My love affair for Canadian products and shopping local has grown ever deeper and I have the pandemic to partially "thank" (I always feel a bit weird using the words "pandemic" and "thankful" in the same sentence) for my exuberance in trying to "keep it in the family" this year. I don't want to be one of those people who get sad when local places or businesses close having invested zero effort into keeping them afloat. Now, food is one thing since we all get hungry and need to eat, but beauty is next level for me because I need absolutely NOTHING so I'm seriously investing not just money, but space in my already overflowing drawers so the products need to hit a certain level of bougieness that I have become accustomed to.
Hi, Phytosurgence...
Purchased by me
Phytosurgence is from Vancouver with all of their products made right here in my hometown. Already, I am interested and then I see they have makeup (skincare too!) that looks pretty stunning! There aren't many small businesses who make makeup as it is usually skincare and bath products that dominate the small batch space so seeing makeup is always very exciting. The third aspect of this brand that resonated with me was their stance on transparency without the fear mongering and scare tactics that brands like the ones with elephants as their logo use (I think they are the most well-known brands who do this, but there are SO MANY). You also won't catch them using the phrase "non-toxic" which I am sorry to say I myself use to use 5 years ago because I didn't know any better or rather what green beauty eventually came to mean.
Though I did purchase one skincare product from Phytosurgence, what REALLY got me were the beautiful swatches I was seeing of their new Flash Fluorescence Cream Eyeshadows. I am all about the eyes now so anything that is metallic and/or sparkly, but most importantly long-lasting has me interested!
There are six shades that all seemingly go together and yet are solid enough to be worn independently of each other. As Phytosurgence started with skincare, I was not surprised to see some skincare in the formula with CoQ10 added as an antioxidant, but with hydrocarbon solvents to seal in hydration and give it lasting power rivaling the "big guys"!
The formula is unique to other cream shadows I have used in that it is highly buildable. These shadows are incredibly creamy, but I found it to be more workable than other cream shadows because it felt thinner and more spreadable across the lid. You can use either a flat brush or fingers to apply these shadows. I'm very much about using my fingers with cream shadows when they are in pots so I found it best to pat the shadow on my lids in layers. I used the same strategy with these eyeshadows as I do with nail polish - apply thinner layers and build up! This also means that you can spread out the colour to be much more subtle for more of a wash of colour to the eyelid. You also don't need to work with superhuman speed to get these onto your eyelids before dry down. You have will PLENTY of time to make sure the eyeshadow is where you want it to be!
At first, I was hesitant about how often I would wear a more dramatic-looking shade like "Deeply Rooted", but because of the formula I just wear the shade a little bit thinner and more diffusely across my entire lid and then blend out the edges with a fluffy brush.
Sun Stress and Amber Aura
I've only had Velvet Leaf for a week as I placed a second order after enjoying the first three shadows I bought! While I am probably going to be wearing more of the other shades, Velvet Leaf is an incredibly neutral green that I can see myself enjoying for Winter.
Final verdict: I am just so pleased with everything and I cannot recommend Phytosurgence and the Flash Fluorescence Cream Eyeshadows more! They last all day with no creasing on me (with primer) and still look vibrant in colour. There is also 4g of product in each pot, so I will be SET for awhile!
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