Mineral Make-Up Mania!

Mineral foundation has been a growing trend over the last decade, Jane Iredale was the first to discover the benefits of mineral make-up to the skin with her signature brand, shortly followed by i.d Bare Escentuals, both are considered leaders in the mineral make-up field & have created a cult following not to mention that Bare Escentuals is now the number one selling foundation in the US, so it's no wonder many other brands are now following suit with their own take on the mineral miracle!!

Mineral make-up is basically based on titanium and zinc oxide which both occur naturally, they also provide spf 15 and with zinc having anti-inflammatory properties the make-up is great for skin conditions such as rosacea and acne. Another great plus is it can be worn after waxing as well as any abrasive facial treatments to help heal the skin.

The powdered foundation is used as one step only, no need for concealer & powder to set, some people have found this has proven a little tricky to apply & get an even finish, especially those with dry skin, here's some tips on getting the most from your mineral make-up -

1 - Start by applying to clean moisturised skin.
2 - When applying Mineral foundation it is essential to have the right brush, use one with a high density of hair, short, firm & soft.
3 - Make sure you don't put too much on your brush, it is very highly pigmented so a little goes a long way, you press the head of the brush directly against the holes of the sifter, tip the whole pot upside down, and then lift the brush off of the sifter, there should be a light dusting of powder on the brush head and that amount should be enough to cover at least one cheek, if not the whole face.
4 - To finish off make sure you buff in order to create a smooth appearance, buffing with the brush brings out the qualities in the minerals to give a glowing finish to the make-up, take your brush in firm circular motions & spread the make-up around the cheeks, down the jaw line & over the nose, repeat a few times & you will see the results with a flawless finish..!

As mentioned many of the large cosmetic firms are now producing their own mineral foundation, most recently including Revlon & Maybelline and now Mac have just released their Mineralize SPF15 Foundation (£22.50), a powdered foundation which promises to provide the skin with a smooth radiant & natural finish while keeping the skin, healthy, nourished & conditioned, definitely worth testing it out!