I was recently asked what one beauty product I couldn’t live without. This was a hard question – should I choose a nourishing face oil like the Holistic Vanity Comforting Camellia Oil? Or maybe my favorite gentle wash and make-up removed (Pure + Simple’s Sensitive Skin Cleansing Milk)? Oooh, ohhh, or the terrific tubes of Kiss Me Mascara? How can a girl choose just one? Well, when I cleared my mind and had a good think, it was all so clear: my mineral make up pressed powder. This handy lil’ product has gotten me through some tough times – acne break outs, sensitivity flare ups….and that post-jungle Thai bonanza where I was bitten on the face with twenty mosquito bites. But while I revisited all my thanks to mineral cosmetics, I realized that I haven’t done an actual post about the magic of this type of make up and why its so dear to me as a natural skincare enthusiast. So, in case you didn’t already know – read on to understand why Mineral Make Up transcends beauty trends and how to apply it for the more flawless finish.
Multi-Benefits with Natural Minerals
Real mineral make up is made up of 100% pressed or loose minerals. Ex — zinc, titanium, iron etc. There should be no corn starch (this is drying) and definitely no talc (even more drying). This purity provides a natural sunscreen as well as excludes irritating or clogging ingredients that chemical-based cosmetics contain. If it is simply made up of natural minerals (pressed with wax or oil etc), like the Pure + Simple Mineral Make Up line, it is completely natural and does not include any chemical dyes or perfumes which are known to clog or irritate the skin. Zinc is one of the skin treating components in a mineral cosmetic line. It is anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory as well as a natural sun block. This is perfect for Rosacea, acne, allergic + aging skin types as it soothes + purifies the skin. The minerals in these products also comprise the make up’s pigment, so unlike most make-up products which have a base in which they add chemical dyes to, its color is from the minerals themselves (Therefore it is 100% pigment). This means that it has no chemical fillers as well as it possesses amazing long-lasting abilities. The minerals also have powerful staying power that maintains water-resistance for up to forty minutes.
Multi-purpose Mineral Cosmetics
You can use many mineral cosmetics in many different ways. For instance, you can use a blush as an eye shadow. Because they are all made up of the same ingredients (and should not contain drying talc or corn starch – so will not dry out the delicate eye area), they are essentially “face colors” that you can decide to use wherever you want. One colleague of mine actually used to add some of her blush to a lip balm to make a tinted lip stain even!
Mineral make up also has an amazing finish so its also called a “Four in One” – a concealer, liquid foundation, podwer and SPF. I know that not everyone has had a great experience with mineral make up, but if you choose a line that has no drying ingredients and double milled minerals, you’ll never go back to conventional cosmetics. This formulation again does not contain drying ingredients, like talc or cornstarch, so it does not go on cakey, powdery and flaky like traditional powders, making more of a dual finish product. The light-reflecting properties of the minerals actually create a look that brightens and hides imperfections on the skin, hence the concealing claim. Did I mention that Obama wears mineral make up? But its all in how you apply it.
Application: How to get the best finish from Mineral Make up
You can brush on or sponge on these minerals. Like most powders, mineral pressed or loose powders are pretty straight forward: apply evenly with a clean brush or sponge. But it is important to apply the powder in layers, so if more opaqueness is desired, simply build upon another layer and apply again so not to apply disproportionately on the face. This will also give equal amounts of sun protection all over the face.
The tricky part of applying this make-up is that skin must be moist underneath. If the skin feels dry, the powder will not hold onto the skin properly. For very dehydrated skin I apply a rich moisturizer or face oil underneath. Think of it as a natural primer! Even oily skin with dehydration can use a natural face oil, this makes the finish look seamless and similar to a liquid foundation.
Use a plant water like the Holistic Vanity Calendula Tonic to soften makeup. This comes in a pump, but I just transfers some to a mini mister bottle that’s small enough to put in my purse!
After applying your minerals to moisturized skin, combat powderiness with a spritz of water or hydrosol. This softens up your make up and makes it look like your natural skin as well as sets it so it doesn’t move or fade during the day. This is a must-do. You can wait for your natural face oils (sebum) to mix in with the make up and do the same thing, but you can get a flawless finish in a jiffy with quick mist of the face.
So, if you’ve had problems working with mineral make up, try these tips. Hopefully you’ll see why I think its my most essential beauty product – that way you too can enjoy truly natural, chemical-free cosmetics.
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