Review: Mineral Makeup (Foundation)

I received a request this week about a specific brand of mineral makeup (MMU). For this entry, I’d like to discuss mineral makeup in general, as well as review certain brands I’ve tried and tested :)

Mineral makeup is so-called because it is made from pure, finely ground minerals, so it provides a higher amount of pigment than most other makeup. “Regular” makeup actually uses the same mineral pigment base to give foundations, concealers, eyeshadows, lipsticks and liners their hue. What makes mineral makeup different (at least the loose powder kind) is that it contains no binding agents or additional chemicals such as fragrance. It also has a natural form of sun protection which comes from the characteristics of the minerals themselves.


MMU is marketed as a good makeup alternative for those who are into natural/organic products, with as little ingredients as possible. It is also great for those with sensitive or acne-prone skin, because of the lack of any irritants. If you happen to be particular about the use of talc in makeup, be sure to read labels, because talc is also a mineral and is used in some MMU’s.

COLOR

The pigment of mineral makeup comes from the combination of different ground minerals, which are mixed in order to create the desired shade. It is the same base used to color regular makeup, but in a purer and more concentrated version. That’s why coverage (in the case of foundations) is highly buildable, from light to heavy, depending on how many layers you apply.

TEXTURE
I find the loose powder to be very very very very very very fine! I was even surprised to find that an accidental movement would get little dust clouds from the container.

When newly applied, your skin texture appears finer and more even (especially if you distributed it well when buffing). Color is very subtle, so it gives a sort of glow to the skin. Most mineral makeup have a shimmery quality to them, which adds to the glow. However, if you tend to get oily (like me!), shop around for mixes that have less of the shimmery stuff (see below, “Reviews of Brands I’ve tried” for more info!)

A few hours after application, the makeup will melt into your skin even more and blend with your natural oils. All you’ll need is an oil blotter, and your skin will still look gorgeous :) After I started using MMU, I really cut my habit of retouching down to zero :)

LIFE EXPECTANCY

Since it is made from minerals, it literally does not go rancid! Although, some brands do have a certain timeline they put on their packaging, so read carefully. But expect your powders to last for a long time.

PRICE RANGE

MMU is definitely more expensive than regular makeup, because of the concentration of pure pigments. However, the price you pay generally gets evened out by how little you use. My little container of about 0.05g lasted a little more than a month (that’s a trial size, btw). Some brands will be more expensive than others, but price is not always an indication of quality (see below, “Reviews of Brands I’ve tried” for more info!) If you buy from certain stores, you pay for it in grams, so choosing MMU can be flexible for your budget.

APPLICATION
 
A “special” approach is necessary for the application of mineral makeup. The best applicator you can use is a kabuki brush (don’t even think about sponges, puffs, or hands!). At the very least, invest in a good face/blush brush that is really fluffy and not synthetic. Whatever brush you use, it needs to be firm but very soft and fine to the touch. Firm, because it should apply enough pressure evenly to blend the minerals into your skin. (Kabuki brushes are targeted for mineral use, so might as well get one :D)

For minerals, LESS is MORE.

1. Start by shaking or tapping the container so that a bit of the powder falls through the sifter into the lid. For my entire face (for one layer) I use about half a pinch (if that is a measurement at all! Hahaha)
2. Take your brush, and lightly TAP it on the lid to pick up the fine powders. Be gentle, otherwise little puffs of mineral dust float up and be wasted.
3. Next, you’ll want to SWIRL the brush along the lid, so the the minerals get deposited evenly into the brush. Again, do it gently, so as not to ruin the brush and/or deposit the minerals too deeply.
4. Finally, apply it to your face! You have to BUFF it onto your face, so that the minerals get warmed up and ‘melt’ into your skin seamlessly. This takes quite a while, but patience is a virtue :) Move the brush in small and big circles lightly, going all around your face until it looks and feels blended enough.
5. Depending on your desired coverage, REPEAT. Don’t try to use a thick layer for more coverage. It doesn’t work that way. Use several light layers, and you’ll be amazed at how naturally even your complexion will be.

So, remember, TAP, SWIRL, BUFF and REPEAT :)

This process takes a lot of time for newbies, but when you get used to it (like I did), you’ll be able to buff it onto your skin much faster, you wont even have to think about the steps.

SKINCARE

I have very oily skin that tends to breakout easily, so I was surprised when my skin texture improved after consistently using MMU for a week or two! :) I guess it got used to having so much random stuff applied (from previous foundations) that it never got to recover. After mineral foundie, my skin seemed to “reset” and looked so much better. 


REVIEWS ON BRANDS I’VE TRIED

Maybelline
 I found it to be the most matte out of all that I’ve tried so far, which makes me think that they have a little bit of mattifying fillers in their recipe. It was also the one that looked more like face powder than the others. Slightly more coverage. The brush that goes along with it is small and slightly rougher than good kabuki brushes, but you can always use your own brush at home. This little brush is more for putting in your purse, etc.

Avon
This had a bit of shimmer, which isn’t really a good choice for my oily skin. But I’d recommend it for those with dull and NOT oily skin who need a bit of a glow. Slightly cheaper than most other brands, but still in the mid-range. Built in brush on the lid makes it efficient (no need to keep a separate brush) but the brush tends to spread out after a while. The container might also be hard to store in transit, because of its shape and size, but that depends on your preference, of course. (I like having small travel-sized stuff, so I transfer my MMU into the small trial size containers).

Covergirl
I didn’t really like the mix of this brand, because of the shimmer it had. I think they had a separate matte line, but I still found it too shimmery.. It makes for a great mineral bronzer though. I’d say it is pretty cheap because the container has a lot for its price. Also has a built in brush for convenience. The packaging is nice and travel-friendly. If you like the slightly shimmery effect, I’d recommend this.

Milea/All Organics        (visit their site)
This is a local brand and the first MMU I ever tried. They have kiosks in different malls. I saw them first in a bazaar in Eastwood, and when my boyfriend saw me going crazy about them, he actually bought me foundation, blush and brush, all of which cost under 300 apiece. I loved it! Their blush is fantastic and it lasts for so long (I bought it Christmas 2009, and I haven’t even used half haha). Their foundation is relatively matte so it looked good on my oily skin. The formula seems a bit more powdery, so I’m guessing it has more fillers than more expensive mineral makeup, but I still liked it! I stopped using it after the first container, because they didn’t yet have a color that perfectly matched my weird in-between skin. BUT the formula is great, and also cheap. If I find out that they have a color for me, I will definitely get more.

Luminare       (visit their site)
I discovered this brand in a wellness shop in Greenhills and got hooked because they had a color that matched me perfectly! It costs 120 PHP for 0.05g and that lasted me for about one and a half months of daily use. Only downside is that I can’t find any other store that carries the line. You can purchase online, of course (I don’t though! Haha). This formula is also slightly matte but has more “true” color than the others I’ve tried. It is the one I am currently using and I bring it wherever I go haha. I also have their Matte Mineral Veil, which is a non-pigmented mix that just mattifies when needed. Suffice it to say, I love this brand and recommend it because of their higher number of colors for foundation.