line name) are now Ro Vie Cosmetics – focused on the makeup range. Here are two of their eyeshadows – these ones are pressed powders, not loose.

 

Chocolate Butterscotch on left, Pop Rocks on right

 

*Pop Rocks – a highly shimmery blue/silver colour. Almost a slate crossed with periwinkle blue, if that makes any sense? Brie from Ethique sent this to me with another order – and it is stunning. By all laws of nature it shouldn’t suit me – I have blue eyes, and we all know that blue eyeshadow + blue eyes = horrifying psychedelic 70’s flashback, right? Wrong! Wahooo! The page for this shadow (http://shop.ethique.co.nz/products/Pop-Rocks.html )  mentions that pairing this with a warmer base is good for blue eyes. And she’s right. I use this with a subtle light pink or light brown/gold colour, and just touch this from the inner edge of my eyelid – to the center. And it really makes my eyes look bluer. Love it! It could be built up to a strong colour pretty easily, but I love the sheer wash of blue hue instead.

I also love the new containers – the mirror is a nice touch though I haven’t used it for fear I will shake my hand and turn into Glitter Smurf (yes, I’m likely to do that. My subconscious is EVIL.) I really like the way its not perfectly packed into the container too… gives it that lovely handcrafted appeal! Plus, this one is overfilled. MORE powder. I’m A-O.K with that.

 

Blurry photo, sorry, but you can see the shimmer!

The second shadow is Chocolate Butterscotch – and it’s as nice as it sounds. I won this through a facebook promotion, and it is gorgeous!  Basically, its a really glistening gold shade, with bronze tones to make it even more interesting. I can’t think of a skin tone this wouldn’t suit: it can be built up, used as a liner, I’ve used it as a highlight colour, add a touch to lip gloss, anything. Iwould absolutely recommend this shade!

While their website is undergoing upgrades, the best way to contact Brie and Elle at Ro Vie is through their Facebook page – http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/roviecosmetics. They have photos of all their makeup on there too.

 

Ethique Elements Eyeshadow: Chocolate Lime review

Elements by Ethique are mineral makeup products created by a lovely team in Christchurch, and let’s face it –anyone working in Christchurch needs all the support and kudos they can get! Ethique are against animal testing, and a very ethical company. I also like supporting New Zealand made products where possible, and it’s no hardshipin this case.

Here is Chocolate Lime – a stunningly gorgeous loose eyeshadow powder – I’d call it olive with extras! There is gold shimmer! There is red shimmer! If the green was brighter it’d be Christmas in a shadow, and we’d be sad because we could only wear it in December. As it is, all year round, baby. It is quite highly pigmented, but it can be used as just a sheer wash, too. Very versatile.

I do find that I need a base or primer with these – one year I’ll be able to justify buying a eye primer, until then I’ll just wistfully wish, and stand ready to blend in any rampaging pigment that wants to take up permanent residency in my creases. Used with a bit of water it makes an exceptional eyeliner, which doesn’t budge at all.

Prices are $18 per shadow (5 grams) – and I believe they are pressing all their shadows now, so there’s more in them! Postage is about $8 for the full size items (cheaper for samples – try their samples. Seriously. They are GOOD). In the past I have found that postage can take quite some time – however, as intimated above, there have been many, many good reasons for this. The latest item I got from them was delivered the next day. I don’t know how that happened, that’s seriously, spookily fast.

You can purchase their products here (http://www.ethique.co.nz), and they are also on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/ethiquenz .

Ethique is in the process of changing their product line solely to mineral makeup – and while myself and many others will mourn the loss of their face and body products, they do stunning makeup. I also believe a name change will be in their future, so watch that space  🙂

Looking forward to seeing what their new chapter brings. Good luck, Artists Formerly Known As Ethique!

Ethique Fig Face Quench Cream Review

This is a face cream, made by Ethique, called Fig Face Quench. Pricewise – its $33 for 60gm plus postage. They often have sales!

I love a lot of Ethique’s products, and I love the ethics behind what they do: healthy products packed full of yummy natural ingredients, plus the team are vehemently anti-animal testing, do a lot of research, and donate to great causes as well. I also love to support New Zealand products – so it’s a win all around, for me! They are also not ‘natural overload’ people – theres a lot of science behind these products. It pays to remember as we go along that ‘natural’ doesn’t always mean ‘good for you’ – Deadly Nightshade is completely natural. Just saying.

So, Fig Face Quench!

This here is the third pottle I’ve used, and I have tried 3 samples prior to that, over the years I’ve been buying from Ethique. I must say, their formula on this has improved dramatically! Way back when.. there was a touch too much zinc I felt, and I found it almost impossible to rub into my face. This, however, is lovely. It still has zinc, which is great, as its supposed too..thats the sunblock ingredient. And because of that, the cream feels like part of it rubs in, and is absorbed,and is lovely, and some of the rest just sits on top of the skin. It is not greasy, or sticky at all however – it leaves a faintly dewy glow and a softness to the skin. I don’t know what the SPF factor would be, I wouldnt rely solely on this for my sunblock, but its a lovely face cream.

The packaging is very simple, quite cute, but it’s obvious the time and care has gone into the product, not the packaging and marketing. I’m all for that!

Recently Ethique have branched out into making mineral makeup (some of which I have bought and will discuss later on, I’m sure). They have sent out notices saying they will no longer be making the bodycare products, and will be focusing on the makeup, which is sad for those of us who really liked the creams and shampoos etc, but good for them to do what they need to do! So, sadly for me, I’ll need to source another face cream in due time. There are much worse things in life to do. 🙂

Check out Ethique’s website here – http://www.ethique.co.nz/ – there may be time before they switch! (P.S – I think there is today. Really. So if you want it, buy now, or forever… be without! Eek!)