Mineral Makeup

Purple, Pink, Delightful, Mermaid, Blue, Teal

Reader Edda recently started selling her own cosmetics line, EO Cosmetics, on Etsy, and she asked me to review some of the mineral eyeshadows.  I told her to send me colors she thought she liked, and she excelled at that!  The five sample colors she sent are all bold and vibrant, and they’re definitely colors I’d use in a look.  My favorite was Mermaid, which is a pastel-ish like teal with a slightly golden shimmer.  Mineral eyeshadows work best wet, in my experience, because otherwise they just fall out everywhere since they’re loose.  I pretty much treat them like MAC pigments, though EO’s are very finely milled, so they almost feel wet when you use them.  Each color I tried was incredibly pigmented, which is a huge plus.  Pink is a shade I’ve always wanted, but I haven’t found this shade as pigmented as EO’s.

How do you feel about mineral eyeshadows? Do you use them?  Have you ever tried them?

Check out swatches!

Purple, Pink, Delightful, Mermaid, Teal, Blue

Prescriptives’ All Skins Mineral Makeup SPF15 ($32.50) is described as a weightless, long-wearing mineral makeup foundation. It is supposed to be filled with “good-for-you” ingredients. I’ve yet to fall head over heels in love with any mineral foundation; I feel like I get more on my bathroom counter and my shirt (and somehow, I am always wearing black when I try a mineral foundation!) than my face. I also find that loose powders, in general, settle more into the lines and pores of my face, making my skin seem rougher. Prescriptives’ mineral makeup does not share this common trait; I find that it doesn’t settle in the lines around my lips (those pesky smile wrinkles), which is a huge plus for me. So the fact that it doesn’t settle into fine lines makes this a supreme choice for those of us who are experiencing those telltale signs of aging and want to minimize–or at least not emphasize (!)–them.

Any downsides? 

I do feel the product gives you a little bit of a “glow” — it’s not an ultra matte finish, which is what I’m used to (love you, SFF!), but it is a nice treat for minimal days. Add to the fact that it does indeed feel weightless and virtually as if you weren’t wearing makeup, it is a great option for those who haven’t settled on a foundation yet. With eighteen shades to choose from, most should be able to find a shade that matches their skintone. And hey, when all else fails? Px also does some amazing custom blending (well, I have heard this over and over again, haven’t yet succumbed myself…), which is really worth it if you’ve spent years hunting for the perfect color match without luck. This is a light to medium coverage foundation; it starts out light and is buildable up to medium. I personally prefer a medium coverage foundation most often (so long as it feels lightweight!), and this gives me enough coverage to keep it around.

Yes, the product has bismuth in it, though it is far down on the ingredients list. Many of you love BE, which also includes bismuth in it. A lot of people do not react poorly to bismuth (MAC, by the way, uses bismuth in many, many of their products, so you may want to try it), actually. Generally, those who do react feel like their skin is itchy or slight burning sensation.

Find this product and other Prescriptives’ products at www.prescriptives.com.

Jane Iredale is a full-line of mineral-based cosmetics. It first was introduced back in 1994, which makes it one of the more established mineral makeup brands available today.

Some products I enjoyed:

Amazing Base SPF 20 ($42.00) is one of Jane Iredale’s signature and best-selling products. It is a loose mineral foundation that gives a good amount of coverage without having oil, talc, dyes, or parabens. It is considered a water-resistant formula. I like that it has a lot of range in the colors it offers, which is always ideal so customers can choose the appropriate tone for themselves. If you’re not so keen on loose powder, think about trying Liquid Minerals ($46.00), which definitely caught my eye (and I hope to try sometime!).

In Touch Cream Blush ($26.00) comes in five shades, all equally gorgeous. I really enjoyed Charisma for its subtle raspberry color. These mineral cream blushes come in a stick form, which makes application incredibly easy, even on the go.

Active Light ($25.00) is an undereye concealer that comes in liquid form–which I think is great. I find that powder concealers never work quite as well as liquid does for me, though I couldn’t really tell you why. I also like that it comes in the form of a pen, which makes it even easier to apply and really get into the areas I need.

