You may know from my other blogs that chronic illness has been a part of my life for my entire adult life, and part of my childhood too. Given my interest in both beauty and in pain and illness support, I wanted to share this article National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week with you:
“You Look So Good!” To Wear Make Up or Not?
It's a thought-provoking look at why we wear makeup and how it makes us feel about ourselves when we do. Yes, it is written to an audience of women living with chronic illness, but it makes me wonder about all of us, our motives, and the emotions tied to the beauty choices we make. What about you? Please share!
Showing posts with label makeup application. Show all posts
Showing posts with label makeup application. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Monday, December 13, 2010
What's a Kabuki Brush? Find out and Save! :)
Visit InnerBeautyGirls.com to select any order of $15.95 or more in Affordable Mineral Makeup™ product from now through December 17, 2010, and receive 25% OFF your ENTIRE purchase AND Get A *Gift when you check out using COUPON CODE:
onetwo1210
*New sleek black Mini Kabuki brush, regular price $6.49, FREE WITH YOUR ORDER of $15.95 or greater. If you haven't applied mineral makeup with a Kabuki brush, you aren't really seeing all the benefits of this great makeup because application methods really do make a difference!
P.S. I just learned there was a technical glitch with my domain name at the moment, so if you can't get there following the above link, please try http://www.affordablemineralmakeup.com/innerbeauty.html - Thank you :)
onetwo1210
*New sleek black Mini Kabuki brush, regular price $6.49, FREE WITH YOUR ORDER of $15.95 or greater. If you haven't applied mineral makeup with a Kabuki brush, you aren't really seeing all the benefits of this great makeup because application methods really do make a difference!
P.S. I just learned there was a technical glitch with my domain name at the moment, so if you can't get there following the above link, please try http://www.affordablemineralmakeup.com/innerbeauty.html - Thank you :)
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Mineral Makeup Expert
I am excited to introduce you to Brett Bizick, a makeup artist to the stars, who will be sharing expert tips and techniques and providing makeup advice for Affordable Mineral Makeup™ customers in the near future. Click on Brett's name to learn more about him and his services that will soon be available to you! :)
If you would like to place an order for Affordable Mineral Makeup™ I would greatly appreciate it if you would then return here and re-enter the AMM website through my consultant link at http://www.InnerBeautyGirlz.com - thanks so much! :)
If you would like to place an order for Affordable Mineral Makeup™ I would greatly appreciate it if you would then return here and re-enter the AMM website through my consultant link at http://www.InnerBeautyGirlz.com - thanks so much! :)
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Gluten Free Makeup
I bet when you hear the term “Gluten Free," you don’t automatically think of your makeup, do you?
Well, if you’re gluten sensitive you may want to. Makeup can have gluten in it.
What is gluten sensitivity?
Read here for more information.
The symptoms are usually skin rashes, itchiness, headaches, bloating/cramping. Gluten is very hard to digest and can be found in wheat, rye, barley and oats.
Gluten can be found in your makeup and other beauty products in the Vitamin E, Olive Oil, Palm Oil, Coconut Oil, Oats and Triglycerides are all sources of gluten that most people wouldn’t think about when purchasing makeup and body products.
Vitamin E is used as an antioxidant and is usually derived from wheat germ. Products that contain oils in them are usually preserved with Vitamin E to prevent them from going rancid. They can also be hidden in such oils as Olive Oil, Palm Oil and Coconut Oil.
Oats are another common ingredient commonly used in beauty products, such as soap and facial products.
If you are gluten sensitive you need to be aware of these ingredients that most people may overlook in cosmetics or body products.
There’s no definitive information regarding cosmetics / body products being harmful to those who are gluten sensitive but think about this; your skin is the largest organ of your body. It usually absorbs what you put on it and thus goes into your body system. So, that would suggest that if you’re gluten sensitive you might have reactions (skin rash/itchiness) from products that contain gluten additives.
Mineral makeup that has no additives or oils and is in loose powder form, such as Affordable Mineral Makeup™ offered at www.InnerBeautyGirls.com, is gluten free.
Well, if you’re gluten sensitive you may want to. Makeup can have gluten in it.
What is gluten sensitivity?
Read here for more information.
The symptoms are usually skin rashes, itchiness, headaches, bloating/cramping. Gluten is very hard to digest and can be found in wheat, rye, barley and oats.
Gluten can be found in your makeup and other beauty products in the Vitamin E, Olive Oil, Palm Oil, Coconut Oil, Oats and Triglycerides are all sources of gluten that most people wouldn’t think about when purchasing makeup and body products.
Vitamin E is used as an antioxidant and is usually derived from wheat germ. Products that contain oils in them are usually preserved with Vitamin E to prevent them from going rancid. They can also be hidden in such oils as Olive Oil, Palm Oil and Coconut Oil.
Oats are another common ingredient commonly used in beauty products, such as soap and facial products.
If you are gluten sensitive you need to be aware of these ingredients that most people may overlook in cosmetics or body products.
There’s no definitive information regarding cosmetics / body products being harmful to those who are gluten sensitive but think about this; your skin is the largest organ of your body. It usually absorbs what you put on it and thus goes into your body system. So, that would suggest that if you’re gluten sensitive you might have reactions (skin rash/itchiness) from products that contain gluten additives.
Mineral makeup that has no additives or oils and is in loose powder form, such as Affordable Mineral Makeup™ offered at www.InnerBeautyGirls.com, is gluten free.
- Special thanks to Tara Burner, owner of Affordable Mineral Makeup™ for this informative guest post. Information in this post is copyrighted property and many not be reprinted without the permission of Affordable Mineral Makeup™.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Dr. Oz Warns About Mineral Makuep Dangers
Did you know that Dr. Oz recently listed mineral makeup as one of the "3 most dangerous beauty products"? That's quite a statement!
Before you run to your bathroom drawer and start tossing jars, let's take a closer look at the doctor's concerns. Quoting directly from his website Dr. Oz states:
While the quote does state "there are no studies showing damage from makeup use to date," and I find that encouraging, I am a "DES granddaughter" (have genetic deformities of my reproductive system due to a drug my grandmother was given to prevent miscarriage a full generation before I was even conceived) and don't necessarily want to wait around for a few decades to see if mineral makeup is really safe or not. I would rather err on the side of caution when it comes to possible long-term consequences! I want to take time to really investigate product, and potential problems with these products now.
It seems that Dr. Oz is taking issue specifically with the size of mineral makeup particles. What he is describing are minerals that has been taken through the process of "micronization". While some mineral makeup brands proudly promote their micronized products for smooth application, one more thing I love about Affordable Mineral Makeup™ is that it offers great coverage and smooth application yet doesn't sacrifice safety, intentionally choosing not to use nanoparticles or micronized minerals.
Still worried? I only made the mistake of breathing in my mineral makeup once before learning a simple technique of breathing out as I applied my makeup! Micronized or not, it isn't fun to breath anything other than air. And as far as that air goes, we aren't talking about industrial application here where huge factory manufacturing processes are leaving microscopic particles hanging thickly in the air. We are talking about small quantity application in home usage where common sense and practicality (like not wanting to waste product) are going to positively regulate air quality.
I'm not a medical professional, but Dr. Oz, when I read through the very dangerous ingredients of so many chemically-laden products out there, I really have to wonder how mineral makeup made it onto your Cosmetic Culprits hit list???
