I’ve shared a bit about my journey with switching my beauty routine and products to non-toxic ones. jane iredale is the first non-toxic beauty brand I’ve tried, and I must say I’m pretty in love with her products. I have tried a few skin care products (I share specific products below) and several make-up products too. Read more to learn about my favorite ones and an exclusive interview with the founder, Jane Iredale, herself!

JANE IREDALE BEAUTY PICKS

1. jane iredale Glow Time Foundation – I’ve been loving this foundation. It smells divine, and goes on so smoothly. It doesn’t feel heavy on my face but it offers a great amount of coverage. Also, nothing beats this ingredients list; I love a clean, non-toxic foundation.

2. jane iredale Smoky Eye Shadow kit – I love this color palate so much.

3. jane iredale D20 Hydration Spray – This is the coolest product I’ve ever tried. It helps set the mineral powder and I love how hydrated my skin feels when I use it.

4. jane iredale GreatShape eyebrow kit – I’m a huge brow gal, since I don’t really wear tons of eye make-up I like my brows to shine. Love this little kit that comes with a brush and mirror.

5. jane iredale Pure Pressed blush – Free of harsh chemical dyes and toxins, this blush is the perfect pink pigment.

6. jane iredale Pure Pressed Mineral Powder – This powder works with the D2O spray to help keep your face coverage going. I like that it’s light and airy. I need to get a darker color for Summer.

7. jane iredale Just Kissed Lips & Cheek Stain – This lip stain allows me to (care-free) kiss my daughter without worrying I’ll transfer any harsh chemicals or skin-irritants to her skin. I love the soft pink color.

SKIN CARE:

1. jane iredale BeautyPrep Face Moisturizer – This moisturizer is light and thin but leaves my skin feeling silky smooth.

2. jane iredale BeautyPrep Face Cleanser – This has a very watery consistency. I couldn’t tell if it was because the ingredients are so minimal or because the formula itself is just thinner than I’m used to. I didn’t love or hate it.

3. jane iredale BeautyPrep Face Toner – I really liked this toner. It’s my favorite of all of the skin products. The bottle is super user-friendly: you place cotton ball on top and press down. It’s so cool. I ran out of it pretty fast.

EXCLUSIVE Q&A WITH FOUNDER, JANE, OF JANE IREDALE

Larissa: Can you tell us a bit about your professional experiences that led up to founding jane iredale?

Jane: I had a career in the entertainment industry but eventually got show-biz burn-out. What I’d always wanted to do was to be involved with something that would enhance the lives of women and have some healing aspect to it. I’d seen the bad effects of makeup when I worked with actresses and models as a casting director and as a producer, so it suddenly occurred to me that there was a place for makeup that was good for the skin. I’d spent so many years working with women whose careers depended on having a flawless complexion, and the heavy makeup they were using to cover up skin problems was actually aggravating their skin concerns, instead of improving them. I started thinking about a solution – a makeup with true skin care benefits.

Larissa: How and when did you become interested in skin care and make-up?

Jane: I have always been interested in fashion, in wellness, in beauty, and in personal expression, so the leap into skincare and makeup was a very natural one for me to make. (Also, see above!)

Larissa: Why was it important that the make-up was free of harmful chemicals and toxins?

Jane: A good mineral makeup is devoid of ingredients like toxins that sensitize the skin and cause problems such as blocking pores. True mineral makeup should have protective qualities such as sun protection and antioxidants. It will appear light on the skin but also give excellent coverage. We do far more testing on our products than is required. All of our products are tested for comedogencity, sensitivity and phototoxicity. They are also dermatologist and clinically tested. You can trust them. But not all mineral makeup is created equal. It’s important to look at the ingredients and the claims that are made. Women frequently seek options to cover what they consider to be visually frustrating conditions like acne, rosacea and hyperpigmentation. Regrettably, they often make choices that are not effective and potentially make the problem worse. Mineral makeup is a healthy, skin-friendly alternative to traditional makeup.

 Larissa: Is jane iredale make-up cruelty free?

Jane: Yes, jane iredale is a certified cruelty-free cosmetics brand, recognized by both Leaping Bunny and PETA for our voluntary commitment to no animal testing at every stage of product development and manufacturing. I’ve always felt that animals contribute so much to our lives and that we owe them respect, especially the ones we domesticated who are now completely dependent on us. Nobody asks them for permission to perform unspeakable experiments on them. Like children, they are completely vulnerable. This pledge to cruelty-free makeup and skin care has always been at the core of our brand. We believe it is an essential element in our holistic approach to creating responsible, healthy beauty.

Larissa: Why did you decide on the slogan “beauty with brilliance”?

For years, we’ve used the slogan “The Skin Care Makeup” because we really feel that our line blurs the line between skin care and makeup. We added “Beauty with Brilliance” because we know that our consumers want products that enhance their natural beauty and they want to know that they’re backed by innovation and science. We thought that the word brilliance really captured that.

Larissa: What are your favorite jane iredale products? Are there any you use religiously?

Jane: There are a number of them, but the one I wear every day is our jane iredale PurePressed Base Mineral Foundation ($42). It works in all climates, day and night and never lets me down. I use it every single day whether I’m speaking to an audience or walking the dog. It saves me so much time because it’s four products in one – a powder, foundation, concealer and sunscreen, with skin care benefits too. It really is all those things. It goes on easily and flawlessly and stays where I put it. It’s also water resistant.

(Some “for fun” questions…)

Larissa: Which form of social media do you use most? Twitter? Facebook? Pinterest? Instagram?

Jane: Personally, I don’t use social media. I’m too afraid of getting addicted and having it run my life. As a company, we use Facebook the most, then Instagram and then Pinterest.

Larissa: What is your favorite shade of lip stain/ lipstick?

Jane: The jane iredale Devotion Lip Fixation ($32), which is a warm red that I can make as sheer or opaque as I like. I suppose you could say that I’m devoted to Devotion.

Larissa: What does a day in your life look like?

Jane: I generally get up at around 7:30. I can’t face anything until I’ve taken my shower. Next comes playing and feeding my dog. She’s on a raw food diet so it doesn’t take long. Then my paleo breakfast. Next makeup and hair. I always use our jane iredale PurePressed® Base Mineral Foundation, and although I change up on blush and eye shadows, I never deviate from our PureLash® Lash Extender & Conditioner ($19) and Espresso Longest Lash Thickening and Lengthening Mascara ($33). I’ll often put Tantasia Self Tanner & Bronzer ($36) on my legs as a moisturizer and for some color. I find I wear it year round. I don’t have a typical day, fortunately. But of course every day requires dealing with endless emails. As soon as you get rid of one, two more appear in its place. Lots of meetings, of course and usually a business dinner. But there is a large variety in my life.

Larissa: Any advice for female entrepreneurs/business owners/bloggers?

Jane: My advice for future entrepreneurs is:

1. Keep it to the “why”. Why do you want to do it in the first place?

2. Maintain employee trust. Don’t be someone outside of business and someone else when you come to work.

3. Be emotionally attached and love what you do.

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Thank you so much to Jane and the jane iredale team for working with me on this post and for the products to review. Let me know if you want to see posts like this more often!

Thank you so much for reading.