Many years ago a friend of mine who owns a spa turned me onto mineral makeup. I had been complaining about not wearing makeup, because my skin was breaking out, and it just felt disgusting after wearing liquid base for a couple of hours. She sat me down, applied GloLoose base and asked me to wear it for a day and see how I felt. I instantly fell in love and I haven't looked back since.
Why mineral makeup? Several reasons. The coverage is amazing. I've found nothing else that covers my leopard spots (how I jokingly refer to my hyperpigmentation), it doesn't settle into my wrinkles after a couple of hours like every liquid or other powdered base that I've tried, my skin doesn't feel greasy after a couple of hours and the brand I use provides sunscreen protection as well.
There are some ingredients to be aware of when looking for mineral makeup. If it contains talc or cornstarch don't even bother. These ingredients can clog pores, asphyxiate the skin and cause breakouts. Cornstarch isn't a mineral so why should it be in mineral makeup! It's a cheap filler and can give skin a less oily appearance, but so does blotting with a tissue and that's much safer.
Another biggie on the no list are parabens. Parabens are used as a preservative and are considered toxic. I must confess, however, my favorite mineral makeup does contain parabens. It also contains natural ingredients such as green tea and several vitamins so it's not 100% mineral. If any ingredients in your mineral makeup have a name ending with paraben, then it contains them.
The last ingredient that people with sensitive or acneic skin may want to avoid is bismuth oxychloride, which is added to cosmetics to give a dewy or glowing appearance. Once again, my favorite mineral makeup contains it, but it's never caused any issues with my skin and I love the dewy appearance that it gives. Matte makeup on anyone with fine lines or aging skin does not look so good (unless you care to resemble Baby Jane).
Some of the positive ingredients in mineral makeup are: titanium dioxide (sunscreen), zinc dioxide (sunscreen, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial) and mica (gives a creamy smooth feel). These ingredients are safe as long as they are not micronized, which would allow them to penetrate the skin, where they are considered toxic.
When you're new to mineral makeup you may need to practice a bit to get it right. First you need to make sure the color is right for your skin. This can be done through a consultation at a store/salon/spa that offers mineral makeup or by trial and error. If you're going to go it alone then apply the makeup to your jawline and check to make sure that it blends in with your skin tone in natural light. Too light and you'll look ghostly and too dark will make you look like you've just had a bad spray tan.
Once you've got a good color match use a concealer brush to cover up any spots, dark circles or blemishes. You'll be amazed at the coverage you get with a tiny amount. You should apply your concealer first, then the base and concealer again if necessary, followed by another coat of base. The more coats the heavier the coverage so you'll have to experiment to find your "best" look. If you're combating dark circles you should try a yellowish tone, for blemishes or redness go with a green based tone and to combat bruises or a dull complexion go with a peachy color. The best bet is to buy a small amount of mineral makeup in your concealer color and a larger jar for your overall complexion.
There are a variety of brushes that you can use, but here are some basics. Use a synthetic flat brush for the concealer or make it easy on yourself and just buy a brush that's labeled concealer (it will be synthetic). You can use a rounded kabuki brush for your base (lighter coverage) or a flat kabuki (heavier coverage). The kabuki brush can be either synthetic or natural. I prefer a natural brush myself as I find it holds the powder better and it creates less of a mess.
Tap some of the powder base into the cap and dip your brush into it, tapping off any excess powder. Touch the brush to the face starting at the top of the forehead along the hair line and buff the mineral makeup into the skin in a circular motion. Repeat this all over the face from top to bottom. Study your face for even coverage and repeat application if necessary. I find that 2 applications works great for me, depending on your skin you may use more or less.
If you're using a mineral blush apply in the same buffing method, but start from the area closest to your ear and buff outward towards the apples of your cheeks. This is useful if you're new to mineral makeup and not sure how much to use. When I first started with mineral blush I would buff it into the apples of my cheeks and move backward, but unfortunately I ended up looking like a circus clown and rubbing most of it off with a tissue.
If you're using mineral eyeshadow then remember less is more. The pigments in mineral makeup can be very intense. You should apply it in the same manner as any other eyeshadow, just remembering to tap off any excess powder and start out with less than you normally would.
The last, and I think the most important, step in applying mineral makeup is to set the powder. Eventually your skins oils will help to set the makeup and reduce the powdery appearance, but I don't have the time or patience for that. If you feel that your skin looks too shiny after applying your setting spray you can use a tissue and blot the excess. You can purchase a setting spray or make one on your own. There are a variety of them out on the market, but why pay $10+ for a product that is mostly water. To make your own use distilled water (can be found in most grocery stores) and use a bottle that provides a very fine mist. You can add ingredients such as hyaluronic acid (excellent for moisturizing and carried at many natural food stores or purchased online), or a small amount of an essential oil (I love carrot seed for moisturizing).
I am a huge fan of mineral makeup and after giving it a try you may be too.
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