Once again it’s the time of the year to roll out the red carpet for the cosmetics jars and have the Jar Oscar’s, in other words recognize the best cosmetics of the year 2015.
Throughout the year I have tested so many amazing products that the nomination really was not an easy task. At the end of the day the criteria was that the product has had to be in my daily use, and that I have found for it to be exceptional.
Here they are, the brightest stars of the natural cosmetics in 2015:
SKIN CARE PRODUCTS
Cleanser
Tata Harper Nourishing Oil Cleanser + Refreshing Cleanser: My love for Oil Cleansers is undeniable. This cleanser made with nutrient rich organic oils and plant extracts is so much more than just a cleanser. It is a skin soothing, pampering ritual that brightens the skin, keeps it supple and soft, evens out the sebum secretion and maintains the moisture balance of the skin. A dual cleansing done with an oil and a cleansing milk is a heavenly and effective beauty ritual that will keep the skin protecting hydrolipidic film safe. Tata Harper cleansers are so unbelievably amazing that there was no question on who would win the prize for the best cleanser.
Toner
Tata Harper Floral Essence: My love for a great cleanser extends to spray on toners. The choice with this product was not as easy as with the cleanser, because I do not have brand loyalty. The greatest pleasure of spray on toners is in Tata Harper’s super moisturising floral spray. It keeps my skin clear and pores unclogged and the scent is of lovely blossoms and green juice. The product seems to have a magical hook on me, because no other toner has me spraying on layers just for pure joy.
Add on to a cleanser
May Lindstrom The Clean Dirt: Last year I did not nominate an add on to a cleanser, but this year the love for that product concept has bloomed. I have tried several great products in this category but I must say that May’s Clean Dirt is the king of the hill. A deep cleanse a couple times a week with this bubbly, tingly mixture of clays, salt, vitamin C and spices will light up the skin.
The Peel
Supermood Youth Glo Luxury Peel: I can give a dozen of reasons why the Supermood AHA extract peel is the best on earth. One of the biggest factors is that the product combines a mild fruit extract content with undeniable effectiveness. The peel brings all the amazing qualities and effects of AHA extracts to the skin in a gentle way. The low AHA acid concentration of the product balances the natural pH level of skin and keeps the hydrolipidic film strong and resistant to imbalances as acne and rosacea.
The Mask
Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask: Remember when in the beginning of the year l predicted for Tata Harper’s floral jelly mask to be the best to come? Surely there were several great masks this year, but since I can only choose one, I must go with this Cinderella mask. When time is of the essence I go for this one because it does it all: it brightens, cleanses, tones and moisturises. With all the parties piling in at the closing of the year I found this product to be a miracle maker, both before and after parties. Talk about a Cinderella effect.
Eye Contour Creme
Tata Harper Restorative Eye Creme: With nominating the eye contour products I was kind of hoping I would be able to look at some other brand than Tata Harper, but to be honest it was impossible! I have never fallen so hard for an eye contour product as my love for this creme is, it’s moisturising properties are amazing, it keeps all signs of dryness at bay and has a slightly cooling effect that brings down any hint of puffiness.
Serum
Esse serum: The nomination for the best serum was an easy task. Without a doubt, Esse was the brightest star. The formula of the serum is unbelievable, it’s almost hard to believe it to be a natural cosmetics product. This product delivers everything that I could wish for in a power cocktail: it brings tons of moisture, brightens the skin and prevents from pore clogging. On top of that it leaves the skin as silky smooth as a silicone ridden serum would do, but naturally without any questionable chemicals.
Facial Oil
May Lindstorm Blue Cocoon: I’m still in awe of May Lindstrom’s blue beauty balm as I spread it on, how she has succeeded to create such a heavenly product. When I close my eyes and smooth the oil onto my face, the heavenly scents transfer me to a paradise island and a blue lagoon. It’s not a wonder I’m so in love with my beauty rituals when these are the products I find in my vanity. The blue balm has proved itself time and again with controlling lurking stress bumps. When you just refrain from picking on the skin and show some love in the form of Blue Cocoon, those little villains quietly fade away. After all, love and kindness win!
Moisturiser
Esse Deep Moisturizer: If the nomination of the best serum was a snap second decision, the nomination of the best moisturiser must have been faster than the speed of light. What I really value in a moisturiser is the bare minimum of purified water, and as with all of their products Esse substitutes purified water with rooibos extract. Adding on multiple other nutrient rich African natural wonders, a divine scent and a texture beyond perfection, this girl is in heaven.
