As consumers, we’re inundated with ‘must-have’ beauty products on the daily. These products are everywhere we look on essentially all platforms of media, however we tend to focus on what we have rather than what’s in what we have. We are very trusting when it comes particularly to cosmetics, and hope that big brands have our wellbeing at heart. Unfortunately, this is not the case - a lot of dangerous chemicals are creeping their way into cosmetics that are sitting on your very own counters, and it’s time we shine a light on what your skin could be absorbing on a daily basis.

 

Heavy metals like lead, arsenic, mercury, aluminum, zinc, chromium and iron are found in a wide variety of personal care products including lipstick, whitening toothpaste, eyeliner and nail color.

Toxic chemicals in makeup have been around for centuries. Looking back at the Victorian era, lead, ammonia, and radium powder were applied directly onto the face! The Victorian women were aware of the dangers of these ingredients posed, but they just thought it was worth it. In their time - however, the ‘’unhealthy’’ look was trending. Weakness and fragility were thought to be very beautiful, while extremely pale, translucent skin connoted purity, innocence, beauty and class. Now that it’s 2018, these notions can be seen as extremely antiquated and the idea of these chemicals still posing a threat to us today is unnecessary and outdated, especially when we have gorgeous mineral alternatives!

Lead has been brought up in the media recently as quite a contentious issue- some argue that the amount of lead found in makeup is not a cause for concern. However, the fact is:

‘’Lead builds up in the body over time and lead-containing lipstick, applied several times a day, can add up to significant exposure levels,’’ Dr. Mark Mitchell, co-chair of the environmental health task force for the National Medical Association, said in a Safe Cosmetics written statement. Therefore, once lead is absorbed by the body, there is essentially no way to get rid of it!

Lead is a well-known and proven neurotoxin that has been linked to learning, language and behavioral problems. Lead has been linked to reduced fertility in both men and women, hormonal changes and menstrual irregularities. Pregnant women are especially vulnerable because lead crosses the placenta and may enter the fetal brain, and has also been linked to miscarriage. So why are these still creeping into everyday cosmetics?

VULNERABLE POPULATIONS: Pregnant women, young children and adolescents.

 

WHAT TO LOOK FOR ON THE LABEL: Lead acetate, chromium, thimerosal, hydrogenated cotton-seed oil, sodium hexametaphosphate. Note: products that contain contaminant metals will not list them on ingredient labels.

HEALTH CONCERNS: Cancer, developmental and reproductive toxicity, organ system toxicity, environmental concerns (bioaccumulation).

 

 PARABENS 

Another hot topic that has been discussed when it comes down to what nasties are sneaking into our cosmetics is the prevalence of parabens. 

Parabens are chemicals that are used in order to prevent bacterial growth in certain products- they are inexpensive to manufacture and increase shelf-life of items.  

FOUND IN: Makeup, shampoos, conditioners, lotions, deodorants, toothpastes and a wide variety of other cosmetics and food additives 

WHAT TO LOOK FOR ON THE LABEL:  Ethylparaben, butylparaben, methylparaben, propylparaben, isobutylparaben, isopropylparaben, other ingredients ending in –paraben

VULNERABLE POPULATIONS: Pregnant women and young children

WHAT'S THE CONCERN? Some parabens are directly absorbed into the blood-stream, and consequently triggers the pituitary gland, a gland that regulates hormones, to mimic estrogen. Estrogen disruption has been linked to breast cancer and reproductive issues. Dr. Mercola, a specialist that has conducted extensive research surrounding the presence of parabens in breast cancer tissue states that parabens were detected in 99% of breast cancer tissues sampled.

These alarming results has caused experts to believe that there should be limits on paraben levels used in cosmetics, however, the FDA have neglected to update guidelines on this since 2007. 

RUNWAY ROOM & BENEFITS OF MINERAL

Runway Room have developed an extensive range of mineral products - there are a superfluous amount of big beauty brands out there, however there was undeniably a gap in the industry when it came to makeup that is actually good for your skin! Our mineral makeup helps you to achieve that luxe, flawless makeup without compromising your skin… and your health.

