Salvaging pulverized eye shadow

In my previous post, I mentioned that my NYX eye shadow in Golden Bronze was completely pulverized. I then transferred the eye shadow to an empty sifter jar.

Bella Mineral Shimmer Powder Nine Stack from BellaPierre
$90 list price for this set! Read what I wrote in my article on BellaPierre about bogus pricing.

Here's where the fun began: I decided to mix my own color. I added a little gold powder (second row, right - the image does not accurately represent the shade) from the Bella stack of shimmer colors by BellaPierre to the pulverized NYX eye shadow. I then added a touch of black (bottom row, center) to the mix. The result? A shadow worthy of the unrefined rocks and crystals that were the inspiration of Dick Page's Rich Rocks holiday 2009 collection for Shiseido.

Unfortunately, I forgot my own advice to place a sheet of wax paper underneath the loose powder: it spilled onto the countertop and even onto the carpet.

How to apply loose mineral powders with Beautyblender

I've found Beautyblender, that pink egg-shaped sponge, indispensable for blending liquid and cream makeup. I rely on it to blend concealer.

But applying loose mineral powders with Beautyblender? That's a new one to me. Koren Zander of EnKoreMakeup shows you how in the following video. Be prepared - the video runs 15 minutes.



I tried Koren's method, which resulted in weightless yet complete coverage and a matte finish that lasted all day. No need to use blotting papers!

You may find Beautyblender at Amazon.com and Sephora.com, among other outlets.

Vivesana organic sun care

Vivesana Suncare

Vivesana calls itself "the planet's first 100% natural, 70% organic high performance and baby sunscreen." It seeks to blend safe, sustainable ingredients with style.

Vivesana provides:

* the first 70% organic baby and high performance sun care on the market.
* the first 100% natural sun care with strong protection SPF (40 & 42)
* the first sun care - as far as it knows - to use exclusively US-grown organics and domestic, sustainable, BPA-free packaging.

Its products include Solar to Polar Baby and Solar to Polar Ultra sunscreens.

It's no surprise that the active ingredients in Vivesana sun care were titanium dioxide and zinc oxide minerals, both barrier sunscreens. Plant oils and extracts are "carrier" ingredients.

Be prepared: Vivesana sunscreens are as thick as ointment. Its sunscreens are packaged in metal squeeze tubes, which are less common, as companies move to plastic squeeze tubes.

Some might not like the thick consistency and the white cover that Vivesana provides. However, for those people who have sensitive skin and/or who want an organic, natural product that performs and has style, then Vivesana is a very good choice.

Femme Couture at Sally Beauty Supply

I went to Sally Beauty Supply to shop for plastic cosmetic spatulas (the type packaged with Jolen Creme Bleach), and discovered Femme Couture, a color cosmetics line sold exclusively through Sally Beauty Supply stores and sallybeauty.com.


Femme Couture Mineral Effect Blush in Tuscan Rose

The best of Femme Couture is its Mineral Effects Blush, which comes in six different shades: three for lighter complexions and three for darker complexions. The three blushes for darker complexions - Tuscan Rose, Canyon Earth, and French Roast (a deep, deep red brown) are especially beautiful.


Femme Couture Flawless Touch Undereye Concealer

Also recommended is Femme Couture's Flawless Touch Undereye Concealer, a creamy, easy to blend stick concealer with an inner core that's claimed to minimize the appearance of under eye circles.

So-so is Femme Couture's Ultra Hydrating Lip Color: I would have liked more pigment. Pass up on its oil-free Eye Makeup Remover, a gooey mess which does a poor job of removing eye makeup.

You can get discounts on Femme Couture and other products sold through Sally Beauty Supply by purchasing a membership card. The $5.00 annual fee quickly pays for itself.

Sally's e-newsletters has news about specials. Sally also has a presence on Facebook. To subscribe, visit the home page of Sally Beauty Supply and scroll down to the bottom of the page. You'll find the links to the left.

Best Mineral Makeup

My article on Mineral Madness elicited unusual response from readers of this blog (see More Mineral Madness).  Nonetheless, it appears that, from my stats, people are interested in finding the best mineral makeup:

Readers' Choice: Top 18 Mineral Makeup Products

These reviews tell which foundations and powders are best in their class

From powders to liquids, these mineral makeup formulas were voted most impressive (and least irritating) by TotalBeauty.com users. Find the perfect match for your skin -- and your budget. See products

No. 18: Joppa Minerals Morning Dew Foundation, $16

TotalBeauty.com average member rating: 8.2*

Why it's great: "It doesn't make me itch and it stays in place all day long..."

No. 17: Mary Kay Mineral Powder Foundation, $18

TotalBeauty.com average member rating: 8.2*

Why it's great: "It is easy to apply, it blends in with my skin, it stays all day, and it looks natural..."

No. 16: Arbonne About Face Mineral Powder Foundation, $34

TotalBeauty.com average member rating: 8.2*

Why it's great: "I have some issues with acne scars and this covers [them] right up. There's a good selection of colors as well so you're sure to find your color..."

