Review and Giveaway: Orglamix CLOSED

Anyone who knows me knows I'm a girly girl at heart. Pink is my favorite color hands down and I love stilettos, platforms, lace and ruffles. And of course, I have loved makeup since as far back as I can remember. Since I've become a stay-at-home mom, however, I rarely shed my uniform of jeans/yoga pants and tee/sweater so my face is often bare. Besides, the only places I visit reguarly are the grocery store, post office and playground. Not like I'm trying to impress anyone there! And with my into-absolutely-everything toddler, I just don't have the time to fuss about with anything beyond my tinted moisturizer.

But in an effort to get a piece of the "pre-baby me" back and with Valentine's Day approaching, I really wanted to get dolled up for my hubby. You know, surprise him by wearing more than a sweatshirt and putting more than just chapstick on the lips. So, when I was granted an opportunity to review eye makeup from Orglamix, I was delighted to give it a go.

Orglamix provides artisan-crafted, 100% pure mineral makeup for eyes, cheeks and face. Foundations, powders, shimmers, shadows, blushes - they're all here and in virtually every color of the rainbow. All Orglamix products are cruelty-free and are formulated without:

• Nano-particles
• Bismuth Oxychloride
• Synthetic Dyes and Fragrances
• Parabens
• Phthalates
• Sulfates
  
• Petrochemicals

Orglamix also offers eco-friendly brushes and makeup kits, as well as gift certificates and an "Eyeshadow of the Month" club, in which members are sent limited edition colors to try every month. Pretty cool! Oh, and here's the best part...they offer a 100% money-back guarantee! That's right! You may not be able to try the color(s) on before making your purchase but you can now try that shade you've always wanted, competely risk-free. If you're not happy with it, you can return it within 14 days for a full refund.

For my review, I chose the Bittersweet eye color collection. I really liked the natural, subdued look, which I could dress up or down, year-round.



When the set arrived, I was tickled pink to see it packaged in this adorable black organza bag, ready for gift-giving.



The Bittersweet collection contains a trio of shadows that can be worn alone separately or together to complete the above look:

Snow (a sparkly white base)


Chamomile (a shimmery gold hue)


Baie Rose (a deep pink shade)


As you can see, the minerals are crushed into powder form within small clear jars with sifters, so they can be distributed easily onto a brush or your fingertip.

I will admit I am a novice when it comes to eye makeup. I have very fair skin - almost porcelain - so when using colors, it is difficult for me to achieve a balance between looking as if I though I'm wearing nothing or resembling a doll or clown. But Orglamix was beyond easy to apply. The texture was so smooth and silky and the pigments blended nicely. The natural highlights and shimmers in the colors were superb and really made my eyes pop. Even though I'm a beginner with eye color, I think I did a fair job of mimicking the model photo.



The shadow didn't cake or crease at all over time. The color lasted for at least eight hours so I didn't have to worry about blinking it away or constantly reapplying. Orglamix claims the eye colors are smudge-proof and water-resistant, but I have not yet been able to test them under these conditions. Hopefully, I won't need to cry while I'm wearing them!

Bittersweet is a versatile look I can wear to to a job interview, out to date night with the hubbs or simply to run errands at the store. It's just the right hint of shimmer to set off any outfit, no matter how casual or dressy. I've been so happy with my new eye shadows that I'm already eyeing the Haute Coal and Snowflake Smoothie concoctions. (If I were more daring, I would totally rock the Rainbow Sherbet).

The only *extremely* minor issue I had about the product was that the pots were a little messy, as sparkle dust seemed to find its way all over my hands, face and countertops. But a few dabs with a damp towel and we were as good as new.

Bottom line: I would highly recommend Orglamix as an addition to your makeup bag. I love that the products are all-natural (no bat poop or questionable/unidentifiable ingredients!) and won't irritate my skin or harm the environment. Their vast assortment of colors are sure to appease any fashionista, and their collections take the guesswork out of choosing complementary colors.

BUY IT: You can purchase Orglamix cosmetics exclusively from their Etsy shop. Individual shadows start at just $3.99 and 3-color collections start at $11.99. Can't beat those prices in these hard economic times!

WIN IT: I know you'll want to look hot around Valentine's Day so one lucky reader is going to win a 3-color eye shadow collection of her own!

MAIN COURSE (MANDATORY ENTRY): Take a look at the eye color collections at Orglamix and tell me which one you're dying to snag. Remember to please leave your email address in your comment if it isn't visible on your profile to prevent disqualification!

SUGAR ON TOP (BONUS ENTRIES): To maximize your chances of winning, you may do any or all of the following. Be sure to complete the above mandatory entry or your bonus entries will not count! Remember to leave one comment per entry.

1.) Follow my blog or subscribe via reader or email. Comment telling me which method you chose. If you already follow or subscribe, that counts! (1 entry)

2.) Follow me and Orglamix on Twitter and tweet about this contest. You can do this daily! Just leave me a comment with your tweet link. (1 entry per day max)

3.) Become a fan of Orglamix on Facebook. (1 entry)

4.) Add my blog button and leave a comment with the link to where I can find it. (1 entry)

5.) Enter any of my other current giveaways and leave a comment telling me which one(s) you entered. (1 entry each)

Giveaway will end on February 10, 2010 at 11:59pm EST. Open to U.S. only. Winners will be chosen via Random.org and will have 48 hours to respond to congratulatory email or prize will be forfeited and another winner will be chosen.

Disclaimer: This review and giveaway was made possible by Mom Made That. As noted above, I received an eye color collection from Cheri at Orglamix to facilitate my review. The thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are solely mine. Your experience may differ.