Keys Clear Cosmetics
Clear Cosmetics – Keys Makeup
By Bob Root, Keys Chief Technologist
When I am in front of customers, doctors, estheticians, makeup artists, actors and cosmeticians, the question is always the same. “When is Keys going to create a makeup line?” My answer is when I can find safe ingredients that have the right colors and staying power.
I began looking at traditional makeup about four years ago. I studied conventional makeup products as well as the mineral makeups. What I found in common was a group of minerals and compounds that are earth derived from oxides or rock ground into small particles that are suspended either in a cream, lotion or dry powder base.
Upon further investigation, I found that many lipsticks, eye shadows and tints all contained lead, mica, silica, iron oxide and even some minerals that have low dose radiation. When I discovered this, I wondered why the mainline companies producing makeup did not use berries, extracts, plant parts and other safer ingredients. As I studied further, I realized that using the “more natural” ingredients did not work nearly as effectively as their mineral alternatives. Why? The answer is that most non-mineral colors are weak and have low staying power. Most mineral based makeup’s are opaque in nature where fruit based colorants are more transparent and are water soluble.
I have continued to study and check in with friends in the industry in a collaborative effort. At the last Natural Products Expo West, friends and I scoured the show looking for natural colorant ingredients. My friend Kathleen Beaton would ring my cell phone and tell me of a booth re had found that had something that looked good. As a premier makeup artist, I respected her eye for color and she respected my scientific ability to quickly determine whether the particular ingredient was clean, green and had the staying power. That day was spent running back in forth a few steps behind Kathleen. Then the phone would ring and it would be someone else looking for something and wondering if I had seen it. At the same show, we checked in with the makeup companies and the ones new to offering makeup. Still the same old same old minerals.
Los Angeles – Makeup’s Universe Center
As a man, I appreciate makeup, but could not totally understand it. Checking in with the idea of creating a makeup line on occasion, I did not really understand a lot until recently when I was in LA. We were scheduled for a big Hollywood event at Erewhon. I looked forward to catching up with old friends.
I had lunch with Kathleen Beaton one day in Venice Beach, checked in with Ele Keats who is my favorite actor and a natural look expert, Renata Helfman at Vert and was on the set of Weeds with Jill Cady and Jill Crosby staring at the beautiful skin of Mary Louise Parker. With the help of all, I finally got makeup! It was like creating a painting except the canvas already had features, texture and color.
There is the color and there is the canvas! Probably obvious to most women, I realized that the majority of makeup is the smoothing out and even out the complexion so color can be layered on. What I realized is that makeup is like painting a portrait in reverse. To start, an artist takes white paint and covers the canvas with several coats to smooth out and make the finish consistent. Then they layer color on the white canvas to create the image they want. Layer after layer, they build up color for the final image that has details, texture and color. Makeup has traditionally been the same. Take foundations and minerals to the face to create a smooth even finish. Then add color to finish. This confused me because covering up beautiful skin just seems wrong. My friends pointed out that not everyone has beutiful skin. I disagree that everyone can have beutiful skin. It just takes work, time and a healthy lifestyle. Something that I believe all Keys cstomers aspire to.
Kathleen calls her art “painting faces.” For years now, we get together and talk about her efforts to create a makeup line. As my friend, I struggled to help her, but it was difficult because I did not get the entire concept of makeup. I respect Kathleen’s work and her abilities. She is a great makeup artist and has one of the toughest jobs in LA because she often does makeup for TV using everyday people as the stars of the commercials. Now with high definition, it is even tougher. When I see those commercials, I cannot believe how natural looking those people appear. It is a lot of work!
The Erewhon event came. Standing next to the stage listening to Ed Begley talk, I was suddenly in the embrace of this beutiful woman. Ele Keats had surprised me with a visit down from the Hollywood Hills. She looked radiant and her skin just glowed. I know that she is a devout fan of Solar Rx and Luminos. It was a weekend and LA always turns out in their finest designer grunge. Still, in this sea of beautiful people Ele just glowed. Her skin was clear, even, natural and with a dewy glow. Like always, she looked perfect and the infectious smile of Ele Keats topped of her look.
From LA, I headed to Portland Oregon for the opening of the new Fez Studios. I love Portland because it is a cool city with lots to do and see. Most of the year Portland is wet and rainy. One of the first things you notice is that people have gorgeous clear skin. No sun damage here! Talking with the women at the event, I could not help but notice that they had little to no foundation with color only on the lips, eyes and maybe cheeks. It all became clear to me in a flash! I was really in the makeup business. The reason that Fez, and the many natural makeup stores carry our products is because what we were able to do to get that natural look. I said to myself, it was because we make Clear Cosmetics.
Clear Cosmetics Is Keys Transparent Foundation…Just add color!