Before you run to your bathroom drawer and start tossing jars, let's take a closer look at the doctor's concerns. Quoting directly from his website Dr. Oz states:
Mineral makeup is a big trend. Made from minerals such as mica, which are used for industrial purposes as well, these tiny particles are a thousand times smaller than predecessors from even 10 years ago. Their small size makes for a smoother, more flawless look, but it has one serious unintended consequence. The particles are so tiny they fall quickly through the air and can be inhaled easily into your lungs. When construction workers use mica in products such as spackle, they wear masks to protect their lungs from scarring over time. Though there are no studies showing damage from makeup use to date, experts say the long-term use and inhalation of minerals in makeup can lead to inflammation, irritation, and lung disease in women and girls.
While the quote does state "there are no studies showing damage from makeup use to date," and I find that encouraging, I am a "DES granddaughter" (have genetic deformities of my reproductive system due to a drug my grandmother was given to prevent miscarriage a full generation before I was even conceived) and don't necessarily want to wait around for a few decades to see if mineral makeup is really safe or not. I would rather err on the side of caution when it comes to possible long-term consequences! I want to take time to really investigate product, and potential problems with these products now.
It seems that Dr. Oz is taking issue specifically with the size of mineral makeup particles. What he is describing are minerals that has been taken through the process of "micronization". While some mineral makeup brands proudly promote their micronized products for smooth application, one more thing I love about Affordable Mineral Makeup™ is that it offers great coverage and smooth application yet doesn't sacrifice safety, intentionally choosing not to use nanoparticles or micronized minerals.
Still worried? I only made the mistake of breathing in my mineral makeup once before learning a simple technique of breathing out as I applied my makeup! Micronized or not, it isn't fun to breath anything other than air. And as far as that air goes, we aren't talking about industrial application here where huge factory manufacturing processes are leaving microscopic particles hanging thickly in the air. We are talking about small quantity application in home usage where common sense and practicality (like not wanting to waste product) are going to positively regulate air quality.
I'm not a medical professional, but Dr. Oz, when I read through the very dangerous ingredients of so many chemically-laden products out there, I really have to wonder how mineral makeup made it onto your Cosmetic Culprits hit list???
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Healthy Makeup Application
I hope you are having a wonderful weekend exploring all the posts here at our Virtual Spa. I would like to take a moment now to put on my "mineral makeup consultant's hat" and share a few tips about makeup application and brush usage. I'll warn you upfront that this post will include some pretty unusual vidoe clips, but I hope you will learn a lot and enjoy the process. :)
After questions about how to select or apply makeup and proper color selection, the next most frequent set of questions I tend to get are about makeup brushes. I've posted a few articles about brushes in the past and wanted to build on that a bit more today. Most beauty experts recommend natural animal hair brushes for the highest quality application. Due to allergies, I personally will only use synthetic bristles. There are many great brushes available through my Affordable Mineral Makeup™ website as well as other sites. A fairly generic explanation of brush basics can be found at www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEx8Y2CIDcY.
For mineral makeup foundation application, I feel that nothing works as well as a Kabuki style brush, though some people are happy with the results they get when applying with a large, fluffy brush such as the one quickly demonstarted in this video clip.
There is an interesting video clip about Kabuki brushes that I have decided to share with you after debating back and forth quite a bit. The reason I hesitate to post it is because I cannot endore either the producer of the video nor the makeup brand he mentions in his clip. Yes, he...
This was honestly quite unsettling for me to watch the first time because I've never seen a man apply makeup (and we are InnerBeautyGIRLZ here afterall) but I'm going to go ahead and stretch myself to share it with you because the information and techniques he shares are some of the most clear and informative I've seen. So I hope you can glean the good from this video and enjoy learning about the two main styles of Kabuki brushes along with application tips and techniques for each. Check out Dome or Flat Top Kabuki? at www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZ7BwLgDBek
More information on selecting makeup brushes in general, with some specific attention given to eye makeup application can be found on this clip. You may also enjoy Tips for Eyeshadow Application, again with the understanding that I am not endorsing the makeup brands promoted in the video clip.
You may wonder why I am so passionate about only using pure mineral makeup brands such as Affordable Mineral Makeup™ (AMM). Believe it or not, it is not because I am a representative for this company that I talk about it so much. On the contrary, I decided to become an AMM rep because I already strongly believed in and regularly promoted treating my skin (the largest organ of my body) with care and avoiding as much chemical exposure as possible. I have a poor immune system and a lot of allergies and chemical sensitvities and AMM is one of the purest lines I've found, free of chemical additives and fillers like Bismuth, talc, cornstarch or other ingredients that can harbor bacteria or cause allergic reactions. I am happy to promote it because it is a quality product at a price I can justify affording.
You may not struggle with the same sensitivites I face, but I still challenge you to think about what you are putting on your skin and to look for the healthiest options possible. Even many mineral makeup brands on the market are still chemically-based makeups with some added minerals in hopes of marketing to the natural makeup crowd. Simply be aware that the name "mineral" in a makeup line does not automatically make it a healthy makeup alternative. Be an informed consumer, read the ingredients lists, and be sure you know what you are putting on your face and why. Affordable Mineral Makeup™ fully discloses all of our ingredients and the purpose for each one on our website. Check out the Compact for Safe Cosmetics as a great resource to learn about the health risks of various cosmetic lines.
After questions about how to select or apply makeup and proper color selection, the next most frequent set of questions I tend to get are about makeup brushes. I've posted a few articles about brushes in the past and wanted to build on that a bit more today. Most beauty experts recommend natural animal hair brushes for the highest quality application. Due to allergies, I personally will only use synthetic bristles. There are many great brushes available through my Affordable Mineral Makeup™ website as well as other sites. A fairly generic explanation of brush basics can be found at www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEx8Y2CIDcY.
For mineral makeup foundation application, I feel that nothing works as well as a Kabuki style brush, though some people are happy with the results they get when applying with a large, fluffy brush such as the one quickly demonstarted in this video clip.
There is an interesting video clip about Kabuki brushes that I have decided to share with you after debating back and forth quite a bit. The reason I hesitate to post it is because I cannot endore either the producer of the video nor the makeup brand he mentions in his clip. Yes, he...
This was honestly quite unsettling for me to watch the first time because I've never seen a man apply makeup (and we are InnerBeautyGIRLZ here afterall) but I'm going to go ahead and stretch myself to share it with you because the information and techniques he shares are some of the most clear and informative I've seen. So I hope you can glean the good from this video and enjoy learning about the two main styles of Kabuki brushes along with application tips and techniques for each. Check out Dome or Flat Top Kabuki? at www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZ7BwLgDBek
More information on selecting makeup brushes in general, with some specific attention given to eye makeup application can be found on this clip. You may also enjoy Tips for Eyeshadow Application, again with the understanding that I am not endorsing the makeup brands promoted in the video clip.
You may wonder why I am so passionate about only using pure mineral makeup brands such as Affordable Mineral Makeup™ (AMM). Believe it or not, it is not because I am a representative for this company that I talk about it so much. On the contrary, I decided to become an AMM rep because I already strongly believed in and regularly promoted treating my skin (the largest organ of my body) with care and avoiding as much chemical exposure as possible. I have a poor immune system and a lot of allergies and chemical sensitvities and AMM is one of the purest lines I've found, free of chemical additives and fillers like Bismuth, talc, cornstarch or other ingredients that can harbor bacteria or cause allergic reactions. I am happy to promote it because it is a quality product at a price I can justify affording.
