Get this look…playful, flirty and fun!

I bet you’ve looked at purple make-up and thought “I can’t wear that!” Well think again, because purple is actually a great shade for any coloured eyes, and can really make them “pop”! Just be sure to pick the correct shade for your skin tone or it just won’t work.

Follow our step by step make over below to create this playful flirty look!

1. Start with a fresh, clear base. Smooth out your complexion with a foundation and concealer.

2. Take a base shadow colour such as Sugar Plum, and apply to the entire lid from lash line to just above the crease. Be sure not to go all the way to the brow, only take it just above the crease.

3. Next, take a deeper shade of purple such as Amethyst, for adding more depth to the crease, and blend toward the outer corner and up toward the brow bone, over the crease. If you prefer a more deeper, smokey look, try a shade like Smokey Haze instead.

4. For the next step, you will need a highlight shade, such as Moonstone, which will be applied above the crease and up toward the brow bone. If you are using a very shimmery shade, don’t take the colour up too high. Use this shade to blend the deeper purple shade on the outer corners, and also use it to highlight on the inner corners, taking it part way across the bottom lashes.

5. For the following step, you will need a steady hand to apply your liner! Liquid liner works well for this look, but only apply it to the top lash line. For the bottom lashes, take a liner brush, dip it in some of your deeper shade of purple shadow, and line the bottom lashes until it meets with your highlight shade on the inner corner. Take a cotton tip and gently smudge the outer bottom area, to gain a softer effect with your shadow.

6. No look is complete without mascara! Be sure to curl your lashes if you need to first, to ensure your eyes really stand out!

TIP: When applying your liner, try looking downwards into a handheld mirror when applying to your top lashes. Use the same technique for applying your mascara, and hold the mirror above your eyes when applying mascara to the bottom lashes.

7. Keep your blush super soft for this look. Blush is a must when wearing a full face of colour, to give balance and dimension to your look. Choose a subtle pink shade such as Hibiscus and apply it to the top of your cheek bones, toward the eye area, but not too close.

8. The final step for this look is your lips, and although you want them to be subtle, they still need to make an impact so choose a colour that teams with your eye shadow, such as a soft pink. Raspberry is a great shade, and being a gloss, can be blotted and worn as a stain or over the top of other lip stick shades.

TIP: Give your lips a matte look by dusting some translucent powder over the top. Try using an illuminating product in the middle of your bottom lip, and on your cupids bow, to enhance your lips and make them look more pouty. Mwah!

I hope you enjoy this creation and feel free to share your images with us below, showing off your new look! xx

Applying mineral makeup – some basic tips

Please take some time to read the following notes on how to use mineral make-up, as they are different to conventional cosmetics and require different application techniques to get the most out of them. In this post I also mention some of the types of brushes recommended to use with particular products, to get the best results.

PLEASE NOTE – THE FOLLOWING TIPS WERE WRITTEN WITH SAMPLE BAGS IN MIND, HOWEVER YOU CAN APPLY THE APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS WHEN USING MINERALS STRAIGHT FROM THE JARS – JUST USE YOUR LID FOR SWIRLING THE POWDERS INTO.

PREPARE YOUR CANVAS (YOUR FACE):

The most important thing is to prep your skin, just as you would before wearing any make-up. This will ensure your products have something to cling to, rather than just sinking straight into your skin. So, to be sure you get the best wear out of your products -

Cleanse, follow with floral water or toner, then moisturise. It’s generally best to let your moisturiser absorb for at least 5 minutes before following up with your foundation.

Foundation:

You will need a kabuki brush or other densely packed brush. I highly recommend the Flat top kabuki. You will also need a good concealing brush for getting into areas where there are folds of skin, such as around the nose.

1.Take your sachet, flick it to get the powder to fall to the bottom of the bag and either pour a little of the powder into your palm or onto a surface.

2. Dip your kabuki into the powder and gently swirl it to cover the entire brush. Shake off the excess powder back into your palm, then tap the bottom of your kabuki onto a hard surface to ensure the powder settles back into the brush. This will prevent you from getting uneven, cakey patches over your face.

3. Take your time to brush the powder on in small sections, moving the brush downwards on your face and rotating the brush as you go so as to get all the powder off the brush. Continue steps 2 and 3 until your full coverage is reached.  The key with mineral powder is not to get too much on the brush and to sweep in downward strokes. Generally you will want to start toward centre of the face, which is where you want more coverage, then work your way out to the sides when you have less on the brush. Leave the eye area until the end, as you don’t want much on the brush for this area either. Be sure to close your eyes and be extra gentle around the eye area!

