My friends, I'm afraid to say, that I've pretty much outgrown mineral makeup.
*GASP*
Remember when I told you I was having problems with my skin? Using the process of elimination, I found out that the root of the problem was the mineral makeup I was using. To be specific, it was the mineral foundation. For some reason, I started having very dry patches on my chin, which then spreaded to my right cheek. It also started itching badly, and it took me a lot of willpower to not scratch my face off. They then turned into pink welts, which resembled acne. This went on for over a month.
After I came back from my honeymoon, I didn't change my skincare routine, but started using the BB cream from The Face Shop instead of mineral foundation. I don't think it was the BB cream that helped, but that I've stopped using mineral foundation which cleared my skin up. Come to think about it, it could actually also be the oil-control primer from Silk Naturals that caused the rashes. The problems soon came in after I started using the primer. Hmm. Anyway, I've stopped using that and the foundation, and a month on, my skin's finally smooth once more. Phew.
Digressing a little, not that this has anything to do with my skin, but man, bringing mineral makeup when traveling can be a real pain. Thank God for my ziplock bag, without which I'd have powders all over my makeup in the makeup bag. I really thought it would be easier bringing the small jars along, y'know, for portability sake. Guess I was wrong.
Anyhoos.
I don't think I'd be going back to my mineral foundation, at least not for now. I still love the mineral blushers I have though, and so far, I haven't had any recurring problems when using them. But in general, it's bye bye to mineral foundation, veils, concealers, etc. At least for now.
As for mineral eye shadows, I haven't developed a strong love for them just yet as I still find them pretty messy to use. I'm waiting for my empty palette and metal pans from Coastal Scents to arrive though, so that I can press them in and test 'em out. Will let you know how that goes when it happens.
Goodbye, oh mineral makeup. You and I have had a good run. It's been fun. But for the sake of my skin and sanity, I'm going to have to let you go.
*GASP*
My stash of mineral foundation, veils and concealers
Remember when I told you I was having problems with my skin? Using the process of elimination, I found out that the root of the problem was the mineral makeup I was using. To be specific, it was the mineral foundation. For some reason, I started having very dry patches on my chin, which then spreaded to my right cheek. It also started itching badly, and it took me a lot of willpower to not scratch my face off. They then turned into pink welts, which resembled acne. This went on for over a month.
Taken in August, when the problem started. It got a lot worse.
After I came back from my honeymoon, I didn't change my skincare routine, but started using the BB cream from The Face Shop instead of mineral foundation. I don't think it was the BB cream that helped, but that I've stopped using mineral foundation which cleared my skin up. Come to think about it, it could actually also be the oil-control primer from Silk Naturals that caused the rashes. The problems soon came in after I started using the primer. Hmm. Anyway, I've stopped using that and the foundation, and a month on, my skin's finally smooth once more. Phew.
Digressing a little, not that this has anything to do with my skin, but man, bringing mineral makeup when traveling can be a real pain. Thank God for my ziplock bag, without which I'd have powders all over my makeup in the makeup bag. I really thought it would be easier bringing the small jars along, y'know, for portability sake. Guess I was wrong.
Anyhoos.
I don't think I'd be going back to my mineral foundation, at least not for now. I still love the mineral blushers I have though, and so far, I haven't had any recurring problems when using them. But in general, it's bye bye to mineral foundation, veils, concealers, etc. At least for now.
Don't worry, I still love you, my pretties.
As for mineral eye shadows, I haven't developed a strong love for them just yet as I still find them pretty messy to use. I'm waiting for my empty palette and metal pans from Coastal Scents to arrive though, so that I can press them in and test 'em out. Will let you know how that goes when it happens.
Goodbye, oh mineral makeup. You and I have had a good run. It's been fun. But for the sake of my skin and sanity, I'm going to have to let you go.
Labels: Mineral Makeup
Review: Silk Naturals Untinted Oil Control Primer
9 Comments Posted by Tine on Sep 6, 2008 at 9:29 AM.
The trouble with wearing mineral foundation, compared to liquid foundation and loose powder, is that my skin tends to secrete more oil and sebum on my T-zone. Even with my oil-free Laura Mercier Foundation Primer, I'd still sport a shiny nose after an hour or so.
When Silk Naturals came out with an oil control primer, I was pretty eager to try this out. Who knows, I might be able to find something to control the oilies.
Description:
The untinted powder is translucent, which is suitable for light to not quite medium skintones. As for those with darker skintones, you might want to go for the tinted primer, as the translucent powder can cause your face to look ashen.
