Thread: Make the Most of Your Minerals!

Makeup, of course...

Some things I rediscovered during my travels that made me believe in minerals again:

1) A flat-top kabuki brush will pull the skin less and deposit product evenly.

2) Use a silicone primer to fill pores and uneven areas of the skin for smoother coverage.

3) Do you know why you apply in circles, at a 90-degree angle to the skin? Applying mineral makeup in circles helps deposit product into uneven areas and pores more evenly, giving that flawless finish. Also, circle clockwise as well as counterclockwise over the same area for complete coverage.

4) Apply only where you need it!

5) Use 2 shades for more contouring and highlighting effects. Apply a slightly lighter shade in the areas where you reflect light: middle of the forehead, tip of the nose, flesh of the cheeks just under the eyes, and tip of the chin. To contour the face and create definition, use the slightly darker shade underneath the cheek bones, along the top of the hairline, and at the jaw line.

6) Once you swirl your brush into the lid to pick up product, tap the handle of the brush (brush is upside down) to get minerals further down the hair shaft for gradual and even coverage.

7) The finely milled mica in mineral makeup makes it reflective and, therefore, effective in refracting light from and hiding "flaws". This is also why it can tend to get shiny. If you are concerned about shine, cover with a matte powder (such as the "Mineral Veil" product from Bare Minerals).

Happy Mineral Makeup!

Thank you. I do use 2 colors and the flat top buki brush. Would a silicone primer clog my pores?

Once again we are indebted to you knowledge, Oh Marvellous MakeUp One! I just replenished my supply of B.E. Mineral Veil, too - Yea! But what's a flat top buki brush?

Originally Posted by LizzyDancer

Thank you. I do use 2 colors and the flat top buki brush. Would a silicone primer clog my pores?

The primer, as the mineral makeup, will fill but not clog pores.

Originally Posted by Lesgemini_Zafirah

Once again we are indebted to you knowledge, Oh Marvellous MakeUp One! I just replenished my supply of B.E. Mineral Veil, too - Yea! But what's a flat top buki brush?

Anything like these would work, honey!

Originally Posted by Lesgemini_Zafirah

Once again we are indebted to you knowledge, Oh Marvellous MakeUp One! I just replenished my supply of B.E. Mineral Veil, too - Yea! But what's a flat top buki brush?

This is the flat top kabuki brush that I use:
Heavenly Face Brush

I've had a lot better results since switching to that one from their regular kabuki brushes.

Azhia, thank you for the tips!

I mix Bare Minerals "Fair" and "Light" foundations together to create my own custom blend of "Fairly Light"--I look forward to experimenting with using the two different shades for contouring and highlighting!

You're most welcome! Just doin' my job! ;0)

Oh, Thank You! I've been thinking about buying some mineral makeup for a while now. Now I'm definitely gonna head to the Bare Minerals stre in LA and get the set!

Thanks for the tips! I love mineral makeup. Also, I recently bought the Ecotools kabuki brush and I love it! It's soft on my face and really improved the coverage over that of the bare minerals brush.

Re the silicone primer - Can you recommend one or two good ones? I have never used one before and have sensitive skin (if that matters). Thank you for this thread - I have put my minerals away in a drawer, and this made me want to get them out and use again.

Thanks,
-Devora

Are there some people the mineral makeup just doesn't work for? I've been soooo disappointed in how it looks on me.

The shine factor brings out little wrinkles in my skin that I literally didn't know I had!! Very depressing experience. And if I have to cover it with another powder anyway...well, why not just use liquid foundation?

Originally Posted by Devora

Re the silicone primer - Can you recommend one or two good ones? I have never used one before and have sensitive skin (if that matters). Thank you for this thread - I have put my minerals away in a drawer, and this made me want to get them out and use again.

Thanks,
-Devora

My personal favorite has always been Velvet Skin Coat.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Are there some people the mineral makeup just doesn't work for? I've been soooo disappointed in how it looks on me.

The shine factor brings out little wrinkles in my skin that I literally didn't know I had!! Very depressing experience. And if I have to cover it with another powder anyway...well, why not just use liquid foundation?

There is no way to take shine away from milled mica crystals. It was interesting in that one of my instructors indicated that it was the reflectiveness of the minerals was what made it appropriate for mature skin. I don't know what he does to apply it but if it doesn't work for you, despite how many times and methods you've attempted, use what does.
Have you tried a silicone primer or a shade that is not too light?

