All Things Mineral Makeup

Mineral makeup can be extraordinarily messy! Here are some ideas about how to cope.

The pigments used in mineral makeup are highly concentrated--a little goes a long way. The reason for this rich pigmentation has to do with one of the tenets of serious mineral makeup users and authentic mineral makeup companies: avoid fillers, which can be irritating or cause allergic reactions--the fewer ingredients, the better.

It should go without saying (but won't, given the subject) that one should cover the work area before even opening a jar. You will be very happy you did this, particularly after you have spilled dark colored minerals onto your sink top, or, worse, on your light-colored tile floor.

Hard surfaces can be cleaned for the most part, but take care not to allow spilled minerals on clothing or porous surfaces.

Never use minerals that come in a jar without a sifter. Sifters work to keep spills to a minimum in addition to their usefulness in tapping out small amounts of minerals into the lids of the jars.

When applying mineral eye shadows with one hand, place a finger from the other hand just under the eye to prevent the pigments from spilling onto the skin below the eye. Alice Cosmetics offers an Eye Shadow Guard to use for those who find the finger method awkward.

You may not need to cover the skin below the eye if you are using the minerals very lightly, i.e., dipping the brush into the minerals then tapping repeatedly to make any excess drop off of the brush.

Apply the eye shadow in layers when using this lightly brushed method.

If you desire a richer application, apply the shadows with a patting motion and heavier amounts of minerals on the flat side of the brush, but be careful with spillage.

When finished with a brush, wipe it back and forth on the cloth or paper towel you have laid out. This will get rid of the minerals still clinging to the brush heads.

Copyright 2008 Alice Cosmetics. All rights reserved.

Already irritated by the misconceptions out there about mineral makeup, I dared to watch several of the many mineral makeup videos on YouTube tonight. As varied in quality as the brands now available, most were too long, too dull, too slow, and too out of focus to keep me interested. Making matters worse is that some of the best brands do not appear to be represented at all, good video or bad.

Let's be clear. There are three main types of mineral makeup companies. One consists of Bare Minerals, also called Bare Escentuals, and the half dozen or so others of that ilk. With their huge budgets and appetite for QVC time, these companies have become a new "main" stream of makeup, the big boxes of the field.

Bare Escentuals is by far the dominant player and its product is excellent. The problem is that its formulas contain not only bismuth oxychloride and other ingredients that irritate the skin (in many cases causing breakouts and itchiness) but also some of the preservatives their "purity" claims would seem to deny. The list of ingredients on a jar of mineral veil, for example, includes methylparaben and propylparaben, two of the most toxic preservatives used in makeup, and BE uses cornstarch as well (disguised as "zea mays"), which is a cheap filler and a vegetable, not a mineral.

Jane Iredale's product line, Leeza Gibbons' Sheer Cover, and Youngblood (the latter available only in spas and salons) are also in this class of mineral makeup giants. Jane Iredale offers much more than mineral makeup but tries to make the case that makeup and skin care can be one in the same. They cannot. Makeup is makeup, and no matter how many "natural" ingredients are put into her formulas, from burdock root to aloe gel to oatmeal derivatives and supposed anti-aging ingredients, it is simply wrong to confuse cosmetics with a good skin care regimen, the essential requirement of which by the way a good face washing twice a day. Please, don't sleep in your makeup.

Many of these companies (and some of the small ones and the mainstream ones) offer pressed powders and liquid versions of mineral makeup, which are virtually a contradiction in terms: as soon as moisture of any kind is introduced, it gives the product a shelf life, i.e., bacteria can thrive in moist environments. The best kinds of mineral makeup really do stick to the pure ingredients and have no expiration date. These primary ingredients are titanium dioxide, mica, zinc oxide, iron oxides, and several others. If there are more than seven or eight ingredients in any formula, be circumspect.

The second category of mineral makeup company (of which beware) comprises all the mainstream brands of makeup from Revlon to Almay that have jumped onto the bandwagon and created "mineral makeups" for the drug store shelves, many with celebrity endorsements. While some claim "no preservatives," their lists of ingredients are so long and so tiny-typefaced that one has to wonder whether simply the inclusion of minerals in the formulas alone is what entitles them to use the phrase mineral makeup.

Finally, the third category of mineral makeup company consists of small, independent mineral makeup companies, likely to be available only on the internet, and clamoring for whatever portion of the market they can capture. The websites of many of these brands are amateurish and too busy with Google ads and bells and whistles to allow smooth navigation. But it is in this category that the best of the best mineral makeup resides. There seems to be a trend back to the original concept of mineral makeup, i.e., pure, ground minerals from the earth applied directly to the face with a brush, and this is a good thing. These companies can be found in organic search results and in the pay-per-click ads in the right-hand column of Google searches. Alice Cosmetics is in this group.

Read your ingredient labels, try samples before you buy, and beware the ones that lowball their pricing and offer steep discounts - they appear desperate and may be using unnecessary fillers to trim costs.

