Introducing Nude By Nature, An Aussie Natural Makeup Line New To Canada

More natural beauty options in the marketplace? Yes, please! Especially when they're as gorgeous as Nude By Nature. I had the pleasure of learning more about this Aussie natural makeup line at a media lunch, after which I walked away with a very full bag of products to test. In the last couple of weeks, I've been impressed with how easy and intuitive the products are, how well the mineral and naturally derived formulas perform, and the sheer prettiness of the rose gold packaging. It just goes to show that going green with your beauty routine doesn't mean sacrificing performance or luxury.

Nude By Nature is launching across Canada this month and will be available at Shoppers Drug Mart. Here are all the details on the brand, as well as the standout products and exclusive Canadian launches to look for the next time you're in store!

The scoop on Nude By Nature

If you're new to Nude By Nature like I am, here's what you need to know:

• Although Nude By Nature is new to Canada and the US, they've been in Australia for 10 years now where they also make the #1 bestselling foundation (that would be the Radiant Loose Powder Foundation).
• The formulas are mineral-based and/or naturally derived. The entire line is cruelty-free and vegetarian, while a good portion of the products are vegan. (The non-vegan products require beeswax for slip.)
• Aside from minerals, Nude By Nature products also contain skin-loving ingredients like vitamins A, C, and E; shea butter; jojoba oil; and antioxidant-rich Kakadu Plum and Lilly Pilly.
• What you won't find in the products? Synthetic ingredients or preservatives, talc, silicone, phthalates, sulphates, PEGs, siloxanes, triclosans, phenoxyethanol, and parabens.
• Nude By Nature products are free of bismuth oxychloride, which is commonly found in mineral makeup formulas and can cause irritation. If you've ever tried a mineral makeup line and found yourself breaking out in bumps and hives, bismuth oxychloride is probably the culprit.
• In terms of the textures, shades, and finishes, think natural, dewy, and sun-kissed. There are a few eyeshadows that'll let you achieve colour and smokiness for evening, but for the most part Nude By Nature sticks to the makeup staples that will see you from day to night 24/7.

Now let's get to the standout products, shall we?

Perfecting Primer

Flawless makeup application always starts with good skin and an excellent primer, especially when it comes to powdery mineral foundations that need a slightly tacky texture to adhere to. Nude By Nature's Perfecting Primer is moisturizing and silicone-free, and boasts skin-loving ingredients like green tea (an antioxidant that helps fight free radicals), papaya enzymes (to encourage cell turnover and brighten skin), and vitamin E (an ingredient that moisturizes and provides antioxidant protection).

I am in love with this primer. It squeezes out of the tube white, goes on clear, and glides onto skin without any stickiness. Silicone primers can be great for glam events where you need to look extra polished, but for everyday wear I find them heavy and uncomfortable and the silicone particles tend to clog pores and cause breakouts. This one is ideal for daily wear. Plus, it smells amazing—a fresh, light scent like a mix of cucumber and fruit.

Radiant Loose Powder Foundation

Radiant Loose Powder Foundation is Australia's #1 bestselling foundation and it's easy to see why. The mineral formula offers build-able coverage while blurring flaws and delivering a "like your own skin, but better" finish, and is comfortable for all-day wear. The formula contains kakadu plum (a source of vitamin C and antioxidants) and kaolin clay (which helps detoxify). This foundation is easy to apply in seconds and pretty much goof-proof, especially if you use the Flawless Brush. Though the container is bulky, its smartly designed lid has an inner lid that goes directly over the mesh-covered opening so powder doesn't fly everywhere and spill inside your makeup bag. This formula does offer some SPF protection; however, due to Health Canada restrictions, Nude By Nature isn't allowed to say so on their packaging here.

Flawless Brush

Densely packed, soft, cruelty-free bristles, plus a short and chubby handle. This is the ideal powder brush for on-the-go applications of the Radiant Loose Powder Foundation and the Translucent Loose Finishing Powder. After you swirl the brush in the mesh opening of the container, flip the brush upside-down and tap the handle against a hard surface. The excess powder will sink into the bristles when the brush is upside-down, then slowly travel down the bristles toward skin when the brush is right-side up. To apply, lightly press the bristles into skin as you skim the brush over your face instead of using brushing or buffing motions. The result is a perfect application every time with minimal waste or mess.