Want to see what's #1? Click here!

You'll be surprised!

Just Desserts

Over the time I've maintained this blog, I've made sardonic comments about Leslie Blodgett's aggressive marketing of Bare Escentuals. Still, I'm fond of the limited edition collection Sweet Decadence from Bare Escentuals.


Sweet Decadence limited edition collection from Bare Escentuals

Each of the four shades have evocative names:

Dulce de Leche (pink beige glimpse)
Tiramisu (medium shimmering taupe glimpse)
Red Velvet Cake (medium polished ruby glimpse)
Chocolate Fondue (dark chocolate bark glimpse)

I love using Dulce de Leche as a highlighter, Chocolate Fondue as an eyeliner, and Tiramisu or Red Velvet Cake in the crease. Red Velvet Cake would make a pretty lip color when mixed with a waxy lip balm.

The eye colors do have some sparkle, which was particularly apparent in sunlight reflected in the rear view mirror.

To find the Sweet Decadence collection, I had to go from the Bare Escentuals boutique in Nordstrom to the Bare Escentuals stand-alone boutique to Sephora, which was the only store that had it in stock. Save yourself the effort and shop online at barescentuals.com or Sephora.com.

Christopher Drummond Beauty

Makeup artist Christopher Drummond began his eponymous line with SAÚDE PELE Radiance Booster. SAÚDE PELE (which means "Healthy Skin" in Portuguese) is a soft gold loose powder which can be used to highlight the cheekbones, brighten the inner corners of the eyes (my favorite use), or as an all-over luminizer. Christopher is a purist when it comes to cosmetics, and he formulated SAÚDE PELE with only organic and vegan ingredients.

Christopher has brought that same ethos to his new products Veludo Velvet Foundation and Finale Finishing Powder. He has also introduced a cream concealer. Veludo Velvet Foundation is a loose powder makeup that comes in six skintone true shades, from Luz/Light (lightest) to Marron/Brown (deepest). It is infused with botanicals such as açai and green tea. Finale Finishing Powder comes in two shades: Neutro/Neutral and Amarelo/Yellow. Christopher recommends Neutro/Neutral for Caucasian skin and Amarelo/Yellow for ethnic skin tones, but I see no reason why Caucasian skin shouldn't use Amarelo/Yellow.

Before writing this review, I tested Veludo/Velvet Foundation in Justo/Fair and Finale Finishing Powder in Neutro/Neutral for a week. I used the kabuki brush from the Bare Escentuals Get Started kit to apply the Veludo Velvet Foundation and the powder brush from the same kit to apply Finale Finishing Powder. I cleaned the brushes thoroughly beforehand to make sure that the shades were true. Here are a few things I've learned to make loose powder makeup work:

- Prepped skin is a must! Apply a moisturizer or primer before applying loose powder.

- Powder makeup is usually not enough to cover redness, despite what you see in those fake before-and-afters from Bare Escentuals. I use liquid or cream makup to cover redness on the cheekbone.

- If you use cream or gel blush, apply these before you apply loose powder makeup. Flawless even toned bare skin is a must! Otherwise, apply a pressed or loose powder blush after you apply loose powder makeup. Given the redness in my skin, I use powder blush to take advantage of the light-diffusing characteristics of loose powder foundation.

SAÚDE PELE, Veludo Velvet Foundation, and Finale Finishing Powder are great for a sheer, soft-focused look. I also recommend these products to those who find ingredients such as parabens and bismuth oxychloride (which is used in Bare Escentuals) problematic and want organic and vegan ingredients. Christopher's products, as a rule, do not contain these ingredients.

LaurEss Neutralize Mineral Corrector

I've been experimenting with powder concealers as an alternative to cream or stick concealers.

This lurid yellow-green loose powder corrector covers red and purplish areas, especially around the eye. It's very opaque, so tap off the excess on your lay-down concealer brush and use a light hand.

You may shop for LaurEss Neutralize Mineral Corrector through LaurEss or Time for Me.

Illuminare

After Ruthie Malloy of Illuminare Cosmetics wrote to me concerning my article on Mineral Madness, I was curious to try her products. I sent off for the 3 Foundation Formulas in 3 Middle Shades - Introductory Pack of 9, All Day Eye Color Trial Kit, and the Fast Application Pad.



Top: 3 Foundation Formulas in 3 Middle Shades - Introductory Pack of 9
Bottom: All Day Eye Color Trial Kit

Illuminare is described as 'liquid mineral makeup." The selling point is that these products are rated SPF 21. The sunscreen is provided by minerals such as titanium oxide and zinc oxide that provide a physical barrier to solar rays.

Actually, the consistency is thicker than liquid - it's more like cream. Illuminare is certainly the most opaque makeup that I've ever used, but that's the point, as it provides a physical sunscreen. It will take me time to get used to the coverage. I used the Portofino Porcelain shade for my light complexion, applying it with the flocked Fast Application Pad.

