With someone who suffers from acne, this is a good news: mineral makeup is a solution that is not only pleasing to the eyes, but is also recommended by dermatologists the world over to help fight acne and soothe the skin. Because Mineral Makeup is oil free and ground into such a fine powder that it does not clog pores it is ideal for preventing further breakouts.
Mineral makeup is made of all natural minerals extracted from the earth and ground into a fine powder. Different combinations of the minerals produce different colors for a wide range of colors so there is no need for dies or chemicals.
Mineral makeup is not soluable in water and sheilds the skin from moisture getting into the pores when worn. If moisture to get into the pores the bacteria that feeds acne dies. The primary ingredients within mineral makeup are Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide. You may recognise these minerals from the ingredients list on the back of any sunscreen bottle. This is because these minerals are natural sunblocks. Zinc Oxide is also known for it's skin soothing properties.
Mineral makeup is very pleasing to the eye because the powders blend together onto the skin seamlessly and need such a small amount to cover the skin that they look very natural. Both Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide also reflact light and give the face a beautiful glow without looking shiny.
Be sure you check the labels, however for Bismouth Oxychloride, a mineral added to some top name brands to give the makeup a shiny look. Bismouth Oxychloride can irritate acne.
With someone who has dry skin. No matter what makeup you used, it would be completely absorbed (thus disappearing) after about only 2-3 hours of wearing it. But when you use mineral makeup on, after 12 hours of wear, it was still there! No makeup has done that . And the other thing your skin does not look flakey at all, but very fresh and light. Another benefit of mineral makeup is truly it feels like you are not wearing any cosmetics.
I also have the challenge now of rosacea (extreme redness due to intense facial flushing). I have found the brand Aromaleigh to be the best on my skin. It seems to be one of the gentlest of mineral cosmetics as far as foundations are concerned. They also carry a wonderful corrective color of green that you can use under the foundation. Green cancels red, which is why it works on rosacea skin to cover the redness, yet be very gentle at the same time. I tend to prefer Bare Esenctuals however for their blush & eyeshadow colors, they are very beautiful and perform so well.
Whatever brand you go for, here are a few tips for using it.
1. 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.
2. Invest in some good quality brushes. They make all the difference in the world, be sure to gently wash them regularly.
3. 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.
4. Be sure to moisturize your skin preferably about a half an hour before applying mineral makeup.
5. 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.
6. Play with the colors and applications. You can use blush colors as eyeshadow. You can also brush on your lips, then apply some gloss over top.
7. The eyeshadows will tend to look shockingly stark when you first apply them. Don't worry too much about that. After you apply the shadow, take a clean eyeshadow applicator and use it to blend and soften the colors. They will soften right down to the perfect hue in most cases.
