Dr. Hauschka Colors Us Happy With New Natural Makeup Collection

Kermit, darlin’, in this day and age, it really is that easy being green — all while looking as fabulous and polished as your beloved Miss Piggy. The yearning for natural beauty products has been steadily increasing over the years, and millenials aren’t the only ones responsible for the growing demand — in fact, Kari Gran’s 2017 Green Beauty Barometer Survey found that 69% of women ages 35-44 and 68% of women ages 45-54 reported that purchasing natural beauty products was a priority for them. It’s only fitting, then, that Dr. Hauschka, a brand that has been at the forefront of the green beauty movement for 50 years, would continue to expand its foothold in the space by introducing a brand new cosmetics collection, replete with products that soothe, moisturize, and protect the skin while adorning it with plant-derived and mineral pigments.

The complete Dr. Hauschka Make-Up collection, available at DrHauschka.com, incorporates: a Liquid Foundation in 7 shades, a creamy Concealer stick in 3 hues, a translucent Loose Powder, an Eye Definer pencil in 6 colors, a Blush Duo in 3 glow-boosting shades, a Volume Mascara in 3 colors, a moisturizing and luminous Lipstick in 8 bloom-inspired shades, and an Eyeshadow Trio available in 4 color schemes.

As you might imagine, all the products are certified 100% organic and/or natural, meeting the strict standards established by NATRUE. They’re also free of synthetic fragrances, preservatives, mineral oils, parabens, and silicones. If you examine the ingredient list printed on a lipstick’s box, for instance, you’ll likely recognize nearly every item listed. Even those items used as preservatives, thickening agents, and solvents are derived from natural essential oils — among these benzyl benoate (a solvent), limonene (a solvent and scent ingredient derived from citrus fruit), farnesol (a fragrance ingredient), and linalool (a fragrant ingredient found in most essential oils).

But how do these cosmetics deliver in terms of longevity, pigment pay-off, texture, ease of application, comfort, and so on? Well, I had the opportunity to try out the Dr. Hauschka Eyeshadow Trio in 03 Ametrine ($38 at DrHauschka.com), along with three different Dr. Hauschka Lipstick ($25 at DrHauschka.com) shades — 04 Busylizzy, 06 Azalea, and 08 Hollyhock — so read on to check out swatches and find out more on how they perform!

First, let’s take a look at the Eyeshadow Trio in 03 Ametrine, a palette that features three complementary shades in the purple family. All of the eyeshadows are formulated with black tea extract, which is known to have skin-firming properties; witch hazel extract, which boasts antioxidant properties and has astringent benefits; and anthyllis, also known as woundwort, which helps to balance oil production and hence helps the eyeshadows stay in place even in humid and hot conditions. The eyeshadows’ silky soft texture meanwhile, is the result of talc, silk powder, silica, and Diatomaceous Earth (a sedimentary rock that can be crumbled into powder form). And while the eye shadows feel weightless when applied to lids, they also don’t deliver a wallop in terms of pigment pay-off. Sure, you can keep layering on more color until you achieve the desired level of saturation, but the shadows are clearly designed to create more subtle and understated looks. That said, the three shades work really well together and can be blended together so as to play with tonalities.

Below, check out swatches of the three eye shadows in the palette:

The color at top, a charming soft lilac shade with pink undertones, is meant to be applied to the entire lid, stopping right below the brows, thereby creating a base for the darker shades. The eye shadow shown above at bottom, meanwhile, is meant to be applied along the crease and the outer corners of the eyes so as to help define eyes. To finish your look, you’d then apply the medium violet shade to the middle of the upper lid. These, however, are only guidelines, so you can feel free to mix and match shades and apply them to different areas.

As you’ll hopefully discern from the swatches above, the eye shadows are very subtle. I personally prefer shadows that are more saturated with pigment, that make more of an impact, but I can appreciate how these would appeal to those who prefer softer, more muted and relaxed looks. That said, the eye shadows aren’t particularly easy to brush onto lids or to blend and buff, and that’s what I find most disappointing about them. If you want greater control and greater opacity, make sure to wet your eyeshadow brush so that it’s slightly damp before sweeping it over the eye shadow pan; this will help it pick up more color and, in turn, you’ll be able to create a more intense look.

Next, check out three shades of Dr. Hauschka’s Lipstick: 04 Busylizzy, 06 Azalea, and 08 Hollyhock.

The 04 Busylizzy shade is a lively honeysuckle pink, while the 06 shade is more of a raspberry pink, and the 08 Hollyhock hue is a dramatic boysenberry color. Here’s another look at the shades:

All of the lipsticks contain hydrating and soothing botanical extracts like sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, carrot seed oil, and rose extract, and they feel comforting on the pout. In fact, I can honestly say my lips have never felt dry, flaky, itchy, or tight while I was wearing these lipsticks.

That said, the lipsticks don’t glide seamlessly onto lips, and it does require a bit of effort to guide the bullet from one corner of your mouth to the next. Once applied, however, the lipsticks feel creamy and yummy — not particularly light and feathery but also not cumbersome or heavy.

And while the colors aren’t electrifying or statement-making, they’re far from wimpy, and they do offer complete coverage (a delight for someone like me, who detests sheer lip colors!). The shades available, meanwhile, are sophisticated and demure — even if they’re not necessarily avant garde — and they have a luminous quality to them that makes the whole complexion look a bit more youthful and vivacious.

Here’s me wearing the 04 Busylizzy color:

My only complaint about these lipsticks is that they have very little staying power. If you kiss someone on the cheek, have a cup of coffee, or take a sip of water, you’ll likely have to reapply your lipstick. But, as long as you keep your lipstick tube handy, you’ll have a pretty color accentuating your pout — and that’s something worth smiling about!