I love your ingredients but I am trying to avoid PUFAs. Do you offer PUFA-free formulas?

You can request that any ingredient(s) be left out here as each formula is made fresh upon order! Also, this is a great read (and video) about the concerns surrounding PUFAs by Laurel Skin here.

I have now tried out some samples by Haut, and love them! I would like to order again, but I just have a question I hope you can help me with. Almond and Burnt Almond are such gorgeous shades, but I need a little more yellow/olive to it, to match my skin tone better. Can I mix it with the yellow brightener for a perfect match?

Yes, if you need more yellow but you do not want to go any darker, try the Yellow Brightener. If you need more coverage AND more olive yellow, the Yellow Brightener mixed with HDD shade works well around eyes, nose, mouth, wherever you need yellow-toned brightening maximum coverage.

I read a comment on a review of your CARAMEL TAN that the alternative you use contains sugar and causes similar free radical damage to an ingredient called DHA in regular self tanners. I am just wondering if you have researched this as I am looking for a safe alternative. Thanks!

I have answered this question in a blog post here: MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION…

I am not happy with how Palm Oil is being harvested in Indonesia. Do your products contain Palm Oil?

My products do not contain Palm Oil.

Can I find your makeup at retail locations?

You won’t find my line in retail shops anywhere in the world. Every product is crafted completely by hand and most are custom formulated for clients who have unique skin tones. The food grade ingredients are sourced from small, family farmers who don’t use machinery, so they’re not produced on an industrial, retail scale. To put icing on the cake, I ship each freshly mixed product directly to your door (by the way, the cake is plant based).

Why do I see ‘sesame’ on the label of my product if I requested that it be left out of my product?

Because some of our product names and list of key ingredients on the face of the label or in the product name itself were created for our hundreds of clients across the world, custom creating a single label for each client would mean that it would take weeks longer for them to receive their product. It would also cause a lot of labels (trees) to be wasted because labels are made in multiples on a roll. If you would like a list of only the ingredients which you requested be included in your custom formula, it can be attached to your email order notification, just ask! Your custom formula request can also be documented by you here and included in the order itself (instead of in the notes area of the checkout) which also makes re-ordering the product with the same custom formula request more simple by going into your account and duplicating your past order with the original request..

Are there nano, coated, or synthetic particles in your makeup?

My makeup is 100% nano-free, uncoated, untreated, chemical-free, and natural, not synthetic. My loose makeup particles are small enough to lay smoothly on the surface of the skin but not small enough that they can pass through it. Because the cosmetics industry is not required to list the use of nano particles in its ingredients, it is very hard to know which cosmetic companies use them and which do not. A product containing nano particles in the form of Titanium Dioxide, will simply read Titanium Dioxide on the label. That is another reason it is best to avoid any loose makeup with Titanium Dioxide in it. When inhaled, nano particles can become imbedded in the walls of the lungs, making it impossible for the body to remove these foreign particles. Ironically, nano-particles were originally brought out by sunscreen companies to avoid toxic ingredients. To err on the safe side, I suggest avoiding any loose makeup with Titanium Dioxide in it. Nano-sized particles are less than 0.1 m (<100 nm) and I do not use any loose pigments smaller than 2.5 m.

If I place my order now will I receive it by the weekend?

I want you to receive your parcel as soon as possible! However, the shipping part is usually 5-10 business days in North America and ten days to a month approximately in other parts of the world. Please also keep in mind that I am handcrafting each product by hand upon order and some require extra time as they are custom formulations. I need roughly 48 business hours to complete each order. From time to time there are natural disasters or someone is on strike and so we like to stress that the shipping part is out of our own control. If you need your products ASAP please contact me and we can create a custom shipping option for you. If it is not an emergency, aim to replenish your products when you are 75% out so that it is not stressful for you (and me)!

What is the difference between your Cream Tints and Loose Tints?

The Loose tints are more pigmented and darker than the cream tints and the cream tints have much more of a ‘built-in brightening coverage’. Some medium to dark skin tones use He’s The One Aloe Cream Tint as a concealer or brightener. Both are wonderful on eyelids and on cheeks to accentuate your face shape beautifully. You can create really intense, smoky eyes with Vintage and Marble Loose Tints.

What form of vitamin E is used in your formulas?

I use a gluten-free, soy-free, gmo-free, plant based source of  alpha-tocopherol, which is the most biologically active form of vitamin E, and its natural form consists of one isomer. In contrast, synthetic alpha-tocopherol contains eight different isomers, of which only one (about 12 percent of the synthetic molecule) is identical to natural vitamin E. The other seven isomers range in potency from 21 percent to 90 percent of natural d-alpha-tocopherol.