Liza Gibbons developed a mineral product called "Sheer Coverage." It is a proprietary formula, so even BM does not have the same formula. What I found fascinating about SC was that it improved the skin's apperance as the day wore on b/c the oils that rose to the surface of the skin interacted with the minerals, improving its translucency and dewy-ness. I saw it applied on a model who did not even need concealer b/c of the coverage. I later rode home on the plane with the same model much later in the day and her skin did look more natural and still even.

I don't know if this would work for the lines but my intuition tells me that moisture and the oils working with the product would help to minimize lines.

Thanks, Azhia, for the primer reference!

-Devora

I like #6: tap the brush upside down to distribute product down in the brush. Azhia you ROCK!

Originally Posted by Devora

Re the silicone primer - Can you recommend one or two good ones? I have never used one before and have sensitive skin (if that matters). Thank you for this thread - I have put my minerals away in a drawer, and this made me want to get them out and use again.

Thanks,
-Devora

I like Philosophy's "Never let them see you shine" primer. It comes in a tube and is a gel like. A little goes a long way. I have oily skin so it really helps me.

Originally Posted by HOOKEDNOVICE

I like #6: tap the brush upside down to distribute product down in the brush. Azhia you ROCK!

Hee...I can't take credit for it.

But I thought it was a fabulous tip as well!

Originally Posted by Devora

Re the silicone primer - Can you recommend one or two good ones? I have never used one before and have sensitive skin (if that matters). Thank you for this thread - I have put my minerals away in a drawer, and this made me want to get them out and use again.

Thanks,
-Devora

Devora,

I have sensitive skin as well. I have used the MAC primer but recently got some samples of Smashbox Photofinish primer from the Sephora store at local JC Penneys. They make several versions and Sephora gave me little sample pots of each. Smashbox primer also comes in color correcting formulas as well as a primer formula for aging skin and one for sensitive skins. So far none of them has caused any problems. I like using primer because it skim the surface of the skin and makes makeup applicationa and removal much easier.

Souzan

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Are there some people the mineral makeup just doesn't work for? I've been soooo disappointed in how it looks on me.

The shine factor brings out little wrinkles in my skin that I literally didn't know I had!! Very depressing experience. And if I have to cover it with another powder anyway...well, why not just use liquid foundation?

Lauren,

I found that moisturizing and using a primer immediately before applying the minerals prevents that from happening.

Souzan

Hi Devora,
I read other makeup forums and many mineral users swore by: Ocean potion Anti-Aging Sunblock SPF 50 (huge tube for around $8.00? at Walmart, Rimmel makeup primer (which is pretty inexpensive too about $6.00- $7.00 at Walmart) and Smashbox Photo Light Finish Primer, but quite pricey.
I actually don't care for the shiny look of minerals, and seem to actually makes my large pores more noticable.
Ululani

Originally Posted by Ululani

I actually don't care for the shiny look of minerals, and seem to actually makes my large pores more noticable.
Ululani

This is definitely a common problem. Use a silicone primer first and make sure to circle the product clockwise and counterclockwise onto the skin. Incomplete coverage will make the pores look larger.

Thanks also, Souzan and Ululani for the additional primer options - yep, that's me, sensitive AND aging skin, LOL!!!

Without the primer (which I've not purchased/tried yet), I also had the effect of the mineral make-up over-emphasizing wrinkles, similar to what occurs when someone with crepe-y eyelids uses a very frosted eyeshadow. However, even without the primer, I did notice (as mentioned in one of Azhia's posts about LG's mineral formula) an unexpected improvement in the appearance after a few hours, when oils from my skin (which is pretty dry) must have come to the surface and interacted with the powder. So I'm looking forward to getting the primer and seeing whether the BM makeup looks better on initial application.

-Devora

Thanks to some great samples from Sephora, I'm auditioning different primers. Today I tried Bare Escentuals Prime Time and it made the mineral application smoother than usual.

Originally Posted by Ululani

I actually don't care for the shiny look of minerals, and seem to actually makes my large pores more noticable.

I don't like the "glowy" look that comes from mineral formations that contain bismuth oxychloride (good thing too, since it makes my face itch when I sweat) I don't really understand why the majority of brands include it.

Ululani, I know Antimony will agree with me (she got me started with this brand:)

Try Everyday Minerals. They don't contain bismuth. AFter using Bare Escentuals, I am a convert. they are cheaper too. Thanks again Antimony!