Other products you may be interested in: Jane Iredale Sample Kit ($28.00), Moonglow Bronzer ($46.00), 24K Gold Dust Powder ($34.00), Eye Gloss ($15.00), and LipColour SPF 18 ($19.00).

What could they improve on? Their prices seem a bit all over the map–their foundations are $40 or higher, while they have several lip products and staples under $20. I do feel the foundation seems a bit pricey, but I do like Jane Iredale’s overall quality and feel it may be worth it to those who can afford.

Learn more about the brand at www.janeiredale.com.

gloMinerals was founded by Robin silver-McGee, and their mission is to develop mineral makeup using the best quality pharmaceutical-grade ingredients to create excellent makeup that’s good for the skin. gloMinerals is a full line of mineral makeup, from basics to blush to shadows, to even their own skincare range.

Some products I enjoyed:

gloPressed base ($39.00) comes in a bunch of different skin tones, which makes it great for those who need variety and really want to get a good match. This particular product is one of their bestsellers, as it is a pressed foundation with a matte finish. You can also use the gloMatte finishing powder ($33.50) for longer lasting matte coverage or touch-ups.

gloPerfecting Powder ($33.50) is a translucent powder that acts to absorb oil buildup to keep your finish looking matte, rather than shiny or oily throughout the day. Again, it is a pressed powder, which makes it a convenient tool to carry around with you.

gloShimmer brick ($31.50) is a compact that has four different colors that can easily be used individually or together. What I like about the Shimmer brick is that there is a low level of shimmer, so you get more of a subtle sheen than a glitter mess when used to highlight or add depth to cheeks.

Other products you may be interested in: gloBlemish Stick ($18.00), gloLoose base ($37.00), gloFace Primer ($23.00), gloProtective Liquid Foundation ($30.50), gloDust 24K ($36.50), and gloMoist Lip Treatment ($16.00).

What could they improve on? Their prices are steeper than other popular mineral makeup brands, though they do offer a lot of pressed variations in their mineral makeup line. They also do not seem to have any sample kits available, which can make it difficult to purchase online.

Learn more about the brand at www.glominerals.com.

Have you ever used gloMinerals?  What did you think of the brand?

pur minerals is a mineral makeup brand with both loose and pressed mineral makeup, which makes it a more versatile brand. In addition to the traditional mineral makeup ingredients, they have added shea butter and Vitamin E to help bind their ingredients together. They do not use talc or oil or fillers in their products, either. In addition to their full range of mineral makeup, they also have skincare products available, which I don’t usually see from mineral makeup brands.

Some products I enjoyed:

4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup Foundation with SPF 15 ($24.50) is, according to purminerals, the brand’s “claim to fame.” What I like about the pressed mineral compact is that it allows you to have the benefits of mineral makeup, but without the mess. I have always found that whenever I use a loose mineral powder, more often than not, it gets all over me and the bathroom countertop. There is a good range of colors within the product’s range, but if you are concerned, they also have a split pan version, where you get two shades instead of one (which is especially good for those who change skintones over summer!).

Universal Marble Mineral Powder & Bronzer (Bronze & Brighten) ($21.50) is this gorgeous swirled bronzer that acts to highlight and brighten skin. It is universal, which means it runs lighter and sheerer than super dark or pigmented, but it is buildable, which is what matters in a sheerer product. There is also a Marble Mineral Powder in Pink, which looks incredibly pretty. Aside from bronzer, Pur Radiance Mineral Powder ($21.50) is a great pressed mineral highlighter/blush that gives you that just flushed, glowy complexion.

pur truly has a full line of mineral makeup based cosmetics–not just powders and face products, but lipsticks, glosses, and even lip tints. The Mineral Lip Tint SPF 15 ($16.50) comes in several fun shades, and they’re great for just a hint of color. The Lip Tints come in a sleek, silver tube with twist up color. Don’t forget about their Mineral Eye Defining Pencil with Smudger ($16.50) for waterproof, smudge-proof eye liner that’s mineral based.