You may not struggle with the same sensitivites I face, but I still challenge you to think about what you are putting on your skin and to look for the healthiest options possible. Even many mineral makeup brands on the market are still chemically-based makeups with some added minerals in hopes of marketing to the natural makeup crowd. Simply be aware that the name "mineral" in a makeup line does not automatically make it a healthy makeup alternative. Be an informed consumer, read the ingredients lists, and be sure you know what you are putting on your face and why. Affordable Mineral Makeup™ fully discloses all of our ingredients and the purpose for each one on our website. Check out the Compact for Safe Cosmetics as a great resource to learn about the health risks of various cosmetic lines.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Lick Those Dry Lips (but not litterally!)
"My lips are so dry and I hate to use all the chemicals found in lip balms!" you say? Well, I live in the high desert of northern NV and can really relate to non-existant humidity and dry (cracked, bleeding, painful) lips! When we moved here I thought I would go crazy the first year or two and can't tell you how much lip balm I went through. Then I read several articles about how lib balm, when used excessively, can become "addictive" in that your lips become dependant upon it. They expect to be "fed" the moisturizer they need through the balm and basically shut down their own moisture production, actually making you need outside moisturizer more and more and more.
When I stopped using lip balm I was miserable for about a month with big cracks in my lips, then surprisingly they started clearing up and caught on to the fact that they were in charge of their own moistuization. In the past 8 years since then, I've only used lip balm a handfull of times, like when I've had a cold and had to breath through my mouth a lot. About twice a year I start feeling the over-dryness starting to come back and might even start to get a small crack. At that point I step up my water intake significantly and my lips soften and moisturize again within a week.
Sometimes if I feel I just must have some outside moisture, I'll also take a single drop of extra virgin olive oil (vitamin E oil would be great too) and rub that between my lips to get over an especially dry time. I just am careful that I only do that once in a very rare while and not get locked into the cycle of letting my lips get dependant upon the outside moisturization.
So my best advice is that if you can tough it out for a month or two, drink all the water you can, you may find that you don't even need moisturizer on your lips anymore. If that's not a route you want to go, we offer an Coconut Organic Lip Balm
at AMM. It wouldn't give you a break from every potential allergen, but it does have a much shorter ingredients list than some you may currently be using: Organic Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Organic Cera Alba (Beeswax), Organic Flavor, D-Alpha Tocopherol (Vitamin E), so that's another option to consider.
When I stopped using lip balm I was miserable for about a month with big cracks in my lips, then surprisingly they started clearing up and caught on to the fact that they were in charge of their own moistuization. In the past 8 years since then, I've only used lip balm a handfull of times, like when I've had a cold and had to breath through my mouth a lot. About twice a year I start feeling the over-dryness starting to come back and might even start to get a small crack. At that point I step up my water intake significantly and my lips soften and moisturize again within a week.
Sometimes if I feel I just must have some outside moisture, I'll also take a single drop of extra virgin olive oil (vitamin E oil would be great too) and rub that between my lips to get over an especially dry time. I just am careful that I only do that once in a very rare while and not get locked into the cycle of letting my lips get dependant upon the outside moisturization.
So my best advice is that if you can tough it out for a month or two, drink all the water you can, you may find that you don't even need moisturizer on your lips anymore. If that's not a route you want to go, we offer an Coconut Organic Lip Balm
Friday, September 5, 2008
Discount Code, Radio Interview, Beauty Forums
As we pray for protection for those potentially in the path of Ike (including the Affordable Mineral Makeup™ headquarters), take 10% off your Affordable Mineral Makeup™ order by putting the word "protection" in the coupon section at checkout.
Do you have questions about mineral makeup? Want to know anything from how to apply mineral makeup to questions on ingredients or what colors are comparable between other brands and Affordable Mineral Makeup™? Check out this new message board at http://www.AffordableMineralMakeup.com/forum.
Another forum I've been frequenting recently is www.GlowingDiva.com, an organic skin care forum with some really great tips. They offer monthly contests for forum members. This month they are offering a prize package including "Tight Curves," a soy-based protein drink made especially for women ($50 value) and 6 e-books including "My Anti-aging Beauty Secrets" for the best beauty tip (hair, skin, makeup, etc.) shared on the forum this month.
Most of my recent posting has been over on Harvesting Hope from Heartache™ in preparation for my involvement in next week's National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week blog radio conference. Would love to have you drop in for a listen on Tuesday the 9th at noon (Pacific)! After next week I should be able to put more focus into this blog again. :)
Do you have questions about mineral makeup? Want to know anything from how to apply mineral makeup to questions on ingredients or what colors are comparable between other brands and Affordable Mineral Makeup™? Check out this new message board at http://www.AffordableMineralMakeup.com/forum.
Another forum I've been frequenting recently is www.GlowingDiva.com, an organic skin care forum with some really great tips. They offer monthly contests for forum members. This month they are offering a prize package including "Tight Curves," a soy-based protein drink made especially for women ($50 value) and 6 e-books including "My Anti-aging Beauty Secrets" for the best beauty tip (hair, skin, makeup, etc.) shared on the forum this month.
Most of my recent posting has been over on Harvesting Hope from Heartache™ in preparation for my involvement in next week's National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week blog radio conference. Would love to have you drop in for a listen on Tuesday the 9th at noon (Pacific)! After next week I should be able to put more focus into this blog again. :)
Thursday, June 5, 2008
I've had a few reader questions recently that I want to answer for everyone.
Affordable Mineral Makeup™ is a powder makeup. If you prefer liquid, you can mix the powder with a little water when you are ready to apply.
Affordable Mineral Makeup™ contains only a few ingredients (except where specifically noted as in products such as mascara, where you will still find only the highest quality, healthy ingredients, just a few more of them). Each ingredient has its own special quality and purpose in the makeup:
~Titanium Dioxide has waterproof and SPF properties while providing a Matte look.
~Mica has some transparent properties and allows the makeup to go on smoothly.
~Iron Oxides give the makeup its pigment.
~Zinc Oxide is known for its healing properties in problem skin such as rosacea and acne. It has the ability to stay on even while sweating and swimming, as well as offers protection from the sun's harmful UV rays.
And here are some things that set us apart from other companies:
No Bismuth
No talc
No cornstarch or other fillers (Because we have no organic materials in our products, our minerals have no need of an “expiration date”.)
No chemicals
No parabens
No petroleum, oils or dyes
No preservatives
No fragrances
No lead, like in others lipsticks
No animal testing
No animal by products (other than humane removal of hair for natural bristle brushes)
FREE random shade makeup sample included with each order
Fast PRIORITY shipping
No required auto shipments
Superior customer service
Monthly customer and consultant contests
Affordable prices
Large variety of products
Eco Friendly company
Proud Signers of the Compact for Safe Cosmetics at www.safecosmetics.org
Please share YOUR questions about mineral makeup and I'll gladly answer them as well.
Affordable Mineral Makeup™ is a powder makeup. If you prefer liquid, you can mix the powder with a little water when you are ready to apply.
Affordable Mineral Makeup™ contains only a few ingredients (except where specifically noted as in products such as mascara, where you will still find only the highest quality, healthy ingredients, just a few more of them). Each ingredient has its own special quality and purpose in the makeup:
~Titanium Dioxide has waterproof and SPF properties while providing a Matte look.
~Mica has some transparent properties and allows the makeup to go on smoothly.
~Iron Oxides give the makeup its pigment.
