Today's makeup design #Beauty

Today, I'm wearing a long-sleeve tissue-weight tee in cream (a wardrobe staple) from American Apparel and a boyfriend cardigan in dark olive over the tee. I'm also wearing jeans with studs along the side seams and a chunky wood and metal necklace from Brighton (how MOR :-)

Although it's considered passé to match makeup shades to my outfit, that's what I did. I used

- ULTA eye shadow in pale Camel for the base

- Laura Mercier eye shadow in Khaki (discontinued) for contouring. I've noticed that the eye designs in Robert Jones's book Makeup Makeovers invariably use taupe for contouring.

- Shu Uemura eye shadow in M Olive 499 (discontinued), a golden olive, on the outer corner.

Again, I used Christian Siriano Silky Eyeshadow in Gilded Fierce for eyeliner and LashControl mascaras.

For my face and lips, I used Daniel Chinchilla Flawless Finish Liquid Foundation, Revlon ColorStay™ Mineral Blush in Honey, Pür Minerals lip liner in Natural Calcite to fill in the lips, and Life's A Beach lip gloss from the Robert Jones Signature Collection for Three Custom Color Specialists.

The fine print: Representatives for Pür Minerals and LashControl provided me products for review. I paid for all other products out of pocket.

Nude lips

Pardon me if I don’t get overly enthused about the latest fashion and beauty trends. Everything old is new again. For example, net-a-porter.com and other trendsetters say that leopard prints will be big for fall: did leopard prints ever really go out of fashion?

It’s the same way with beauty trends. The August 2009 issue of Allure highlights nude lips with smoky eyes on the runway. This is a classic look. Makeup artists advise women to focus on either the lips or the eyes: thus, if you wear a smoky eye, keep lips neutral.

Pür Minerals is pairing matte nude lips with a twist on the smoky eye. To create the nude lip with Pür Minerals, use its lip liner in Natural Calcite (all Pür Minerals’ shades are named after minerals) to line and fill in the lips. Then apply its lipstick in Sheer Zircon. To make the lips matte, apply powder over your lip color (not surprisingly, Pür Minerals recommends its 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup Foundation With SPF 15).




Pür Minerals Mineral Shea Butter Lipstick in Sheer Zircon

The smoky eye is created with Pür Minerals Pressed Mineral Eyeshadows in Champagne Citrine and Midnight Jade.

I’ve discovered that after the lipstick fades, the stain from the lip liner remains, even through donuts and salad dressing. Also, what if there’s pinkish skin beyond your lip line? I use concealer applied with a tightly wound, pointed tip cotton swab (I bought my swabs in Japan) just outside your lip line and blend: I use a dampened Beautyblender.

Pür Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup SPF 15

I've been critical of the marketing of so-called mineral cosmetics: in a previous article Mineral Madness, I wrote:

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.

Pür Minerals is seizing on the marketing construct of mineral makeup being "pure." It is a line of pressed powder foundation, blushes, and eye shadows that contain ingredients other than minerals.


Pür Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup Foundation With SPF 15

Despite my criticism of the marketing of so-called mineral products, I do like Pür Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup Foundation With SPF 15. I took it along with me on my recent trip, in addition to Daniel Chinchilla Flawless Finish Liquid Foundation and Paula's Choice loose powder (no longer available). I found that Pür Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup Foundation With SPF 15 met my needs (particularly coverage of redness on the cheeks) and that I could have done without the last two products and lightened my makeup bag.

One can easily pick up powder from Pür Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup Foundation With SPF 15. To apply, I use the tools and techniques recommended by Pür Minerals founder Joli Baker:


I remind everyone that a light dusting of powder will not provide adequate protection from the sun. I wear smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer SPF 15 and Dermaxyl under Pür Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup Foundation With SPF 15.

Find out what others say about Pür Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup Foundation With SPF 15.

You may find Pür Minerals at Ulta and Dillard's in the U.S. and Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada.