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 & Beauty 