~Zinc Oxide is known for its healing properties in problem skin such as rosacea and acne. It has the ability to stay on even while sweating and swimming, as well as offers protection from the sun's harmful UV rays.
And here are some things that set us apart from other companies:
No Bismuth
No talc
No cornstarch or other fillers (Because we have no organic materials in our products, our minerals have no need of an “expiration date”.)
No chemicals
No parabens
No petroleum, oils or dyes
No preservatives
No fragrances
No lead, like in others lipsticks
No animal testing
No animal by products (other than humane removal of hair for natural bristle brushes)
FREE random shade makeup sample included with each order
Fast PRIORITY shipping
No required auto shipments
Superior customer service
Monthly customer and consultant contests
Affordable prices
Large variety of products
Eco Friendly company
Proud Signers of the Compact for Safe Cosmetics at www.safecosmetics.org
Please share YOUR questions about mineral makeup and I'll gladly answer them as well.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Breaking out from makeup? Maybe it's your brush!
I know what it is like to respond to beauty products with skin sensitivities and allergic reactions. In fact, that's why I sought out mineral makeup in the first place, and why I stand behind a company with very careful limitations to our ingredients list. I had spent years trying to find a makeup I could wear without itchiness, breakouts or red, swollen eyes. It was so delighted to find that high quality brands (without additives and fillers) of mineral makeup not only prevented these reactions, but actually helped improve and heal my skin.
So imagine my surprise and frustration when, after successfully using mineral makeup for a while, I suddenly noticed some of my old problems starting to return! Was I developing an intolerance to these products as well? Very discouragd at the thought, I set out to research and experiment. Here is what I discovered:
Makeup brushes need to be washed regularly. If you are using your brushes on a daily basis, once a week is probably a good idea. Here's how:
- Find a gentle product (that you know that you are not allergic to!) like mild baby shampoo or, my personal favorite, a tea tree oil soap. Gently hand wash your brushes with just a drop or two of cleanser and running water. Continue to rinse until several seconds after your water runs absolutely clear. You may be amazed at how much product actually stores up inside your brush!
- Let your brush air dry by either hanging it upside down (without bristles touching anything) or lay it sideways at the edge of your sink so that bristles are totally surrounded by air. It is best NOT to stand your brush to dry as water can eventually loosen the glues that bind bristles to handle.
- You should find that a healthy habit of routinely washing your makeup brushes makes a huge difference in both the smoothness of your makeup application and the condition of your skin.
Taking proper care of cleanliness, yet still breaking out? Might you be allergic to your brush? While natural animal hair brushes such as sable, goat, pony are squirrel are generally preferred by professional makeup artist for their high quality, some of us are (or may become with regular usage) allergic to animals and their hair. I recently had to stop using my adorable and delightfully soft pink kabuki brush due to ongoing irritation.
Turns out there was absolutely no problem with my makeup at all, and the brush itself was wonderful, I just can’t tolerate goat hair! But I found a great alternative with the Kabuki Dior Synthetic brush, featuring top of the line taklon fibers that act and feel like natural hair. (Edited to add that since the original writing of this article this specific brush is no longer available, however we do offer other synthetic Kabuki brushes in our line.)
This 2” wide Kabuki Dior offers nearly 1 ¾” hair length (2 ¾” total length with ferrule). It is available in limited edition from www.InnerBeautyGirls.com by selecting the hot pink “Shop” link half way down the page, then choosing “Brushes and Accessories” from the product categories on the left.
So imagine my surprise and frustration when, after successfully using mineral makeup for a while, I suddenly noticed some of my old problems starting to return! Was I developing an intolerance to these products as well? Very discouragd at the thought, I set out to research and experiment. Here is what I discovered:
Makeup brushes need to be washed regularly. If you are using your brushes on a daily basis, once a week is probably a good idea. Here's how:
- Find a gentle product (that you know that you are not allergic to!) like mild baby shampoo or, my personal favorite, a tea tree oil soap. Gently hand wash your brushes with just a drop or two of cleanser and running water. Continue to rinse until several seconds after your water runs absolutely clear. You may be amazed at how much product actually stores up inside your brush!
- Let your brush air dry by either hanging it upside down (without bristles touching anything) or lay it sideways at the edge of your sink so that bristles are totally surrounded by air. It is best NOT to stand your brush to dry as water can eventually loosen the glues that bind bristles to handle.
- You should find that a healthy habit of routinely washing your makeup brushes makes a huge difference in both the smoothness of your makeup application and the condition of your skin.
Taking proper care of cleanliness, yet still breaking out? Might you be allergic to your brush? While natural animal hair brushes such as sable, goat, pony are squirrel are generally preferred by professional makeup artist for their high quality, some of us are (or may become with regular usage) allergic to animals and their hair. I recently had to stop using my adorable and delightfully soft pink kabuki brush due to ongoing irritation.
Turns out there was absolutely no problem with my makeup at all, and the brush itself was wonderful, I just can’t tolerate goat hair! But I found a great alternative with the Kabuki Dior Synthetic brush, featuring top of the line taklon fibers that act and feel like natural hair. (Edited to add that since the original writing of this article this specific brush is no longer available, however we do offer other synthetic Kabuki brushes in our line.)
This 2” wide Kabuki Dior offers nearly 1 ¾” hair length (2 ¾” total length with ferrule). It is available in limited edition from www.InnerBeautyGirls.com by selecting the hot pink “Shop” link half way down the page, then choosing “Brushes and Accessories” from the product categories on the left.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
How do I Choose the Right Color?
One of the most frequently asked questions I receive about mineral makeup is, "How do I choose the right products and colors?"
First of all, I would encourage you to read product descriptions. Tara at AMM has done a wonderful job of giving very accurate descriptions of products and detailed suggestions about skin colorings each of our product colors are designed to compliment.
My next suggestion is to always start with samples. Our samples are under $3 each and you can order several for the price of just one product elsewhere, so this is a great way to "test drive" several different products and color selections.
As an example of what colors you might want to consider for different skin types, here are a few self-descriptions submitted by real customers and the product suggestions they have been given:
Customer #1
"I am medium fair skinned, warm or neutral. I am mostly looking for foundation, to cover reddish tones, maybe to cover eye circles. I also think it may be nice to have some kind of highlighter instead of blush, to add some color, warmth. What shades do you recommend I start with?"
Foundation: try samples of #3, #7, Light Beige and Medium Beige - If
none of these shades seems "perfect" on first try, mix various combinations until you find just the right shade you are looking for.
For extra coverage for problem areas (as well as aid in oil absorption if this is an issue for you), you might want to try a Concealer applied directly to trouble spots, under your foundation.
Our Light Green corrects redness without looking green and is great for blotches, acne, rosacea, sunburn or any redness. Bisque hides blemishes, red areas, dark circles or any other problem area of your face.
Highlighter options would include our Illuminizers (Reflection might be just the kind of shade you are looking for), Bronzers (try Grand) or some of our Exclusive Multipurpose Mineral shades such as Cotton Candy Brown, Fall, Lust, Sequoia, Snow Storm or Wish - Just remember to use a very light hand. A little goes a LONG way and it is always better to go back for a second light application than to try to "undo" too much!
Also consider Opaque Veil for a beautiful finish.
Customer #2
"I have light olive skin. I don't get a lot of sun, so it isn't as dark as it used to be. It still has what I call that "green" tint to it. I usually end up using a medium to light shade of makeup. Any suggestions would be great. I need a foundation, mineral veil, and blush. I know I can trust you to be honest with me, and not try to sell me something I don't need."
