Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Mineral Foundation

When most people think about foundation, we think about traditional liquid foundation. However, foundation comes in many forms. One of those forms is mineral foundation

What is it? Mineral foundation, is foundation in a powder format. It's available loose or pressed, and offers more coverage than traditional pressed or setting powder.This is a great choice for those who don't like the feel of makeup on their skin.  These powders blend into the skin creating a natural flawless look. If you do wear liquid or cream foundation, mineral powder can be used as a setting powder for additional coverage.

Who should try it? Mineral foundation is a great pick for those with oily skin. Certain brands are also good for those with sensitive skin. This is my foundation of choice for men.  If you have dry skin, I recommend prepping the skin with a good moisturizer, moisturizing primer or serum and/or finishing with a moisturizing setting spray

Which brand is best? 

Like all makeup products, there are a ton of brands to try. I've tested quite a few, and here are a few of my favorites. All brands listed here are cruelty-free (not tested on animals).

E.L.F. which stands for Eyes, Lips, Face is the most affordable of the bunch. This mineral foundation comes in light, medium or dark.  Each container has four shades within it, so that you can custom mix your shade. For example, the Dark foundation pictured below comes with Almond, Toffee, Dark and Deep.  You simply move the dial to open up your desired color, and dispense it into the lid or a separate palette.  You can mix different shades from the container in your palette or lid to create the best match for your skin color.


Another affordable brand is Nuance by Salma Hayek. This mineral powder comes in a pressed format, making it ideal for carrying with you in your bag. This powder comes in Light, Light/Medium, Medium/Deep and Deep. This powder is extremely pigmented as you can see by the below pictured swatch. You can purchase this mineral powder at CVS Pharmacy or cvs.com.


For those with sensitive skin, or looking for a vegan alternative, I highly recommend the mineral foundation from Christopher Drummond Beauty. Unlike the two previous products mentioned, this one does not contain any Bismuth, an ingredient that is irritating to many people. This makeup line was created by a makeup artist and each jar is fitted with a sifter making it easy to dispense the perfect amount of product. This is available for purchase on its own, or in a set at christopherdrummond.com

 brush not included

Another great mineral foundation to try if you prefer a pressed version is CoverFx. This high-end brand comes in a large variety of shades and is also Bismuth free.

How do I apply Mineral Makeup?
The absolute best way that I have found to apply mineral foundation is with a flat top brush. I recommend picking up an even amount of product on the bristles and buffing it into your skin. With all of these products, you should start with a tiny amount, and add more to build coverage as needed.  Mineral makeup can also be applied with a damp sponge for a more opaque finish. Many of the compact versions come with a traditional powder puff ideal for touch ups.


Here are some of the brushes that I recommend:


From top to bottom (above): Real Techniques Buffing Brush (budget friendly), E.L.F. Powder Brush (budget friendly), Sigma F80 Flat Top Synthetic Kabuki (pro)

Christopher Drummond Beauty also sells their mineral foundation in a kit that comes with a vegan flat top brush that works wonderfully.

If you want to try mineral foundation before purchasing it Everyday Minerals offers a "Try Me" section on their website, where you can choose 7 samples of various shades to have shipped to your home, you only have to pay for shipping. These samples are available at www.everydayminerals.com

1 comment:

  1. I love to use mineral foundation whenever I make up. The mineral foundation will help my skin become clearer so the makeup will be more natural

    ReplyDelete

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