This may appear to be arcane nutritional chemistry, but it is key to understanding how the body absorbs natural and synthetic supplements differently. Molecular structure determines how the body uses vitamin E. Researchers have found that natural vitamin E assimilates far better than synthetic versions. Specific binding and transport proteins produced in the liver select the natural d-alpha form of vitamin E and largely ignore all other forms.

What is the shelf life for your products?

The creams are roughly 12 months or more. The balms are up to 18 months, and the powders do not have a shelf life as long as they are kept away from moisture. They are antibacterial, anti-microbial, and anti-fungal. I recommend storing bulk glass jars long term in the fridge or on a cool window sill in the winter to keep the ingredients fresh and the nourishing antioxidants potent.

I would love to learn more about the fermented blend in your formulas.

I address this in a blog post here and there is more information on the important ingredients I have left out here. If there is anything you are allergic or sensitive to or are just not too sure about you can make a request that it be left out of your formula. Just make a note in the checkout area and your request will be confirmed when your order is completed.

I am worried about clay containing heavy metals and being irradiated. Do you have more information on this?

Yes, I address this in a blog post here!

Why do you not give your brushes names like ‘eyeshadow brush’ and ‘blush brush’?

I find that my brushes often work as multi-taskers so I do not want to ‘put them in a box’ as to what they can do. We offer a great variety in shapes and sizes so you are fully equipped. You will get a very different effect from a brush than from applying with your fingers. Try your makeup both ways and you will see! I have customized each brush for two or three uses. One important fact to keep in mind is that the smaller you go with your Haut brush, the greater the coverage or the more dramatic the color. The brush ‘Icing On The Cake’ is used to apply color to lips but it also works just as well as an eyeliner brush and brow brush if turned on its side. It creates the perfect ‘cat eye’ if you dip it in water and then in the Marble Loose Tint.

How should I care for my Haut Vegan Brushes?

Wash your brushes well with a sulphate-free shampoo until the water runs clear. Lay each brush on its side to dry so that the moisture does not go inside the brush. Brushes should be washed every one to two weeks for optimal performance. If cared for properly they will last a lifetime.

What is a common tip you give in choosing the right brush for the application you want?

A great rule of thumb is that the smaller the brush you choose, the greater the coverage or the more intense the colour.

Is the clay you use pure? I am worried about pollutants from water and air in it.

One of the reasons I choose to work with clay is because it has incredible purifying properties that actually clear the body and the skin of anything impure. Clay has a very strong negative ionic charge. This negative ionic charge attracts things that have a positive charge, such as heavy metals, toxins, harmful bacteria, pesticides, and other pathogens. The clumping action of clay binds to heavy metals and pathogens to prevent them from passing through the skin. So putting on your Haut makeup is look putting on a piece of protective armour in a way. I do not like to put anything in my formulas that cannot be ingested and my clays are no exception. Our own Canadian Clay can help alleviate rashes, eczema, food allergies, food poisoning, colitis, viral infections, and parasites. It is effective in treating many digestive conditions and also aids in weight loss. Bentonite clay remineralizes cells and tissues, alkalizes the body and is also effective in protecting our bodies against radiation.

I noticed that an ingredient on my product label is not on the website product page ingredient list.

If you noticed that the ingredients on the label of your product are missing an ingredient or have an extra ingredient on the product label which is not on the website ingredients’ list, the ingredient list on the website is the most updated ingredient list and the one to go by. We do not like to waste labels so if something is showing on the product label as being different, it is because the ingredient is no longer available or because it is no longer included in the formula for a variety of reasons. If it is an ingredient you would like added back to your formula you can reach out to us and we will let you know if that is possible or could be in the near future.

What makes Haut Cosmetics unique from other lines?

I have chosen 100% plant based ingredients. Besides choosing local-sourced and certified organic ingredients, it has always made sense to stay natural with my ingredients and to stay PFAS-free, Gluten-free, GMO-free, Titanium Dioxide-free, Dimethicone-Free, Mica-free (which is also sometimes called ‘serecite’), Nano-free, Bismuth-free, and Filler-free. I also source food grade, organic, wild crafted, and cold pressed wherever possible.

My outer packaging is soft which makes shipping more earth-friendly and less costly. My outer packaging is also 100% plantable.

Each individual person I collaborate with through my company also takes part in bringing awareness to child trafficking, www.notforsale.com, and mentoring victims of bullying through this online organization, www.bullying.org.

Furthermore, I am always looking for ways to improve my formulas and in giving back to my community.