Arbonne makeup review

A few days ago I was lucky to receive a makeup case full of lovely Arbonne cosmetics to try out and review on my blog. As any makeup artist or makeup lover knows, there’s nothing that quite gets us going than a shed load of products to swatch and trial to our heart’s content!

True to form, I was in the makeup box as soon as I got it home alongside my mum who showed an unusual excitement to the products – my mum just doesn’t quite seem to understand my obsession with makeup and makeup brushes. She even once uttered the words “It’s just a brush, Rachael.” I’m still not quite sure whether I’ve fully forgiven her for this unspeakable faux pas.

Anyway, back to the products. In case you aren’t already aware of the brand, Arbonne is a company that thrives on being green:

“The idea to provide skincare products unparalleled in quality and effectiveness developed in Switzerland in 1975, when one man, Petter Mørck, together with a group of leading biochemists, biologists and herbalists, fulfilled his vision and founded Arbonne.

Arbonne skincare products, based on botanical principles, became a reality in the United States in 1980 and are now shared throughout the world through the Arbonne network of Independent Consultants. Building on these same founding principles, the product line has since grown to include both inner and outer health and beauty products that are unparalleled in quality, safety, value, benefits and results.” – Arbonne

With all this information in mind, I went into testing with an open mind and chose a selection from the cosmetics to wear and review over three days. Below, you can see the makeup that I picked out especially for review but there were some extras that I didn’t include (different colours in eyeshadows, blush and lip liners etc – some are pictured in the makeup look images below).

• Makeup Primer
• Perfecting Liquid Foundation SPF 15 in Alabaster and Soft Blush
• FC5 Mattifying Powder
• Blush in Taffeta
• It’s a long story Mascara in Black
• Lip liner in Tulip
• Glossed Over Lip Gloss in Calla
• Golden Coast Palette featuring Paradise Blush Bronzer and four eyeshadows in Sunshine (Rich bronze), Beach (yellow gold), Shell (shimmering deep taupe) and Sandbar (off white).

Makeup Primer
One of Arbonnes’ cult products and an absolute firm favourite of many a beauty fanatic, the Arbonne makeup primer feels lightweight on the skin with the lovely smoothing pearl feeling that primers are so famous for. Not too dissimilar to the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer, perhaps a little creamier, it feels comforting on the skin but not too heavy. On a day to day basis, I wouldn’t wear a primer as I prefer to moisturise then apply my foundation but I did enjoy using this for the past three days. My skin felt soft, smooth and luxurious.

Perfecting Liquid Foundation SPF 15 in Alabaster and Soft Blush
Out of the colours in the sample kit, I chose to mix these two together to create a healthy shade for my face. Although Alabaster is a perfect match for my casper complexion, I decided to warm it up a little so I didn’t look quite so like my ghostly self! The foundation applies nicely and covers very well, I’d class it as a medium to full coverage on the skin. I really like that the foundation has a built in SPF too – if you’re a regular reader of my blog, you’ll know just how precious I am about skincare when it comes to the sun! The other thing I like about the foundation is the packaging – you can see exactly how much foundation you have left thanks to the clear bottle, and the pump dispenser makes it clean and hygienic to use. The foundation claims to protect, moisturise and give the appearance of firmer skin. It did last well throughout the day but I did have to smooth it over a few times during wear time as it appeared a little shiny on my skin and seemed to break up a little bit – this could be down to the fact that it’s an older sample and the fact that I did a lot of running around that day! The newer packaging is now rounded so looks a little different to the ones pictured.

Some people have expressed a worry for the use of Dimethicone in the foundation which is a man made silicon oil that is frequently used in personal care products as skin protectant and conditioner. It helps to give products that creamy slip onto the skin. Some reports suggest that Dimethicone can actually make dry skin worse over time as it forms a plastic-like barrier on the outside of the skin rather than sinking in and nourishing like a regular moisturiser would – however, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has approved the use as Dimethicone as a skin protectant ingredient in over-the-counter products and the CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel) has also assessed it safe to use in personal care products. It’s also the same as you’d find in MAC’s Studio Fix Fluid foundation, Tom Ford’s Traceless foundation and Charlotte Tilbury’s Light Wonder foundation to name just a few – look out for it and you’ll be sure to notice it in a whole host of foundations. Personally, it doesn’t bother me and doesn’t irritate my own skin.