Other products you may be interested in: 4-in-1 Loose Mineral Makeup Foundation ($23.50), Mineral Eye Prep ($17.00), Pur-ly Abundant ($16.50), Pressed Mineral Eyeshadow Singles ($12.00),

What could they improve on? There aren’t many loose powder options, which may make some traditional mineral makeup wearers wary or even pass them over. I like pressed mineral makeup, because it’s not as messy and it’s more travel-friendly, but I do think loose mineral makeup is part of the allure of mineral makeup in general. I do not think this is so much a con, as something that differentiates pur from other brands.

Learn more about the brand at www.purminerals.com.

Have you tried this brand?  What was your experience?

sukicolor is a branch of sukipure, which is a natural skincare brand (which I have good luck with in the past, so I was eager to try out their makeup line!). sukicolor fills in an area often overlooked by mineral makeup lines, which is cream-based makeup. sukicolor is “fresh finish mineral cream makeup.”

Some products I enjoyed:

Tinted Active Moisturizer SPF ($45.95) comes in two colors (Natural and Bronze), which means it may be limiting for some skintones. However, I’m medium-toned, and Bronze worked out for me. Because it is a tinted moisturizer, the color itself is still rather sheer and blendable, so you don’t end up getting a super dark foundation color or anything, if you don’t need it. suki recommends adding two pumps of this to your moisturizer, blending together before applying, for lighter skin tones.

Triple Cream Eye Definer ($41.95) has seven shades to choose from, and iti s a 3-in-1 product. These creamy balms can be used to highlight, liner, shadow, or as brow fillers. I personally used the Amber shade, and I preferred it as a liner or brow filler over other ways (only because I prefer powder shadows).

Pure Cream Stain ($40.15) also comes in seven shades ranging from the lightest (Sandstone) to the deepest (Vermillion). The shade I tried was Dahlia, a creamy reddish-brown blush/lip stain. Even being one of the darkest shades, it is still just a tint, so don’t let it scare you! I loved how creamy it was, and I liked that it didn’t go on super pigmented, because I could build it up and blend it out without worrying I needed to defuse the clown-effect of more pigmented cream blushes. (Hey, if you’ve ever worn cream blush, you know you need to get it perfect before it dries–which isn’t that much time–so buildable is preferrable over ultra pigmented.) I think I’d love to try Opal, Nectar, and Vermillion in the future. What I also like about this stain is that it is suitable and advocated to use on both the lips and cheeks, which means it does double-duty AND you can match, if that’s your thing (and it IS my thing, ha!).

Other products you may be interested in: Liquid Formula Concealer ($41.95), Rich Pigment Mascara ($33.95), & various brushes (varies).

What could they improve on? Price. There are a plethora of mineral makeup brands, albeit most of them focus on powder versus cream/liquid, but very few of them reach the price point of sukicolor. I’m completely satisfied with sukicolor quality and packaging, but I do feel that the price will put a lot of potential customers off.

Learn more at www.sukicolor.com.

Have you tried any of sukicolor’s products?  What do you think?

IsaDora was launched in 1983 in Sweden, provides fragrance-free products that have not been tested on animals. IsaDora has their own mineral make-up branch that contains a wide range of products.

Some stand outs we found from testing:

Mineral Translucent Powder ($18.00) reminds us a lot of a traditional loose setting powder, but it is smoother and finer. It melts into your skin to help reduce the appearance of fine lines and pores to the eye (not permanently or anything - the powder basically sinks in and fills in the lines). It works incredibly well with IsaDora’s selection of mineral makeup brushes ($10-14.00).

Speaking of kabuki brushes, IsaDora’s Mineral Body Kabuki Brush ($19.00) is fantastic. It’s a huge (duh, body-sized) kabuki brush that works really well with the Mineral Body Glow ($20.00). It can be used on the face, though the size of it makes it more difficult. Mineral Body Glow is a shimmering pink body glow used mostly for highlighting.

Other products you may like: Mineral Foundation Powder ($18.00), Mineral Blush Powder ($16.00), Mineral Compact Powder ($17.00), Mineral Powder Concealer ($12.00), Mineral Eye Shadow ($10.00).

What could they improve? IsaDora’s mineral make-up line is not extensive when it comes to the color ranges of their mineral eyeshadows and blushes.

