Hypoallergenic lippies

Hello darlings and welcome back to Hyperallergique!

Today I wanted to delve into the realm of lip products, because this area has been one of my biggest challenges in the world of beauty when it comes to my allergies. As I mentioned in my previous post, some of the most common ingredients that makeup brands love to use when it comes to moisturizing are almond oil, avocado oil, shea and argan oil, as well as sesame and sunflower seed oil. While these are wonderful ingredients for people sans allergies, they are a nightmare for those of us with nut/seed allergies! (And believe me, I figured out these were common ingredients the hard way.)

Of course, there are a wide variety of lip products on the market these days: everything from the classic stick lipstick, to lip gloss, liquid lips, satin finish, matte, etc. So, the options are virtually endless. I, however, am an avid supporter of the liquid lipsticks–they’re virtually all I own anymore–and let me tell you why:

1. Classic stick lipsticks, in my experience, are the lip products that most often contain ingredients like shea, almond, and sesame. For example, it’s pretty much impossible for someone dealing with nut/seed allergies to purchase a Sephora-brand lipstick as they all contain shea. This was a stunning revelation for me, as I used to have a huge collection of their lipsticks. L’Oréal lipsticks are also a big no no: their lipsticks contain both sesame seed oil and argan oil. Also, in case you didn’t know, L’Oréal has an impressive list of other companies they own, such as Lancôme, Kiehl’s, Yves Saint Laurent. Lancôme lipsticks contain macadamia oil, as do Yves Saint Laurent lipsticks. I can’t say for 100% certainty that the rest of their companies follow suit, but I wouldn’t be surprised. Let me know in the comments down below if any of you want me to research this further.
2. Liquid lips, on the other hand, tend to be much safer in the ingredients realm. Which isn’t to say that all of them are this way, but I’ve had much more success with liquid lips vs classic stick.
3. They are weightless!! I absolutely love how light-weight they are–it doesn’t feel like I have anything on my lips. Plus, most of them are kiss/drink/food proof (with the exception of oily foods of course).

By far my favorite liquid lipsticks belong to Jeffree Star. I’ve followed him since Myspace days, so when I found out that he had started his own cosmetics line, I knew I had to try it! His liquid lips (if you’ve been living under a rock) are vegan and cruelty-free, and they’re 100% allergen-safe on the nut/seed front.

His Velour Liquid Lip in the shade Celebrity Skin was the first liquid lip I ever purchased, and I was instantly hooked. Overall the formula has been incredibly consistent for me, and I love the wide range of colors he offers. The only shade I’ve ever had trouble with is the yellow shade from his summer collection last year. Both the formula and the coverage were horrible! However, this seems to be an anomaly as every other lipstick I’ve purchased has worked great. Plus, they’re full coverage.

I’m literally always eating or drinking something, so I like that I don’t have to worry about whether or not the lipstick is coming off, or reapplying. However, if I ever do need to reapply, the lipsticks tend to take a second layer really well, which isn’t always the case in liquid lips.

Two other brands that I really enjoy are the Sephora brand liquid lips, and the Kat Von D!

The consistency on the Sephora lipstick is really nice. It’s pretty lightweight and definitely full-coverage. They don’t leave your lips feeling overly dry, either, thanks to the rose oil in them. NOTE: the Sephora lippies contain sunflower seed oil, buyer beware! They also offer a HUGE range of shades.

As far as the Kat Von D Everlasting liquid lips are concerned, they have a give and a take. They are also lightweight and not very drying, but the formula hasn’t been as consistent for me. For example, the black shade, called Witches, is really patchy. It definitely takes a lot of work to get that opaque coverage we’re all looking for, especially when it comes to a black lipstick. That was disappointing, but at the same time I purchased several shades after that, and they’ve worked great! Ps. they’re also vegan and cruelty free (like Kat herself)!

What other liquid lips have you guys tried and loved? Hated? Let me know in the comments! Thanks so much for reading. Have a great weekend!

Follow ya girl on Instagram @aubsaintlaurent

Welcome to Hyperallergique!

Hi! That’s me, Aubrey. I’m a 27-year old, French-obsessed, makeup and fashion enthusiast. I also happen to have quite the list of food allergies. Specifically, I am allergic to:

-Nuts (peanuts, hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts, tree nuts; though my doctor says to just avoid them all)

-Sesame seeds (a common cross allergy in people who have nut allergies)

-Tomatoes

-Avocadoes (a common cross allergy in people who are allergic to almonds; bananas are too, but luckily I’m not allergic to those)

-Shellfish

I also have a long list of other allergies, but those aren’t really relevant at the moment.

I didn’t have any food allergies for most of my life; it wasn’t until after I gave birth to my daughter that they started to develop. So, as I’ve had to navigate my way through life with food allergies over the last almost-eight years, I’ve discovered having food allergies affects way more than just my diet.

As someone who loves to play with make-up, as well as being a regular human who is a fan of hygiene, I’ve discovered just how many products for the body tend to include ingredients such as almond oil, shea butter, argan oil, and avocado oil. (Side note: argan and shea are both a form of tree nuts–which I found out the hard way!) These ingredients are great when it comes to moisturizing, but not-so-great if you are someone who has a nut allergy.

