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?

Alima Cosmetics is an all-mineral makeup brand. In their introduction, they state that their products are free of irritants and are 100% natural, thus suitable for all skin types and shades. One of the great things about Alima is that they even have a 101 section for beginners. When you have a brand that is solely about mineral makeup, the selection is much larger–this is something I really liked. I also like that they provide ingredient lists to their products that aren’t buried within the site. Also, when you look at swatches, they have some of the better swatches I have seen overall–the colors seem fairly accurate and true-to-color.

Some products I enjoyed:

Satin Matte Foundation ($18.95) is a lightweight loose mineral foundation that gives decent coverage for a powder foundation. It also has titanium dioxide and zinc oxide (which are both SPF ingredients), while the mica minimizes lines and imperfections. The finish is matte, which is makes it more suitable to normal-to-oily skinned users, but I didn’t find this too drying or even too matte that it wouldn’t work on those with slightly dry skin.

For those of you who like more traditional cosmetics and may not feel like hitching your wagon to the mineral makeup trend, there are still great ways to enjoy it that don’t include replacing your liquid foundations and foundation brushes! I really liked their Illuminating Shimmer Powders ($14.00), because they’re super finely milled highlighters that look so natural and glowy. My favorite was Nectar, described as a “luscious apricot-gold.” There’s about nine different ones to choose from–ranging from very light (Luna) to bronze (Cafe).

Need a face primer? Alima has you covered with their Balancing Primer Powder ($14.00), which helps your mineral foundation stay on better throughout the day–especially if your face gets oily.  They also have Color Balancing Powders ($14.00) to fix certain problems or cancel out pigmentation in the skin (like redness).

Other products you may be interested in: Mineral Finishing Powder ($14.00), Luminous Shimmer Blush ($14.00), Satin Matte Blush ($14.00), Pearluster Eyeshadow ($8.50), and their brushes (varies in price).

What could they improve on? Nothing really. I suppose wanting to be able to see everything in-person, before you buy, is a dream. Besides, you can get samples of just about everything for no more than $1.00, which makes trying the brand infinitely easier.

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.