ilia
Lipstick

For Ilia’s Sasha Plavsic, eating organic food was never a trend she followed; it’s just something she has always done. The Laguna Beach–based founder grew up in a household where homeopathic remedies and organic food were king, and her mother constantly preached to always study labels when buying something new.

Despite the annoyance of her mother’s repetitive nature, Plavsic ultimately made it a habit to scrutinize whatever she purchased. Exhibit A and the ultimate turning point in creating Ilia: Plavsic picked up a lipstick more than eight years ago that contained PEGS, propylene glycol, parabens, and large amounts of petrochemicals. At that moment she knew she could create something just as luxe, but with safe and healthy ingredients.

Ilia was born in Vancouver in 2011 with a lineup of six Tinted Lip Conditioners infused with certified organic bio-active botanicals (think: organic beeswax, shea butter, and avocado seed oil, among others) that nourish and rejuvenate the lips. “I wasn’t connecting to any clean color brands on the market,” says Plavsic. “To fill the gap, I decided to create a project out of turning my most beloved chapstick into an upgraded organic version that looked nice and could be used on the go.”

Now with an assortment of more than 40 products, Ilia’s hero is still its semi-matte lipsticks. Housed in a sleek recycled aluminum case, each lipstick is filled with ingredients like sesame oil, organic cocoa butter, and rosehip oil.

“This feels lovely on the lips. It has a beautiful texture and lasting power and it’s all-natural, so that’s a massive bonus.”—Georgie Eisdell, makeup artist

“Ilia was my first introduction to the world of high-end green beauty lipsticks that are fully on trend color-wise. Sasha’s base formula is creamy and nondrying, and her color choices are beautiful, ranging from soft neutrals to bold intensities.”—Katey Denno, makeup artist

Saturate lips and build for bolder color. Don’t be surprised if you now share your signature shade with your closest confidantes.