The best in organic beauty and lifestyle products are set to be showcased at an exciting new event in Sydney.
The Green Edit will take place on March 12 at Terrace on the Domain.
Founded by organic makeup artist Cathy Tolpigin, the event will feature only the very best organic hair and beauty products, perfume, nail care, sunscreen, self care and inner beauty supplements all under one roof.
Education classes, meditation, yoga and kinesiology, as well as organic wine, collagen mocktails, beauty elixirs and vegan canapés will also be on offer.
“This event is about creating a conscious community, a place where truly natural brands can connect with media, buyers, influencers and mindful consumers,” Cathy told esprit.
“A place where women can come and enjoy an afternoon full of gorgeous experiences provided by trusted brands.”
All the brands at the event have been vetted to adhere to Cathy’s strict criteria so guests can expect to see trusted brands that are healthy, clean, cruelty free, ethically and sustainably produced and packaged.
Cathy said she hoped attendees walked away from the event with a fresh perspective on how effective natural and organic makeup could be.
“As an organic makeup artist, I love helping women make the switch to natural and ethical beauty,” she said.
“I want green beauty to be the norm for absolutely everyone.”
esprit caught up with Cathy to find out more.
What prompted your interest in organic beauty?
“Fifteen years ago I was looking to start a family and became more interested in health and organic food. That led me to look at health holistically and I remember being truly shocked when I discovered that many conventional beauty and personal care products contained toxic and hormone disruptive chemicals. My interest in organic beauty peaked, yet at that time it was difficult to find natural products that performed as well as the conventional beauty products I was used to. There were natural and healthier options available, but they weren’t overly appealing in terms of performance, packaging and variety of products and colours.”
Tell us about your background in makeup?
“I completed a makeup course and was encouraged to use only conventional beauty brands as these were said to be the best performing, long wearing and it would be what clients would expect to see in a professional makeup kit. I stocked up on a full conventional pro makeup kit which included all the professional high-end makeup brands and began using them on clients. This did not sit right with me on two fronts as I knew I was using products with questionable ingredients that were tested on animals. I started transitioning my personal makeup bag to natural products, looking at ingredient lists, especially which key ingredients to avoid. I researched and invested in high quality organic beauty products and spent over a year testing and trying them on various skin types, colours, age groups, ethnicities, elements etc. The products that passed the test and performed best made it into my pro kit.”
What was the turning point in going all natural?
“Five years ago, I was booked as makeup artist for a campaign shoot for Nudus Organic Lipstick and thought this would be the perfect opportunity to use only organic beauty products. I packed two full makeup kits – my organic kit and my mainstream beauty kit. I left my mainstream kit in the car as back up in case my organic kit let me down. It was a nine-hour shoot with two models and I remember it being a humid day. The makeup stayed on beautifully, it came up professionally under studio lights, the models commented on how light the makeup felt on their skin and Diana, my client was happy with the results. From that shoot on I only used natural and cruelty-free beauty products and started my journey as an organic makeup artist.”
Why do you think organic and natural beauty is on the rise?
“Consumers are becoming more conscious and aware of ingredients and potential effects of the products they use on their health, family, environment and there is definitely more awareness about sustainability, ethics and animal testing. Consumers are looking for the whole package when it comes to beauty products. Clean ingredients that are sustainably sourced, not tested on animals with minimal impact on the environment. There is pressure on beauty brands to be more transparent about ingredients and production processes. Consumers are checking labels in order to purchase beauty products that are ‘formulated without’ known toxic ingredients. The ingredients used in a product are just as important as what is left out.”