So, did it work for me? I'm so glad to report that it did! And very well too, in fact. It kept my skin matte and oil-free for at least a couple of hours. With my bloody oily T-zone, that's pretty much a miracle. The ingredients of the primer powder absorb the oil, leaving the skin matte and oil-free. So far I've only tried this with mineral foundation and not my liquid foundation. I shall give y'all an update when I do try it out with other types of foundation.
As with mineral foundation, you'd need a little powder per application. Don't use too much though lest you look like a ghost! Apply it with a kabuki brush, and then mineral foundation. Easy peasy :)
A 20g jar of the Silk Naturals untinted oil control primer costs USD8.95, and is available on the Silk Naturals website. It'll last you ages as you'd only need a light dusting of the powder prior to application of foundation.
What I like about it: The primer controlled my oilies very well. Whee!
What I did not like about it: Nothing ... yet ;)
When Silk Naturals came out with an oil control primer, I was pretty eager to try this out. Who knows, I might be able to find something to control the oilies.
Description:
Our Oil Control Primer is all oil controlling ingredients- Calcium Carbonate, Silk Powder, and Silica- so it's wonderful for absorbing the oilies, and blurs pores like you wouldn't believe. Just a slight dusting under your makeup will make it last longer and look better. You can wear it all over your face, or just where you tend to get oily.
Ingredients: Calcium Carbonate, Silk Powder, Silica
The untinted powder is translucent, which is suitable for light to not quite medium skintones. As for those with darker skintones, you might want to go for the tinted primer, as the translucent powder can cause your face to look ashen.
So, did it work for me? I'm so glad to report that it did! And very well too, in fact. It kept my skin matte and oil-free for at least a couple of hours. With my bloody oily T-zone, that's pretty much a miracle. The ingredients of the primer powder absorb the oil, leaving the skin matte and oil-free. So far I've only tried this with mineral foundation and not my liquid foundation. I shall give y'all an update when I do try it out with other types of foundation.
As with mineral foundation, you'd need a little powder per application. Don't use too much though lest you look like a ghost! Apply it with a kabuki brush, and then mineral foundation. Easy peasy :)
A 20g jar of the Silk Naturals untinted oil control primer costs USD8.95, and is available on the Silk Naturals website. It'll last you ages as you'd only need a light dusting of the powder prior to application of foundation.
What I like about it: The primer controlled my oilies very well. Whee!
What I did not like about it: Nothing ... yet ;)
Labels: Mineral Makeup
Review: Signature Minerals Mineral Foundation
12 Comments Posted by Tine on Aug 4, 2008 at 10:36 AM.
The Signature Minerals foundation which I have is part of the free sample kit which I ordered from Signature Minerals just over a month ago.
Description:
As all mineral foundation purchased online is pretty much a touch-and-go, I really wouldn't know which colour would suit my skin until I try out a few. This is the beauty of free sample kits. It's a great way to try out the foundation, colour and type without purchasing a full-sized jar first.
From the description of foundation and colour shown on the Signature Minerals website, I decided to go for:
1.0 Ivory - Pink undertones. For light complexions with pink undertones.
2.3 Light Beige - Neutral beige. Good for almost any light complexion regardless of undertones.
4.0 Light - Yellow to Olive undertones. For very light complexions with yellow or olive undertones.
Believe it or not, all the colours worked for me! In light of that, I decided to mix all three foundation into one 30g sifter jar, which I also ordered from Signature Minerals. The combination of all three colours worked wonderfully on my skin.
I like it that Signature Minerals cater foundation to Asian skin. I have slightly more yellow undertones than olive, but didn't want to choose one which is purely yellow-undertoned, lest I end up looking like a banana. The mixture of all three was just fine for me.
And now, only to the actual mineral powders. I've tried mineral foundation by Everyday Minerals (EDM), Silk Naturals (I'll do a review on this very soon) and Lumiere, and now Signature Minerals, and I have to say, I like Signature Minerals the best. The powder is fine-milled, and gave me better coverage compared to the EDM. It also controlled the oilies much better. As the coverage was more than a medium one, it was great for evening wear, which you'd want the most coverage. I didn't even need to dust mineral veil or finishing powder over the foundation. My skin achieved a flawless look without caking, without the oilies, and it stayed on well.
In comparison to the EDM mineral foundation, when I use a primer with the EDM, my nose will still get oily after an hour. Use of a primer with the Signature Minerals foundation, my nose remained oil-free for at least 2 hours. As for Silk Naturals, I wouldn't bother with it as it gave me the oilies in less than an hour!
I'd still use EDM during the day, as it does not look THAT flawless (I still like my freckles to show during the day :p). But for my evenings out, Signature Minerals gets a thumbs up and a half from me.
