People often talk about big versus small – the usual winner versus the underdog. In the vast world of cosmetics, that is usually how the conversation goes. There are smaller brands that have had long-lasting staying power, and there are brands that are just too big to fail. In such a large spectrum of options, rarely is the natural product alternative allowed to shine its bright palette of colors at the consumer.
When faced with bigger brands that use harsh chemicals and subpar greener alternatives, founder Kirsten Kjær Weis had her work cut out for her. She then decided to master the process of creating a truly natural solution that provides long lasting coverage and protection.
Kjaer Weis is a brand that values the customer’s need for a third option in the labyrinth that it is the cosmetics world. The details of this groundbreaking idea and any downfalls will be presented in this review.
How Did Kjaer Weis Come To Be?
Magazine covers and fashion shoots were commonplace to Weis, when she noticed a common trend about every woman that sat in her makeup chair. They all had at least a few conventional products they found to be irritating to the skin. It made the soon-to-be founder of Kjaer Weis consider what long-term effects these reactions would have on so many women.
Recognizing the problem, she made it her mission to develop another option that was more organic and accessible. This wasn’t as easy as it sounds, according to Weis. Third options did exist prior to her venture, but none of them performed as well as the conventional, big makeup brands.
In the 8 years it took her to develop a working product, and during these 8 years, Kirsten partnered with an Italian manufacturer that only used natural ingredients. Finding the perfect balance between nature and performance wasn’t very easy. Since they are working with natural, raw materials and not man-made chemicals, the formulas could easily change in color and consistency from batch to batch.
Makeup That Is Luxurious, Organic, Harm Free, High Performance and Green
Every Kjaer Weis product is hand selected and is still checked by their founder for the highest level of quality. Detail in design is everything to Kjaer Weis, as their red lacquered, grain-textured boxes have been designed to look like little jewelry cases (and are refillable to boot). Refill pans are available in simple paper cartons that are fully recyclable.
What Ingredients Are Used In Kjaer Weis Products?
Their products are made in Italy and have been approved as “Certified Organic” or “Certified Natural” by the country’s organic inspection body, the CCPB (Controllo e Certificazione Prodotti Biologici). They boast that their products do not contain parabens, silicone, petrochemical emulsifiers, or synthetic fragrances. The list of ingredients seems quite extensive but luckily these are all natural ingredients that are said to create the perfect blend for all skin types. Below is a list of their ingredients according to their website for the reader’s convenience.
- Ammonium Glycyrrhizate
- Extracted from liquorice and used as a sweetener for their Lip Tint
- Bambusa Arundinacea Stem Powder
- Derived from the dried, ground stems of wild bamboo plants
- Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter
- Extracted from the nut of organic Shea trees in Africa
- Candelilla Cera
- A wax from the Euphorbia Cerifera plant, found mainly in Mexico.
- Canola Oil
- Produced from the seed of rapeseed plants
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
- Produced from coconut oil
- Cera Alba
- A refined form of beeswax
- Cera Carnauba
- An organic plant-based emollient, Naturally hypoallergenic
- Cetyl Babassuate
- Fatty acids derived from the oil of Babassu.
- Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan) Extract and Glucose
- Extracted from edible seaweeds, Used as a natural thickener, stabilizer, emulsifier and gelling agent
- Glycerin
- A naturally occurring alcohol compound found in many lipids (fatty acids)
- Glyceryl Caprylate
- Naturally derived “preservative”, from coconut and palm plant
- Hectorite
- A mineral used to “stabilize” our makeup formulas
- Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Water
- A natural antiseptic and disinfectant
- Limonene
- An ingredient naturally contained in essential oils
- Lonicera Caprifolium and Lonicera Japonica
- An organic honeysuckle extract
- Antibacterial properties
- Used as a natural “preservative”
- Mica
- Mineral used to create shimmer and iridescence
- Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate
- Made from naturally occurring vegetable fats
- Emollient and thickener
- Plantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract
- Medicinal herb that can stimulate collagen production
What Are Examples Of Popular Products?
Kjaer Weis offers many products in different categories such as Cream Blushes, Highlighters, Bronzers, Foundations, Lipsticks, Eye Shadows, Mascaras, and more. They also offer refills on all of their products, making it inexpensive in the long run. Amongst all of these is a list of bestselling products that are as follows:
- Cream Blush, “Blossoming” – $56.00
- Refill – $32.00
- Highlighter, “Radiance’ – $56.00
- Refill – $32.00
- Bronzer, “Dazzling” – $56.00
- Refill – $32.00
- Foundation, “Paper Thin” – $68.00
- Refill – $40.00
- Lip Tint, “Passionate” – $49.00
- Refill – $29.00
- Eye Shadow, “Wisdom” – $45.00
- Refill – $27.00
- Mascara – $38.00
- Refill – 28.00
Where Can You Find Kjaer Weis Products?
These products can be found in
- The United States
- Canada
- Mexico
- The United Kingdom
- Denmark
- The Netherlands
- Norway
- Sweden
- Austria
- Italy
- Spain
- France
- Germany
- Switzerland
- Finland
- Australia/New Zealand
And on popular websites such as beautybar.com , beautylish.com , ecodivabeauty.com, and more.
Are There Any Complaints?
According to some users, the shades are quite limited in option as the company’s ability to develop new shades is restricted by their desire to be green. Additionally there were complaints that the cream blushes were a bit heavy as well; and that customers needed to use moisturizer before applying. Lastly, the products are on the pricier side, which is seen by some as getting your money’s worth. Others see it as a typical side effect of having natural ingredients.
Kjaer Weis Review Summary
Many cosmetics customers are raving about this new product that has succeeded in bridging the gap between natural and effective. Not many cosmetic companies can claim such success in a difficult niche as the one Kjaer Weis has found herself in. Yet, many are saying that they wished they were more aware of this option in the past. Even regardless of price, anyone looking for quality and craftsmanship in the makeup they wear will not be disappointed in what they find at Kjaer Weis.
