Thevi Cosmetics – The Thevi mission is to celebrate our diverse ethnic backgrounds through the common and powerful love of color from our cultures and traditions.
Products Reviewed:  High Impact Lipstick in Godiva ($13)
            Lush Mascara in Black ($12)
            Triple Split Shadow in Bistro ($15)
            Sheer Matte Blush in Touch of Plum    ($16)
            Liquid Powder Mineral Foundation in Honey Bronze ($22)
            Mineral Finishing Pressed Powder Duo in Mocha Mates ($20)
           

Number of Times Used: 20+
Review:  I’ve been a sporadic contributor to OBE for about a year now and I still wonder why certain products come across this forum for review.  Perhaps OBE was given this product line to try because Andrea and I are women of color. Is that enough given that the focus of the blog is green, eco, organic, natural and handcrafted products?  Well, Thevi Cosmetics thinks it is.  I don’t.

When I received their box of samples, I thought to myself ‘nice colors, let me read the labels.’  Sure enough, the ingredient list is a chock full of stuff I intentionally avoid – parabens, talc, propylene glycol  and a whole bunch of other stuff I didn’t recognize.  The packaging isn’t even eco-friendly or recyclable….there’s just nothing remotely green about it.  Frankly it’s disappointing.  I like supporting small business enterprises with great products, but this one isn’t for me…unfortunately.  In fairness to the readers of OBE, I had to let you know.  Every product we review may not be organic, but let’s at least try to have some natural ingredients.  I’m not the strictest product purist but I am conscious and selective about what goes on my skin.  For those of you who could care less (but I think you do) and just want nice colors, you should read on. 

Of the products I tried (and I really tried them), the standouts are the eye shadow and high impact lipstick.  I used the eye shadow trio…..The colors are richly pigmented and creamy in a powder formulation with staying power.  They don’t crease and withstood a sweaty workout session. The three colors coordinate nicely and give you a finished eye.  The high impact lipstick may not quite live up to its name, but I liked the moisturizing consistency and the fact that it wasn’t overbearing.  It provided a good amount of color without being too intense.  I’d characterize it as a sophisticated lip gloss with a nice finish. 

You can skip the mascara because any drugstore brand can do this job or maybe even better at lengthening and thickening your lashes.  The blush, mineral foundation (which has every paraben I’ve ever heard) and powder duo are okay.  Thevi hasn’t gone far enough to really distinguish their products from others.  Many of the well-known makeup companies have expanded their lines to include more products for people of color.  I just don’t know if Thevi has quite found their place in the market.

Overall:  They have pretty colors, but Green isn’t one of them. If a higher standard is what you seek, there are other companies who have great makeup without sacrificing ingredient quality.