A Review of Aveda's Beautiful Uruku Collection

It has been a while since The Advice Sisters have had the opportunity to review a makeup collection by Aveda, and we could hardly wait to share the new and re-launched Uruku Collection, celebrating Aveda's 30th anniversary. The line has earthy colors, inspired by Aveda's relationship with the Yawanawa tribe of Brazil. Both the Uruku Lip Pigment formula and Uruku Bronzer are formulated with rich annatto pigment from the urukum shrub, organically grown by the Yawanawa, and the same pigment adorns the outer packaging of the products, along with a diamond-shaped tribal design that is used in Yawanawa face painting ceremonies (appropriate)! Aveda products give you pro-style looks at reasonable prices, they're eco-conscious, and good for your skin. The colors are warm, earthy, inviting, believable, wearable and universally flattering. I am so happy to share them with you:

The Uruku Eye Accent $14.00 is lovely. It's a rich cream, dispensed from a small, tote-able squeeze tube. It slides on like silk and blends beautifully. It and dries to a long-lasting, crease-resistant powder. There are no synthetic dyes, so it won't irritate sensitive eyes (one of my personal challenges--and this one looked great without causing itching, irritation, or burning). "Caja" is my favorite--a super-shimmery, glorious copper that makes me long for Summer days, but looks great with Fall fashion's more intense tweeds and leathers, too. I loved Aveda's Uruku Bronzer $22.50, formulated with rich annatto pigment from the urukum shrub, organically grown by the Yawanawa Tribe. The product also has good-for-your skin ingredients such as vitamin E from soy, antioxidants, and soy emollients. All of the colors in this makeup collection are earthy, soft, blendable and buildable, but they look warm and believable, not too dark, too tan, too orange, or too anything else! To keep a hint of Summer glow, going (not an all-out deep tan) I like, "Amazonia" featuring a split pan of subtle, rosed and peachy bronze, embossed with a diamond-shaped Yawanawa symbol. Either side of the pressed powder pan can be used alone, or together, applied all over the face or strategically. The colors can also be used as blushers

The best way to apply it is with the fabulous new, kabuki-style. non-animal Uruku Bronzer Brush $37.50 (you can see it in the photo of the bronzer/brush set above) that arrives in the cutest little red drawstring bag with Yawanawa tribal symbols. It reminds me of a tropical bird with soft, bright red bristles at the bottom, dramatically tipped with dark brown. This type of brush lets you diffuse the color onto a larger area in a softer way, giving you a believe-able bronze or blush, not an obvious "stripe."

FYI: The same annatto pigment used in the Uruku makeup collection is also used on the surface of outer packaging. Those who are eco-conscious will be delighted to know that Aveda takes the environment seriously. The packaging is composed of 50% post-consumer recycled, 50% Forest-Stewardship Council (FSC) and 100% wind power generated paper. Colorful red and bronze symbols used in Yawanawa face painting ceremonies, add a tribal touch.

I also love multi-tasking cosmetics, but often, a product that is matte enough for cheeks, looks too dusty on lips, and a product that is moist enough for lips, looks too "glowy" on cheeks. The Cheek-Lip Creme $16.00 manages to stike a balance, with an amazingly silky, luxe, moistly-matte product that has staying power. The earthy shades look naturally good on both lips and cheeks, without being monotonous. The cream helps enhance your skin with natural oils and antioxidants, including Buriti oil, organic Jojoba oil, and vitamin E. I tried "Solara," a shimmery bronze that looks believably sun-kissed on every complexion. The small plastic squeeze tube makes it ideal to pop into a makeup bag. If you're traveling light, a multi-tasker like this makes sense, but you'll love it at home, too.

There are more products in the collection that I didn't review, including a Lip Pigment (lipstick) $14.00 and an Eye Liner $12.50

Be sure to get the genuine AVEDA products by visiting www.aveda.com