As a cosmetologist, I wanted to share some of my findings and experience with you concerning natural mineral makeup.
Natural mineral makeup has really been popular recently with good reason. It still is a fairly new concept however and there are still people who've never heard about it. It's basically makeup made from finely crushed minerals of various types in powder form.
They have been so popular for several reasons, long lasting and pure, great coverage and look natural, gentle and many are actually good for your skin promoting a clearing of skin conditions. Try different brands to find your favorites.
Personally, I am hypothyroid which means I have super dry skin, alligator skin. Doesn't matter what type of skin care products, etc. I use, I have flaky skin. All my life, no matter what makeup I used, it would be completely absorbed (thus disappearing) after about only 2-3 hours of wearing it. I was also very nervous about mineral makeup because with having super dry skin I avoid powders of all kinds, plus I was worried about it making the flakiness look even worse. I was SO stunned when I first started using mineral makeup on my own skin. The first thing I noticed was after 12 hours of wear, it was still there! No makeup has done that in my entire life. The other thing I noticed was it did not look flaky at all, but very fresh and light. Another benefit of mineral makeup is truly it feels like you are not wearing any cosmetics at all.
Another challenge for my skin in rosacea which is extreme redness and inflammation due to abnormal blood vessel flushing). Green cancels out red, so for those with this try to find a green base or top coat under or over foundation to cancel the red. Works great.
Whatever brand you go for, here are a few tips for using it. Usually less is better. They are very concentrated, so a little goes a long way. It's common to use way too much at first. You can always add another light layer on top if you go too light at first.
Invest in some good quality brushes. They make all the difference in the world, be sure to gently wash them regularly.
If after using small amounts, with good quality brushes, things still don't look right, or you're not thrilled, next look at the possibility that you're simply using the wrong shade. Sometimes it takes experimenting to find what shade is best for your skin. I found with Bare Esentuals, I wore a significantly darker foundation than I ever thought possible, yet it was the perfect shade for me. Be sure to moisturize your skin preferably about a half an hour before applying mineral makeup.
Apply all your makeup except mascara & lipstick. Spritz a fine mist of water on your face, then finish your mascara and lipstick. I find this sets the makeup and gives a very fresh, young looking appearance.
Experiment with the colors and applications. Blush can be used as eyeshadow and vice versa for example. You can also brush some on your lips with a gloss over top.
At first when applying eyeshadow, it will look stark and harsh. Don't be concerned. Just take either a Qtip or clean applicator or brush and keep blending to soften it down. In most cases they come down to the perfect hue.
Ebay many times have great deals on trying different samplers of different brands and colors. You can have a blast trying. Many different companies also sell small samples very reasonably priced to try as well. Remember, a little goes a long way. Have fun trying this wonderful category of makeup.
