Couleur Caramel

January 22, 2017

Written by Astrid

A few weeks before Christmas I had the pleasure of visiting the team Couleur Caramel in their headquarter. The pioneer of organic cosmetics and natural make-up, present in more than 30 countries and in numerous institutes in France, was born near Valence, between the ravioles and the pogne the 2 local specialties.

It is a wooden building in which I am welcomed, the entrance breathes well-being, a basin is drawn on the ground, at the bottom one can see pretty white pebbles. The space is clear, clean, airy. In a few minutes you feel more relaxed. The ambience perfectly matches the brand’s image. A brand landed 15 years ago that appeared a bit like a UFO in the field of traditional cosmetics. I knew the brand of course, I had never used their products so I took advantage of a full tour to learn a little more.

Before my visit I did not really realize the challenge that was the realization of organic makeup. Classic cosmetics use chemically created products that can be the same for years without moving. Organic cosmetics uses natural products, which are more limiting since one from one harvest to another the colors may be different. As a flower will never be exactly the same. And this is where things get complicated: how to find exactly the hue that made a carton last year? It is behind the scenes that chemists orchestrate changes, test new formulations and try to get as close as possible to the desired result by juggling the ingredients at their disposal to adapt to nature.

You should also know that it takes about a year between the development of a product and its production. You have here a global image of creation in the bio, I was far from imagining all that. For information about fifty new products come out every year.

The organic industry is very controlled. Tests on humans, test of conservation, allergic test eyes and skin, control of formulas, control of the packaging. Sending raw materials to certification bodies. Files to mount for certifications. Creating an organic cosmetic product is not easy. It’s not a long, quiet river. But then why to embark on this niche? This is the question I asked the man behind Color Caramel Cedric Ferreol. “Because it did not exist”. He also admits that being in the Drôme the first French organic department is not a fact foreign to this launch. We also draw inspiration from the environment in which we operate.

The first demonstration box of Couleur Caramel story

What I particularly appreciated during my visit is the progressive approach they have and the tolerance they show. They are not extremists in the bio and make the choice to privilege the quality of the product rather than organic at all costs. This is why some products are certified organic, others are natural, others are even vegan.

We feel a real passion in their profession but also a way of life. Sensitivity to the environment is everywhere.

My review on the products.

I was able to buy a voucher to do some shopping and test the products. My choice was first on 2 lipsticks since this is what I wear the most (I do not make up much for info) and I was curious to test the pigmentation and the holding of an RAL organic. I also chose a corrector stick, I usually use (and rarely in fact) the Touche Eclat of Yves Saint Laurent to hide the few imperfections of the face. Finally I tested the washable cleansing wipes, a product that I was curious to test for a while, it was the opportunity. (Find the link to all the products by clicking on the photos).

Very satisfied with the wipes which are large enough to offer several uses, ideal when traveling for example and a very good gesture for nature who is tired of seeing us spend dozens of disposable wipes per week.
The stick is very covering, the material very nice, product also validated ^^
Lipsticks: the first is less covering than the second but it surely comes from color. The former brings more an iridescent effect than covering unlike the latter. I also recommend.

To know about Couleur Caramel:

This is the official makeup brand of the famous show “Dance with the stars”, if you want to be made up like Caroline Receveur to know what you have to do.
It is also the partner of the Cannes Film Festival and the NRJ Music Awards. Just that.
Its founder is also the founder of Spizza Grand Mère, one of the pillars of the delivery of pizzas on the Valence conurbation, which he has since resold. Also known as “my official pizza delivery” when I was a commercial a few years ago.