On a slightly different note, I also ordered the Ultimate Luscious Kabuki and its buki clutch on a whim from Signature Minerals. Dare I say it's the best kabuki I've ever used?
I do! It's incredibly soft, and applied the mineral powders well on my skin. I had to wash the brush twice before using the kabuki brush (once when it arrived, and just after it dried, my clumsy hands dropped it on the floor. Had to wash it again). Not a single hair was shed. Excellent stuff, I say. The buki clutch is pretty cute, just to keep the kabuki brush in. It's too big to bring with me when traveling, but in an everyday use, it's not a problem.
Why not give Signature Minerals a go? You can order a free sample kit from the website. As for the foundation, the price is as follows:
30g sifter jar/10g net wt - USD14.95
20g sifter jar/6g net wt - USD11.95
10g sifter jar/3g net wt. - USD9.95
Methinks my combination of foundation is going to last me ages :p
What I like about it: The foundation provides great coverage and controlled the oil on my T-zone well.
What I did not like about it: A tad heavy for the day (it's a personal preference, since I like it light during the day)
Description:
Silky smooth.
Wears light.
Non-drying.
Long-lasting.
100% all natural.
No toxins, no irritants.
Non-comedogenic.
Natural SPF around 15.
As all mineral foundation purchased online is pretty much a touch-and-go, I really wouldn't know which colour would suit my skin until I try out a few. This is the beauty of free sample kits. It's a great way to try out the foundation, colour and type without purchasing a full-sized jar first.
From the description of foundation and colour shown on the Signature Minerals website, I decided to go for:
1.0 Ivory - Pink undertones. For light complexions with pink undertones.
2.3 Light Beige - Neutral beige. Good for almost any light complexion regardless of undertones.
4.0 Light - Yellow to Olive undertones. For very light complexions with yellow or olive undertones.
Believe it or not, all the colours worked for me! In light of that, I decided to mix all three foundation into one 30g sifter jar, which I also ordered from Signature Minerals. The combination of all three colours worked wonderfully on my skin.
I like it that Signature Minerals cater foundation to Asian skin. I have slightly more yellow undertones than olive, but didn't want to choose one which is purely yellow-undertoned, lest I end up looking like a banana. The mixture of all three was just fine for me.
And now, only to the actual mineral powders. I've tried mineral foundation by Everyday Minerals (EDM), Silk Naturals (I'll do a review on this very soon) and Lumiere, and now Signature Minerals, and I have to say, I like Signature Minerals the best. The powder is fine-milled, and gave me better coverage compared to the EDM. It also controlled the oilies much better. As the coverage was more than a medium one, it was great for evening wear, which you'd want the most coverage. I didn't even need to dust mineral veil or finishing powder over the foundation. My skin achieved a flawless look without caking, without the oilies, and it stayed on well.
In comparison to the EDM mineral foundation, when I use a primer with the EDM, my nose will still get oily after an hour. Use of a primer with the Signature Minerals foundation, my nose remained oil-free for at least 2 hours. As for Silk Naturals, I wouldn't bother with it as it gave me the oilies in less than an hour!
I'd still use EDM during the day, as it does not look THAT flawless (I still like my freckles to show during the day :p). But for my evenings out, Signature Minerals gets a thumbs up and a half from me.
On a slightly different note, I also ordered the Ultimate Luscious Kabuki and its buki clutch on a whim from Signature Minerals. Dare I say it's the best kabuki I've ever used?
I do! It's incredibly soft, and applied the mineral powders well on my skin. I had to wash the brush twice before using the kabuki brush (once when it arrived, and just after it dried, my clumsy hands dropped it on the floor. Had to wash it again). Not a single hair was shed. Excellent stuff, I say. The buki clutch is pretty cute, just to keep the kabuki brush in. It's too big to bring with me when traveling, but in an everyday use, it's not a problem.
Why not give Signature Minerals a go? You can order a free sample kit from the website. As for the foundation, the price is as follows:
30g sifter jar/10g net wt - USD14.95
20g sifter jar/6g net wt - USD11.95
10g sifter jar/3g net wt. - USD9.95
Methinks my combination of foundation is going to last me ages :p
What I like about it: The foundation provides great coverage and controlled the oil on my T-zone well.
What I did not like about it: A tad heavy for the day (it's a personal preference, since I like it light during the day)
Labels: Mineral Makeup
As y'all know, I was a little caught up in the mineral makeup craze a couple of weeks ago. I think I still am; not so much for the foundation though as I've already found a good one which suits my skin. Now I'm just checking out the different brands of mineral make up, just to see what else is out there (and believe me, there are loads). One of them is Cosminology.