MAKE UP PRODUCTS
The Foundation
Zuii foundation in new colors: Zuii’s liquid foundations grew with a dozen of new yellow based colors. Now I must toot my own horn, because three years ago it was me who pushed the envelope with colors in product development. When the new colors and shades finally came out I could actually nominate Zuii for both best foundationd and the most surprising new comer. My favorite tone is Olive Fair and the result with this foundation is a radient, natural and smooth look.
Powder
RMS Beauty Tinted Un Powder: RMS Beauty’s tinted loose powder goes into the category best in the world, until proven otherwise. So there’s a little something for product development: top this one off!
Blush
Kjaer Weis: Best consistency, the most beautiful tones, hands down the most gorgeous packaging and a genious ecological refill system. For the best blush Kjaer Weis has it all. My favorite tones are Embrace and Sun Touched.
Contour & highlight
Tata Harper Very Bronzing Contour + Tata Harper Very Illuminating Highlight: Tata surprised me with these two new products and subsidied my previous favorites in contouring and highlighting. No other brand has been able to make such a great , perfectly matt tone in a contour. The same applies to the highlighter, the light reflecting properties are so subtle and slightly rose colour that there’s no worries of ending up with a sharp effect. The result is soft and even.
Eye Shadow
Kjaer Weis: The same criteria as I listed above with the blush go for the eye shadow as well. These products may be impossible to take away from my make up collection. Ever. My favorite tones are Charmed, Grace, Magnetic and Earthy Calm.
Mascara
Kjaer Weis Mascara: I’m now pinning the Kjaer Weis mascara as the best there is, until someone is able to revolutionalize the product development and natural cosmetics market with their innovation!
Brow Pencil
Zuii Borw Pencil Taupe: A go to product at birth. Other brands can be given a go just to come back to this one.
Lipstick
Absolution Lipstick tone number 16: Hot dog durable, Parisian red lipstick.
HAIR CARE
Shampoo
Rahua Volume Shampoo: I have had the pleasure of trying out the absolutely best hair care products this year, thoroughly. One is above others though, with it’s perfect formula and effectiveness, the wonderful scent and nourishing properties this shampoo is the only one that on the long run does not make my sensitive scalp itch.
Rahua Volume Conditioner: There’s plenty of good conditioners already in natural cosmetics hair care that keep your hair tangle free, shiny and moisturised, but unfortunately leave the hair flat. Rahua’s thickening conditioner does all this with a dime sized amount, take away the limp locks.
SKIN CARE
Body Moisturiser
Neal’s Yard Remedies Bee Lovely Body Butter: A creamy and rich orange scented body butter that smoothes on beautifully without leaving the skin greasy. It will leave your tush totally touchable and soothe your dry winter shins. And as an added bonus, will help to save the bees.
Body Oil
May Lindstrom The Good Stuff: Have you ever smelled the essential oil of cacao? Just FYI, it’s scent is divine! That said, this is a goddess oil and there fore has gold sparkles in it.
Hand Creme
Neal’s Yard Remedies Bee Lovely: With hand cremes I have no brand loyalty, just love to try out new products. It also falls under the category of products where I don’t get the same kicks as of cleansers. Maybe a hand creme is kind of like a tooth paste, such an everyday product that there’s really nothing more magical about it. But since it is able to keep my hands and cuticles smooth and helps save the bees, it’s obviously the best hand creme of the year. As it was the previous year as well.
Lip Balm
Hurraw! Pitta Lip Balm: For years I’ve been free of the Lip Balm addiction. Maybe because the ones I use are so effective. The Pitta Lip Balm has definitely been the best of this year. It delightly cools down the over heating pitta, but above all it’s scent is finger licking delicious.
BEST SKIN CARE BRAND
Tata Harper: The best skin care brand of the year is a pretty clear choice by now. Undeniably Tata Harper, and not just because of the really high quality products, but because they are manufactured in their own factory partly from their own raw materials taking in account the invironmental effects of the products all the way to the print colors on the packaging. On top of this Tata is an amazingly radient personality and even the packaging designs resemble her. Apple green, bright yellow and gold still sound a little bit wack of a color combo, but look unbelievably good together.
BEST MAKE UP BRAND
Kjaer Weis: Kjaer Weis is really an amazing brand. The products are seriously so good that who would even want to use synthetic make up? The packaging design which combines style and eco conciousness in such a genious and elegant way has made an endless admirer of me. I also love Kristen’s style and eye in creating make up looks, she easily tops off several other make up brands looks. Kirsten has an eye for style that really works for me.
Did you find a match? What were your favorites and best finds of the year?
Photos Katja Kokko
Translated by Mariko Pajalahti
