A good natural lipstick is hard to find, especially in bolder shades, so the arrival of the Aroha collection from Antipodes will please those looking for a rich red.
The theory is that women consume an average of two kilograms of lipstick over their lifetime, through drinking, eating, kissing and licking their lips, so not surprisingly many want to know what is in their lipsticks. They are coloured variously with dyes and pigments, synthetic or natural, including minerals and ultramarines. Though scare stories about lead, especially in red lipstick, have been endemic on the internet for years, official tests have found only trace elements in mainstream brands. The United States Federal Drug Administration says a recent round of testing raised no safety concerns, although it will widen the monitoring of brands.
Lipsticks usually contain preservatives and may contain mineral oils, parabens and animal-based material, so if these are things you wish to avoid check the ingredient list or seek out a credible natural brand - though vegans beware, beeswax can be used here also.
Mineral makeup brands often promote their lipsticks as natural, and though this should be so in terms of colourants used it is not always the case for all ingredients.
Personally, I happily use any lipstick that catches my eye, but as with a lot of skincare I like to explore the effectiveness of simpler formulations, figuring a transparent less-is-more approach will do no harm and potentially considerable good, so I'm pleased to report that if you want a good natural lipstick they are getting easier to find. Antipodes uses avocado oil and earth minerals in its formulations, which are the first cosmetics from the company. There are three lipstick shades, each with a gently matte finish and priced at $42. The colours are named after the New Zealand landscape, the red being a homage to Queenstown, called Remarkably Red, then there's Dusky Sounds Pink and Boom Rock Bronze.
