Not just a pretty face wash

I have found My Lipstick. For years, I have searched and no doubt ingested the oft-quoted two kilos of lippie in the hunt. Now I have found her.

It's cordovan natural, from the new Karen Murrell range of organic skincare and cosmetics released by the New Zealander Karen Murrell, founder of iconic Skinfood brand, and now, her eponymously-titled range. The lipsticks are currently the only cosmetics in the range which also boasts your skincare classics: cleanser, moisturiser (toners are so eighties), body scrub and balm as well as a men's moisturiser. The lipstick is similar to MAC in feel and look, with an intense pigment which is hard to find in a natural shade; lord knows I have been disappointed by other brands purporting to be "made for me naturals" but in fact, are not.

Below: five shades of Karen Murrell lipsticks run the gamut from whoa to go, in clear through pinks to va va voom crimson.

Below: The surprisingly reasonable skincare range for women and men is available from Farmers. Coming from Murrell's background with Skinfood - which was priced at $9.95 in supermarkets and is 'natural' but not organic - in comparison this is a prestige brand but still priced around L'Oreal or Revlon price points at $33 for a cleanser, $25 for lipstick and $49 for face moisturiser. We honestly thought it would be twice that.

The first thing that strikes one about Karen Murrell is the packaging. Beautiful illustrations wrap tendrils around the (fully recyclable) boxes each in a different hue. A coloured cardboard sheath lifts off to house the product in an inner box. I have to say I hoped the colours continued to the products but these are in basic black with a simple font; aesthetically very pleasing and contemporary in design but not as pretty as the boxes.

The thing is, it's not just a pretty face wash.

Karen Murrell Products (www.karenmurell.com) are the first in New Zealand to be awarded the EcoCert stamp, from an international organic certification company that is based in France. To be awarded an EcoCert stamp a product must have 100% of the total ingredients from natural origin and 50% of total ingredients from organic farming. All KM ingredients are certified organic where possible, and are free of animal products, with the exception of cruelty-free honey and beeswax, and are not tested on animals. The ingredients are sourced locally where possible and feature total traceability. They are free of paraben preservatives, artificial colourants, artificial fragrances, petrochemicals, harsh detergents, talc, TEA and toxic ingredients.

The range has gorgeous titles backed up by Karen's ethos of "truth in beauty", with names such as "True Miracle" and "Pure Honesty."

And what of the products themselves? Apart from the cordovan natural lipstick mentioned above, my favourite is the Nature's Essence Body Scrub with an ingredient I was largely unfamiliar with (I saw it recently in Trilogy's booster serum); Tamanu oil (Calophyllum inophyllum) which hydrates skin and accelerates new tissue growth. The salt and oat flakes scrub felt moisturising and very mild when used in the shower but you can use it on dry skin for a stronger touch.

I also loved the Absolute Luxury face moisturiser. I have been suffering from hayfever allergies this summer and everything burns on my raw skin and this is the first moisturiser I tried that has felt soothing rather than stinging and not abrasive on my damaged skin. Packaging wise, I liked the face moisturiser's matte and shiny two tone black pump bottle best out of the range, as pumps are always so much easier to dispense - especially in the shower - than the tubes with screw lids of the cleanser and body scrub.

I can't wait to see if more cosmetics are released to join the lipsticks. This is a heavenly range that, at an affordable price, combines great design with efficacy and sustainability and respect for the environment. No wonder Karen Murrell is proud to put her name to it.

Megan Robinson, 4 January 2010
Photos Kevin Robinson