Alima Pure Eye Shadows

Portland Oregon’s Alima Pure

Eye shadow is a tricky thing for many women. What worked in our 20’s or 30’s may not be the most flattering look for us at this stage of our lives. Or our lifestyle has changed –  we wear less and less makeup because we work from home, are a mom, or there is just less and less time for beauty.

Sometimes we love an eye shadow color, but the consistency (sparkly/creasing/dragging) doesn’t seem to help with showcasing our beautiful selves with where we are now in our lives. Overdone eye makeup can age us, making us look clownish. Whereas no eye makeup – or trying to replicate the natural look by using a go-to ‘bone’ or brown shadow can have us looking tired and  be too light to hide the redness and discoloration on our lids.

It might be time to try something new.

And clean beauty brand Alima Pure may be just the answer. Alima Pure is a green makeup line developed by founder Kate O’Brien and run in conjunction with her daughter, Sara. In an article published  online Kate O’Brien states that, “Natural cosmetics were around back then (when she first started the line in 2004) and you could get any shade of brown you wanted, but not much more. There was a need for a line with beautiful, fun, elegant colors that would appeal to a broad range of women.”

Kate O’Brien believes that makeup is a place where we can bring health into the marketplace and also to the makeup wearer.

Alima Pure is a member of the 1% for the Planet — "a global network of businesses, nonprofits and individuals working together for a healthier world" — and donates 1 percent of its annual gross revenues to grassroots environmental organizations dedicated to protecting the earth.

What I like about Alima Pure is the broad range of colors and strong pigmentations you don’t usually find in green beauty lines. Their eye shadows are grouped into 3 types:

Luminous Shimmer: (in their words) A rich and silky loose mineral eye shadow with a subtle shimmer

Pearluster: (in their words) A softly luminous, loose-mineral eye shadow, Pearluster eye-shadow can be applied dry for a subtle glow or damp for bolder color payoff with a metallic effect.

Satin Matte: Richly-pigmented and versatile, matte eye shadow

And right now they are having a spring cleaning sale with a range of products (and eye shadows!!) at 25% off.

Some of my favorite eye shadow shades are:

Cimarron - A deep rust

Chai - A rose gold

Leone - A sparkling soft gold

It’s fun to mix and play – whether your having a night out or a low key dinner in. You decide.

In the words of Kate O’Brien, "Self-expression is empowering. We have long emphasized that there are no rules — wear what you like, enjoy yourself, experiment. In the end what matters is not the makeup but the person wearing it. " 

*always consult a professional when using products.