Lipstick vs Lipstick... who wins?

I constantly play ideas is my head of how to get my lipsticks more creamy, more full of color, more long-lasting, you imagine it and I'm thinking it. I can get pretty obsessive about my lipstick formulas which leads to impulse purchases of ingredients even though I have perfectly fine ingredients at home to make lipsticks.
I was reading a blog today and they had listed all of the ingredients in a MAC lipstick. As I was reading down the list, I'm just like, whoa! Who needs so many ingredients? I still don't understand why so many ingredients are used in a lipstick when only a handful are needed. So here's that list:

MAC Satin Lipstick
Castor Oil	A vegetable oil
Trioctyldodecyl Citrate	An emulsifier to make the ingredients blend together
Glyceryl Triacetyl Hydroxystearate	A blend of fats and oils used to make the product more emollient and lubricating
Candelilla Wax	A vegetable wax
Octyldodecanol	An emulsifier and thickener
Silica	A mineral used to thicken
Jojoba Oil	A vegetable oil
Beeswax	An animal-derived wax
Sesame Oil	A vegetable oil
Ozokerite	A petroleum based wax
Carnauba Wax	A vegetable wax
Cetyl Ricinoleate	Made from oils and sugars, it improves the consistency
Microcrystalline Wax	A petroleum based wax
Ascorbyl Palmitate	A vitamin C type antioxidant
Tocopherol	A vitamin E type preservative/antioxidant
Vanillin	Flavoring additive (vanilla flavor)

As you can see a very looong list of ingredients for a mix of wax, oil, and color. My lipsticks look more like this:

Castor oil
Meadowfoam seed oil
Jojoba oil
Avocado butter
Candelilla wax
Carnauba wax
Mica
Vitamin E (tocopherol)
Sorbic acid

Given, some of my lipsticks contain other ingredients such as isoeicosane which is a hydrocarbon that allows a lipstick to feel creamy without being shiny. According to the Environmental Working Group and Cosmetic Safety Database this ingredients is safe, and I would not put it in my products without checking their database first. I don't include anything questionable in my handmade cosmetics. I offer different products for different types of customers and their preferences, though my focus has always been to stay as natural as possible. Sometimes if you want a POP of color you have to use different ingredients!

Do you ever pay attention to the ingredients in your lipstick? Leave me your comments or thoughts, I'd love to hear them! Visit my website or Etsy store to learn more about my products.

Stay beautiful,
Eva

The Post Office Did It Again!

I feel like I need to take some time and write about the increase of postage that happened in January 27th. I owe it to my many international customers, who may, or may not could happen to read this blog. So, the U.S. Postal Service increased their rates dramatically last January. You may notice at my Etsy store that international shipping prices have increased to $6.99. This is almost the same as some of my products! I know it sucks, it totally does. Paying seven dollars for shipping a 3 or 4 oz item is not something I agree with, but unfortunately I have to use the US Postal Service as it is the cheapest service from Hawaii. I know they Post Office has their money problems, but this is really hurting business that ship internationally. The increase was about two dollars, approximately 40% increase.

My prices did not increase to offset the shipping -I simply added the seven dollars separately and I just want you guys to know why the increase is seen. I'm still offering all orders over $50 go with free shipping (domestic and international) and this will not change, at least not for now. I also still have the offer for orders over $20 go with a free eyeshadow of choice. I love my customers and love to spoil them as much as I can! Money is tight as my business is still a baby, but I'm very excited about the future and about all the things I get to do to get to my "future" as an independent cosmetics company.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Please visit my website and don't forget the 20% off sale at my Etsy store ends tomorrow.

Stay beautiful!
Eva

The Chinese New Year celebration is in high apogee right now. The upcoming year will be the year of the snake. Even though the snake is not the favorite animal of many, it's said that those born on the year of the snake are thoughtful and wise. Hmm, ok, doesn't sound exactly like a snake, but hey, I think it's cool that we can think of ourselves related to these animals, and maybe carry a little amulet with us for good luck.

 I live in Hawaii so I'm surrounded by a very strong Chinese culture everywhere I go. I love going to Chinatown every year and see the lion dances, and most importantly, "feed" the lion some money for good luck. I've always said I was born into the wrong culture and have always been drawn like a magnet to Asian cultures. It's so mystical to me. Every time I look at my husband and kids I just find them so interesting! It never gets old :) My children have Chinese, Filipino, and Hawaiian genes, and of course Puerto Rican! They are beautiful, and of course as their mom I think they're the most beautiful kids in the world!! (I hope they don't hate me when they're 15 for writing this :).