Copyright Alice Cosmetics 2008. All rights reserved.

The Buff Palette ... a more elegant way to load your brush with minerals. Make life easy for yourself and use this palette instead of your jar lid for swirling your brush full of foundation minerals. The Buff Palette is a ceramic accessory that makes application a breeze and practically eliminates waste.

The trademarked Buff Palette has just been introduced onto the market by Alice Cosmetics, a new mineral makeup company launched in March. The Palette allows the full brush head to be used and provides the perfect surface for mixing minerals to find your perfect match. Avoid the mess and the wastefulness of using jar lids that are much too small for your favorite mineral makeup brush.

Apart from its high quality mineral cosmetics, the Alice Cosmetics Buff Palette is the centerpiece of the company's objective to provide products that make application of mineral makeup easy to apply and use.

Comes in a red velvet pouch with a small companion brush for sweeping excess minerals back into the jar through the "lip." Alice Cosmetics' Buff Palettes, ranging from three and one half to four inches in diameter, are hand-thrown and no two are alike. If you order two-one for foundation and one for blush-the staff will make sure the two stack easily.

Copyright 2008 Alice Cosmetics. All rights reserved.

There is nothing quite like discovering mineral makeup. It glides onto the skin, stays on all day, and gives your complexion an air-brushed look. Women who have tried it say they will never go back to liquid or pressed foundation. From beauty chat rooms to mainstream consumer magazines, women are raving about the light, natural, long-lasting glow that simply can't be duplicated by other types of makeup.

HISTORY

Mineral makeup is not exactly new. Cleopatra's red lips and exotic, dark eyes were no doubt achieved with iron oxides. Dermatologists and Hollywood makeup artists have been recommending and using mineral makeup for years.

But what, exactly, is it? In the 1970's, when the trend began to take hold, mineral makeup was generally thought of as a product made of pure, finely ground minerals from the earth, applied directly to the face, without any of the chemicals, dyes, fragrances, binders, or preservatives found in traditional makeup.

PURE AND NATURAL?

Since then, many companies large and small have jumped onto the bandwagon and produced so-called "natural cosmetics" that have dozens of additives, botanicals, and natural ingredients in their formulas, from Vitamin K to Willow Bark extract. But as dermatologists and others observe, "natural" does not necessarily mean good for the skin.

In fact, many of the "mineral makeups" sold in drugstores and made by the leading cosmetics companies contain the talc, preservatives, fragrances, and fillers used widely by the industry. In spite of their celebrity endorsements, many such products are called "mineral" simply because they contain minerals.

A leading company calls its makeup "pure" but uses petroleum-based preservatives that have been linked to breast cancer and ingredients that can cause breakouts, such as bismuth oxychloride.

The new "liquid" mineral makeup on the market is a contradiction in terms-one of the essential benefits of mineral makeup is that the dry, inert materials cannot support the growth of bacteria.

TODAY

Is mineral makeup a fad? Hardly, given its overwhelming popularity. The good news is that recently there has been a trend back to the original concept of pure ground minerals without additives or harmful ingredients.

At Alice Cosmetics, we like to think of this movement as second-generation mineral makeup, and we aspire to be a leader in that field. Alice Cosmetics was launched in March.

Copyright 2008 Alice Cosmetics. All rights reserved.

When applying mineral blush, especially the richer colors, extra care must be taken because the minerals are highly concentrated. Mineral makeup has great staying power, so if you use too much, it has to be washed off. Use no more than a few breadcrumbs' worth to start-again, particularly when using the darker shades.

Place a very small amount of blush minerals into your Buff Palette or jar lid and swirl the brush in it. The trademarked Buff Palette has just been introduced onto the market by Alice Cosmetics, a new mineral makeup company launched in March. The Buff Palette, a must for applying mineral foundation, allows the full brush head to be used and virtually eliminates the waste of minerals when using your jar lid for this purpose. The jar lid is always too small!

Alice Cosmetics' Buff Palette comes in a red velvet pouch with a small companion brush for sweeping excess minerals back into the jar. The price is only $22.95, less than what you would pay for a good quality mineral makeup brush.

Tap the brush handle on a hard surface so that the minerals shift down into the brush head. Lightly swipe the blush up and outward toward the temple, placing the blush only on the upper apples of the cheeks (smile to define the area). Alice Cosmetics' Contoured Cheek Brush is perfectly angled for blush application.

TIP: Before applying blush, swipe your wrist lightly with the brush.

Do not put blush on your nose, forehead, or chin. The effect can simply be a red face. If sun-kissed is what you want, use a bronzer (watch for an article soon on the best way to use bronzers). A very sheer dusting of blush may be applied to the temples and the sides of the forehead for a contouring effect.

TIP: If you do not plan to apply eye shadow, sweep the blush over the eyelid, concentrating on the crease area. It gives your face an instant lift.

At first, it can be easy to overdo it with blush because the pigments are so concentrated. If you overdo it, Alice Cosmetics' Mini Miracle Cloth, wet or dry, can help.

