NaturallyNancy: April 2011

Mission: To find non-toxic eyeshadows that are pigmented and performs exceptionally.

Merchandise: Jane Iredale's Artists' Eyes I & II

Taken Directly from their website:

Artists' Eyes is a palette of matte shadows created especially for makeup artists working in commercial settings. This kit contains six eye shadow shades designed with the professional makeup artist in mind. Includes hues of pure black, canary yellow, chocolate brown, regal mauve, deep teal and neutral peach, packaged together in a black and gold, faux alligator skin wallet and displayed in a formation reminiscent of an artist's palette. Formulas glide on and stay put with a crease-proof finish.
Artists' Eyes II is a palette of matte shadows created especially for makeup artists working in commercial settings. This kit contains six eye shadow shades designed with the professional makeup artist in mind. Includes Blue Sky, Cut Grass, Grape, Copper, Indigo and Truffle, packaged together in a silver faux-croc slim case and displayed in a formation reminiscent of an artist's palette. Formulas glide on and stay put with a crease-proof finish.

Jane Iredale introduced her unique skin care makeup line in May of 1994. Her cosmetic line offered not just color enhancement but also benefits to the skin. Plastic surgeons were the first to recognize the benefits of the line and were confident enough with it to use it on skin that had just undergone laser resurfacing. It not only effectively and safely covered the redness but also provided essential sun protection. The products are based on micronized minerals and are made without fillers and binders (such as talc and mineral oil) and without chemical dyes or preservatives. As a result, the Iredale products are carried by salons, spas and medical clinics throughout the world.

On my quest to find cosmetics that are non-toxic, the very first line of makeup that I used were from Jane Iredale. I remember it well. The first products that I purchased were the PurePressed® Base Mineral Foundation with SPF 20 along with the Balance Antioxidant Hydration Spray. After using both products for a few weeks - my skin loved it! It felt light and didn't break my skin out. Then I thought, if my skin responded well to the foundation, let's give the other products a go!

Eyeshadows:

PROS: First thing that I noticed - the packaging of course! Both palettes were separately encased in these faux-croc skin containers with magnetized lids (similar to Inglot's packaging). It looked very glamorous and soft to the touch. The shadows glided on to skin easily and are HIGHLY pigmented.

CONS: As a makeup artist, I want to be able to have easy access to all of my products at a glance. However lovely the packaging looked and felt, de-potting these eyeshadows might be a challenge. I'm also unsure if Jane Iredale sells individual eyeshadow/blush pans. I may have to reach out to them and find out. As soon as I do, I will post an update.

Artists' Eyes

Artists' Eyes II

*Although the description states that the formulations are matte for both palettes, Artists' Eyes II has a bit of a sheen or shimmer from all the shadows, especially from Truffle and Copper.*