I had to wipe off the drool from the top of my chin when I saw this standout at the MAC counter the other day. I had never seen a beauty like this before!
The MAC Mineralized Skinfinish in Warm Blend (Colour Craft Collection) contains 3 stripes of colors that deepens a tan and gives sheen to the complexion. This is a stellar shaper or highlighter for those with light-medium to dark skin tones but the lightest of skintones do not fear; apply with a 187/188/131 (LE) then buff with a flat top brush to achieve a rich glow.
Top - peach bronze
Middle - brown bronze
Bottom - true bronze
Swirled together, the result is a rich, deep, tropical glow. To apply, place along the hollows of the cheeks and then blended towards the apples to create what reminds me of the girl in MAC's Naked Honey campaign picture. But the colors in the compact can also be used seperately as well. Using the middle color as a crease color and one of the other 2 to complement it creates a summery, warm look for the eye.
I am certainly grabbing a backup!
Website: maccosmetics.com
Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use)
Wednesday
Warm Blend
Thursday
Caress
This is the makeup brush that caresses my face every morning. Above is not a picture of mine because mine is dirty and filled with mineral foundation dust at the moment. But without a doubt, it is the best brush for applying face powders that I have come across.
This is the EcoTools Recycled Aluminum Retractable Kabuki. It is retractable and comes with a cap so that it is portable and it doesn't get crushed out of shape when I pack it into my travel bag. But this is only a bonus to the main reason that I love this brush. It is simply the softest and smoothest brush for packing on and buffing out face powders. Imagine something like an Egyptian cotton-covered pillow cushion gliding across your face.
I get an even coverage and a soft finish with my foundation every time I use this brush. And I have let my other mineral foundation brushes retire.
I love this cruelty free and environmental-conscious beauty tool. What are some of your tools of choice?
Retails for: About 10 usd
Website: http://www.parispresents.com/EcoTools_BAMBOO_Powder_Brush_p/et1214.htm
Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use)
Friday
A Small Pre-New Year's Resolution
Something has been bothering me for what seems to be ages. The makeup obsessed in me has been hoarding heaps of pigments and loose mineral powders and are now accumulating into an irritating mess.
Last week, I finally found time to make use of the empty palettes I had purchased from Coastal Scents. The point is that I would press my pigments into these empty palettes so that they will be organized and easy to travel with. The goal is to have them all finished by the new year. But pigments just seem to be appearing left and right and out of nowhere and now I think that it is an unrealistic goal.
On the day of the deed, I filled the house with the sound of Lykke Li. I rolled up my sleeves, got ready to get my hands dirty and experienced for myself the love/hate that is pressing pigments.
The process went something like this (a very brief history). Tried to find the right bowl suitable for mixing pigment & liquid, realized quickly that plastic was no good (as the mixed pigment would stick to the sides like crazy), dropped and broke a few small glass bowls.
Screamed, picked up the broken pieces of glass, vacuumed. A few deep breaths in, mixed my first batch, poured into clean metal pan. Waited for it to become dry enough to press, picked up a clean shiny coin, found a piece of cloth, made a sandwich with pigment, cloth, shiny coin and a heavy hard cover book.
Placed all my weight and pressed down on the book, peeled off cloth to take a peek and adored the pretty pattern that the British coin had left on the now pressed pigment. Let dry.
Yes, it was a frustrating process. But the process began to flow and a sort of assembly line then began to emerge. Little by little, I finished all 15 pigments! Look at them above. It may not be much looking at the palette but it is absolutely lovely to me. I have given it an appropriate name I think; Neutral Palette 1. I am so very proud because every time I take this palette out, I am overcome with relief that I no longer have to dig through piles of little pigments jars.
This particular 15-pan empty palette (7.95 USD) from Coastal Scents is not magnetized. They now have smaller, magnetized palettes that hold either 8 or 4 pigments.
Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use)
Thursday
A Shot At Cream-To-Powder Eyeshadow
Half the battle with wearing eyeshadow is getting them to stay put. While I have spent much of my time playing with different methods of applying long lasting eye makeup, I would rather to have spent that time discovering and playing with different colors.
My road along this journey has been a fun one actually. I have met quite a few candidates that claimed to be 'the one' but soon fell short and left me teary with shadow under my eyes. However, there is definite merit to "you don't know until you give it a try!". So I sent for a couple of sample tubes of the EyezCreme from Pure Luxe Cosmetics and prayed for the best.
First off, the EyezCreme is not meant to be a primer. They are actually cream eyeshadows that make the method of 'foiling' slightly easier. They come in an assortment of 12 colors with a majority of them swaying towards nude tones. My order consisted of 3 colors (see above): Golden Sands (a cool tone gold with shimmer), Elysium (shimmery peach-copper), and Amethyst (pink-hued medium purple also with shimmer). They come in a convenient 1.5mL lipgloss tube and a doe-foot applicator.
My first impression was that they were adorable. Soon the initial high dissipated when I realized how much I dislike using a doe-foot applicator for eye makeup. Pressed on as "you don't know until you give it a try!" kept making loops in my head. The cream applied with a consistency of a whipped lotion and did not dry to a powdery finish as anticipated. The lotion did not dry nearly quickly enough for my short attention span. The color went on quite vibrantly however, but became sheer and lost its initial oomph too soon. Sounds a little dissapointing yes? I don't think I will give up just yet. I gather these little tubes are convenient for traveling and for when I want to quickly dab on a little wash of color without having any tools close at hand.