4. To get into areas which are harder to reach with your kabuki, you will need your concealing brush. You can dip it into the dry powder for covering areas around the nose or mouth, or experiment with a slightly dampened brush for gaining extra coverage to areas which require it. For areas which require further coverage still, such as redness from rosacea, brown pigmentation or under eye circles, I recommend using a neutralising colour corrector.

To tell if you have the correct shade, check how the colour looks around your jawline. It should blend into your neck with no tell tale line if it is the right shade for you. Once you have the right shade, it’s amazing how beautiful your base will be, and how even your complexion will look. Always test a new shade in natural light for the best results.

Blush/bronzer:

Some of you may not have discovered the wonders of blush and/or bronzers, but those who have will know how these must have products can be a saviour for adding colour and balance to your face. If you wear a base then a blush is a must, otherwise you can look flat and unhealthy. A sweep of blush and/or bronzer will bring dimension back to you face. Bronzer is a great addition if you want to contour areas such as your cheek bones, jawline and forehead, or add a little more colour to your face, neck and decolletage. You can then apply a small amount of blush to bring a glow to your cheeks, and help the bronzer look more balanced.

You will need a soft brush which is not too dense. I like the whisper brush for soft application of blush and bronzer. Or you may like to use the powder brush which can be used to apply your setting powder also.

To use your sample, pour a small amount of powder out of the bag, into your palm or a makeup jar. DO NOT cover the brush with much powder – it is far more effective to build colour gradually until you know how the product looks on you and what coverage you require. It is always easier to add more colour than it is to take it away once it is on. However – if you do apply too much, simply take your kabuki or flat top and blend over your cheeks to dull the colour.

Brush into the apples of your cheeks, sweeping back towards to hairline. Be sure to blend with your brush, as you don’t want a harsh looking line/stripe of colour. My general rule with blush is that the more pink tones look best on the apples of the cheeks, while the earthy browns and bronzers look best underneath the apples, and anywhere you need to contour, such as to tone down a wide/broad area.

Eyeshadow

You will need – a shadow application brush with densely packed bristles and a shadow liner brush. You may also like to use a smudge/blend brush.

Application tip: When you use mineral shadows, remember that they have a different composition to conventional shadows and need to be applied by patting on and only gently blending, building up colour gradually. Do not over blend or you will lose the intensity of the shadow.

Dip your shadow brushes straight into the sample bag, tapping off the excess back into the bag.

Matte shadows: these are great as a base shadow and can be applied over the entire lid. Use your shadow applicator brush to apply by gently patting across the lid, smudging only lightly so as not to lessen the intensity of the shadow pigment.

Use your shimmer shadows (Sh) and super shimmer shadows (SSh) wet or dry.

To add contour and depth: apply with your shadow blending brush, patting into the outer corners, and upward toward the centre of the eye socket, following the crease and brow bone.

To use as a liner: wet your liner brush slightly (I dip my liner brush into a drop of lavender water which I spray into my hand). Shake out the excess water then dip into the shadow you wish to use as an eye liner.

Chamomile Eye Make-up Remover (Cham EMR):

You will need a cotton tip or make-up remover pad.

To use your sample of Chamomile eye make-up remover, take the inner sachet out of the zip locked bag, hold it between your thumb and forefinger at the seal of the bag. With your other hand, take your thumb and forefinger and pull down from the seal to the end of the bag, repeating a few times to emulsify the liquid. Like most eye make-up cleansers, this is an oil in water solution which requires to be shaken before use.

Either dip a cotton tip straight into the bag, or pour a little of the solution onto a make-up remover pad. This product is so refreshing and nourishing, leaving no greasy afterfeel. I just love it! And it’s safe for contact lense wearers and the most sensitive of eyes.

For more info on this product, including ingredients, visit the link above.

Bronzing lotion:

This is a fantastic, multi tasking product to give an instant dewy glow anywhere you need it.

Just dip a cotton tip or spoon into the bag, spread it onto the back of your hand and apply where you wish. You can use it as a blush, all over the face as a tint, and anywhere on the body. I keep a small sample pot of it in my make-up purse and use it as blush on the go, as it is just so easy to use. And, the best thing about this product is that it gives you a soft coppery glow – no more tandoori! This bronzer washes off with cleanser and water, so is great for days when you need a tan and you don’t have the chance to go get a spray.

Mineral zinc cream 15+:

This is not quite invisible zinc, as it will leave a slight qhosting effect (which is undetectable under your make-up), but this is a great non greasy, all natural sun protection that can be used under your foundation. Be sure to apply your moisturiser first, then follow up with your zinc cream. For the purpose of testing your foundation sample, perhaps you can add the zinc to one side of the face only, so you compare the wear of your foundation with and without this as your base.

