Red Apple Lipstick - the first step in my 2015 Makeup Makeover

A week ago I wrote a post about my 2015 resolution: more conscious thought & consumption. This especially included my makeup and skincare products that I will use up and replace with their more conscious counterparts. When I was told about a vegan & cruelty-free makeup company based out of Texas a few weeks ago, I got really excited because I love trying new brands &products, I love having anchor companies, AKA - companies that I can rely on to always come back to and have products that I love. Maybe this company can be my first cruelty-free & vegan makeup anchor company.

Well, low and behold, I fell in love with them. "Them" being Red Apple Lipstick based out of  Houston, TX. Their website was informative, easy to navigate, and like a true thrift addict I immediately found the Sale section. There was a 20% off coupon, free shipping over a certain amount, and 2 beautiful shades of lipstick singing their siren song. I caved like a souffle gone awry. 3 days later I was so excited when I received my Red Apple Lipstick care package. I tore into it and fell head-over-heels in love. Here are some reasons as to why you'd love them too:

 

1.) Unlike some companies, Red Apple Lipstick doesn't fool around with their shipping: I got my package 3 days after placing the order. It might have something to do with the fact that I'm their neighbor, but my mother lives in California and it also only took 3 days to get to her. It probably would've gotten to me sooner if they hadn't of had to go through the swamps to get to me. Darn those pesky gators.

2.) The packaging of the lipstick is amazing. It's feminine, sleek, yet tough. The design is very unique and unlike any other packaging I've seen for a lip product. The black exterior with the raised bumps on the bottom makes me feel like the lipstick tubes are super tough and can withstand anything,though I won't put them in the dryer or throw them around to test that theory!

3.) Shipping &packaging aside, the products actually work. Their lipsticks are hydrating, they don't drag on the lips, and they're incredibly pigmented. The color doesn't slide around on the lips after talking for a while either making them better than a lot of the higher-end lipsticks that I've tried.

4.) They don't have a weird/overly sweet smell. I own Kat Von D and MAC and I enjoy a great smell, but sometimes when I take off the lids of their lipsticks I feel like I just stepped into that candy shop at every.single.mall in America. On the flip side, I have opened some lids and been utterly revolted at how chemical-y and weird some products smell. It's like "I get it, you're not vegan, but do you have to make me smell the cancer I'm slathering on my skin?". This isn't the case with Red Apple. You open up the lid and...nothing. They don't smell perfume-y, and they don't smell like cancer. Your nose can inhale in relief at the lack of scent. To me, this is a major plus. While a scent can be nice, depending on my mood/what I've just eaten, a scent can actually make me not want to use a product. I'd rather wear a product based on the color, not the smell.

5.) While their products last a long time on the lips, they don't take 10 years and a team of scientists to remove at night. I get the appeal of lip products that claim to last through tornadoes & earthquakes, but at the end of the day I don't want to take 20 minutes just to remove the goo caked on my lips. I'd much rather have to touch up a little after eating then when it's late and I'm super exhausted but I have to pull out every oil & makeup remover I own just to see my natural lip color again.

6.) Last, but never least, Red Apple Lipstick is: vegan, cruelty-free, soy-free, gluten-free, paraben-free, fragrance-free, allergy-free and made in the U.S.A. Not only is this product safe for anyone's skin, you're also supporting team U.S.A. 'Merica.