For foundation I would think your be our Medium Beige, though you might consider samples of both #3 and #7 and possibly even #5. Each one has a pretty valid description posted with it (follow the "Shop Now" link half way down my page at www.InnerBeautyGirls.com) so you can read a bit more and see what you think of these specifically.
Blush is really up to your personal preference. Again the descriptions seem spot on as for how the colors act. You can also look at the Multipurpose shades as many of these make great blushes as well. If you can let me know if you prefer more pink or netral or brownish tones, I can give a couple of specific suggestions. :)
For Veil, even though it looks so strange, almost white, in the picture and even in person before you put it on, for ever single skin color I've tried it with, my actual favorite veil shade is opaque. I wouldn't have believed it until I tried it myself, but this one looks so much better even than a "matching" shade with everyone I've watched apply it! Since I haven't tried it on your skin, if you want to try a more matching shade as well, descriptions are posted by clicking on the "Mineral Veil Finishers" link to the left of my page.
Customer #3
"Very pale skin color, red pink - ugh! Makes me look ruddy! I burn like crazy in sun, big freckles... light tan, sick looking, need sand, bronze, kind of a wine color. Mauve is the color I used to use for blush and lipstick. Pinks and yellows make me look funny. I need concealer, foundation and a veil but i'm not sure where to start."
Start with the light green concealer to address redness. If you also want to cover the freckles, also try bisque.
For foundation, try our Light Beige or Medium Beigh next.
You could try either the tan or opaque veil (I tend to prefer opaque as a general rule).
Blush shades you might enjoy are Rose (it is a "wine" shade) or our Sweet Multipurpose. These can be used on both cheeks and lips. If you prefer a mauve, try Warm Mauve blush (can also be used for lips).
Customer #4
"I have alabaster ivory skin. Most foundations are either too yellow or too pink. I've purchased a lot of foundations that are the wrong color and am very hesitant to purchase products based on website pictures alone. I don't want to spend money trying a bunch of samples, I just want to order your $6.99 size and get started with the right color."
I am sorry you have had such a struggle finding a good shade of foundation. While I can appreciate your desire to jump right in and run with a full-sized product in the right shade, I am afraid you would simply run into the same frustrating wrong-shade issues once again. There are just too many shade variables from skin tone to skin tone to be able to make "blind" recommendations. You would never plan a wedding with the color "red" and expect to be able to order "red" items, sight-unseen, and have your bridesmaids dresses match your pew bows and candles wedding favors. "Red" is just to variable! Likewise, "ababaster ivory" is probably a great description for your skin shade, but it doesn't tell me everything I need to know to be able to make a perfect shade recomendation for you.
You know how it feels to find the wrong color over and over. I want you to love our products from the start by finding the shade that works perfectly for you, but I'm afraid this won't happen if you only give us one try. If you feel you absolutely must purchase a 5g sifter size from the start, I would encourage you to add a couple of other sample shades to your order as well. There are no hard and fast rules that say that you can only use products within one catagory for each purpose either. That way you have the best chance of finding out if there is a better match of if mixing shades together would work best for you! If you are willing to work with me long enough to find a shade that truly works for you, I would think you will be thrilled with the final outcome!
While I still stand by all I have already shared about the importance of sampling shades, you need a starting point to even begin sampling. Emma, one of our consultants who also describes herself as having alabaster skin, has found the following combination to work best for her coloring needs. Notice that her "foundation" comes from our "veil" line rather than from our foundations! "I use the Pink Veil as my foundation with my almost transparent skin tone. I have a pink undertone as opposed to a yellow undertone, but if I try to tan I turn yellow. It is such a soft, petal-like amount of pink that it blends my skin imperfections perfectly. Where I occasionally get a brighter pink blemish, I use the light green concealer to cover it, and it blends very nicely. I also love the Wish Exclusive Multimineral color as my "bronzer". Many people find this too pale, but it works great for me!"
Customer #5
"I am 62 years old and I have always loved wearing makeup, but am now concerned about the chemicals especially since I am allergic to many medications that are chemicals. I was a redhead (auburn) when I was young, but am rapidly turning gray. My mother was French, my dad German-Irish, so I had his red Irish hair mixed with the dark brown of my mother. My complexion is also a mixture of her olive complexion & his fair complexion so I am not totally olive skinned, but lean more towards those colors than the light ones. I also have some age spots that need to be concealed. A lot of makeups turn orange on me. I usually do well with beige & I like the pinkish brown blushes & lip colors. I look good in most colors except royal blue which makes me look ashen. I have bright green eyes. I usually don't wear eye shadow, but would if I could find something that doesn't make my eyes swell. What samples would you recommend that I try?"
Try medium or medium dark beige foundations as a starting place. Color/skin tone
description on the website are really good, so you might want to read a few other descriptions and see if there is another foundation color or two you want to try as well, to be sure you get the very best for your skin. I usually try matching color on the inside of my wrist and when I rub it into the skin and when I find a shade that does not show in the fine lines, that's my color! Sometimes you need to mix a couple of different shade together to get just the right combination.
For concealing, either our apricot or bisque consealer would probably work
best. Apricot works especially well with olive tones, but given that you aren't
"totally olive" you may want to sample the bisque as well. Again, it may be a
matter of mixing a couple of products to find your custom shade. If you have
any redness to hide, I would also encourage you to try the green - sounds crazy
but works really well on redness without giving your skin a green tint!
For a "pinkish brown" try our "Cotton Candy Brown" under "Exclusive
Multipurpose Minerals". I have lighter skin (wear our light beige) and also
like our Exclusive "Rosewood" shade but it isn't as brown and has maybe a deeper
shade to its pinkness. Between our blush line and our Exclusives line, we have
over 50 colors you can choose from, so have fun playing through the product
descriptions and photos and see what catches your fancy! I've also heard from others with skin tones close to your description that they like True and Warm Mauve Blushes. Our minerals are safe to use on lips as well. I either dip a wet lip brush in the powder and paint on, or put on a clear lip balm like our Moonlite Lip Glossy first and then apply a little powder with my finger.
I always finish my makeup application (or on a day I don't want to do anything
else I at least do this) with a Mineral Veil Finisher. While we do have a few
shades for you to try, my favorite on myself as well as every skin tone I have
worked with in person, has been our Opaque Veil. It's a little scary when you
first see it because it looks almost white and I was afraid it would be
clown-like, but using a very light hand, it just "melts" into your face and
gives you a soft glow without washing out color at all. For any of the full
face powders like the foundations and veils, application using a Kabuki style
brush gives the absolute best results, so if you are using a differnt kind of
brush, please know that you are not getting the most out of your makeup!
For your green eyes we offer several fantastic eyeliner pencils - would think
Gold or Cent would be especially pretty with your eyes, and possibly Amethyst as
well. If your eyes have any hazel/brown tones to their green, Chameleon from our Exclusive Multipurpose line across your eyelid and Intrigue (may be mixed with some Ebony if you desire) applied as eyeliner, should make your eyes pop beautifully! I don't wear much eye makeup myself (just a quick dusting of blush or bronzer across my lids usually), but to show you a few options I am borrowing an article about green eyes that was written by a fellow AMM consultant, Cherl. You may be especially interested in the "natural looking" tips half way down:
----
Using Amethyst (a bold purple shade) and a liner brush, line both the top and
bottom portions of the eye. To make the eye appear larger line only from the
center out on both portions. Leave the line thick and bold and dust with 14
Karat Gold or 24 Karat (Shimmering Minerals) on the upper lid.
