Lo Care | zero waste make-up goodness

Nope, I'm not getting paid for this, I'm really only sharing this because I think it's worth sharing.

About a year ago I discovered the Dutch brand Lo Care. No, that's not true, I actually discovered it much earlier, but about a year ago I bought a balm from them for the first time. Why not sooner? Well uhm... The products are not exactly cheap. Anyway, I was very much ready for a new lip product, the masks were allowed to come off again and many of my old lip products were either expired and smelling to so great or just used up. A small make-up edit was therefore in order.

Nell | wood & glass love affair

After a lot of going back and forth about what I wanted, I decided to go for Nell. A beautiful deep purple-red color. I got the box in my little hands and after a not so long it disappeared like a torn mess in the paper bin. (Uhm yes... Opening boxes is just not a talent of mine.) And there the jar appeared. A beautiful lid of dark wood on a frosted glass jar. And as icing on the cake, that round little thing on the inside of the lid (you know, which hardly anyone knows what it's called, but it's usually made of plastic) that makes sure it closes properly, is made of cork.

Uhm yes... Opening boxes is just not a talent of mine.

Oh... *Insert very dramatic sigh* And it feels so good in the hand. But seriously, the jar is really nice in the hand. It has a great weight and it's one of those things that I can play with all day long without any problem. Something I do for sure when the jar is in my coat pocket. Because, let me tell you, wherever I go, when I go out, a Lo Care balm goes with me.

Let me tell you, wherever I go, when I go out, a Lo Care balm goes with me.

Carmine

After I opened the jar I found out that Nell contains the ingredient Carmine. Not vegan, or even vegetarian. Carmine is an ingredient often used in makeup to give that beautiful deep red color to products. Butttt... It is obtained from the pulverized bodies of certain scale insects. Something I absolutely do not support. If I had checked this in advance, I would definitely not have bought this color, so a mistake on my part, but now that I have it, I will make sure I wear it with love and use it.

The balm

When you use the balm for the first time, the color is very light. More of a tinted balm. Super comfortable but not a lot of color. Once you get through that top coat, after a few uses, you get to the true color of the product. And it can really be compared to a pigmented lipstick.

You can dab on a little bit for a subtle shade but you can really build the color up too. The product feels really nice on the lips, and my lips have a history of super quick super irritation, or burning lips as I used to call it. They will become bright red and super chapped with rough patches in abundance. Ouch... Anyway, me and my lips are picky about what I put on them. This is going great. It doesn't bother me, it even feels nice and it looks good. I have also noticed that the amount of dry patches has decreased since I started using the Lo Care balms. It is a beautiful balm with natural ingredients and it works.

It is a beautiful balm with natural ingredients and it works.

To scent or not to scent...

By the way, with all their balms you can choose from a version with peppermint oil or without. I chose the option with peppermint which gives the most wonderfully fresh tingle when you apply the balm. Something that feels heavenly when my lips are already a bit irritated. And it doesn't seem to irritate them any further. So totally amazing. But no matter how little it contains, as an aromatherapist I recommend that you don't always use a product with a specific essential oil in it. So alternate with some regularity with something without essential oil or another. Why? You can build up to a reaction against it and once you have it, you can't just get rid of it. And unfortunately, there is a good chance that you will also react to other substances. So enjoy, but in moderation.

Velvet | soft autumn lights

Maybe just two months later. "Yes yes yes! It's here!" After consulting the owner, Rosa, via Instagram about which colors would look good on me, my second Lo Care balm arrived on the mat. This time I chose Velvet, a beautiful fall coral color (is that a thing?) with a subtle shimmer.

Undetones

Where Nell was recommended for people with cool undertones in their skin, that would be me, Velvet would be suitable for everyone. I think that's absolutely true, although I think I'd better opt for a cooler undertone in the future. While Velvet looks great on me, I still feel better in cooler undertones. This is why I regularly mix velvet with Nell or, and I'll get to that, Tess.

What I really like about the Lo Care website is that they have advice for each balm on whether it is best for someone with a cool, warm or neutral undertone. They also use models with different skin colors and undertones and photos of users. This makes it a lot easier to determine which colors would be right for you.

They also use models with different skin colors and undertones and photos of users. This makes it a lot easier to determine which colors would be right for you.

Daily dose of shimmer

After I got Velvet this became my choice for daily use. The color is subtle and I love that bit of shimmer that gives it that little bit extra without you really being able to put your finger on what exactly it is. A perfect color for everyday use. And yet again, oh so comfortable.

I don't know if it's because of the pigment used for Velvet or if it's something else, but Velvet seems to last the longest on me so far. So far, Velvet is the balm I've worn the most. I hit pan quite some time ago now and I will continue to scrape the last bits out until there is really nothing left in it.

That gives it that little bit extra without you really being able to put your finger on what exactly it is.

Refill option

What really makes Lo Care a fantastic zero waste brand, besides the AMAZING packaging of course, is the option to return your empty packaging and have it refilled with a balm of your choice. As soon as Velvet is gone, I think I will go for a refill with the color Ruby. Also a shimmer but a little redder.

Tess | my lips but better

And then there is Tess. I got this balm for my birthday, if it hadn't been for that, I would have bought it myself. I have nothing more to say about Tess than "my lips but better". A nice cool undertone, subtle pink and really the perfect neutral color for me. The color is almost that of my own lips but makes them look a bit more well-groomed and the color more even.

While you can use all of the balms as eyeshadows or blushes too, for me, Tess is the best color to do that. Even though I hardly ever wear blush because I often have a healthy blush by nature.

Lo Care love affair

The Lo Care balms are really something in between a tinted lip balm and lipstick. This also applies to how long they stay in place. Don't expect to not need a touch-up after you eat. But if I don't eat anything, I can really count on a few hours of undisturbed wear with pleasure.

What is also very nice about the balms is that the color wears off fairly evenly. And even if there's not much of the color left, the lips still feel comfortable and nourished. Something I can't say about most lipsticks or balms.

And even if there's not much of the color left, the lips still feel comfortable and nourished.

In short...

If it wasn't already clear from the rest of the post, since I got Lo Care in my little hands, it's basically the only thing I will wear on my lips. With an exception here and there. Both the packaging and the product are basically all I want from my lip products. And while they might not be for everyone (I mean, if you like a matte lip that stays put for 12 hours, this might not be for you), I can really recommend them wholeheartedly. And if you prefer no color, they also have a normal lip balm. No colors attached. (Get it, no strings attached, okay, I'll shut up now...)

And on that note, I think now is a good time to end this post. If you have any questions, please let me know. And of course I would love to hear your experience with zero waste and clean beauty. For now, goodluck with the next steps on your bridge and I wish you all the happiness and an amazing rest of your day.

❤ Eva

DISCLAIMER: while I don't get paid, the link in this post is a referral link, so if you order through the link, we both get points in their loyalty program.