I found the Latte eye color shade too light for me, but Cafe Latte was great as an eye shadow base. Precision is needed to use the middle shades in the crease - you'll want to use brushes here. I found the middle shades too dark for the crease. One can mix these shades with Latte, Perla Blanca, or Perla Rossa to lighten them. Nonetheless, I wish that Illuminare would create shade variations between Cafe Latte and the middle shades for the crease.

My favorite Illuminare eye color is Espresso, as it's the sort of brown-black I like for creating the smoky eye look; moreover, it creates a thick line. I'll be a repeat customer for this one.

More mineral madness

When I went to Target last week, I was surprised to see Bare Escentuals kits at the end of the aisle. I shouldn't have been surprised. Target always strives to be up-to-moment, with its tie-ups with various designers. As for Leslie Blodgett (as she's the CEO and face of Bare Escentuals, I'll target her), she never misses an opportunity to push her product, whether it's through TV ads, half hour informercials, QVC, Sephora, Ulta, or Bare Escentuals boutiques.

My previous article Mineral Madness struck a chord with readers. Girl-Woman-Beauty-Brains-Blog commended me on the article. I was surprised, however, to receive messages from founders of startup beauty lines who were glad that someone had finally called out companies on claims about mineral cosmetics.

Ruthie Malloy of Illuminaré Cosmetics wrote, "Most women are judging mineral makeup brands by which is most “pure”, or which doesn’t have parabens or bismuth oxychloride and yet they totally are missing the most important feature and benefit that mineral makeup should provide," namely sunscreen. While Bare Escentuals' bareMinerals has obtained the seal of the Skin Cancer Foundation for being rated SPF 15 (another brilliant marketing ploy by Leslie Blodgett), it's hard to believe that a light dusting of its powder foundation will provide adequate sun protection.

Jennifer Bradley of Goddessy Rx wrote, "I am so happy to hear that someone is finally mentioning how the mineral makeup companies are using the terms 'mineral' and 'all natural' in such liberal terms. These companies are merely scamming the average consumer with this marketing ploy. Talc, of all things, is for one, an all natural occurring mineral. It is not even toxic, as many of these companies claim!" Indeed. Talc has been used in cosmetics safely for years.

Both Ruthie and Jennifer make excellent points. Be skeptical about the claims for mineral makeup, know your ingredients, and recognize that "mineral" is just another marketing construct.

Mineral madness

I was shopping at the mall, when I discovered a kiosk for BellaPierre mineral cosmetics. A young man called out to women asking if they would like makeovers. Most shook their heads and walked on. As editor of The Style Page who's always on the lookout for a story, I chose to stop.


Promotional material from BellaPierre
scanned by The Style Page

The young man showed me stacks of mineral powders (Pure Colors and True Colors also sell these stacks) and how one could use them for eye shadow, eye liner, lip color, and even nail color, with the help of mixing products such as eye shadow base, lip gloss, and clear nail polish.

Bare Escentuals is the leader in loose mineral powder cosmetics. How could BellaPierre distinguish itself from Bare Escentuals? For one thing, Bellapierre's powder foundation doesn't contain bismuth oxychloride, which the young man described as irrtating. Is this true? Check out Paula Begoun's Special Report on Mineral Makeup, which states:

bismuth oxychloride can cause slight skin irritation (Source: www.sciencelab.com/xMSDS-Bismuth_oxychloride-9923103). Although talc has the same potential for slight irritation, bismuth oxychloride is more likely to cause an allergic contact dermatitis due to its pearlescent nature (Source: www.emedicine.com/derm/topic502.htm). This is more of a concern when bismuth oxychloride is the main ingredient in a cosmetic, as it is for many mineral makeups.

So maybe there's something to BellaPierre's claims, but it seems that its claims are overwrought. I noticed some irritation on my eyelid soon after using BellaPierre's shimmering mica powders, and wondered if it had to do with the mica particles, but the irritation went away in a day, after I had cleaned all my eyeshadow brushes and applied a little opthalmic ointment to my lid.

Bare Escentuals has associated "mineral" with "pure," and it's something that other cosmetics companies have picked up on to market their products. The term "mineral" had referred to loose powders, but now it's being associated with products such as lipstick, liquid foundation, and pressed powders that contain other ingredients in addition to minerals. Thus, all cosmetics can be considered mineral cosmetics! Be critical, and recognize that "mineral" is just another marketing construct.

I walked away from the BellaPierre kiosk with a stack of 9 shimmering powders - 3 pinky browns of different intensities (great for eye shadow), 1 dark brown, 1 coppery shade, 1 gold, 1 red (great for lip color), 1 white, and 1 black - and two itty-bitty cubes of lip gloss and eye shadow base. The young man claimed that I was getting an additional 5 for the cost of 4, but I attributed that to bogus discounting of already overpriced products. Sixty dollars for 4 tiny cubes of color would be obscene, but sixty dollars for nine at least makes it comparable to the price of $55 that True Colors and Pure Colors charge for a stack of eight. I'm having fun playing with the loose powders, which can be very soft.