I've been looking at the website, and so far, this is one of the very few mineral make up brands which offer clinical skincare (Dermacles) as well, which features serums, masks, sunscreen, anti-oxidant creams, masks, etc. I think this could be a really good thing for those with really sensitive skin, or acne-sufferers.
As for their mineral make up line, you have your usual mineral foundation, eye colours, blush, concealers, mascara, etc. The foundation comes in the form of compact powders, instead of the loose mineral powder's we are accustomed to. That practically screams mess-free to me.
I have yet to try Cosminology out, but it's all pretty tempting. Oh, and they have a cleanser called "So Universally Clean You Can Eat Off My Face Cleanser". How cute is that? Not that I want anyone eating off my face, but you know what I mean.
Oh, and by the way, Cosminology mineral makeup line was recently featured in the 2008 Oscars swag bag. Hmmm ... swag ...
Labels: Mineral Makeup, Promotions
I've heard so much of Everyday Minerals when I was in Malaysia. I ordered a sample kit then, but the powders came in ugly green jars without sifters, which caused a huge mess everytime I used it. The thought of the mess I had to encounter everytime I used the mineral foundation really really turned me off. The colours did not suit me either. In the end, I ditched the kit.That was over a year ago.
When I came to Australia, I stumbled upon Everyday Minerals again. This time, the jars looked much better, and thought I'd give it another try, and ordered another sample kit. The postage fees came up to less than USD10, which wasn't expensive. I'm really glad I decided to give it another go, because I finally found the perfect shade of foundation for my skin tone.
My Everyday Minerals haul
There are 5 items that you can choose from in the sample kit - 3 foundation powders, 1 concealer and 1 blusher. I'll be reviewing the foundation for today, and will review the rest soon. I bought a large sifter jar as well to mix my foundation in.
DESCRIPTION
Everyday Minerals foundation comes in 6 different categories for skin tones - warm, golden, cool, beige, buff and olive.
GOLDEN - deep rich yellow color or sheen of gold
COOL - pinkish and soft red undertones
BEIGE - pale brown with tinge of yellow or pink
BUFF - natural yellowish brown undertones
OLIVE - yellowish green undertones
Since I am a Chinese with olive undertones, I picked out two samples of Olive Fair and one of Light Olive from the Olive category. I took a shot on ordering these shades because, let's face it, online shopping for makeup (for makeup only available on the Internet and not retail) doesn't allow you to test the colours before buying.
Olive Fair was a tad too light for my skintone, but when I mixed in the Light Olive, I was absolutely delighted to discover a perfect match. It was a 2:1 mixture of Olive Fair to Light Olive respectively. It was a good thing I threw in the large sifter jar from EDM (USD2) as well, because it was much easier mixing in a larger jar. Plus dispensing the foundation on the large lid made it practically mess-free.
Everyday Minerals foundation also comes in four different formulae to cater to different skin types.
SEMI-MATTE - ideal for normal to combination skin types, giving you a creamy matte finish with a subtle shine while controlling oil
MATTE - For normal to oily skin types, giving you an essentially shineless yet silky smooth matte finish while it controls
INTENSIVE - For all skin types, providing an extra boost of lasting intensive coverage with a silky near-matte finish. This formula controls oil where needed without drying the skin.
ORIGINAL GLO - Ideal for dry to normal skin types, providing you with a dewey glow and youthful appearance.
I chose the Matte formula as I needed something to really control the shine on my T-zone, especially my nose.
TEXTURE
The mineral foundation is pretty fine-milled. It is not as fine-milled as the mineral foundation by Silk Naturals, but I like this more because it controlled the shine better. Without the use of finishing powder or mineral veil, I get less shine on my T-zone with Everyday Minerals compared to Silk Naturals. The coverage is good, and does not feel cakey.
A funny thing about the mineral foundation is that I would not see the effect of the foundation on my face immediately after application. However, after a half hour or so, it seemed to set in nicely, thus giving my skin a lovely, flawless look. Of course, with this little oddity, it was very easy to mistake the amount of foundation used on the skin, and I'd tend to pile on more because I thought it didn't give me enough coverage. That was a boo-boo I made when I first started with this mineral foundation. Talk about an inch thick of foundation :p
I also love the fact that you only need so little powder per application.
Amount used per application
I normally do two applications of foundation; first application - one cheek and chin, and second application - the other cheek and T-zone. This gives me good coverage. A tip - always apply your mineral foundation on the T-zone last, to avoid product built-up and to reduce shine.