Mineral makeup is:

• Makeup in its most natural form
• Great for sensitive skin and contains anti-inflammatory properties
• Suitable for all skin types
• Long-lasting
• Possesses sun protective qualities
• Absorbs excess oil and prevents breakouts 
• Refines the appearance of pores and doesn't clog pores
• Minimises the appearance of wrinkles

 

 

Below are just a few of the mineral products in our range that are SAFE for every day use:

• Mineral Skin Pack (Foundation Stick, Mineral Powder Foundation, Glow Palette)

• Conceal and Illuminate Palette

• Eye dust range 

• Eye shadows 

• Brow dust

• Setting Powder

References:

Golden R., et al., A review of the endocrine activity of parabens and implications for potential risks to human health. Critical Reviews in Toxicology, vol. 35, pp 435-58, 2005.

Gray, J. State of the Evidence: The Connection between Breast Cancer and the Environment, 2008.

Merbola, Dr.,  40 Women With Breast Cancer Had Parabens in Their Tissue https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/04/02/toxic-parabens-on-breast-cancer-patients.aspx

Hitting the town tonight and want your makeup to look like you’ve just stepped out of our Runway Room salon? A lot of our clients know how to ace their base, but admit to going shy around the eyes. RR HQ Makeup Artist, Enrica, explains how to make your struggle your strength, and will help you achieve that selfie-ready look that will make heads turn.

The best part? You don’t need to fork out for this look by purchasing a large, overwhelming palette… we use just two of Runway Room’s eye products to make those eyes pop: Dreamtime Eyeshadow & Sunset Eye Dust.

 

 

 

 

• The first step for any good makeup application is to prime. Apply Runway Room’s Primer all over the face, buffing in circular motions. This is the perfect product to reduce shine & oiliness, increase makeup longevity and create that barrier between your skin and the makeup for a flawless, even application.

• Starting off with a light base, apply Runway Room’s Face Base all over the face. 1 or 2 pumps will be sufficient for this light layer because we will return to this area for perfection later on. Face base has that weightless feel and a dewy finish, complimenting all age varieties and skin types.

• With the third shade of Runway Room’s Conceal & Illuminate Palette, Pink Flesh, apply a light layer over the eyelids, pushing in the product with a flat paddle brush. This is an excellent way to prime the eyes for eyeshadows and dusts because it will stick nicely to the moisture, and will ensure to even out any pigmentation that would otherwise shine through. 

• Pack Runway Room’s Dreamtime eyeshadow onto a flat eyeshadow brush- keep in mind, the more eyeshadow you pick up, the stronger the pigment will translate onto the application. For example, a day time look will need less product than this high-velocity glam. Apply directly onto the entire mobile lid, and don’t exceed the area where your crease begins (as demonstrated in the image). Blend the outside of the eyeshadow with a fluffy eyeshadow brush to remove any harsh lines and to soften up the look.

 

• Runway Room’s loose eye dust range will leave you spoilt for choice if you want eyes that pop! We’re reaching for the shade Sunset for that gorgeous burnt orange shade to compliment Leah’s light green eyes. Press this pigment on the mobile lid, and feel free to pack it on to let that colour really pop. Don’t worry about any fall out that drops onto the cheeks, because we will go in and clean that up in our next step. 

 

• Wipe off any fall out from the dust and eyeshadow with cotton wool or makeup wipes, and then with that Conceal & Illuminate Palette, apply Pink Flesh again to achieve that clean finish under the eyes.

• With a smaller eye shadow brush, apply Dream Time Eyeshadow on the lower lash line. Tap off any excess product to avoid the pigment falling out and disturbing that freshened-up area. This step really adds dimension to the eyes, creates that gorgeous smokines and creates overall balance

• This step comes down to personal preference, but it is one that will really make your eyes pop! Using Runway Room’s Brown Eye Definer, line the bottom waterline from the outer corner to the inner corner. Brown is a great alternative to black because it won’t look overly harsh, and tends to be more flattering on a variety of eye colours and complexions.

• Run through your mascara of choice through the top and bottom lashes. If you happen to have mascara transfer onto your skin (it happens to the best of us), don’t go straight in with a wipe because you will find the product will smudge and ruin your masterpiece. Instead, move on to the next step, allowing the mascara to dry, and then come back to it after a few minutes. You will find that you can easily flick off the product with a Q-tip, leaving your makeup smudge-free and undisturbed!

