Skincare and makeup have always occupied two separate spaces. While skincare aims to improve your complexion, makeup can be used to enhance it. We’ve become reliant on foundations, and concealers to cover up those “problems” that even the best skincare can’t seem to fix.
When you take a step back, however, it seems quite counter-intuitive. Shouldn’t putting something on top of problematic skin be the last thing we do? In short: Yes.
By piling makeup on top of whatever skin dilemma we’re facing that day, we might actually be making matters worse. When your skin is acting up though, leaving it out for display might feel like the last thing you want to do.
So what’s the solution?
That’s where Olio E Osso (available at Mecca) comes in. This Portland-based brand is creating balms that simultaneously work as makeup and skincare products. The name means “oil and bone” in Italian, an apt name considering that olive oil is a primary ingredient. With minimal ingredients for maximum benefits, the range of balms are specifically created to look good and do good to your skin.
Made by hand in small batches, the balms were created by makeup artist Paola LaMorticella. “When she realized that prescriptions and over-the-counter creams irritated her infant son’s skin, she decided to do something about it,” the Olio E Osso site shares. Call it a twist of fate, but the balm she created as an alternative quickly gained traction.
When the balm first came into creation, “Paola was working with the US women’s soccer team, and most of the players hated the feel of makeup on their skin,” The Skincare Edit reports. “But they loved the Balm. That inspired Paola to create tinted versions, in order to give them a little colour without looking made-up.”
Now, there is a wide range of colours available, so that you can use the balm in different ways as makeup — while taking your skin in the meantime.
Here’s How we would break down a face full of Olio E Osso Balms:
- After your morning skincare routine, apply No. 0 Netto ($43) to lips and temples. The balm will hydrate while the menthol inside will wake your skin up.
- Use a light pink colour as a blush. If you’re quite fair, No. 2 French Melon ($43) or No. 3 Crimson ($43). If you have darker skin, you might prefer to go for No. 8 Persimmon ($43) or No. 9 Spring ($43).
- Add a bit of colour, applying No. 6 Bronze ($43) where you’d typically use powdered bronzer.
- Finish it all off with a bright colour on the lips, such as No. 10 Tea Rose ($43).