I apply the powder using the Everyday Minerals long-handled kabuki brush (USD10) which I purchased with the sample kit. This is probably the best face brush I've ever used. It's very soft (love it against my skin), and picks up the foundation very well.
VERDICT
I really like this mineral foundation, so much so that I've actually ditched my MAC Studio Fix Fluid. I'll still use the latter for strong coverage for the evenings; other than that, I'm sticking to my Everyday Minerals foundation. I would definitely repurchase once my supply of mineral foundation runs out (which could be ages due to all the sample foundation I bought from other brands of mineral makeup!)
Everyday Minerals foundation is available at the Everyday Minerals website. 2.5g would cost you USD5, and the 8g USD12. I think it's a very good buy, as the larger jar would last you donkey years.
What I like about it: Good coverage, little shine (very important!), light and very breathable on the skin, and inexpensive.
What I did not like about it: Not as fine-milled as I'd like it to be.
Labels: Face, Mineral Makeup
My Lumiere and Silk Naturals Haul Are Finally Here
9 Comments Posted by Tine on Apr 30, 2008 at 2:37 PM.
Check out what came in the mail today. My Lumiere and Silk Naturals stash!
I ordered my stuff from Lumiere Cosmetics a little over 2 weeks ago, and Silk Naturals 2 weeks ago. It was a very pleasant surprise that both arrived on the same day. More for me to play with :p
These are the items I ordered from Lumiere. A set of travel-sized synthetic makeup brushes and the sample kit. The makeup brushes are seriously soft; I spent a few minutes just sweeping the face brush and blush brush in circles on my face because it felt good. Weird, I know.
The sample kit from Lumiere - Cashmere Foundation in Light Medium Neutral, Light Neutral and Light Cool, Veena Velvet Finishing Powder in Light Neutral, Sheer Silk Powder and Veena Blush in Terra Cotta. Only 1/4 teaspoon each sample, but it should suffice since you only need so little per application. Aren't the sifter jars cute? (even better than the ones by Everyday Minerals)
Next, my haul from Silk Naturals. I'm actually pretty excited about this one, as I've heard many good things about Silk Naturals' mineral makeup. Plus, the prices are better than Lumiere, Everyday Minerals and Signature Minerals.
Instead of coming in separate jars of foundation, the introductory foundation sample kit consists of a few colours in separate baggies and white foundation which you mix and experiment on your own until you find the perfect colour. A sifter jar and mixing spoon is provided. Oooh, project!
The sample kit from Silk Naturals - Perfecting Powder, Sheer Blush in Climax (this is apparently a clone to NARS' Orgasm) and Flirt, and Under Eye Concealer (Sleep In A Jar).
Oh and they threw in two extra samples as well - Sheer Blush in Tart Light and an Eye Color in Scallop Pink. Sweet!
Can't wait to get started on these. Stay tuned for the reviews :)
I ordered my stuff from Lumiere Cosmetics a little over 2 weeks ago, and Silk Naturals 2 weeks ago. It was a very pleasant surprise that both arrived on the same day. More for me to play with :p
These are the items I ordered from Lumiere. A set of travel-sized synthetic makeup brushes and the sample kit. The makeup brushes are seriously soft; I spent a few minutes just sweeping the face brush and blush brush in circles on my face because it felt good. Weird, I know.
The sample kit from Lumiere - Cashmere Foundation in Light Medium Neutral, Light Neutral and Light Cool, Veena Velvet Finishing Powder in Light Neutral, Sheer Silk Powder and Veena Blush in Terra Cotta. Only 1/4 teaspoon each sample, but it should suffice since you only need so little per application. Aren't the sifter jars cute? (even better than the ones by Everyday Minerals)
Love how the sample kit was packed into a zippy bag. Compact and no mess.
Next, my haul from Silk Naturals. I'm actually pretty excited about this one, as I've heard many good things about Silk Naturals' mineral makeup. Plus, the prices are better than Lumiere, Everyday Minerals and Signature Minerals.
Instead of coming in separate jars of foundation, the introductory foundation sample kit consists of a few colours in separate baggies and white foundation which you mix and experiment on your own until you find the perfect colour. A sifter jar and mixing spoon is provided. Oooh, project!
The sample kit from Silk Naturals - Perfecting Powder, Sheer Blush in Climax (this is apparently a clone to NARS' Orgasm) and Flirt, and Under Eye Concealer (Sleep In A Jar).
Oh and they threw in two extra samples as well - Sheer Blush in Tart Light and an Eye Color in Scallop Pink. Sweet!
Can't wait to get started on these. Stay tuned for the reviews :)
Labels: Mineral Makeup