Using Teal Shimmer (Shimmering Minerals) or Emerald (Exclusive Multipurpose
Minerals) and a liner brush, line the top and bottom lids with a very thin line.
Blend into a slightly thicker line with Charcoal Grey or Intrigue (both Multi
Purpose & Eye shadows) for a smoky effect, and use Pink Gem, Pink Shimmer, or
any peach/pink combination for eye shadow.
Using Harvest, Cinnamon Brown, or Cacao create a bold sweep of color on the top
lid. Smudge a much lighter, but complementary shadow under the eye and use as
the contour shade for the upper lid. Finish with a light, neutral shadow all
over (I suggest Bare or Cheers).
For Natural-Looking Beautiful Green Eyes
Subtle shadow and mascara draw attention to gorgeous green eyes. You don't
always have to go bold for green eyes to look incredible. You can also use eye
makeup to achieve a very natural look that makes your eyes stand out. Light
colors are typically more natural looking, so depending on your skin, hair, and
specific shade of green eyes, you may want to try peaches, pinks, tawny colors,
taupe’s, light coppers, matte golds, and subdued greens and lilacs for a
softer, sweeter, and more natural look.
A few other ways to get pretty green eyes without the made-up look:
Using your fingertip or q-tip, blend Bare or Cheers along the upper and lower
lash line. Curl lashes and finish with two coats of mascara one to two shades
darker than your natural lashes. This will give a lovely, very natural look that
still draws attention to your green eyes.
Dot a Penny (Shimmering Minerals) line along the upper eyelid and smudge gently
with your fingertip or eyeliner tool. Add a contour with a hint of green shadow,
highlight gently sweep a lighter, but complementary copper shade below the brow
bone. Use White ~ Matte on the inner part of the lower lid and teal shimmer or
Amethyst for brighter green eyes.
----
Wondering what colors you should try? If still in doubt, please feel free to ask! I hope to continue building this list with many more skin descriptions, so please feel free to reply with your coloring and help me build this resource! You may comment here or email me at innerbeauty AT affordablemineralmakeup DOT com (remove the spaces and repace AT with @ and DOT with .). If you have any trouble with that address (as a few have reported their emails bouncing) please try me at jennifer AT Saake DOT biz. I look forward to helping find just the right products to let YOUR inner beauty shine!
First of all, I would encourage you to read product descriptions. Tara at AMM has done a wonderful job of giving very accurate descriptions of products and detailed suggestions about skin colorings each of our product colors are designed to compliment.
My next suggestion is to always start with samples. Our samples are under $3 each and you can order several for the price of just one product elsewhere, so this is a great way to "test drive" several different products and color selections.
As an example of what colors you might want to consider for different skin types, here are a few self-descriptions submitted by real customers and the product suggestions they have been given:
Customer #1
"I am medium fair skinned, warm or neutral. I am mostly looking for foundation, to cover reddish tones, maybe to cover eye circles. I also think it may be nice to have some kind of highlighter instead of blush, to add some color, warmth. What shades do you recommend I start with?"
Foundation: try samples of #3, #7, Light Beige and Medium Beige - If
none of these shades seems "perfect" on first try, mix various combinations until you find just the right shade you are looking for.
For extra coverage for problem areas (as well as aid in oil absorption if this is an issue for you), you might want to try a Concealer applied directly to trouble spots, under your foundation.
Our Light Green corrects redness without looking green and is great for blotches, acne, rosacea, sunburn or any redness. Bisque hides blemishes, red areas, dark circles or any other problem area of your face.
Highlighter options would include our Illuminizers (Reflection might be just the kind of shade you are looking for), Bronzers (try Grand) or some of our Exclusive Multipurpose Mineral shades such as Cotton Candy Brown, Fall, Lust, Sequoia, Snow Storm or Wish - Just remember to use a very light hand. A little goes a LONG way and it is always better to go back for a second light application than to try to "undo" too much!
Also consider Opaque Veil for a beautiful finish.
Customer #2
"I have light olive skin. I don't get a lot of sun, so it isn't as dark as it used to be. It still has what I call that "green" tint to it. I usually end up using a medium to light shade of makeup. Any suggestions would be great. I need a foundation, mineral veil, and blush. I know I can trust you to be honest with me, and not try to sell me something I don't need."
For foundation I would think your be our Medium Beige, though you might consider samples of both #3 and #7 and possibly even #5. Each one has a pretty valid description posted with it (follow the "Shop Now" link half way down my page at www.InnerBeautyGirls.com) so you can read a bit more and see what you think of these specifically.
Blush is really up to your personal preference. Again the descriptions seem spot on as for how the colors act. You can also look at the Multipurpose shades as many of these make great blushes as well. If you can let me know if you prefer more pink or netral or brownish tones, I can give a couple of specific suggestions. :)
For Veil, even though it looks so strange, almost white, in the picture and even in person before you put it on, for ever single skin color I've tried it with, my actual favorite veil shade is opaque. I wouldn't have believed it until I tried it myself, but this one looks so much better even than a "matching" shade with everyone I've watched apply it! Since I haven't tried it on your skin, if you want to try a more matching shade as well, descriptions are posted by clicking on the "Mineral Veil Finishers" link to the left of my page.
Customer #3
"Very pale skin color, red pink - ugh! Makes me look ruddy! I burn like crazy in sun, big freckles... light tan, sick looking, need sand, bronze, kind of a wine color. Mauve is the color I used to use for blush and lipstick. Pinks and yellows make me look funny. I need concealer, foundation and a veil but i'm not sure where to start."
Start with the light green concealer to address redness. If you also want to cover the freckles, also try bisque.
For foundation, try our Light Beige or Medium Beigh next.
You could try either the tan or opaque veil (I tend to prefer opaque as a general rule).
Blush shades you might enjoy are Rose (it is a "wine" shade) or our Sweet Multipurpose. These can be used on both cheeks and lips. If you prefer a mauve, try Warm Mauve blush (can also be used for lips).
Customer #4
"I have alabaster ivory skin. Most foundations are either too yellow or too pink. I've purchased a lot of foundations that are the wrong color and am very hesitant to purchase products based on website pictures alone. I don't want to spend money trying a bunch of samples, I just want to order your $6.99 size and get started with the right color."
I am sorry you have had such a struggle finding a good shade of foundation. While I can appreciate your desire to jump right in and run with a full-sized product in the right shade, I am afraid you would simply run into the same frustrating wrong-shade issues once again. There are just too many shade variables from skin tone to skin tone to be able to make "blind" recommendations. You would never plan a wedding with the color "red" and expect to be able to order "red" items, sight-unseen, and have your bridesmaids dresses match your pew bows and candles wedding favors. "Red" is just to variable! Likewise, "ababaster ivory" is probably a great description for your skin shade, but it doesn't tell me everything I need to know to be able to make a perfect shade recomendation for you.
You know how it feels to find the wrong color over and over. I want you to love our products from the start by finding the shade that works perfectly for you, but I'm afraid this won't happen if you only give us one try. If you feel you absolutely must purchase a 5g sifter size from the start, I would encourage you to add a couple of other sample shades to your order as well. There are no hard and fast rules that say that you can only use products within one catagory for each purpose either. That way you have the best chance of finding out if there is a better match of if mixing shades together would work best for you! If you are willing to work with me long enough to find a shade that truly works for you, I would think you will be thrilled with the final outcome!