Practice, play and experiment. Make-up is a gift and can truly change a persons life by giving them added confidence, elegance and beauty. Your face is your canvas – go paint, have fun….and remember to let me know how you go ;)

P.S. Please email me with any queries – I’ll post another article with frequently asked questions shortly, and answer anything personally where applicable, thanks!

Karma Mineral Cosmetics – achieving a flawless base with mineral make-up

Applying your make-up to achieve a flawless look can seem like an art form, and if you’re a beginner it can take some time to perfect but with the correct tools and some know how, anyone can achieve a natural daytime look or a glamorous look for evening. Follow these simple steps for getting started with mineral cosmetics.

Follow these golden rules to get your base primed before you begin to “paint your canvas”

• Practice makes perfect – persevere when you have time. Never try something new when you are limited on time or going out as it could end in a make-up disaster.
• Always start with a cleansed, moisturised face, including eye gel under the eyes and a good quality SPF 30+, covering all areas which will be exposed to the sun.
• Exfoliate with a gentle product every 3 days. Use gentle circular motions, avoiding the eye area, and use luke warm water to rinse.
• Follow up the use of cream cleansers with a spritz of rose or lavender floral water.

How to apply mineral powder to your kabuki brush:

1. Tap a small amount of mineral powder into the lid of your jar. You only need a little bit as we are going to repeat the steps. This helps eliminate the mess usually made when we add too much into the lid at once. Take your kabuki and gently press it into the powder, rolling and pressing the brush into the powder, to get coverage all over the top of it.  Stand the kabuki upright and tap the bottom of the handle onto a hard surface. This ensures the powder settles into the brush and gives you more to work with.

Achieving a flawless base:

Toning it down

1. If you have a tendency toward redness, you will need to use a neutralising concealer before applying your foundation. Take a spatula, scrape out a tiny amount of Karma Mineral Flawless Finish in yellow, and wipe on the back of your hand, blending with your fingertips to melt the minerals. Dab the concealer over the areas you require to cover, then gently blend with your fingertips. You can use a concealing brush at this step, instead if you prefer. Do not blend until the product has disappeared.

2. Using the same method as above, conceal the area under your eyes with Karma Mineral Flawless Finish in Apricot. Go very gently in the eye area, as the skin here is far more delicate.

3. For areas of pigmentation, such as freckles and sunspots, use Karma Mineral Flawless Finish in Apricot to conceal lightly. You can go back over these areas once you have applied your mineral powder foundation.

Getting even

Once you have neutralised your base, it’s time to even it all out with your mineral powder foundation. The key to getting a natural, even looking coverage is not just in the application, but also in the shade itself. It is vital to choose a shade that matches your tone, otherwise you will end up with an obvious line around your face. If you have been having issues with shading, keep searching for the correct one. Once you find it, you will be amazed at the difference it makes to your appearance. I am happy to assist you with finding your correct shade, and can provide a sample of foundation for you to try. Click here to read more about FREE samples.

4.Take your kabuki and follow the above application on how to apply mineral powder to your kabuki brush.

5. Start in one area, brushing in a downward motion and rotating the brush every few strokes, so as to use all the powder in the brush. Move around the face in small patches, rather than trying to cover the lot in one step. Remember, you are layering the powder, and taking time to build the right coverage will prevent you looking cakey and heavy. Continue steps 4 and 5 until the desired coverage is achieved. You should not see any traces of the neutralising concealer once the right coverage is reached. Avoid brushing too much powder over the eye area, instead save this area until the end, when you have the least amount on the brush.

6. Skin which requires additional concealing will benefit from going back over any problem areas with Karma Mineral Flawless Finish in the flesh colour.

Get set

7. Finally, to set your make-up in place, eliminate creasing, the appearance of large pores and fine lines, use Karma Mineral Finishing Powder. Use a large powder brush to dust on a very light amount, going back over if you feel you require more. Remember – it is always best to use less the first time and build up product to suit your requirements. You will see how the skin looks sealed once you use this powder, and can be assured your make-up will now stay in place for a lot longer. People with oily or combination skin will generally require a touch up and may like to carry the concealer or powder foundation if persistant redness starts to break through later in the day, also.

Next, I’ll bring you some tips on getting your glow on, just in time for summer! Everyone can achieve dewy, radiant looking skin, and I will show you how to do it.

For more information on the range, please view the site or request info via the contact page – www.karmabeauty.net.au

Please leave feedback, including anything else you would like me to write about to help assist you with using mineral cosmetics or beauty queries in general

Stay tuned for more tips and answers to frequently asked questions!