FC5 Mattifying Powder
As a girl who likes to use MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus as a finishing/mattifying powder, I wasn’t such a fan of this one. I found it a little chalky on the skin and it made my under-eyes appear like crepe paper (see the last makeup look image) which isn’t ideal. However, as the day went on and the foundation and powder settled into my skin, the initial overpowdered finish diminished. It reminded me too much of the Collection setting powder which I’m really not keen on so I wouldn’t purchase this myself. However, this powder has it praises sung by many a makeup lover so as with any product review, what doesn’t work for me may well work for you.

Blush in Taffeta
A vibrant blushing pink which is wonderfully pigmented and applies nicely! I used this blush for both eyeshadow and for its intended use as a blush and I can’t really fault it. I like the finish and the wearability but make sure to use a light hand to apply to get the best effect.

Golden Coast Palette
Throughout trying these products, I’ve used each eye shadow shade in this palette (and the Country Garden palette which is not pictured) and found that they are all really highly pigmented with a lovely buttery finish. They do tend to fall out quite a bit when you apply so make sure to tap any excess off the brush before applying them to your lids. The ‘Beach’ shade is a dead ringer for MAC’s Fluidline in Rich Ground but in a powder form and the Beach shade is very similar to Urban Decay’s Half Baked shade. Sandbar is great for highlighting under the brow or as a neutral wash of colour over the whole lid. The set does come with a dual ended brush – brush on one side and a sponge applicator on the other – but in my honest opinion, you’d be much better investing in a proper eyeshadow brush as you simply cannot apply and blend effectively with most tiny brushes that come in sets like these.

It’s a long story Mascara in Black
The first thing I noticed about this mascara was the smell – it has a really strong scent which I find to be a little overpowering and unpleasant. I applied the mascara with a spoolie and liked how the mascara coated my lashes quickly and evenly. I really liked the application but I found that I was sensitive to the formula and had trouble with my eyes running for the whole day until I removed it again in the evening. On the plus side, the mascara didn’t run at all which is some achievement considering just how much my eyes watered. If you want an alternative to this, I’d recommend Urban Decay’s mascara in Perversion which seems to apply, coat and wear almost identically but without the strong scent.

Lip liner in Tulip
Probably one of my most favourite items of the kit I was given to try, this liner has a lovely pigmented colour which looks exactly the same as the colour on the tube – something that doesn’t always ring true. I like the roll up design which saves sharpening, but there is a sharpener on the end of the roll in case you’d like to sharpen to a finer point – good for hygiene purposes if used in a makeup artists’ kit. The colour lasted well pretty much all day even after eating and drinking. I think this would be great for brides or ladies who simply don’t have the time to touch up their makeup throughout the day.

Glossed Over Lip Gloss in Calla
My second favourite item I sampled – this gloss is more like a highly pigmented lip lacquer that feels really strong on the lips. Lovely dense colour without the overly sticky feel – I really enjoyed using this and think it would be a hit with my clients too. I can’t quite place the smell but it’s really not unpleasant at all.

Below, you can see the three different looks that I wore with the Arbonne products from extremely natural to a little more dramatic.

 

 

Overall, I’ve enjoyed trying out some new products and also being able to work them into my usual daily routine. Products which I feel are certainly worth a second look are the foundations, the lip liners and the lip glosses. If I were to add any of these products to my kit, I’d more than likely start with a few of the glosses and see how they get along.

I hope that you enjoyed reading my Arbonne makeup review and that it’s inspired you to give their products a try too!

© This post is copyright of Rachael Divers 2015.