While I still stand by all I have already shared about the importance of sampling shades, you need a starting point to even begin sampling. Emma, one of our consultants who also describes herself as having alabaster skin, has found the following combination to work best for her coloring needs. Notice that her "foundation" comes from our "veil" line rather than from our foundations! "I use the Pink Veil as my foundation with my almost transparent skin tone. I have a pink undertone as opposed to a yellow undertone, but if I try to tan I turn yellow. It is such a soft, petal-like amount of pink that it blends my skin imperfections perfectly. Where I occasionally get a brighter pink blemish, I use the light green concealer to cover it, and it blends very nicely. I also love the Wish Exclusive Multimineral color as my "bronzer". Many people find this too pale, but it works great for me!"
Customer #5
"I am 62 years old and I have always loved wearing makeup, but am now concerned about the chemicals especially since I am allergic to many medications that are chemicals. I was a redhead (auburn) when I was young, but am rapidly turning gray. My mother was French, my dad German-Irish, so I had his red Irish hair mixed with the dark brown of my mother. My complexion is also a mixture of her olive complexion & his fair complexion so I am not totally olive skinned, but lean more towards those colors than the light ones. I also have some age spots that need to be concealed. A lot of makeups turn orange on me. I usually do well with beige & I like the pinkish brown blushes & lip colors. I look good in most colors except royal blue which makes me look ashen. I have bright green eyes. I usually don't wear eye shadow, but would if I could find something that doesn't make my eyes swell. What samples would you recommend that I try?"
Try medium or medium dark beige foundations as a starting place. Color/skin tone
description on the website are really good, so you might want to read a few other descriptions and see if there is another foundation color or two you want to try as well, to be sure you get the very best for your skin. I usually try matching color on the inside of my wrist and when I rub it into the skin and when I find a shade that does not show in the fine lines, that's my color! Sometimes you need to mix a couple of different shade together to get just the right combination.
For concealing, either our apricot or bisque consealer would probably work
best. Apricot works especially well with olive tones, but given that you aren't
"totally olive" you may want to sample the bisque as well. Again, it may be a
matter of mixing a couple of products to find your custom shade. If you have
any redness to hide, I would also encourage you to try the green - sounds crazy
but works really well on redness without giving your skin a green tint!
For a "pinkish brown" try our "Cotton Candy Brown" under "Exclusive
Multipurpose Minerals". I have lighter skin (wear our light beige) and also
like our Exclusive "Rosewood" shade but it isn't as brown and has maybe a deeper
shade to its pinkness. Between our blush line and our Exclusives line, we have
over 50 colors you can choose from, so have fun playing through the product
descriptions and photos and see what catches your fancy! I've also heard from others with skin tones close to your description that they like True and Warm Mauve Blushes. Our minerals are safe to use on lips as well. I either dip a wet lip brush in the powder and paint on, or put on a clear lip balm like our Moonlite Lip Glossy first and then apply a little powder with my finger.
I always finish my makeup application (or on a day I don't want to do anything
else I at least do this) with a Mineral Veil Finisher. While we do have a few
shades for you to try, my favorite on myself as well as every skin tone I have
worked with in person, has been our Opaque Veil. It's a little scary when you
first see it because it looks almost white and I was afraid it would be
clown-like, but using a very light hand, it just "melts" into your face and
gives you a soft glow without washing out color at all. For any of the full
face powders like the foundations and veils, application using a Kabuki style
brush gives the absolute best results, so if you are using a differnt kind of
brush, please know that you are not getting the most out of your makeup!
For your green eyes we offer several fantastic eyeliner pencils - would think
Gold or Cent would be especially pretty with your eyes, and possibly Amethyst as
well. If your eyes have any hazel/brown tones to their green, Chameleon from our Exclusive Multipurpose line across your eyelid and Intrigue (may be mixed with some Ebony if you desire) applied as eyeliner, should make your eyes pop beautifully! I don't wear much eye makeup myself (just a quick dusting of blush or bronzer across my lids usually), but to show you a few options I am borrowing an article about green eyes that was written by a fellow AMM consultant, Cherl. You may be especially interested in the "natural looking" tips half way down:
----
Using Amethyst (a bold purple shade) and a liner brush, line both the top and
bottom portions of the eye. To make the eye appear larger line only from the
center out on both portions. Leave the line thick and bold and dust with 14
Karat Gold or 24 Karat (Shimmering Minerals) on the upper lid.
Using Teal Shimmer (Shimmering Minerals) or Emerald (Exclusive Multipurpose
Minerals) and a liner brush, line the top and bottom lids with a very thin line.
Blend into a slightly thicker line with Charcoal Grey or Intrigue (both Multi
Purpose & Eye shadows) for a smoky effect, and use Pink Gem, Pink Shimmer, or
any peach/pink combination for eye shadow.
Using Harvest, Cinnamon Brown, or Cacao create a bold sweep of color on the top
lid. Smudge a much lighter, but complementary shadow under the eye and use as
the contour shade for the upper lid. Finish with a light, neutral shadow all
over (I suggest Bare or Cheers).
For Natural-Looking Beautiful Green Eyes
Subtle shadow and mascara draw attention to gorgeous green eyes. You don't
always have to go bold for green eyes to look incredible. You can also use eye
makeup to achieve a very natural look that makes your eyes stand out. Light
colors are typically more natural looking, so depending on your skin, hair, and
specific shade of green eyes, you may want to try peaches, pinks, tawny colors,
taupe’s, light coppers, matte golds, and subdued greens and lilacs for a
softer, sweeter, and more natural look.
A few other ways to get pretty green eyes without the made-up look:
Using your fingertip or q-tip, blend Bare or Cheers along the upper and lower
lash line. Curl lashes and finish with two coats of mascara one to two shades
darker than your natural lashes. This will give a lovely, very natural look that
still draws attention to your green eyes.
Dot a Penny (Shimmering Minerals) line along the upper eyelid and smudge gently
with your fingertip or eyeliner tool. Add a contour with a hint of green shadow,
highlight gently sweep a lighter, but complementary copper shade below the brow
bone. Use White ~ Matte on the inner part of the lower lid and teal shimmer or
Amethyst for brighter green eyes.
----
Wondering what colors you should try? If still in doubt, please feel free to ask! I hope to continue building this list with many more skin descriptions, so please feel free to reply with your coloring and help me build this resource! You may comment here or email me at innerbeauty AT affordablemineralmakeup DOT com (remove the spaces and repace AT with @ and DOT with .). If you have any trouble with that address (as a few have reported their emails bouncing) please try me at jennifer AT Saake DOT biz. I look forward to helping find just the right products to let YOUR inner beauty shine!
Friday, December 28, 2007
How to Apply Mineral Makeup
I pray that you enjoyed a delightful celebration of our Savior's birthday this week. How blessed we are!
If you are looking to purchase Affordable Minearl Makeup with Christmas gift money, please put the word thankyoumuch in the coupon section at checkout and it'll deduct 15% from your order from my website. (Valid from now through 12/31/07)
For anyone who is new to mineral makeup (maybe you found your first set hidden under your Christmas tree) here is a brief explanation of how to apply this unique beauty treat. :)
Applying Affordable Mineral Makeup:
If your container has shrink wrap on it, tap on lid before opening to get minerals down so when you open jar they don't go everywhere. If it has a seal over sifter section, remove this first otherwise minerals will not come out.