Learn more about Isadora at www.isadora.com.

What exactly is mineral makeup?

Mineral makeup are products that contain all natural minerals found in the earth.  It lacks certain ingredients like preservatives, chemicals, and dyes that are prevelant in the typical cosmetic market.  With the push for eco-friendly makeup, green makeup, and simply trying to go more natural with our beauty routines, mineral makeup has really taken off.

Is it better for you?

This is still a debateable subject.  It really depends just how natural or organic your makeup is, and whether or not is has been qualified by an organization to have met certain, rigorous standards.  Some say that the ingredients found in mineral makeup have been used for decades in traditional makeup.  Others point out the fact that there are simply less ingredients, especially known irritants and comedogenics, which make it better for the skin.

Who might like it?

• Those with sensitive skin may find this a great alternative because many mineral makeup lines that are available have significantly less potentially irritating ingredients.
• Those with acne-prone skin may find the lack of comedogenic ingredients a huge plus, because they don’t have to think about which of the many comedogenic ingredients are causing their breakouts.  Instead, they make the switch to mineral.  Of course, it will depend on the cause, type, prevalence, and an assortment of factors, on whether or not mineral makeup solves your acne issues or if it is only part of the solution.
• Those with oilier skin may find that the wide range of mineral powders appealing.  Of course, many mineral powders are milled so finely that dry skin can get away with it, and with the popularity of natural makeup, companies have started producing liquid and cream versions.
• Those who hate the feel of foundation or powders.  Mineral makeup does tend to be lighter, especially because it is such a finely milled powder product.

You’re going to have to do your homework.

If you really want it to be natural or organic or truly mineral, you have to pay attention to ingredient lists, company philosophies, and have a keen eye to see whether brands are touting themselves as approved or guaranteed or some sort of message that conveys their ingredients have undergone inspection or verification.

Watch for questionable ingredients like bismuth, which many people have skin issues with, and it is technically considered a mineral ingredient.  Bismuth is a skin irritant for some, and it has been known to contribute to acne.  Many products use bismuth to help add bulk to them.  Like most potentially irritating ingredients, if it is listed towards the end of the ingredient list, it is likely to be a non-issue.

How do you feel about mineral makeup?  Do you think it’s better for your skin as its often touted? 

Mary Kay Mineral Powder Foundation ($28.00)

The face is like a fresh canvas – Mary Kay® Mineral Powder Foundation provides the ideal base for transforming the face into a masterpiece of color.  The consistency is lightweight and buildable, allowing women to determine their own preferred coverage level and desired color impact.  With a sweep of the brush, the multitasking powder-based foundation glides on easily, blends seamlessly and hugs the skin for long-lasting coverage.  Mary Kay® Mineral Powder Foundation controls shine and instantly conceals minor skin imperfections, helping to create a glamorous finish like those produced by professional makeup artists.

What I liked:  First, I found that Beige 2 was a good color-match for my skintone, and I always seem to have trouble finding a suitable shade when it comes to mineral makeup, so that was a pleasant surprise.  You get a nice amount for the price, and I feel like the jar would last me at least six months, if not more.  Since it is a powder, the shelf life is even better than a liquid foundation, since it is harder (almost impossible) for powders to harber bacteria (which like wet and moist environments, e.g. liquids).  It is incredibly fine milled, making it easier to pick up and buff onto the skin.  The biggest secret to mineral makeup is buffing it into the skin, rather than just placing it on it.  The more you buff, the more it works into the skin and becomes “one” with it (ha!).  It is a soft, buildable mineral foundation, though I would say it tops off at light-medium coverage, so those who want heavy coverage should probably still opt for heavy creams and/or liquids.  
 
What I didn’t like:  Nothing stuck out about this that made me go, “Grr!”  The packaging could be a bit more sleek/aesthetically pleasing, perhaps, but I think that’s such a minor (and not to mention, superficial!) detail that can easily be overlooked.  I think they should promote a buffer brush with this, just because I find that works much better than any other powder brush!  The color range only includes six shades, which makes it fairly limited in my eyes, so I’m not sure how our lightest/darkest ladies will fair in finding an appropriate match.