How to Use Mineral Makeup to Accentuate Your Beauty

Bare Essentials Mineral Makeup

Mineral makeup is the current rave in the beauty industry. With minimal additives and perfumes, mineral makeup is supposed to be good for all types of skin ranging from dry to acne prone. While the concept of this growing trend is simple, there are certain things you need to know. Here are a few steps that will enable you to use mineral makeup to accentuate your own beauty.

Things You’ll Need:

• Finishing spray
• Mineral makeup foundation
• Skunk brush or kabuki brush

How to use Mineral Makeup to Accentuate Your Beauty

Step1

Do your research. There are many brands of mineral makeup out there including Bare Minerals, Sheer Cover and Everyday Minerals, just to name a few. In the world of mineral makeup, different brands really do make a difference. Some brands use more mica, which results in a glow. Other brands result in more of a matte finish. Since mineral makeup can be expensive, it’s best to do your research before you splurge.

Step2

Pick a shade of mineral makeup that matches your skin tone. With mineral makeup, you’re guaranteed a match because you have the ability to blend shades in order to get your perfect shade.

Step3

Vary your application technique based on the amount of coverage you want. Mineral makeup is very buildable. You can go from sheer cover to full coverage just by altering the way in which you apply your makeup. For full coverage, apply mineral makeup with a kabuki brush. Bare Essentials and Mac makeup have good quality makeup brushes. If you’re looking for a sheerer look, try using a skunk brush. Regardless of what brush you use, always apply your mineral makeup in thin layers. If you want more coverage, add more layers, and if you want lighter coverage, keep layers to a minimum.

Step4

Remember: Less is more. Learning how to correctly apply mineral makeup takes time. The key to mastering mineral makeup application is keeping in mind that less is truly more. If you apply the mineral makeup too heavily you will end up with a cakey look that may accentuate your pores. A very small amount of makeup is needed to cover the entire face.

Step5

Set your makeup with a finishing spray. While many mineral makeup brands come with a finishing powder, applying a finishing spray will not only set the product but also give you a dewy look. Mac’s Fix+ is a great product to use in conjunction with mineral makeup.

Tips & Warnings

• Apply mineral makeup with a light hand.
• Always remember to apply mineral makeup in layers.

Resources

• Sheer Cover
• Bare Minerals
• Everyday Minerals

How to Apply Mineral Makeup Over Acne

Bare Essentials Mineral Makeup

Mineral makeup is, by its composition, perfect for acne-prone skin. Other types of makeup, especially liquid foundation and packed powder, clog pores and cause acne breakouts. Mineral makeup was designed specifically to cover all types of skin imperfections without aggravating sensitive skin. No matter what your age, mineral makeup is the best choice for acne-prone skin. Before you start, do your homework on choices among brands of mineral makeups. Some brands are pricey and worth it, while other brands are merely cheap "knock offs."

Things You’ll Need:

• Mineral makeup of your choice; a loose powder foundation that contains sunscreen of at least SPF 20, and a powder "veil" worn over the foundation. Include a "face primer" made by the same company; this gives you an oil-free, long-lasting matte finish.
• Non-clogging green liquid made for spot coverage and blemish concealment.
• Gentle, mild soap and toner lotion made for acne-prone skin.
• Foundation brushes to sweep the mineral makeup onto your face.

Step1

After selecting your mineral makeup, lotion toner, soap, green cover-up primer and foundation brushes, wash your face thoroughly but gently with your mild, pure soap. Follow with a gentle, oil-free moisturizer on dry areas of your face in a small amount. With a mineral makeup kit, less is always more! Use only about a fourth (if even that) of the amount of water-based moisture only on dry areas. Do not apply moisturizer to acne-prone areas.

Step2

It's recommended that you "prime" your face before applying your mineral make-up. This primer give your makeup something to cling to, giving you a smooth, even, matte complexion. Both Raw Minerals and Bare Essentials have primers for their mineral foundations. Again, a bit pricey. But consider that very little of this product goes a very long way! Spread a small amount of primer over your entire face and let it sit for about a minute.

Step3

Now for the green stuff! Unless you want to look like a Japanese Kabooki, take it very easy on the amount used! Remember, most blemish concealers are overly oil-based and tend to blob or crease; they also don't give lasting coverage. DHC and Merle Norman's brands conceal your blemishes and have a real staying power. Smooth a very small amount of the green stuff over your blemishes and pat gently. The treated areas will have a slight green tint to counteract the red of the blemish.

Step4

After spot-treating your acne areas, use your foundation brush to smooth the mineral foundation over your face. The accepted rule in applying mineral makeup is "touch, tap, and apply." You need very little mineral makeup to achieve a healthy, glowing effect; touch your brush to the loose makeup, tap it to remove excess, and sweep it over your face. If you notice that your blemishes that were covered with the green stuff appears overly white, then you've used too much green! Just experiment until you find the right amount of everything that works with your skin.

Step5

Next, sweep your mineral "veil" over your face; this is like powdering your face once you've applied foundation. The mineral powder seals the foundation and give you a naturally polished look, with the appearance of your blemishes greatly diminished. If you like, you can also sweep your face with a light mineral bronzer to give you a "warm" look or a sparkling, translucent or pink mineral glow powder. Both these should be applied AFTER your veil.

Tips & Warnings

• Nearly a decade ago, i.d.'s Bare Minerals introduced the first line of mineral makeup. In its infancy, we mostly learned about it on late-night TV infomercials! Now in the mainstream, Bare Minerals can be found on their website or through Sephora's site.
• Ther brand Raw Minerals is the "next generation" of mineral makeup. Like Bare Minerals, it has excellent acne coverage and has even more all-natural ingredience that is good for your skin. Compare both by reading about them on their web sites, and ask people who use mineral mineral makeup which brand they prefer.
• You should also choose your green cover-up carefully. Since acne is red, green cover-up neutralizes red, inflamed acne spots. Merle Norman carries a tubed green cover-up that has been a favorite of their customers for generations. DHC, a Japanese Internet company, offers of a splendid green underbase that very reliable.
• Don't be put off about the price of Bare Minerals or Raw Minerals; yes, they cost more than drugstore brands. But since only a small amount of mineral makeups are necessary for your face, they last much longer; you may only need to replenish your stash once a year!
• In addition to covering your blemishes, try this trick of using mineral eye shadow, mascara and lipstick to draw attention to your best facial features instead of your imperfections.
• All mineral makeup is not created equal! You can easily obtain the front-runners, Bare Minerals and Raw Minerals on the net. In drug stores you'll see brands that are much less expensive, but not even close in performance. Remember, you do get what you paid for!
• Strictly avoid all cosmetics that are oil-based; moisturizers, toners and eyeshadows in particular. These products counteract the mineral-based products and cause increased acne. Look for products that are water-based. If the label doesn't say the product is oil-free, assume that is is not!
• If this issue concerns you, the best-selling mineral makeup is not tested on animals.
• Be sure to keep your mineral foundation brushes clean! Most top lines offer a brush cleaner that you should use at least monthly, depending upon how often you use makeup.