Having worked in the makeup industry for over 7 years, I have used and bought some of the most sought after beauty products on the market. I am was totally guilty of being a victim to the glamorous marketing campaigns with their huge budgets and beautiful models. It's hard to get away from the likes of L'Oreal, MaxFactor and Chanel when they are bombarding you in every ad break, trying to persuade you to buy their latest foundation which promises to last 18 hours (I mean really?, do you really want your foundation to feel like it's cemented onto your face?). 

I made the decision around 5 years ago to switch over all of my professional makeup kit and my own personal beauty products to natural, organic alternatives. You can read more about my reasons why here. It's been a slow progress, as I am a big believer in not wasting any product (yes I do cut tubes in half to scrape the last little bit of product out!). But it is 100% worth the investment of time and money to be safe in the knowledge that I am using pure, natural, organic products on mine and my clients skin. 

I can hand on heart say that I will never return to using mainstream brands and products. I have thoroughly enjoyed researching, trying and testing new products from innovative, eco-friendly and ethical brands that care so much about our skin, our health and the world we live in. 

So, below are a few of the 'cult classics' that are very well known by any makeup artist or beauty expert worth their salt. Luckily, there are natural alternatives to pretty much any beauty product on the market nowadays (yay!) so give these alternatives a try and see if you can notice a difference in their performance.

1. YSL Touche Éclat - Swap it for: Couleur Caramel Perfect Complexion Concealer

Renowned for its ability to conceal dark circles, highlight the cheekbones and add radiance to otherwise dull and lack lustre skin, Touche Éclat has been found in some of the most famous make up artists professional makeup kits. Luckily, Couleur Caramel have come up with a product that performs in exactly the same way, but without the use of mineral oils, parabens, silicones and other undesirable ingredients. Instead, they have used natural ingredients such as rose floral water to help soothe skin, and sesame seed oil which is rich in antioxidants to help prevent cell damage.

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2. NARS Orgasm Blush - Swap it for: ZAO Makeup Golden Coral Blush

Both these blushers are a gorgeous peachy pink with a subtle gold shimmer to perfectly compliment a tan or give a healthy glow to the cheeks. Packed full of natural ingredients, the ZAO blush is leaning slightly more towards a coral shade with less pink, meaning it is more universally flattering for all skin tones. This is a hugely popular shade amongst our customers and fellow makeup artists!

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3. Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer - Swap for: Couleur Caramel Smoothing Velvet Primer

So many mainstream brands will use silicone in their foundations, concealers and primers to achieve that smooth, silky feeling, control oil and smooth over fine lines. Unfortunately, silicones can cause many people to break out, so when there is a natural alternative that does exactly the same job, why not use that instead? The Smoothing Velvet Primer from Couleur Caramel contains natural, organic plant oils that smooth over the skin to diminish the appearance of fine lines and visible pores, as well as controlling excess sebum.

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4. MAC Russian Red - Swap for: ZAO Makeup Dark Red

A matte red is still achievable with natural ingredients, and ZAO have created this stunning deep red shade that almost perfectly matches MAC's cult classic Russian Red. Quite often, matte formulas from mainstream brands can be very drying for the lips and feel uncomfortable to wear for a long period of time. The difference with ZAO's lipsticks is that they contain natural, nourishing ingredients to moisturise the lips without jeopardising the texture.

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5. Clinique Take the Day off Cleansing Oil - Swap for: Supermood Oil Ritual Face Wash

Despite being called a cleansing oil, Clinique haven't actually included any oils in this cult makeup remover/face wash. Aside from removing makeup with relative ease, it doesn't do much else for your skin. The Supermood Oil Ritual Face Wash however, will dissolve all traces of makeup will natural plant based oils such as coconut oil, sunflower seed oil and pomegranate seed oil. All these organic natural oils provide the skin will moisturising, antibacterial, and anti-ageing properties to keep it in the best possible condition.

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