Mineral Makeup Guide : Good Skin, Part 1

For my first installment of guides in mineral makeup application, this one’s called Mineral Makeup Guide : Good Skin. What is good skin? Well, some of us are blessed with good, low-maintenance skin that are clear and flawless to start with, but some of us are challenged with some problems of oiliess, blemishes, scars, some pigmentation, and even aging. Mineral makeup makes every skin look good, if I may say. No buts, only one – we have different application tips for different skin conditions! For those who have good skin to start with, here’s a guide on mineral makeup for you! This can also be helpful for teenagers that want some basic help on their first dose on mineral makeup, just to keep things simple!

Basics

For those with good skin, you don’t really need much. Just sheer coverage, a little bit of blush for color, oil control if needed, something for the undereyes, at least! Then, it’s your choice if you want to go further with eyelining, eyeshadow, and others ! ( will be writing about that in a separate entry ! )

For tools, you would be needing at least essential tools to work with mineral makeup :

1 makeup brush for the face – I think it boils down to three tools that you can choose from – the ever reliable powder brush, the kabuki brush, or a flat top brush.

The ever versatile powder brush has the fluffiest bristles and will give you the lightest, and sheerest coverage. You can always add another layer after to build up. This brush is nice because you can also use this to set your foundation with finishing powder ( for oil control or a flawless transluscent touch up, just to make the skin well-set and polished ) which requires a sheer layer as well.

If you’re always on the go, the kabuki brush and flat top brush offer quicker coverage because with their shorter and more “packed” or dense bristles, they pick up more foundation, and foundation application is quicker this way, but it would be a bit more in coverage.

1 concealer brush – just for emergency purposes, in case you have a sudden mini-breakout, or redness on a certain area, this would help!

1 eyeshadow brush - a blending brush with animal hair is still the best makeup brush for using loose mineral concealer in neutralizing undereye circles. it can also couple as something to be used for eye makeup application!

1 blush brush - may it be an angled one or just a blush brush, make sure that it fits the apple of your cheeks, not too big, not too small.

Mineral Makeup for the Face – Complexion

They say that wearing mineral makeup is better than wearing no makeup at all, because of its sunscreen content and if lucky, some antioxidants or other beneficial ingredients in the formulation of the mineral makeup brand that you have chosen.

Some people don’t even need foundation because their skin are virtually perfect. For that, I suggest just “polishing” the face with some setting or finishing powder. Mineral setting powders/finishing powders are translucent in nature ( almost see-thru ) that helps skin look a bit even and less “raw”. You can just use a powder brush to sweep a layer on the skin for this, and you’re all set! For those who need some oil control, choose a mineral setting powder with kaolin clay, that can help you with oil control.

Color Corrrecting Mineral Makeup
Another idea is using color correcting mineral makeup. If youre skin is flawless, but you’re lacking some color, using your powder brush, you might want to sweep a layer of pink color corrector ( a very, very sheer layer ) for a perk me up, a lavender color corrector for sallow skin tones for those who have yellow undertones and a VERY unnoticeable, sheer layer of green color corrector for redness.

Using Mineral Foundation

Even for those with good skin, mineral foundation is a great choice to have on everyday because it does not just even out the complexion, it makes the complexion much more perfect. A creamy, beautiful, flawless layer that you don’t even feel because it’s so light to start with!

Everyday Use
You can choose mineral foundations that are light in coverage, to start with. They will be great for everyday use. Mineral makeup brands that have mineral foundations with light coverage are : Bare Escentuals, Silk Naturals, Erth Minerals, Everyday Minerals, Lumiere Cosmetics, and so much more. Most drugstore mineral makeup and mineral makeup sold at malls are sheer in coverage with some exceptions. There are also finely-milled, medium coverage foundations that feel so light that you don’t notice the coverage but blend in like loose powder, only with coverage without the need for serious buffing like Lauress, LA Minerals, Pure Cosmetics, and so much more. ( maybe we should put up a list for this, agree? )

Application Technique for Minerals On The Face
With what I’ve mentioned earlier, the application technique for applying setting powder, mineral foundation, and mineral color correctors ( in one wash ) are the same. Just whip up your powder brush, kabuki brush, or flat top brush, tap a small amount of mineral makeup to the lid, swirl the brush to pick up the product, tap off the excess, then sweep the brush on the face in a circular motion ( a big , oval circular motion ). For mineral foundation, do not stop “sweeping” ( or “buffing” if you prefer, a circular motion ) until everything’s even,and for setting powders and color correctors, do not forget to apply gentle pressure specially if you are using kabuki or flat top because you would not want too much of it on the skin to be visible!

Mineral Blush Application
Of course, aside from a flawless, and perfect complexion, one would want some color and flush on the cheeks! Mineral makeup blushes are very pigmented, so you must be careful with it! Color payoff from mineral blushes are not to mention, gorgeous!

There are shimmery, satin/silky, matte textures of mineral blushes to choose from, depending on what your mood is or the occasion!

To apply mineral blush, get very little product to your blush brush – do not load up too much on the brush because less is more is very important here – it’s easier to add more than to erase too much blush on the face! Slowly sweep the mineral blush on the apples of the cheeks in a circular motion, then blend diagonally to hairline. Blend very well.

What goes first?

Well, for those with oily skin, setting powder goes first, then foundation, then another of setting powder, then blush. ( Blush can also be before the last layer of setting powder ).

For those who don’t need foundations, setting powder can come first before blush application, or vice versa.

For those who have moderately or not so oily skin, foundation can come first, then setting powder, then blush.

For those with dry skin, mix foundation with your moisturizer, and apply as tinted moisturizer. Top with setting powder and blush.

Whew! That’s part 1 ! Watch out for part 2 tomorrow! Questions, anyone?