If my pictures (or at least the title of this blog) weren’t enough of an indication, I have bright red hair and very fair skin- and while I love the head-turning combination of the two, it makes buying flattering cosmetics a little tricky at times. It’s easy for some beauty products to wash me out- or worse- make me look orange. It’s even easier for certain colors of eye shadows or lipsticks to cause me to not only stumble, but trip and fall completely over the line between “natural’ and “character out of a Tim Burton movie” with little to no effort at all. I have to tread carefully when trying new cosmetics, as made evident by my beauty box subscription reviews over the months.
I was recently contacted by Just For Redheads Beauty Products, a cosmetics company based out of Arizona that specialize in skincare, hair care, and makeup for- you guessed it- redheads. Founded by Paula Pennypacker in 1993, Just For Redheads, or “JFR” for short, have a wide array of products at reasonable, affordable prices for fiery-haired females like myself to help us achieve both natural, everyday makeup looks, as well as less-harsh dramatic looks, too. Their hair care is col0r-safe, and the nourishing shampoos and conditioners contain sunscreen to help protect sensitive scalps and prevent reds from fading. Not only that, JFR have an assortment of nail polishes, brushes, and beauty tools, too. They’ve been featured in PEOPLE Magazine, the LA Times, and on the Lifetime Network, among other media. Best of all? They ship internationally- so lovely redheads outside of the U.S. can get their hands on these products, too!
I was asked if I’d be interested in trying some of their products, and of course I jumped at the chance! My bundle of stuff arrived quicker than I anticipated, and I was beyond excited to dive right in and use everything. All of the products I received were full-sized, and came with an emery board and two pencil sharpeners (which I’m especially thankful for, because I have a habit of misplacing my sharpeners constantly.)
Cream Shadow Eye Lighter in “Antique Brass”
First things first- I loved the silky texture of this combination nude/soft gold shadow. It wasn’t too hard or too “crumbly” the way other cream shadows can be on contact. It applied smoothly, and gave me just enough color where I could wear it on it’s own for a subtle hint of shimmer, build it to a slightly more noticeable smoky eye, or use it as a base to create a different look all together. I DO recommend using a primer with this product, as I do with all shadows (even the cream ones.) My eyelids are more on the oily side, so wearing this shadow all by itself with no primer caused it to crease in no time at all. With a primer, however- it stayed in place comfortably for hours without budging or fading.
This particular formula of shadow comes in ten different shades, all of them lovely, but I feel “Antique Brass” would also be most suitable for highlighting he brow bone, too. It’s just a great, versatile color.
“Baroque”
“Sienna”
(*PLEASE NOTE: I’m wearing my green contact lenses in the photos above. The colors of the liners appear similar against the natural blue of my eyes, as well.*)
Ultimate Gel Eye Liners in “Baroque” and “Sienna”
Give me gel eyeliner in a pencil form, and I will give you my money. Like the cream shadow, these pencils were incredibly silky- and not at all irritating on my delicate eyelid (they have Vitamin E and Jojoba Oil in them, which may explain that.) The colors: “Baroque,” a beautiful, shiny pewter shade, and “Sienna,” a less shiny, deep brown- applied without fuss or smudging. If the pigmentation of the shades or mess-free and smooth application weren’t enough to win me over, then the lasting power definitely did it. These liners stayed in place all day without fading, flaking, or running down underneath my eye. I was thrilled.
This type of eyeliner only comes in these two shades right now, but I’m hoping JFR add more selections soon because I love these so much. Between the two, I’d have to say my favorite shade is “Baroque,” if only because of the shimmer it has and the way it seems to brighten my whole eye area- but I’ve been wearing both colors regularly since I’ve received them.
Mascara Voyage in “Ginger Auburn”
While I have overall fair features, my eyebrows and eyelashes have always been on the darker side. As such, I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to wear dramatic amounts of black mascara and pull it off (at least I’d like to think so.) From past experience, I need quite a few brush strokes of brown or brown/black mascara to get it to show up on me. This mascara, a medium-brown, and with a tapered brush to get to those pesky corner lashes, did require more than a couple swipes- and the result was a very natural, very subtle look I thought would be appropriate for work or for those “au naturale” makeup days.
Application wise, this mascara didn’t clump or flake everywhere, and although I’ve become so accustomed to the dramatic, false-lash look, I can see myself wearing this during the day in the office. This formula comes in four shades, and I think if I were to purchase one in the future- I would probably go one shade darker, just to match my eyelashes a little more closely.
Brow Tint in “Auburn”
When I first unscrewed the cap of this brow tint, I was a little concerned with how light it appeared on the mascara-style-brush. As I’ve mentioned, my brows and eyelashes are on the darker side, so I was worried that this would make them look strange. Even still, I wanted to try it. I applied the tint gingerly, gradually adding more when I saw how well the color blended with my brows. When I was done, my eyebrows looked fuller, even, and most importantly- natural. There was no weird residue left behind, or stiffness to the touch. I think out of everything I received in my JFR care package, this product was the most pleasantly surprising. At first glance, I never would have guessed the color would have looked so good.
This formula comes in three shades, “Auburn” being the medium between the other two available colors.
Clockwise from top left: Beachy, Sultry, Chestnut, and Desir.
Auburn Mineral Lipstick Kit
Finally, to go with my assortment of eye products, JFR sent me this lipstick/balm compact that fits perfectly in my makeup bag. The colors, selected specifically for those with Auburn hair, are universally flattering and range between the light nude “Chestnut,’ to the subtle pink “Beachy,” to the deeper, more dramatic “Desir,” and finally, the bold and bright “Sultry.” The lipsticks, applied with a brush, were hydrating and non-sticky, and lasted for a really long time. I only had to re-apply once or twice throughout the day, and my lips didn’t feel dry or cracked even after the color wore off. These balms didn’t leave behind any kind of stain or ring around the edges of my lips, either- which is always a plus.
There are two types of these compacts: “Auburn” and “Strawberry Blonde” (lighter shades.) From the “Auburn” compact, I think my favorite color by far is “Chestnut.” I love a good nude color, and this one was fantastic.
Overall, I am so, so pleased with everything I received from JFR. This is a great line for women with red hair and/or fair skin who have been searching for alternatives for more natural-looking, quality beauty products that won’t break the bank or give undesirable results. I’m so appreciative for the opportunity to write up this review. I greatly enjoyed trying everything that was sent to me- and look forward to making purchases from the brand in the future. Thanks, JFR!*
*I do not work for Just For Redheads Beauty Products, nor am I being paid by JFR for this review. All opinions in this post are entirely my own.*
xx
Legally Redhead 