I’m an Iowa girl at heart so I think it’s only fitting to do my first review on the beauty products brand – Root. (I’m going back to my roots with this one – ha, I’m so clever & punny!). I love Root’s mission and product selection and was even more excited to find out they mix up their natural beauty products right in my home state. How about that?! Us Iowan’s have to stick together you know. 🙂
Anyways, I was first drawn to this company because they have a large, seemingly complete, beauty collection ranging from skincare to haircare and tons of makeup in between. All products are safe and natural and are crafted without harsh toxins or artificial dyes. Many use organic ingredients and they are also vegan and gluten free. When I discovered they also have a pretty extensive sample offering for purchase there was no turning back. I was in the market for a new foundation and I hate buying full size foundations because the first one I pick rarely works and it seems so wasteful, hence why I liked their sample sizes. I ordered several swatch options and ended up liking it so much I bought the full size. I’ve since tried several other products and will share my thoughts on the ones I’ve given the thumbs up to below.
The Fine Points:
What: Root Pretty Booster – Prime + Moisturize + Color Correct all in one!
Why I Like It: This is essentially a BB cream but I feel like the coverage is on the lighter side. I was looking for something with a little more coverage than a tinted moisturizer and this fit the bill. I generally have a hard time matching a color to my skintone but with their sample ordering option I was able to test out a few and found that Lightly-Medium worked the best. It goes on seemingly a little light in color but settles right in to match my pale skin that has a reddish undertone. I’ve also liked this a lot because it hasn’t caused any breakouts and doesn’t appear to make my skin any oilier, which I’ve run into with other foundations. One of the key ingredients this product is made with is organic aloe which soothes & brightens your complexion, reverses signs of aging, decreases pigmentation and is also a natural treatment for rosacea, eczema & acne. It also contains organic jojoba oil, which balances oil production and helps with acne. Now, I really wanted a foundation that has sunscreen in it and while this one doesn’t claim to have that benefit, it does actually contain Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide so there is at least some sun protection included. There are several other great ingredients that round out this fabulous foundation that you can read all about on their website HERE. One last note is that they recently switched their packaging, which I love/hate. I liked the old packaging because I could see how much product I had left and knew when to re-order but I can’t be too mad because the new packaging is now recyclable and BPA free.
What: Pressed Pigment Eyeshadow
Why I Like It: These eye shadows are super pigmented which is what I was in need of after switching from a certain non-green brand that rhymes with “Back” – as in “I’ll never go back”. Root shadows provide good coverage and just the right amount of shimmer. Some mineral shadows end up being much too sparkly for anyone over the age of 14, but not these! Also, a lot of mineral shadows are loose and I just can’t handle those. They end up everywhere except my eye so I think it’s fantastic that they have such a wide color range in pressed form and at an affordable price to boot! I’ve tried “Snow Peach” & “Stella” so far. Both are great neutrals that can be used every day. The only small downside is that I’ve noticed a little more creasing with these super late in the day but I have pretty oily skin so if you don’t, there shouldn’t be a problem. I think there’s a way I can remedy that too – I just have yet to figure it out.
What: Natural Organic Brow Pomade & Natural Brow Powder
Why I Like It: I like using a little bit of both of these every day to shape my brows. I like that there are several colors to choose from, not just dark and light. I ended up choosing Ash Brown for both. I think I could go a shade lighter but they work for a bit more dramatic effect. They are good for brows that are medium brown and in need of a little darker definition. Neither will give you that super sharp shaped brow look, but instead will be more of a natural appearance.
What: Eye Love You – Nourishing Eye Cream
Why I Like It: I’ve only bought the sample in this product but I think I’m liking it enough to buy the full size. I use it at night as it’s a bit heavier. I like how you can almost feel it cooling and sinking into your skin. It feels soothing when I put it on. I’ve got dark under eye circles and bags (no fun) so the fact that it’s full of rich antioxidants that moisturize and reduce puffiniess. It’s also got skin soothers such as organic lavender, organic calendula and organic jojoba. I think it’s helping my tired eyes look a bit more awake each day – I know there is no miracle worker other than an eye lift but I like the soothing and repair factor of this product so I would definitely recommend it.
What: 100% Lash Natural Mascara
Why I Like It: I’m still testing this one out but wanted to quick comment on it with what I’ve noticed so far. The plusses: I didn’t get any smudging or smearing and there was no flaking, which is really important. I like that the brush is the traditional mascara brush style, not one of the weird newer ones. I like heavy lashes and I find that the traditional brush works much better for that kind of coverage. Also, the color is super black and definitely gives my lashes a volume boost. Another plus is that I normally have allergic-like reactions to natural mascaras and it seems that this one has had the least of that affect on my eyes. Like I said I still need to test it a bit more but so far so good.
I think I’m going to try their liquid eyeliner next as I’m still trying to find one that gives that perfect winged cat-eye. Have you tried Root products? Let me know your faves!