A few weeks ago while I was hunting in Target for a lipstick that I could actually wear, it occurred to me that while make-up companies have begun labeling when their make-up is vegan and/or cruelty-free (which I am an ardent supporter of), the notion of needing to mark when their make-up is allergen-safe still isn’t really on their radar.

And I get it, people with food allergies are still in the minority. However, there are more and more of us each year. Currently, there are around 15 million people in the United States alone who are dealing with some sort of food allergy, surely I can’t be the only one among that group who enjoys make-up.

In my perpetual frustration, it also occurred to me that amongst all of the beauty gurus, blogs, etc., that exist in the social media world, nobody has decided to tackle this issue yet. In my experience I’ve learned that if there’s a service out there that I wish existed but doesn’t, A. I’m not the only one, and B. some of the most successful services were created by the people who needed them. So here we are.

In this blog I plan to cover which beauty and body products are safe for those of us with food allergies. From makeup, to lotion, to body wash, shampoo, perfumes, etc., I am here to be your allergen-safe Sherpa. As I am also a busy college student, I will be updating this blog once a week, every weekend, until life allows me some more free-time during the summer. Maybe I’ll also include some alternative recipes and fashion stuff here and there. We’ll see where the journey takes us!

For now, I thought I’d start off by discussing the products I have on my face today in first photo:

 For a face primer, I’ve been using Maybelline’s Master Prime in shade 300. Which you can purchase for about $7 at Target. The green tint of shade 300 serves to color correct any redness in the complexion, which I have a great deal of! It also blurs and smoothes the face, which helps to minimize the look of pores and give you an even base on which to apply your makeup. If you’re having a no-makeup day, you can also apply this all over the face and wear the primer by itself, as the green tint disappears once you’ve rubbed it in.

For a concealer, I’ve been using the Maybelline Age-Rewind concealer in shade Fair. This concealer has become somewhat of a cult-classic on YouTube, especially if you happen to follow Tati. I enjoy it because it’s hydrating and is full-coverage, so it actually cover up my dark under-eye circles. (It’s also ultra-affordable!)

For foundation lately, I’ve also been into another YouTube sensation: the L’Oreal Infallible Pro-Glow. I wear shade 201, because I’m pale as can be. They do offer a range of shades, but–in my humble opinion–they should offer more for their customers who have lovely shades of brown skin! For me, the coverage is more of a light-to-medium, which is nice when you aren’t feeling the full-coverage look. It’s also really affordable, which is always a plus!

Today for lips I’m wearing a Sephora-brand liquid lip in the shade Fig Luster. They normally run around $14, and have rose-hip oil in them which is a great alternative for a moisturizer for those of us with allergies! HOWEVER, it is important to note that these lippies have sunflower seed oil in them, so for those of you who are allergic to sunflower seeds, steer clear.

For eyes: lately I’ve been ADDICTED to the Kylie Cosmetics “The Royal Peach” palette. The colors are pretty unique, and blend out like a dream. The palette is forever sold out, like almost everything else on her site, which is annoying. It also retails for about $46, so it’s up there in price, but I still love it. In the crease and on the lower lash line I’m wearing a blend of the shades Duke and Crush.

Also on the lower lash line I’m wearing a Sephora-brand eye-shadow in the shade Colorful. They offer a variety of finishes, as well as colors. The one I’m wearing is a matte-finish. They can be kind of patchy, but are definitely buildable. Again, these are pretty affordable, and the Sephora brand is highly under-rated in my opinion. But more on that later…

For brows I used a combination of Benefit Cosmetics Precisely, My Brow in shade 5, and Gimme Brow in shade 3. These are definitely on the more expensive end, both retailing at $24, but the eyebrows are the frame of the face soooo…. It’s worth it. Also all I really need to do is fill in my brows, as opposed to drawing them on, so they’re both nice for doing that. And they’re pretty versatile products if you’re like me and like to switch up the shape and whatnot of your brows, pending on your mood that day.

For blush, Wet n Wild Color Icon in the shade The Princess Daquiries. If you aren’t on the Wet n Wild train, it’s time to hop on. Their make-up is SO affordable, and it all works great! This shade is a nice peachy-pink which is great for everyday wear, especially in the spring and summer! They are also cruelty-free.

For today’s highlight I’m wearing Urban Decay Afterglow in shade Sin. It’s a lovely white-gold shade, which, again, is great for my paper-white skin. Plus, it stays on ALL DAY. The consistency is really buttery and easy to work with, as well as STRONG AS HELL. Again, kind of on the pricey side.

For mascara I’ve been keeping it old-school with a Mary Kay mascara. I have a friend who sells it, and I love the way it separates my lashes and gives them volume without flaking or smudging. I’m not sure how one obtains Mary Kay makeup without knowing a seller…

Thanks so much for checking out this week’s post! If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, concerns, I would love to hear from you! Also, if there’s a specific subject you’d like me to talk about, please let me know. I am here for you! Bisous xx

Follow ya girl on Instagram @aubsaintlaurent