• Moving onto the brows, Runway Room’s Brow Dust is triple milled with resin so it is the perfect product for the job. We are using an angled brow brush that can be found in our ‘Brow Maintenance Kits’ because it allows full precision during your product application. The bulk of the product should go towards the outer tail of the brow, leaving very minimal product on the inner corner. This will ensure that flattering, gradient look that still looks quite natural. Brush out any excess product with our brow spooly, also found in our Brow Maintenance Kit! (Full tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIUI0ZYbGwE) 

 

• To amp up the glam, we definitely suggest popping on a pair of lashes - we love our Luxe Lash for elongation and volume. These high quality, 100% human hair lashes include a non-latex glue. Trim the lash strip to fit the eye shape, and apply the glue to the entire band. Allow a minute for the glue to become slightly tacky, before applying lash directly on the lash line.

• Now that the eyes have been perfected, we’re going to focus back on the skin and create a more full-coverage, flawless finish. Our Mineral Foundation Stick will work its magic in this step- apply directly onto the skin (a little goes a long way). Feel free to be more generous on areas that need that extra coverage. Buff the product in with our new Foundation Buffing Brush, nice and evenly all over the face. Remember not to neglect the ears and surrounding, particularly if you’ll be sporting a high pony tail!

• Set your base with our Mineral Powder Foundation by applying evenly onto entire face for a flawless finish. This powder won’t leave you feeling cakey or powdery, so don’t be afraid to apply more generously onto areas that need a little bit of a heavier coverage!

 

• What would a Runway Room look be without one of our bestsellers? Our Glow Palette contains three of our crowd favourites; Vegas Sunset, Peach Punch and Illuminate Powder. Using our Vegas Sunset bronzer, bronze any areas where you’d like to create shadow. Hollows of the cheekbones, underneath the jawlines and along the temples. Bronzing under the lips is another beauty hack- it helps to make your lips appear plump by creating the illusion of a shadow below.

 

• With the third shade, our gorgeous Illuminator, highlight any areas that you want to ‘bring forward’ and help to catch the light. In example, this product looks stunning on the high parts of the cheek bones, on the brow bone, along the cupids bow, down the bridge of the nose and also on the inner corners of the eyes to make them pop!

 

• Our Peach Punch Blush is one of Runway Room’s bestsellers, and for good reason. It adds that gorgeous complexion that resembles flushed, healthy skin. It also has a sheen throughout the pigment which gives off a stunning, natural glow. Apply this blush on the apples of the cheeks, blending upwards for that natural, non-surgical face lift.

• Our eyes are the star of the show, so we don’t want to ditract from that area with an overly-bold lip. Our Nude Matte Lip works wonders on this type of look. Line the entire lip with this gorgeous, creamy pencil. The beauty of this product is that you can layer it on if you’d like to enhance that pigment, otherwise you can keep it natural and sheen.

 

• Finish off your masterpiece with a peachy gloss on the lips. Summer Days Lip Gloss is that perfect, summery shade that works gorgeous on this type of eye look. Its beautiful fragrance will leave you reaching for it all the time! It will leave you feeling fresh sans that sticky texture that is normally associated with a lot of glosses on the market.

 

There you have it- an easy, wearable and trendy full-glam makeup that is both Pro-Standard and will be sure to make heads turn! 

Click Play to watch full tutorial:

 

 

MINERAL SKIN

 

What makes this skin pack so special?

The beauty of mineral makeup is that there are none of those hidden nasties that are hidden in a lot of cosmetics on the market. Even though you may feel on point when you’re 3 layers deep in your regular makeup, if it’s not mineral, you may find your skin feeling not so hot the following morning- we all know the feeling. Makeup that is packed with artificial ingredients such as talc, chemical preservatives, fragrances and chemical dyes tend to be detrimental to your skin’s health, and as part of the vicious cycle, you may find that you’re packing on extra makeup to cover up the damage that your makeup did in the first place! Making the switch to mineral can improve your skin’s overall appearance, and as we all know, having a great canvas to start with will make your glam look even more flawless.

