Fab or flub? Jessica Alba’s Honest brand adds a beauty line
As the most prominent face behind eco-friendly brand The Honest Company, actress Jessica Alba has created a highly successful business model out of selling everything from biodegradable diapers to non-toxic cleaning products.
So, it should come as no surprise that the brand has recently expanded to include a line of skin-care and cosmetics known as Honest Beauty and that, like the other Honest products, the line uses only natural ingredients.
With a price range of $15 to $30, Honest Beauty’s lineup includes products for face, cheeks, eyes and lips — all currently only available for purchase online at the Honest Beauty website, honestbeauty.com. I chose four to review.
First impression
After reading that Alba had consulted Opening Ceremony’s Humberto Leon on the line’s packaging, I couldn’t wait to see the products, and they turned out to be as stylish as I had imagined they would be.
The Luminizing Powder ($25) and Crème Blush ($22) both came in sleek, silver compacts that were much sturdier (and pricier looking) than the plastic H&M compacts I tried last week. This chic aesthetic also carried over to the Truly Lush Mascara + Lash Primer ($22) and the Truly Kissable Lip Crayon ($18) — both of which came in tubes in tones of silver and white.
After admiring the beautiful packaging, I decided to experiment a bit with a couple of swatches on my hand.
The Luminizing Powder was fine-pressed and had a silky feel. The powder blended nicely and I could easily see it being used as a highlighter on the bridge of the nose or on the apples of the cheeks.
The Crème Blush was very creamy and moisturizing. Like the Luminizing Powder, it blended effortlessly and left behind a nice, natural pop of color. The Truly Kissable Lip Crayon was glossy without being sticky or oily. Lightweight and moisturizing, it sank right into my lips, instead of just sitting on top like some products do.
Last, but not least, I tried the Truly Lush Mascara + Lash Primer, which had a small, fine-toothed wand on one end to apply the white primer to your eyelashes. (Note: For those who have never used an eyelash primer, it’s a white-colored mascara that works to thicken and extend your eyelashes before you apply your regular mascara).
On the other end of the tube, a slightly-curved wand applied the mascara. In the past, I’ve always seen eyelash primers and mascara packaged separately for purchase. Combining them seemed particularly convenient and a great way to save money.
Fab or flub?
Fab! If I could use only one phrase to describe the Honest Beauty products I tried out, it would be “high-quality.”
From the packaging to the formulas, Honest Beauty has successfully created a line of nontoxic beauty products that work extremely well and feel good on the skin.
Of the four products I tried, the two items I found to be standouts were the Crème Blush and the Truly Lush Mascara + Lash Primer. The blush was extremely moisturizing and blended beautifully on the apples of my cheeks to create a natural-looking flush.
In the case of the Truly Lush Mascara + Lash Primer, it was like combining two amazing products into one. They worked together to define and elongate my eyelashes, and I was very pleased with the results.
Honest Beauty items can be purchased a la carte or in a bundled subscription for $50 each month.
Purchasing in a bundle saves money but carries the added commitment of making a purchase every month. But you can cancel your subscription at any time.
This story was originally published October 23, 2015 at 2:31 PM with the headline "Fab or flub? Jessica Alba’s Honest brand adds a beauty line."