I’ve been really enjoying starting the new year with a few new beauty products, and one real highlight has been Dr Hauschka’s new range. The German brand has been on my natural beauty radar for a while now; their eyeliner was a regular in my makeup bag up until I got to know PHB’s nifty liner at the end of last year.
I’m now discovering the brand all over again since they switched to slick black tubes that are both superb to hold and to use.
The Mascara
Let’s start with the Dr Hauschka Defining Mascara: I have this in standard black as per all my mascaras, but personally, I think it should be renamed to delicate mascara. And I mean delicate in a good way – I’ve been really enjoying how fine the wand is, allowing me to choose between a subtle touch-up or a layered, darker look.
The formula for this mascara uses a combination of plant oils and beeswax to create its staying power. The natural ingredients also mean that the mascara can be washed off with a simple cleanser and warm water. Both during and after use, it doesn’t irritate the delicate skin around my eyes.
The verdict? A good, all-round natural mascara that’s both delicate for the eyes and for the planet. I’m not opposed to beeswax being used in beauty products (these are the ingredients I tend to avoid) but I do think a vegan formula would be great to see.
The Lipstick
I’m very hit and miss when it comes to lipstick, but that’s really my own fault. Other than my favourite bright red, I find myself going for timid shades of pink named “vintage rose” that make me look older than I am or seem to just blend straight into my own lip colour anyway.
To try something different, I went for Dr Hauschka’s brown-hued Bromelia lipstick, which goes really well with my natural skin tone and dark (dyed) hair. Someone told me I looked “almost Spanish” when wearing it, which I’m taking as a real compliment, but it does mean that I have to be in a certain mood or outfit to wear it.
As to the lipstick itself, it’s smooth to apply, creamy and has a shine to it but without any tacky glimmer. Its ingredients are predominantly plant oils and natural essential oils, but it too contains beeswax and also lanolin, a wool by-product which I’m okay with but vegans won’t be.
The verdict? A good quality lipstick, and I would definitely buy others from the range but perhaps not Bromelia again. The formula isn’t vegan, meaning Dr Hauschka is once again missing out on a big percentage of natural beauty consumers.
The Lip Gloss
The final item I’ve been trying from the new range is this Lip Gloss in Tamarillo Pink. I chose this shade as it looked like it would have a warm pink hue to it, but unfortunately it’s more of a clear gloss than anything else. It’s great to apply it over the top of lipsticks, but it doesn’t hold any colour, at least not on my lips!
The gloss itself is exactly as you’d expect from a natural cosmetics company started in 1935 – perfectly easy to glide on, with a smoothness that isn’t sticky or too noticeable once applied.
The verdict? I like this gloss, but was disappointed by the sheer lack of colour compared to the official swatches. I wonder if the other shades would hold colour better – it’s hard to tell in the new packaging!
PSA: While I’ve tried three key products from the Dr Hauschka range, I’d love to know how well their brushes perform. If you’ve tried their brushes – which also look slick and shiny and just wonderful – please let me know what you think! My EcoTools set will be due for renewal later in the year and these look great!
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