Nūdus’ gorgeous color selection and chic packaging are enough to grab anyone’s attention. It’s the intelligent and thoughtful combination of organic ingredients plus the fact that these lipsticks are handcrafted that really sets nūdus apart.

As I mentioned in my review earlier this week, I’m absolutely smitten with the rich colors and long-lasting formulas behind nūdus. I had the opportunity to ask the founder, Diana Goltsman Saltoun, everything I wanted to know about nūdus. You’re going to love what she has to say.

Don’t miss the special offer and giveaway below!

Susannah: How did you know lipstick was your calling? What drew you to this particular item?

Diana: In the world of today there are lots of choices when it comes to anything we obtain for others and ourselves. Some of these choices are good and some of them bad or indifferent but people are aware of them. When we make a decision on something we think is good and it’s actually not what it appears to be, this is an unfair choice. This is why I created nūdus. Let me explain; 

I’ve always had an interest in starting my own beauty brand and like so many others, I thought of cosmetics and skin care as something to make me feel and look good, and to enhance my natural beauty. When I heard about a product being natural or having something good in it, I was automatically attracted to it and wanted to know more about it. I started to look at the benefits of these naturals and then I was intrigued by the percentage of natural ingredients in different beauty products. The more I researched the more I realised how little of that natural product they contained, if it was even natural at all. 

It became clear that they were not as they appeared to be. So many products also contained harsh and toxic chemicals a lot of them well hidden in the list of ingredients, all of which were not meant for and would not be recognised by our bodies. I care about my health so I started to look for better choices.

Making better choices took me down a path of looking for products with high natural content and then on towards organic. The more natural and organic the product, most of time meant that the product didn’t work as well or look as nice as the chemical substitutes that were available in abundance.

This is why I created nūdus. I wanted to create products to offer a better and clear choice. I wanted products that really make you feel good and look amazing, and something that would go above and beyond my own expectations. Like other people I am my own worst critic, so I didn’t settle until I knew that my first product line of lipsticks ‘lip euphoria’ were the best they could be without compromising on quality and above all, the health of others. 

Why did I start with lipsticks then? Lipstick was always the only makeup product that I would carry around with me in my handbag. Growing up it was the only thing I needed to complete my look. I would always remember my mother telling me not to forget to put my lipstick on. In our household it was a necessity. If I was feeling depressed or under the weather, I would always hear my mother say in the back of my mind “Put on some lipstick it will make you feel better”. My mother believed that lipstick fixes everything! Now that I’m older…I think she may be right!

Tell us about the “lip euphoria” concept. Is this what sets nūdus apart from other lipstick formulas?

When putting the ingredients together for ‘lip euphoria’, my first lipstick line, I did a large amount of research and discovery into the makeup of organic cosmetics. I realised then that it would be possible to make a fully certified organic lipstick by substituting the various chemical ingredients for organic and natural ones. This wasn’t good enough for me and the end results would not have satisfied. ‘Lip Euphoria’ needed to be more than just an organic lipstick, it needed to be a complete lip treatment that contained the most beautiful and beneficial oils, fruits, flowers, plants and herbs. It needed to bring excitement and joy to the lips, mind, body and soul. I wanted it to be the best it could be because we all deserve it.

I was stunned to learn that your formulas are actually handcrafted and that no machinery is used in the process. Can you walk us through production? How does the final product look so perfect?

It was important to us to make these by hand in order to keep the integrity of the ingredients. I feel the end result of the product is far superior to that of a highly processed product. 

No process is automated by machinery, we use old fashioned methods of large melting pots, stirred by hand and then poured into the moulds. They are then respectfully removed and placed in our lipstick containers with love and care. We do small batch runs in order to keep our products fresh for our customers and so that no product sits on the shelf for long periods of time.

Nūdus colors are stunning and richly pigmented beyond belief. You chose to use color extracts from the Ayurvedic tradition. Tell us what that means and why you decided to go that route.

