after finding out i was pregnant almost a year and a half ago i vowed to throw out all of my chemical-laden makeup and start over with healthy, non-toxic brands.  my go-to store at the time, sephora, really only offered a couple of legitimately non-toxic brands so i was forced to buy my makeup at whole foods, unaware that better options existed.  the makeup there was okay, but nothing special (in my opinion, the brands full of chemicals and preservatives just worked so much better) and i was never able to find a good foundation match for my skin (fair with pink undertones).  recently, frustrated with my makeup-free-stay-at-home-mom face and in search of a new hot pink lipstick (baby steps, schmaby steps), i came across what i like to think of as my beauty savior - the blog beauty by britanie.  through britanie's blog i discovered brand after brand of gorgeous, healthy, highly-functioning makeup.  best of all, her blog led me to spirit beauty lounge, which is basically the sephora of non-toxic makeup and offers sample kits of six products for $25 (with a $5 off coupon for your next order).  

my reviews of these makeup and beauty lines will be coming soon but for now i will leave you with just one: my holy grail.  kjaer weis is, by far, the best makeup i have ever used.  the foundation is creamy and weightless with the perfect semi-matte, dewy finish.  it is certified organic, free of artificial ingredients and contains luxurious ingredients such as coconut oil, sweet almond oil and jojoba seed oil.  the foundation feels amazing on sensitive skin and the shade "like porcelain" is a perfect match for a fair, rosy complexion.  it is easy to apply by hand or with a foundation brush, but my favorite way to apply it is with the beautyblender sponge applicator, which gives a light airbrushed, almost flawless appearance.

the kjaer weis cream blush in desired glow is the most amazing shade - part bronzer, part blush - and perfect for giving a healthy, sun-kissed glow to fair skin.  

the organic eyeshadows are so richly pigmented and velvety smooth - they are easy to blend and wear beautifully without creasing.  cloud nine is the perfect allover lid shade and earthy calm is fantastic as eyeliner as well as for creating a smoldering, smoky eye.

oh yes, and did i mention the refillable (read: eco friendly!) compacts are absolutely stunning?  heavy in your hand (so maybe not ideal for the makeup bag in your purse), mirrored, and decidedly sexy.  i would expect nothing less from a makeup line produced in italy.  

at $54 for the cream blush, $44 for the eyeshadow and $68 for the foundation this stuff is not cheap.  but you're paying for the compact, and that is half the price.  the refills are only $26, $22 and $40, respectively, and as any good makeup junkie knows, that's actually quite reasonable. 

tip: some kjaer weis products can be purchased online at beauty bar and they pretty much always have some sort of coupon code available for a 20% discount or similar.