Copyright 2008 Alice Cosmetics. All rights reserved.

Apply a good moisturizer and wait a minute or two for it to settle. Tap some foundation into your Buff Palette or jar lid. Swirl your brush into the minerals, tap off the excess, and apply to the face using a light buffing, or quick back-and-forth, motion.

Start with a thin layer and add layers as needed. Always brush in a downward direction on the sides of the face to avoid fluffing up the small hairs on the cheeks.

The Face Fluff brush by Alice Cosmetics is a wonderful brush for applying foundation. Its softness and dome shape help to place the foundation easily around the nose, mouth, and eyes. "Kabuki" brushes, which provide a more dense layer of minerals, are also popular for applying foundation.

You might want to finish off your foundation application with a mineral finishing powder, sometimes called a veil or mineral veil. Alice Cosmetics offers finishing powders called Buffers that come in four translucent shades- Warm, Cool, Sun, and Nude. These are translucent facial powders made of crushed minerals just like mineral foundation but typically lighter, e.g., containing no titanium dioxide, one of the heavier minerals used in mineral makeup.

These mineral products finish and polish your makeup following application of foundation and blush. They may also be used under foundation to absorb oil or alone without foundation for a natural look. Apply just as you do foundation-swirl your brush in the minerals, tap off the excess, and apply to the face in a circular or quick back-and-forth motion.

Many women like to "set" the foundation (and blush and buffer, if used): Put a drop or two of water on the hands, rub together, and press gently into the face.

Copyright 2008 Alice Cosmetics. All rights reserved.

To apply mineral eye shadow, dip your brush into the shadow, swish around in the lid, and then tap to get rid of excess minerals. Use short, feathery strokes and blend upward and outward, starting with a small amount then adding layers. For a thicker application, pat the shadow onto the lid with the flat side of the brush. Blend well, and remember that the ring finger is often the best tool for blending.

Use a light color or light concealer just under the outer edge of the brow for contouring, and try placing a smidgen of a light-colored mineral in the center of the lid to widen the eye.

When applying eye colors, particularly for thicker applications, shield the under-eye with a finger. Or use Alice Cosmetics' handy Eye Shadow Guard, which also works well when applying mascara. To remove any specs of shadow that fall under the eye, twirl a cotton tip very lightly in the opposite direction of the spill, barely touching the skin. Do not be tempted to use your finger for this delicate operation!

For a dramatic, "foiled" effect, apply a shimmery shade of mineral eye shadow wet.

Always remember to cover your working surface with paper towels or a cloth before applying minerals. Between colors, rub the brush head back and forth on it to prepare for the next color.

Alice Cosmetics' Chisel Fluff and Chisel Shader brushes are perfect for applying eye shadow.

Mineral makeup concealers go on creamy and, for the most part, stay put. They work better than pressed or liquid concealers because they blend so well with your foundation.

Taklon brushes are stiffer than regular brushes and they come in many different sizes. Smaller is best for brown spots and blemishes, larger is best for reddish areas of the face often caused by tiny broken blood vessels, such as around the nose and on the sides of the cheeks. For these larger areas, you may also use a regular eye-shadow-size brush.

For blemishes and brown spots, use a concealer that is a shade or two lighter than your complexion. Place the brush into the minerals and load up the tip of the brush. Dab on the blemishes and brown spots carefully, avoiding the area around them. Also use concealer as an under-eye cover-up, starting at the inner corner and stopping at the center of the eye. In other words, just cover the darkest part of the "circle" under the eye.

Once you have covered those, move on to camouflaging the red areas. You may want to use a concealer that is slightly darker or the same shade as your foundation for this, because you want the area to be minimized, not highlighted. Pat the concealer and brush lightly over these areas, using the same or a larger brush.

Now do any highlighting you want to do. Using a brighter, lighter concealer, or the same used on the red spots, brush lightly over the areas you want to emphasize, including the chin, the center of the forehead, the area just below the outer end of the brow, under the eyes and to the sides, and on the crease between the nostril and the edge of your smile. Put some highlighter just under the bottom lip as well.

Unlike when concealing, when highlighting be sure to blend well into the areas around those that are highlighted.

Now you are ready for foundation. After you have applied your light or heavier coat of foundation, take a look at the camouflaged and highlighted areas and adjust the color as needed for a smooth look. Use your foundation shade for this, or a touch more concealer.

To give an even better, flawless look to your complexion, and to "set" the foundation minerals, use a mineral veil or finishing powder after applying foundation and blush. The finishing powder will also work to absorb oils throughout the day.

The taklon brush shown in the picture is from Alice Cosmetics, a new mineral makeup company launched in March.

Copyright 2008 Alice Cosmetics. All rights reserved.

I've been thrilled that beauty blogs have written favorably about my makeup line, but this article goes into depth about the whys and wherefores of Alice Cosmetics, my baby.
--Patty

Alice Cosmetics keeps it safe and simple
by Deidre Wengen
phillyburbs.com