NOTE: Brushes may shed during usage, this is normal and will stop after some usage.
Place the bristles of your brush against the holes in the top of the shaker jar and invert the jar, adding minerals to your brush. Revert the jar to its upright position and remove the brush from the holes, tap the brush against a hard surface to nestle the minerals within the brush head. Or tap a small amount of minerals into the jar’s lid and swirl the brush into it, then tap the end of the brush onto the hard surface to embed the minerals.
To apply the minerals, start at the hairline and swirl onto your face in downward motions over your cheekbones and towards the nose. Start with a little and use more as needed, a little goes a long way so don't go crazy with the minerals.
Blemishes are a snap to hide, using a concealer brush, apply a small amount directly to the area and blend well.
Minerals can be used dry or wet.
If you're used to your liquid foundation and just can't give it up you can use affordable mineral makeup. Just add a few drops of water to the foundation in the lid of the sifter jar and mix until you've reached your desired consistency. You can apply with either a sponge or brush. Then apply the same way as mentioned above.
If you have dry or 'older' skin, try misting it before applying foundation and apply in downward motion. Then when the foundation is dry complete applying your blush, multipurpose, eyeshadow, veil.
Additionally if you want to set the makeup, mist your face to set it when completed.
If your foundation appears pasty, here are a few possibilities:
1. The brush.
The wrong brush can really make a difference in mineral makeup and not having the right kind will not give you proper application nor satisfaction with the products! Only Kabuki style brushes will give you the look you are trying for. Our kabukis are soft and well-made, applying the minerals with a light touch that looks and feels natural.
2. Too much product on the brush:
Mineral makeup is concentrated color, a little can go a long way so start slowly and work your way to perfect in layers, only using it where its needed.
3. The wrong shade:
Caught between a pink and a yellow? Minerals make it easy to blend shades to create your perfect skin tone, remember to blend well down your neck!
Mineral Veil Powders:
If you wear:
1, 3 or 7, choose the Petal Mineral Veil to complement your soft glow. If you find it too rosy, balance with a more yellow shade such as Angel.
If you wear:
10 then Tawny, the medium yellow setting powder would be the best choice.
Multi-Purpose Mineral Powders:
Note: blue and green shades are regulated to only be used on the eye area.
Create your own eye shadows using minerals by applying with an eye shadow brush! To use as a liner, wet a eye liner brush with water and dip into a multi-purpose mineral, blending the proper shade on the back of your hand. Then apply under and over your lashes for a dramatic look.
Use as a blush! Apply sparingly along the apples of your cheeks for a natural glow.
Lip Color: Simply dip your lip brush into clear lip gloss and dab into the mineral pot and apply for fabulous, one-of-a-kind shades.
Nail Polish: Because our pigment contains no dye, you do not need to apply a base coat. Simply use clear nail polish and dip the brush into the desired color and paint onto nails. For a darker color, use more powder. You can also mix our pigments into colored nail polish to change its tint.
Body Shimmer/Highlighter: dab our shimmers onto your cheekbones, shoulders, etc to give an extra shine.
------------------
I am an independant consutant of Affordable Minearl Makeup. This article is copyrighted and belongs to Affordable Minearl Makeup. This article is not to be reproduced and is the sole property of Affordable Minearl Makeup.
If you are looking to purchase Affordable Minearl Makeup with Christmas gift money, please put the word thankyoumuch in the coupon section at checkout and it'll deduct 15% from your order from my website. (Valid from now through 12/31/07)
For anyone who is new to mineral makeup (maybe you found your first set hidden under your Christmas tree) here is a brief explanation of how to apply this unique beauty treat. :)
Applying Affordable Mineral Makeup:
If your container has shrink wrap on it, tap on lid before opening to get minerals down so when you open jar they don't go everywhere. If it has a seal over sifter section, remove this first otherwise minerals will not come out.
NOTE: Brushes may shed during usage, this is normal and will stop after some usage.
Place the bristles of your brush against the holes in the top of the shaker jar and invert the jar, adding minerals to your brush. Revert the jar to its upright position and remove the brush from the holes, tap the brush against a hard surface to nestle the minerals within the brush head. Or tap a small amount of minerals into the jar’s lid and swirl the brush into it, then tap the end of the brush onto the hard surface to embed the minerals.
To apply the minerals, start at the hairline and swirl onto your face in downward motions over your cheekbones and towards the nose. Start with a little and use more as needed, a little goes a long way so don't go crazy with the minerals.
Blemishes are a snap to hide, using a concealer brush, apply a small amount directly to the area and blend well.
Minerals can be used dry or wet.
If you're used to your liquid foundation and just can't give it up you can use affordable mineral makeup. Just add a few drops of water to the foundation in the lid of the sifter jar and mix until you've reached your desired consistency. You can apply with either a sponge or brush. Then apply the same way as mentioned above.
If you have dry or 'older' skin, try misting it before applying foundation and apply in downward motion. Then when the foundation is dry complete applying your blush, multipurpose, eyeshadow, veil.
Additionally if you want to set the makeup, mist your face to set it when completed.
If your foundation appears pasty, here are a few possibilities:
1. The brush.
The wrong brush can really make a difference in mineral makeup and not having the right kind will not give you proper application nor satisfaction with the products! Only Kabuki style brushes will give you the look you are trying for. Our kabukis are soft and well-made, applying the minerals with a light touch that looks and feels natural.
2. Too much product on the brush:
Mineral makeup is concentrated color, a little can go a long way so start slowly and work your way to perfect in layers, only using it where its needed.
3. The wrong shade:
Caught between a pink and a yellow? Minerals make it easy to blend shades to create your perfect skin tone, remember to blend well down your neck!
Mineral Veil Powders:
If you wear:
1, 3 or 7, choose the Petal Mineral Veil to complement your soft glow. If you find it too rosy, balance with a more yellow shade such as Angel.
If you wear:
10 then Tawny, the medium yellow setting powder would be the best choice.
Multi-Purpose Mineral Powders:
Note: blue and green shades are regulated to only be used on the eye area.
Create your own eye shadows using minerals by applying with an eye shadow brush! To use as a liner, wet a eye liner brush with water and dip into a multi-purpose mineral, blending the proper shade on the back of your hand. Then apply under and over your lashes for a dramatic look.
Use as a blush! Apply sparingly along the apples of your cheeks for a natural glow.
Lip Color: Simply dip your lip brush into clear lip gloss and dab into the mineral pot and apply for fabulous, one-of-a-kind shades.
Nail Polish: Because our pigment contains no dye, you do not need to apply a base coat. Simply use clear nail polish and dip the brush into the desired color and paint onto nails. For a darker color, use more powder. You can also mix our pigments into colored nail polish to change its tint.
Body Shimmer/Highlighter: dab our shimmers onto your cheekbones, shoulders, etc to give an extra shine.
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I am an independant consutant of Affordable Minearl Makeup. This article is copyrighted and belongs to Affordable Minearl Makeup. This article is not to be reproduced and is the sole property of Affordable Minearl Makeup.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
No Detail Brush? Grab a Q-tip!
Need a fine detail brush for things like eyeliner appliation? Simply wet a Q-tip, twist to fine point, and use in place of a brush. This disposable tool is a healthy alternative to help avoid cross-contamination to the eye area that is so easily prone to infection.
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