Do you celebrate the Chinese New Year? It's a wonderful holiday, I'm so glad I live somewhere where it's very-well celebrated. If you need a gorgeous and different shade for your Chinese New Year party try Plum Rum Lipstick, a magenta-purple shade that will get you many compliments for sure!

Sooo pretty! Thank you for visiting and reading. Visit my website at www.dehandmadecosmetics.com

Valentine's Day is Just Around the Corner!

Can you believe that today is February 1st? This year is just flying by! In celebration of Valentine's Day I created the treasury below titled "All The Things I love" featuring great findings to celebrate Love Day 2013 in a vegan and fashionable way!

 

'All the Things I Love' by esalcedo

Vegan findings for Valentine's Day!

Three Vintage Glass Vas... mothrasue $18.00	25 Holiday Red Envelope... blackbirdandpe... $6.50	Savoy Mark II Camera - ... AnElephantsEye $75.00	Geometric flower neckla... GildedNotes $32.00
Metallic Magenta and Go... Lovefortheworl... $8.50	Red beaded crochet ipho... SunisSerendipi... $15.00	Floral Red Poppies iPho... KEIMBOLSTORE $14.99	Red Clutch Linen Lotus ... Upstyle $75.00
Cowl Scarf - Moss Green... KnotaGeek $25.00	Small Mint Green Heart ... ThePetitePacka... $5.00	Red neoprene fabric med... estelladesign $79.00	Mint Green Ring // Aven... wildjuniperyou $19.00
Southwestern Turquoise ... ZOEandPIPER $75.00	Red Slipper Socks, Laci... fizzaccessory $16.00	Adorable green eco-felt... LittleBudsandR... $6.00	16k Gold Plated Chain w... Bumhemian $18.60

Treasury tool supported by the dog house

Tweet Tweet

Finally decided to get a Twitter account. Now what? I can't really tweet too much because -well- I have to work and do other things :) But I have to say... it's addicting! I've only been there maybe a week, and I'm constantly looking at it when I'm at home, and constantly trying not to look at it! LOL

I'm like a total Bachelor junkie, so now I'm following Sean Lowe's abs Twitter, and all Bachelors and Bachelorettes I like from previous seasons. I'm finding a really hard time not tweeting "personal" stuff! If I get my own account I will NEVER tweet as D&E Handmade Cosmetics. Oh geez! If there weren't enough (and much more important) troubles in the world!

In any case, if you have Twitter, please follow me @de_hawaii. Other than tweeting about the bachelor I promise to post coupons, special offers, looks, and well, more Bachelor! "Tierra-ble" (ha! that's what they're calling Tierra nowadays) is just a train wreck to watch and I'm hoping Sean Lowe keeps her a little longer just to watch her unfold in her pure evilness. Oops! Did it again. No mas Bachelor for now. But please follow @de_hawaii and visit my website www.dehandmadecosmetics.com.

Eva

Tomorrow is Art and Flea! Ahhhh I get so excited every time. I hope you guys can make it. Come dressed as a super hero and (get in free, get a discount?) Something. I really don't know, but I know one thing. It will be F U N!

 

Eva (Franco, not Salcedo) Dress and Chevrons

Unless you live under a rock you may have noticed that chevrons have been trending strongly since last year. I don't know what the next big thing will be, but chevrons are cute and I hope they stay here longer!

 I found this super cute chevron dress on Wanelo from Hopes. It can be found here.

Hopes has so many cute clothes and accessories, I'm definitely bookmarking them! This one is so dreamy, if I only had a place where to wear it to :-)

This teardrop beaded necklace is cute, but it's too much for me. It would look great with the chevron dress above to give a pop of color!

And today's winner... (haha, in my eyes at least!) it's this baby here. Wow! What a find! Designed by Romanian-born  Eva Franco and available at LIT Boutique, it's only available in a size 4 (yep, not me :-). But if you're interested an you're a size 4 this ziggy dress can be yours for $202 dollars. Gorgeous!

Please visit my website and don't forget next week is Art and Flea. Hope to see you there!

Eva