Perfecting Concealer

You might find Nude By Nature's concealers are sufficient for daily wear if you have good skin. Of the two formulas available, Perfecting Concealer (the one in the squeeze tube) offers creamy, sheer, illuminating coverage while Flawless Concealer (the solid twist-up stick) offers medium build-able coverage with a matte finish.

Perfecting Concealer is a great undereye concealer because it brightens skin and the creamy, liquid-y texture won't crease. Warm up one drop on the pads of your ring fingers, then lightly press into the undereye area and "stretch" the product over dark circles. Because it's a creamy product with so much slip, you'll have to set it with a light dusting of Translucent Loose Finishing Powder for lasting results.

Flawless Concealer

Flawless Concealer is better for blemishes and skin imperfections; you can build it up in thin layers to achieve the coverage you need. Like the Perfecting Concealer, you'll need to set this with a light dusting of Translucent Loose Finishing Powder.

Translucent Loose Finishing Powder

This has the same container design as the Radiant Loose Powder Foundation, so the Flawless Brush works well with it. You can get away without using this if you're using the powder foundation on top of the concealers, but for any creamy textures you'll need to set the product with a light dusting of this.

Highlight Palette

3 powders with an illuminating finish in a portable rose-gold palette—so pretty! Use the bronze shade to contour and bronze, the pink shade as you would a blush, and the champagne shade like a true highlighter. (Swatches are further down.) The Nude By Nature Angled Blush Brush would probably be a good companion for this palette.

Highlight Stick

Shown here in 'Champagne' and available in 3 shades (the other two are 'Bronze' and 'Rose'). This is a gorgeous highlighter in a chubby twist-up stick form—seriously, how much easier can it get?! The champagne shade delivers serious illumination in a single swipe, is so easy to blend out, and sets with a cream-to-powder texture. Oh, and as with Nude By Nature's other formulas it's loaded with antioxidants and skin-loving ingredients.

Cashmere Pressed Blush

Shown here in 'Soft Coral'. The finely milled powder goes on with the silkiest texture and is so pigmented that a little goes a long way. This blush reads a little too warm and earthy on my skintone, but thumbs up on the formula and finish.

Precision Brow Mascara

The Nude By Nature lip and brow lines are new and launching exclusively in Canada until this year; they're not even available in Australia yet! That's excellent news for Canadian shoppers because the Precision Brow Mascara (shown here in 02 'Brown') is incredible. The tiny brush and formula tint each hair ever so slightly for a fuller-looking, more polished version of your own brows and lock everything in place. 02 'Brown' works well for Asian brows too—it's not too red or warm.

I've been using this with the Dior Brow Styler pencil. The results look so good that when I showed up to work with a full face of makeup on and my eyebrows done—as opposed to just wearing illuminating moisturizer and tinted lip balm—my brows-obsessed boss noticed right away and asked me if I'd gotten microblading.

Sheer Glow Colour Balm

You know me, I can't resist a good tinted lip balm. This one, shown here in 02 'Nude', delivers the sheerest kiss of pinky colour along with moisture and a light, fruity scent.

Moisture Infusion Lipgloss

Shown here in 09 'Crimson Pink', the Moisture Infusion Lipgloss feels and wears more like a moisturizing liquid lipstick, packing shine and a surprising amount of pigment in a single swipe. Judging by the name, this petal pink is Nude By Nature's idea of "colour"; to me this is just a good everyday "my lips but better" pink.

The bottom line

Of the Nude By Nature products I tried, these ones emerged as the clear favourites. There were a few misses in the mix: the matte lipsticks read too pale or too brown on my skintone; the brow pencil was way too red and warm; the mascara's applicator brush and formula did nothing for my Asian lashes. But I was seriously impressed with the line overall—in fact, quite a few of these products have snuck into my regular rotation. The finishes and textures are so easy and comfortable to wear, I can see myself using a few Nude By Nature products after a weekend barre class and going straight to brunch afterward.

Have you ever tried Nude By Nature? Which of these products is calling out to you?