 

Mineral makeup is:

• Makeup in its most natural form
• Great for sensitive skin and contains anti-inflammatory properties
• Suitable for all skin types
• Possesses sun protective qualities
• Absorbs excess oil and prevents breakouts
• Refines the appearance of pores
• Minimises the appearance of wrinkles

 

Our brand new Mineral Skin Pack includes:

MINERAL SKIN FOUNDATION

I know we’ve been keeping you on your feet, but the wait is finally over... this brand new product is now available and, as anticipated, is already flying off the shelves!! Our Makeup Artists and lucky customers that have had their hands on this stick foundation are raving about its coverage and flawless matte finish. It is absolutely perfect for covering up redness/rosacea, uneven skin tone, or even just that break-out that thought it would give you a nice little surprise this morning!

Moisturise and/or prime your skin as per your usual makeup routine, and then feel free to go straight in with this stick over the top. Apply more generously where you feel you may need that extra coverage. It’s best to start off with a little bit of product and then step back and evaluate whether you would like to add some more- it’s always easier to add rather than take away, after all!

 

 

 

 

MINERAL FOUNDATION POWDER

Set your foundation with this 100% Mineral Powder that works hand-in-hand with our Mineral Foundation stick. The formulation of this product guarantees that you won’t look cakey or powdery, despite the gorgeous coverage! The beauty of this product is that it even works beautifully by itself- perfect for those low-key days when you don’t necessarily want to go all out and apply a heap of makeup.  

BUFFING BRUSH 

This all-natural fibre brush is designed specifically to be used with our Mineral Powder Foundation. Its soft feel not only feels super luxe on the skin, but will also ensure to not disturb your perfect base when applying your powder.

BEAUTY BLENDER 

Small but substantial, the function of this cute little sponge is not to be underestimated! In recent years, these tiny beauty blenders have crept their way into our kits because of their gorgeous, airbrush-looking result. Using a beauty blender to apply your foundation is a great technique because it is so gentle and non-abrasive, and it also guarantees a streak-free finish! Dampening this sponge before blending your foundation in will make sure you don’t lose too much product to absorption.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GLOW PALETTE

Being an absolute crowd-pleaser, it would be rude not to include this triple threat in our Mineral Skin pack. This small, convenient palette includes magnetic pans of our best sellers that work beautifully on every skin tone- Vegas Sunset bronzer, Peach Punch blush and of course our Illuminating Powder. The best part - if you want to interchange any of these colours with other large pans in our extensive range, you don’t need to purchase a whole new palette.

Apply Vegas Sunset on any area that you would like to mimic shadow (ie: hollows of your cheekbones, along the jawline and on the temples of the forehead). It also doubles up as a gorgeous eyeshadow (watch video linked below for more details on how to nail this technique).

Peach Punch blush is our secret to that iconic ‘Runway Room’ look, bringing out a healthy complexion and stunning luminosity, even on those days where you’re feeling a little bit flat- this trusty blush will shine through. Apply directly onto the apples of the cheeks and blend upwards and outwards to create that youthful lift. Again, this multi-purpose product can be put to use as an eyeshadow as well.. Win-win!

Finally, our Illuminating powder is the answer to your dull skin woes. Its pearly finish will ensure that you effortlessly catch the light everywhere you go, without looking OTT with too much of a glittery shine. Apply this highlighter to the high points of your cheeks, on the brow bone, inner corner of the eyes, and down the bridge of your nose (although if your skin gets oily throughout the day, you can definitely skip on this step!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Selfie-ready finish, no banks broken AND full-coverage makeup that is actually good for your skin? All I can say is… be quick before these kits get snatched up!

COMING SOON - Full tutorial explaining how Runway Room MUA, Enrica, uses the Mineral Skin Pack to create a beautiful, flawless base. 

 

 

 

 

 

Eyes may be the window to the soul, but your lip colour of choice exudes your mood; and at Runway Room, we have colours for every character. Whether you love sporting a matte-finish lip or you’re more of a high-gloss glamour, pucker up and kiss average-looking lips goodbye!

Runway Room’s limited time offer: Buy a Matte lip and receive a FREE Lip Gloss of your choice!

 

 Matte Lip Coral. We love it with our Toffee Cream Lip Gloss!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A cute, vibrant colour synonymous with spring and warmer weather; what’s not to love about a Coral Matte Lip!  