How can there be such a thing as Clear Cosmetics? Remember that painting of the canvas before the artist can start? The purpose of that and foundation on the face is to create a smooth even look before adding color. Personally, I think there is nothing prettier than the glow of naturally healthy skin. As I thought about Ele and Mary Louise, I realized that their natural glowing dewy skin was incredibly sexy because the real person shows through.
I now know what I have created is a line of Clear Cosmetics where our foundation and regime brings natural clarity to the skin. It is because our products do the two primary things that foundations do for the skin. First, using our regime, the skin heals and gets a natural even glow. Because it is transparent, the smoothness comes from the new quality of the skin. Secondly, our light diffraction technology using natural Aloe crystals further smoothes the appearance of the skin diffusing light to create a glowing beautiful energy for women and men of all ages. To understand this further, please read my article about Luminos at this link Luminos Secrets
Keys Clear Cosmetics Regime and the Keys Challenge
First, the regime I want you to try is the price of one item at a Nordstrom brand makeup counter. All of the items combined are less than some lipsticks at Barney’s in LA. So try it, but please be religious about it for ten days.
There are four products in the regime or maybe even only three.
Here are the products:
- Island RX foaming Wash
- Luminos Moisturizer Clear Foundation
- Eye Butter Clear Eye Enhancer
- Solar Rx Moisturizing Sunblock
Island Rx Foaming Wash
Island Rx Foaming Wash is a cleanser adjusted to be slightly alkaline to clean and tone the skin. The simple formulation contains no chemicals that cause inflammation of the skin and the Clary Sage actually reduces inflammation. After turning Jojoba, avocado and olive oil into a cleanser using an ancient process, we add back in avocado oil, Clary sage essential oil and blood orange essential oil. These oils also serve specific purposes that clean, hydrate, condition and exfoliate the skin without using harsh scrubs, toners or chemical peels.
Luminos
Luminos was developed for Hollywood to create a glowing illusion to improve the look of the skin under high definition photography and motion pictures. What we later discovered was that Luminos also created that look for everyday use as a clear makeup. Luminos contains pharmaceutical grade ingredients in high proportions combined with a concentration of Aloe Vera crystals that act as millions of little prisms on the skin. It naturally smoothes the finish of the skin while providing a glow that increases the depth and definition of the skin cells. Applied lightly over a freshly cleaned face with Island Rx also provides a natural barrier from pollutant, hydrocarbons and allergens that affect the look and condition of the skin.
Eye Butter
Eye Butter starts with a very special cucumber extract that assure that the log chain polysaccharides are intact offering firming and fine line reduction around the eyes. Wild crafted grade Shea butter from Ghana is blended to soothe the eye tissue as well as plumping the tissue to give a fuller look. We then add our Aloe Crystals to create the same illusion as Luminos, but for the eyes. Eye Butter melts at skin temperature and quickly absorbed leaving a slight tack to grab makeup as it is light brushed around the eyes. In a few minutes, it sets to hold the makeup.
Solar Rx
Our Solar Rx is a moisturizing sunblock designed for everyday use. It is very similar to Luminos with the addition of uncoated zinc oxide. The zinc oxide provides protection for UVA and UVB radiation while also acting as a natural anti-inflammatory reducing skin redness. Remember some of our other articles quoting the Skin Cancer Foundation that 90% of all visible skin aging is from UVA and UVB radiation. Solar Rx prevents increased exposure while also reconditioning the skin and repairing sun damage.
I said that the regime could be either three or four items. If you are not exposed to UV radiation at all, which means you are totally covered up, use Wendy’s Night Time Regime for $49.95 on our store. If you are exposed to day time UVA and UVB, use Wendy’s Daytime Regime for $69.95 that includes all four items offering both day and night regeneration of the skin.
How To Use the Regimes:
In the morning, wash your face with Island RX foaming wash applying the foam to wet skin using your fingers to cleanse the skin and lightly exfoliate the skin. Then apply Solar Rx evenly and lightly to the face, neck and backs of your hands. Then take your ring finger and put an ample amount of Eye Butter letting your finger warm it for a few moments. Lightly pat the Eye Butter around the eye below and on the lid. Make sure it is smooth. (note: many people also put Eye Butter on their lips before they use lipstick to soften and moisturize the lips). Now apply makeup as desired around the eyes, cheeks and the lips. Do not use any foundation, but if you must, do it lightly.
At night, repeat the above process replacing Solar Rx with Luminos.
Now for the challenge…there always has to be a challenge, right?
Follow Wendy’s Regime for ten days. If you want, shoot a before and after picture. Notice the difference in your skin! More importantly, listen carefully to your friends and family to see when they notice the changes in you.
Lastly, follow Ele Keats best beauty secret. Smile like you are in love!