There are fewer things that bring me joy in this life than good wine, a good meal, good dessert, a good outfit, and a BEAT FACE, honey. Those who know me best know that the relationship I have with makeup is one that's ever-growing and full of passion. You know, the type of passion that walks around with eyeshadow and lipstick swatches all up and down my arm at almost every Sephora and Ulta visit.
But since the Rona has had us all homebound for the last handful of months, I haven't had much of a reason to get all dolled up. So when I heard about this new trend called clean color makeup, I jumped at the opportunity to find out more about it. Coined by Ricky Wilson, Dior International makeup artist––the aesthetic for this lewk calls for pairing splashy hues with minimalistic skin and lips.
Pretty simple, right?
Shanelle Harris for xoNecole
With that in mind, I grabbed two of my newfound favorite palettes to get started. Namely the HudaBeauty Topaz Obsessions and Urban Decay Electric Pressed Pigment Palette.
Look 1: Obsessed
Shanelle Harris for xoNecole
One of the things I love about this HudaBeauty palette is the fact that it's so warm. I have warmer undertones so I often find myself naturally gravitating to anything with golds, browns, oranges, and the like. You can find this beauty at Sephora for about $27.00.
Shanelle Harris for xoNecole
Now I normally am not one to wear a lot of bright colors on my lids (I love soft/neutral glam looks), but it was something about this Urban Decay palette that made me fall in love. Every now and then I bust this out when I'm feeling a little fun so it only made sense for me to use it for the clean color trend. Unfortunately, this particular palette has been discontinued, but you can find a very similar Urban Decay one here on sale now for just $19.50.
Look 2: It's Electric
Shanelle Harris for xoNecole
For this look, I wanted to emulate a vivid neon green liner. I used the pressed pigment "Thrash" and carefully applied it along my lash line into a wing and still kept it clean by keeping the nude glossy lip. This time I opted for lashes though because I just had a feeling they'd set this look off. And luckily I was right.
Shanelle Harris for xoNecole
See? Super simple! Clean color was a fairly easy look to achieve and I have no doubt that it will be for even the most color-averse among us. The most important and creative part is that how you wear your color is all up to you. I opted to pop my color on my eyes, but you can also wear it via blush, colored mascara, or eyeliner. The options are endless.
Whatever you choose to do, just make sure you keep it, cute sis!
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Featured image by Shanelle Harris for xoNecole.
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RELATED
Now, when you go to the hair store you are inundated with all kinds of hair textures, colors, and more. That’s why it was so upsetting to read the latest report about synthetic braiding hair.
Delmaine Donson/ Getty Images
A Feb 27 Consumer Reports article revealed that most popular synthetic hair brands that are used for braiding have dangerous chemicals such as carcinogens, lead and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The report stated that 10 of the brands were tested and all 10 had these chemicals. These brands included Shake-N-Go, Sassy Collection, and Sensationnel.
These chemicals include benzene, which is a carcinogen that has been linked to acute myeloid leukemia and unsafe levels of lead, which can cause kidney damage, brain damage, and cardiovascular problems in adults.
In children, it can cause brain and nervous system damage, learning disabilities, behavioral problems and even developmental delays.
James E. Rogers, PhD, director and head of product safety testing led the testing for synthetic braiding hair. “Our exposure and risk analysis found all nine products could expose a regular user of any of these products to a level of lead that could be concerning over time,” he said.
As shocking as this is, it also brought some clarity around why I’ve had issues with wearing braiding hair as of late.
Not only have I dealt with scalp irritation, I’ve even had breakouts on my back from the hair touching. Since then, I’ve started rinsing the hair with apple cider vinegar, and haven’t had that many issues. However, the report stated that ACV isn’t a “cure-all” and can potentially release harmful chemicals when rinsing the hair.
@javonford16 Replying to @Julianna Rebundle vid: @Javon Ford Beauty #blackhairstyles #braidinghair #blackgirlhairstyles @Consumer Reports
While the report sparked some outrage, chemist Javon Ford has a different view. In a TikTok video, he shared that the report was tested for oral exposure and not dermal exposure.
He showed a screenshot of an email he allegedly sent Consumer Reports questioning their decision to test this way. The email said, “the best model to use, in our view, is the ingestion model for the reasons given in the article.”
“While I understand they went with that model, I don’t agree with it because you’re not intentionally ingesting braids,” Javon said. The chemist also said that the amount of chemicals found in the brands is “conservative” compared to other types of products.
So what does this mean for us braid-wearers? If you still want to wear braids, but have some concerns, you can limit how often you wear them. Another option is wearing non-toxic braiding hair or plant-based hair. The only downside is that it's pricier than synthetic hair.
The Consumer Report also suggested checking for recalls, reading labels carefully, and reporting adverse effects. Hair isn’t regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, so it’s best to do your research when making purchases.
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Feature image by AzmanL/ Getty Images