Millions of women turn to mineral foundation when they want a natural, flawless skin. Choosing the best mineral makeup formula and tools are important to achieve real results. Before you get started, there are some mineral foundation application tips you need to know if you want to look your best.
Keep it Clean
The first step to flawless makeup is a clean face. Regularly using the right natural cleanser for your skin type can reduce the chance of breakouts while clearing excess sebum and debris from your skin. It’s a good idea to give your face a quick wash before you begin putting on your makeup to ensure the best application.
One thing to consider about washing your face is how you dry it. Rubbing your skin with a towel can irritate it and cause redness. It can also damage the sensitive portions of your skin, like under your eyes. This leads to a more prominent appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and nobody wants that.
Moisturize (If You Need It)
Now that your skin is all fresh and clean, it’s time to hydrate. Even people with oily skin can usually benefit from specialized moisturizers for their skin type. Always apply the product gently with your fingertips, being careful around your eyes. You should add enough to cover your entire face, but not so much that your skin cannot absorb it within a matter of minutes.
It’s important to wait until your moisturizer is completely absorbed and dry before going onto the next step. If your skin is still moist in certain areas, your makeup may stick inconsistently, leave muddy or streaky patches which will generally result in less than ideal coverage.
Use Primer
A natural makeup primer is an essential tool in any woman’s makeup bag. It will help minimize the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines while smoothing out pores and general inconsistencies in your skin texture. Like moisturizer, you should apply primer gently and thoroughly across the entire face.
If your skin is oily, you may want to skip liquid primers and use and mineral setting powder instead. This helps your mineral makeup adhere to your face without adding unnecessary moisture. If you have dry skin, on the other hand, you have the option of mixing in a small amount of mineral foundation powder with your moisturizer and using it as a base coat as well.
Choose the Best Mineral Makeup
Not all organic mineral foundations are equal. You need to look for products that contain at least one of two mineral pigments, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. These two natural pigments in their isolated form are white and opaque. They are the base of the best mineral foundations and offer the opacity you need to help you block out redness and discoloration – ultimately helping you achieve the coverage you desire. The best mineral foundations shouldn’t stop at coverage, they should also offer additional skin nourishing and protecting benefits through certified organic skin nourishing and conditioning botanicals.
Keep an eye out for red flag ingredients that will alert you to a less than natural mineral makeup formula that may irritate your sensitive skin and body. Synthetic ingredients such as synthetic FD&C and Lake Dyes, Dimethicone, nylon, PEG, Silicone, Talc and Parabens are all ingredients that many cosmetic brands add to their mineral makeup when they are looking to cut corners while marketing “natural”. If you see any of these ingredients in your mineral cosmetic product, ditch it. You can do better. Right now, there are scores of mineral makeup brands that are honest and sticking to ultra-natural mineral cosmetic formulas without these unsavory ingredients.
Nail Your Perfect Shade
Nailing that perfect shade for your complexion is important, too. If you choose a color that is too pale, you look washed out and sick. If you choose a shade too dark, your neck will stand out against your face and look strange. When in doubt, err on the light side. You should have a great mineral bronzer all year long to add dimension to your face and tweak your mineral foundation shade without adding another foundation shade to your makeup bag.
Build It Up
With liquid foundation, you usually need to apply a thick layer to begin. Once it dries, it can be difficult or impossible to blend properly. The best mineral foundation formulas are different. Instead of adding a lot at once, you build up with gradual layers until you reach your desired level of coverage. This light layer mineral foundation application creates a very natural, luminous finish.
The easiest way to apply mineral foundation is with a kabuki brush and buffing, circular motions. The right mineral foundation shade and the dense soft bristles of the kabuki brush will have you looking flawless in no time.