How to make your eyes pop with coral lips:

 

This look is perfectly paired with a winged liner for added glam. Because coral is quite a fresh, spring/summer-friendly colour, swapping out your dark kohl eyeliner for a white eyeliner on the waterline looks absolutely gorgeous. Add a pair of lashes and voilà... you’re Spring Racing Carnival ready! 

This lip colour particularly looks stunning on hazel eyes. 

 

 

 

 

 Matte Lip Burgundy. We love it with our Fairy Lights Lip Gloss!

Want a bold colour pop but don’t want to look super OTT? Let us introduce you to your new best friend: Burgundy Matte Lip. We’ve all had those days of wanting high-velocity glam but not wanting to commit to an ultra-dark lip

How to make your eyes pop with light burgundy lips:

 

A colour like our burgundy is so versatile because you can either rock it as the main feature, and pair it with a super natural eye look- some mascara and a light, neutral eyeshadow would look beautiful (such as our Vegas Sunset bronzer throughout the crease). This look won’t compromise your glam at all because you’re letting your lips do all the talking!

On another note, if you feel like amping it up a notch, we are right behind you in full support! Apply a warm toned colour throughout the crease of your eye (bronzers and blushes work perfectly here), and smoke out with a dark eye shadow of your choice. Add some shimmer in the centre of the mobile lid for a gorgeous and trendy ‘halo’ effect. Our high pigment ‘Truffle’ eyeshadow is the perfect colour in our range for this type of look. Finish with a set of lashes and you will be sure to turn heads all night! 

Good news for you brown-eyed beauties, burgundy lips particularly compliment your eye colour!

 

 

 

Matte Lip Pink. We love it with our Pretty in Pink Lip Gloss!

A must-have colour in every makeup-lover’s reach. Pink! It’s fun, feminine and a little bit flirty. It is such an iconic and timeless shade to rock- we’ve seen the likes of Sofia Loren and Selena Gomez alike sporting it, which makes us confident that this colour isn’t going anywhere anytime soon! It is also just so convenient because it works with your 9-5 look just as well as it does your date night.

How to make your eyes pop with pink lips: 

Even without makeup, pink lips naturally denote healthiness and hydration. Pink lip makeup simply works to enhance that natural lip colour as it is, which is why you can get away with rocking it alone, just as Kennedy is (see image).

Perfect for those warm summer days, applying our Matte Lip Pink and Pretty in Pink on top of a light base with some mascara will leave you feeling fresh and au naturale.

Our gorgeous shades of pink in our Matte Lip and Gloss combined bring out the most wonderful hues in blue and green eyes.

 

Matte Lip Nude. We love it with our Gold Rush Lip Gloss!

While everybody loves a bold lip, nude lips will just never go out of style! Sometimes we need to let the lips lay on the down-low, sitting in neutral, and let the eyes take over. Adding a high shimmer gloss over a nude lip will make your lips look stunningly plump- and will help to avoid your overall glam looking flat and a little bit two-dimensional.

 

How to make your eyes pop with Nude lips:

 

 

 

Putting a neutral toned colour on the lips draws attention away from that lower area, and gives your admirers somewhere else to look. It is a perfect excuse to whip up a daring, smokey eye without your overall glam looking over-the-top because there aren’t too many focal points. Runway Room’s eyeshadows Coal & Soot work beautifully to add that smokey darkness and dimension that every smokey eye craves. Blend through a bronze shade (Vegas Sunset works its magic once again here) through your crease which will set the boundary point for your darkest shades. Sweep some of that same dark shade along your lower lash line along with some Black Eye Definer to really make your eyes the star of the show. A full-glam set of lashes, such as our ‘Locquacious’ set, will really add that finishing touch. This look exemplifies how you don’t necessarily need to have the brightest and boldest of colours to create drama!

Nude lips are flattering for every eye colour! *pops champagne*

Extra tips for lush lips 24/7:

H2o everywhere you go. Dry lips are usually the first indicator of dehydration. Keep a water bottle at arms reach and sip regularly for plump, hydrated lips.

Exfoliate that kisser. Exfoliating your body has become a no-brainer in our beauty routine, but our lips are often neglected. Simply rub the bristles of your toothbrush on your lips to keep the dry, cracked skin at bay.

