Mineral Foundation Musings During Naptime

Naptime is a most sacred time of day, perhaps the only hour- to two-hour long stretch where my thoughts are uninterrupted. I choose to take this time and ponder the ubiquitous mineral makeup craze...

I have decided, after 15 years of wearing makeup, that I am a true mineral-makeup convert. Quality mineral makeup can have great benefits for your skin -

1. Breathable coverage - very important if your skin produces any oil at all during the day
2. Less settling into pores - the nature of the powder allows it to sit on top of pores instead of pooling in them like a liquid foundation
3. Less contact with parabens, talc, and other undesirable cosmetic ingredients - however, beware the drugstore "mineral" makeup as they almost always contain talc. (The only exception I have found is Neutrogena)
4. Zinc oxide is a very effective ingredient for blemish prone skin types
5. The sunscreen is a definite bonus

There are some caveats I must include for those not familiar with mineral makeup, however...

1. If you have combination or oily skin, you must, must use some sort of primer before you apply the powder. I have religiously used three: Laura Mercier Oil-Free Primer, Per-fekt Gel and Tarte Clean Slate. I felt the Laura Mercier primer was more akin to a light moisturizer and did not have that "smoothing" feeling that I want in a primer. As it was fairly expensive, I would advise you to pass on it. Per-fekt Skin Perfection Gel is wonderful and also includes much-needed antioxidants, but it is on the pricey side as well and I like it more when I'm feeling dry or need to wear makeup for a special occasion. Tarte Clean Slate is my current favorite, it has the silicone (dimethicone) needed to smooth, is a fairly natural product, and rings up at the lowest price point of the three.
2. It will take some practice to get the application technique right. If you've seen the "swirl, tap, and buff" infomercials, do not be fooled! It is not that easy! The best tricks I've learned so far: Pour a small amount of product in the lid, then swirl your brush around until the product disappears into the brush, then lightly move the brush in circles around your face, beginning with the areas that need the most coverage. BUILD coverage as you need it, do not dump a lot of product into the brush at once. It is very easy to overdo it with loose powder makeup. Also, the better quality brush you use, the better results you'll have.
3. These products will not solve your skin care woes as the advertising claims. Makeup is makeup. You must wash it off completely at night (no such thing as so pure you're able to sleep in it, believe me), and you do have to use concealer for persistent blemishes and undereye circles.

I have used the following mineral foundations:

Neutrogena: The messy application brush included did nothing to make me love this product.

GloMinerals: This is the makeup line of the Glo Skincare Company, which is in the Cellex-C family (Caleel Hayden). I found the makeup to be pricey and to have too much of the "chalky" appearance that looks unnatural. The only benefit to this line is that the foundation comes in pressed and loose forms.

Laura Mercier: Very good, probably the best of the department store brands. You receive a generous amount, but you do pay for it. The colors are awesome for fair to medium skin, but forget it if you are darker.

Clinique Almost Makeup SPF 15 powder: This was advertised as better than minerals, but I found it to be just another pressed powder, pretty standard Clinique fare. I also found the color matching to be difficult. It did not convert me back to Clinique by any means.

Bare Minerals by Bare Escentuals: This is my #2 pick. The shade range is great, the only quibble I have is that they tend to be shiny, due to the amount of mica that is included in the ingredients. HOWEVER, they are soon coming out with a BE Matte line which sounds promising!

Jane Iredale Amazing Base Loose Powder: This is my #1. Beautifully skin-matching shades, and I love, love, love the other cosmetic products they have to offer as well. My only gripe is that the price points are high, nearly twice Bare Minerals.

Bottom line: In this economy, I think I will go back to Bare Minerals for awhile. At $25 for a 3-6 month supply of foundation, it really is reasonable. I'm sure my hardworking husband will appreciate that!

With two small children, I'm lucky I get five minutes each morning to do my makeup. If I do get the chance, it makes me feel so much better about myself all day, even if the only people dazzled by my glamour are 9 months old, 3 years old, and of the feline and canine species. (And oh, yes, my wonderful husband!)

Last note: No makeup, liquid or powder, will give you sufficient sunscreen throughout these Texas summers! Please use a moisturizer that has sunscreen (I like Eminence Tomato Sun Cream, A-cute Derm SPF 20, or Skinceuticals Physical SPF 30 for swimming days)