After lots of research it was evident to me that I needed a better solution than what you would typically find in other lipsticks, harsh toxic synthetic dyes and chemical colour enhancements. The colours had be beautiful, vibrant and most of all safe. 

The ayurvedic bioactive colours I used to make the lipsticks are dual purpose, In other words they do not only bring about visual life and beauty but also provide beneficial properties that have been used by ancient healers for thousands of years. The extracts not only provide longer lasting colors, but safer active moisturizing properties, based on this ancient traditional medicinal system. They are all made from flowers, fruits, herbs and minerals just as nature has provided them.

Your formula took two years to perfect. What were the biggest challenges of bringing your product to market?

When I first set out to create ‘Lip Euphoria’ I would have never imagined the challenges I would face or the hoops I had to jump through to really feel good about what I was doing. To imagine the end result was the easiest part. Getting the formula to work using the ingredients I wanted, creating the balance using organic products and making the lipsticks smell nice, last long, be non-drying and feel good was best described as the ‘Never-ending story”.

After a year and half of everlasting trials, determination and an attitude of ‘I’m in too deep to turn back’, I was finally proud of something I would share with other people, my friends and family. I was excited about the happiness and healthy option I could bring to others.

Then there was little thing called certification….

It was great that I was using organic ingredients but little did I know that not all ingredients were created equally. Some products may claim that they are organic or natural but can be far from either. Certain products may be processed by using harsh chemicals to extract oils from plants or by using hydrogen peroxide to bleach bees wax leaving a residue of chemicals and pesticides.

In order to get certified (which was my goal from day one) every single ingredient must be traced and audited back to its origin, every process used for extraction carefully assessed to ensure its safety, cleanliness and integrity. Everything from start to finish must be approved in such a way that most companies don’t or can’t gain this accomplishment.

And after almost 10 months were very proud to say that we are the very first company in Australia to have the COSMOS Organic certification on our lipsticks, certified by Australian Certified Organic (ACO). The ACO is the most recognized certification body in the whole of Australia and throughout the world. We also get audited once a year to make sure we adhere to the strict standards of the certification. We always have full traceability of all ingredients and we know where they come from and most importantly how they are processed. This is true peace of mind for us and more importantly for everyone else. 

There are some unusual and intriguing natural ingredients featured in your lipstick, like eggplant fruit extract and two types of basil extract. Tell us about a few of your favorite ingredients and why you chose to feature them in your lipstick.

I’ve always been interested in beneficial plants and herbs and it would have been great to create a lipstick that’s organic and safe however it was more satisfying to create a lipstick that loved your lips and treated them.

Nūdus is made with 27 active naturals to benefit the lips and body. Some of my favourites include Moringa, Argan, Neem, Shea Butter, Pomegranate, Kiwi, Raspberry, Holy Basil and Turmeric. Each and every one of the ingredients in nūdus has a story to tell and brings about wonderful healing, nourishing and protective qualities. It was really difficult to choose what great ingredients to use and what ones not to use. I researched and fell in love with so many of them so I challenged myself to create a balanced formula with them all!

Naming is such an intimate thing, especially for lipstick colors. How do you choose names for your lipsticks?

The lipsticks were named as a reminder of love, passion, dedication and inspiration. They were drawn from people that inspired me, words that described emotions and feelings that I felt when wearing them and some of them just jumped out at me as if the lipsticks were talking to me themselves.

Do you have a favorite color from your line?

I love them all but my favourite would have to be 27 kisses. It’s my everyday go-to lipstick. It’s a perfect neutral shade that just connects with me on so many levels. If ever I’m undecided on what to wear, I put 27 kisses on and the rest usually works itself out!

To celebrate the launch of nūdus, Integrity Botanicals is giving you 10% off all nūdus products through this Saturday, February 14th. Code: NUDUS. Samples are also available for each color.

Be sure to enter Integrity Botanicals’ nūdus giveaway! 3 winners will get to select a color of their choice.  (Ends this Tuesday, the 17th at 11:59pm PST.  Open to U.S. residents only.)

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