Runway Room LIP PREP.  Filled with natural peppermint and other beneficial plumping ingredients, our Lip Prep is designed to combat dryness and keep your lips in prime condition. Lip Prep is one of our best-sellers, and for good reason. Get your hands on this and thank us later!

+ 20% off Runway Room Brow Maintenance Kits

After years of enduring torture and over-plucking, brows and their maintenance procedures are having their special (well-deserved) moment in the industry! Their biological purpose was to prevent water, debris and sweat from making their way into our eye sockets, and now that we’ve adapted from those slightly primitive characteristics, we get to play around with them; tint them, shape them, tattoo them - they’re essentially the beauty obsession of the decade!

 

We’ve all had a sister, mum or one of our girlfriend’s leave a brow bar far from impressed (although you can’t be too sure what her emotions are because each of her brows are telling you two different things!). Fear not; when you’ve accidentally become tweezer-happy, or things are just way out of balance after leaving the salon, you can always rely on a beautiful brow powder to get things under control again.

Brow powders are perfect for correcting brows that have slowly sculpted into the wrong shape or size. When styled incorrectly, brows can really throw off the balance of the entire face and look asymmetrical. We know brows aren’t meant to be twins, but they’re not meant to be your distant 3rd cousin that lives in Peru, either.

 

Runway Room’s Brow Maintenance Kit has everything you need to lengthen, deepen and define your brows. We’ve also made sure that this mineral triple milled dust contains resin, so that the product can stick nicely to your brows without fall-out, all while resisting sweat and water (as resin is insoluble to water).

Everybody’s eyebrow game is very personal- we know some love to go a-la-Cara Delivigne with that natural, thick feathered look while others love a more sculpted look with a flawless, clean arch.  Whether your glam level is ‘off to the supermarket’ or ‘hitting the town with the clique’, we have you covered (and looking all symmetrical and groomed and cute). Thank us later!

 Available in shades:

• Light
• Medium
• Dark

BROW MAINTENANCE KIT includes:

Brow spooly

This magical little product, in my opinion, is the most underrated product when it comes to achieving flawless brows. Run the spooly upwards and outwards before you begin applying the brow product, and once again at the very end. This will run any excess powder off your brows, blend the hairs nicely together and groom them to look more natural and feathered.

Tweezers

Clean up any stray hairs that are outside the desired area with our Runway Room tweezers. Designed with a pointed tip, our tweezers allow for easier locating and lifting of individual unwanted hairs.

Angled brow brush

This type of brush can be found in majority of makeup brush sets on the market, and is absolutely perfect to apply brow products. Its slanted tip allows for you to control where your product goes, and its thin composition helps to draw a clean line to define your brows.

Brow powder

The initial dip into your brow powder is usually when you pick up a large amount of product, so you want to be cautious about where you start defining your brows. In my experience, having a heavy amount of product on the inner corner of the brows is never extremely flattering. Hairs are naturally more sparse on the inner corner, so heaviness here can really draw attention towards the centre of your face.

Alternatively, make sure you first apply the product towards the middle to outer end of the brow. With that same amount of product, you can start neatly defining where you want your arch to be, and continue defining the end of the brow.

With the remaining product that is still on your brush, start defining the inner corner of the brow. Achieve a more natural look by drawing a clean line on the bottom of your inner-brow only, and then running the product up. This will give a natural effect and avoid ‘blocky’ looking brows.

Finish up by brushing with the spooly for beautifully groomed brows!

 

 

 

 

PRO TIP: The golden formula for where to start, arch and end your brow is demonstrated in the image (left). Align the inner brow directly above the side of your nose. The arch of your brow would naturally form diagonally from the same location, running through the centre of your eye. The end of your eyebrow will usually fall, again diagonally from the side of your nose, but running past the outer corner of your eye. You don’t necessarily need to reach for your 30cm ruler everyday to nail this technique, however it is a great indicator if you’re not too sure how to go about shaping your brows if you naturally don’t have full brows as a starting point.

 

 

PRESS PLAY TO VIEW OUR AMBASSADOR, MIA FEVOLA, RUN THROUGH HOW SHE APPLIES HER BROW MAINTENANCE KIT