Shimmery Holiday Makeup Looks using Ethical Mica

Last Updated on March 14, 2022

(please note: some affiliate links are used in this post)

If there’s ever a time for glitter and shimmer it’s the holidays! ✨ But as you may know, all that shimmers isn’t… ethically sourced.

This year I learned a lot about the horrible child labor issues with mica mining and have been trying my best to find brands who use mica free from child labor (and of course are also cruelty free!).

I thought it would be fun to share a couple fun holiday makeup looks with some of the ethical makeup brands I’ve found because especially this year we could all use a sparkly pick-me-up! Even if you’re not going out it’s still fun to dress up, or maybe save these as inspiration for your parties next year. 🥂

Also since I keep my makeup pretty simple and only have a small makeup “capsule”, I’ve also invited my gorgeous friend Kassia (who is 100x better at makeup than I am and really into vegan and cruelty-free beauty) to create an ethical, glam holiday look!

It’s stunning (I wish I could do makeup like this!) so let’s start with her look…

I love the colours in Kassia’s makeup – the mix of dark browns with the shimmery golds and bright lip is so fun and festive!

Mica Products Used:

• Red Apple eye shadow in Like U Latte – transition shade/crease
• Red Apple eye shadow in Golden Girl – lid/brow bone
• Clove + Hallow eye shadow Sunrise Pressed Pigment Palette
  • golden bronze shade – lid centre
  • deep brown matte shade – outer and inner corner, crease
  • rose champagne shade – inner corner
• Red Apple blush in Tango
• RMS Beauty luminizing powder in Madeira Bronzer
• RMS Beauty luminizing powder in Grande Dame
• Red Apple lipstick in Plum Sexy Crazy

Also wearing foundation, concealer, eyeliner, mascara, brow products, setting powder, setting spray, false eyelashes.

If you want to learn more about how she created this look, there’s a tutorial on her blog!

Kassia’s cruelty-free and ethical beauty journey

“I care deeply about animal rights and animal welfare. That desire to protect animals led me to being vegetarian nearly ten years ago. From there, as I learned more, I did better. For example, I had never considered where the mica in my makeup comes from until Erin brought it to my attention. Although I’ve been careful to not support brands who test on animals, the human cost of the makeup hasn’t been on my radar, but now it certainly is.

Buying cruelty-free, or making sure the mica in your makeup is ethically sourced, or that packaging is sustainable, or any number of other considerations you take into account when making a purchase, really all comes down to the same root urge: to make sure your actions are reflective of your morals. 

For myself, it is also a form of activism. If I can show people that they can still get what they want (whether it’s tasty food, fashionable clothing, or gorgeous eyeshadow) while reducing their negative impact on the world, it shows that we have the power to make a change, without having to sacrifice. I feel, by living my values, I make it easier to help other people live by theirs.”

Be sure to check out Kassia’s blog and Instagram for information, inspiration, reviews, and recommendations for living cruelty-free. One thing I especially love about her content is how welcoming, non-judgemental, and supportive she is no matter where you are in your personal journey. 💕

And if you’re into makeup and beauty, definitely give her a follow! She always has gorgeous makeup looks and helpful vegan and cruelty-free product recommendations.

Then there’s my holiday look…

For me “fancy” makeup basically just means spending a bit more time and and using more eyeshadow than normal because I’m not sure how to do anything else. 😅

I really like this look though and think it’s perfect for a holiday event, or just dressing up at home – why not plan a virtual cocktail party this year?

My holiday look was based on this lovely deep red eyeshadow – I thought it would be a good addition as the “fun colour” to my makeup capsule and chose it since I’m really embracing my new red hair.

Mica Products Used:

• Red Apple eye shadow in Vamp – outer corner, under eye, crease, and blended into lid
• Pure Anada eye shadow in Clouded – brows and used to blend red shade onto lids
• Pure Anada eye shadow in Onyx – wet as eyeliner
• Pure Anada highlight in Ethereal – inner corner, brow bone, and on face
• RMS “Lip2Cheek” in Illusive – lips and cheeks

And if you’re interested, the other of the products I used (which don’t contain mica) are:

• RMS “Un” Cover-Up concealer (I use shade 000)
• 100% Pure setting powder in translucent
• Pure Anada mascara in black

✨ Also both our dresses are rented from Beyond the Runway. Check out this video and post more about dress rentals.

I’d love to know – are you still dressing up for the holidays this year? Or just keeping it comfy and casual?

Check out my post all about mica to find other brands that ethically source their mica or to learn more about the issues with mica mining.

💚