Root: a review

I first heard of Root a few months ago on Nicolle Mackinnon’s Instagram account. I visited Root’s site right away and loved their mission but thought it would be hard to buy makeup online without testing the colors first. Given my predicament, I was delighted to find the ladies from Root at the Indie Beauty Expo!

Root is based in Waverly, Iowa and they only use natural, safe, and non-toxic ingredients in their products. That means they also don’t use any parabens, artificial fragrances, artificial colorants, sulfates, or phthalates that can be found in a lot of other makeup brands. Additionally, their line is formulated especially for sensitive skin. As someone whose skin often breaks out when I try new products, I was intrigued! You can read more about Root on their About Us page.

At the Indie Beauty Expo, I tested a few blushes and bronzers and settled on My Girl Pressed Mineral Blush that night. My Girl, shown above, is from Root’s 2016 Fall Collection and it is gorgeous. It has more pink in it than other blushes I’d normally choose at first glance, but you can add as little or as much as you like. Root’s description says it’s a “soft and sweet pink with an ever-so-perfect hint of peach.” I think My Girl is a great everyday blush and I’m excited to wear it more this Fall.

I also picked up a sample of Root’s Cassandra Pressed Mineral Blush and I plan on purchasing it soon. It’s a matte dusty rose and it caught my eye immediately. Cassandra is most like other blush shades I typically wear and it’s definitely one of my new favorites.

The first Root products that caught my attention a few months ago were their Pretty Balms. First of all, they’re only $8. What a steal! Second, the product is so buildable. I don’t wear a lot of lip color, so these balms are perfect for people like me who like just a touch of color. They’re also perfect for people who like a darker or more pigmented lip. Just build the color by adding more balm!

I’ve shown the two balms I got at the IBE above. I applied just a little bit in the photo, and you can see my skin tone is medium. I purchased the balm on the left, Marsala, and the one on the right is Limited Edition 210. Root was giving away the 210 balm at the IBE so it’s no longer available on their site. The texture of the balms is so smooth and they wear really nicely.

I know when I was first starting to clean up my beauty routine, I was worried about finding makeup lines whose products stood up to those you find in drugstores and department stores. Root is definitely a company that is creating beautiful shades as well as well-made and long-lasting products that make me excited about the future of green and natural beauty.

**This post is not sponsored in any way, I just love sharing what I love!**