What have you tried to get your colors to stay put on your eyes?
Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use)
Do You Do E-Shopping?
You might find this information from the ShopSmart Magazine (Consumer Reports) handy. It is the result and summary of the screening they had conducted to compare some of the e-tailers out there.
Do any of you shop at these sites? Would you recommend any of these to your friends or to me (do any of them have international shipping)?
Best Overall Selection: Beauty.com
Shipping Free if you spend $49 or more.
Return policy 30 days on unopened products or, for certain items, if you don’t like the color. Returns cost $4.99 unless a product is damaged or incorrect or the color is wrong.
Great for Hard-to-Find Products: Beautyhabit.com
Shipping Free on orders of $100 or more; otherwise $5.95.
Return policy 14 days on most items. No returns on opened or used products.
Great for Trendy Brands: Beautyofasite.com
Shipping Free on orders over $75; otherwise $5.95 to $8.95.
Return policy 30 days. You pay for return shipping unless the product was damaged. All returns are for exchange or store credit only. There are no refunds or returns on color cosmetics.
Best Prices: Buymebeauty.com
Shipping Free on orders of $35 or more; $4.95 on orders of less than $35.
Return policy 30 days. Products must be unused and unopened, unless they are defective. You have to call or e-mail before returning products; you will also have to pay the costs of return shipping.
Great Return Policy: Cosmeticmall.com
Shipping $5.95 plus 93 cents per pound.
Return policy 30 days. You can return most products for any reason, even after they’re opened.
Great Drugstore Makeup Section: Drugstore.com
Shipping Free on your first nonprescription order of $25 or more; free on orders of $49 or more after that.
Return policy 30 days. Returns are free if a product is damaged, defective, or incorrect. Returns are free on certain products if you don’t like the color. Otherwise, products must be unopened and unused.
Great for Freebies: Sephora.com
Shipping Free on orders over $50; otherwise $5.95.
Return policy 60 days. Free return shipping. Store credit after 60 days.
Great for Organic Products: Skinbotanica.com
Shipping Free on orders over $49; otherwise $5.95.
Return policy 60 days.
Best Shipping Deal: Skin-One.com
Shipping Free.
Return policy 30 days. Product must be at least 75 percent full. You have to pay return shipping fees, and no returns are allowed of an opened product if you received a sample of it with your order.
Best Online Version of a Walk-In Store: Walgreens.com
Shipping Many items qualify for free shipping of purchases of $50 or more; otherwise $5.49 for 10 pounds or less.
Return policy 30 days.
Sad Site: BeautyDepot.com
This site didn’t have a wide selection of products. You have to buy $99 worth of stuff to get free shipping; otherwise you could end up paying $7.95 or more for UPS ground. Cosmetics (and many other products) were not returnable, and there’s no toll-free customer-service number.
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7 Days Of Summer Beauty Classics '08 - Day Six
A little spritz here and there with a facial spray really gives a welcoming relief to a hot, sticky complexion. I love to carry a facial spray in my purse during the hotter months simply because of that.
The MAC Fix+ spray contains ingredients that draw moisture onto the skin and to help makeup adhere to the skin. Not only is it a handy freshen-upper, it is my must-have because I use mineral foundation. The smell of the product isn't half bad either. Three spritzes on my face after the application of mineral foundation takes away that powdery look and prepares the skin for the next step: setting powder. I know that many use mineral or spring water sprays such as Evian or Avene however, my personal preference is for MAC's because of the extras on their ingredients list. I sent BFOG for a few bottles of this while he was in New York earlier this week. He returned only with one bottle (the last on the shelves) after having visited 3 different MAC counters there.
Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use)
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Feeling The Heat
Even with being all the way over here in Europe, I am certainly feeling the waves of heat from New York's Fashion Week. I have been bitten by the fashion bug again. At another location in NYC on September 11th, the Nolcha Fashion Week will kick off to present 35 independent international fashion designers. How much better can it get for the people of the city of style and fashion?
Check out the selected 8 makeup looks for the Nolcha shows created by makeup artist Robert Moulton using DEX Cosmetics' mineral makeup. I am loving the hairspray technique from the Carolina Brasil face chart and want to imitate the lips from the Celestino show. Click to follow Robert's instructions on how to recreate the looks or to see them in more detail.
Carolina Brasil
Celestino
Eva
LanVy
Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use), DEX Cosmetics
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Sunday
Reader's Makeup Tutorial - Sunny Day Look
We all know that makeup can be tricky (but a lot of fun as well). For me, the point of having a beauty blog is to share information and exchange beauty tips and tricks. A reader of mine has been playing with her new minerals and decided to share her favorite makeup looks (and products) with all of us. I have the absolute pleasure to introduce you to Jill, who has spent a tremendous amount of time preparing and listing her step-by-steps for us. Thank you Jill! This is really a great way for all of us to be inspired and to learn a little something from each other! Let's show her some love and let's start some chatter about some of our favorite cosmetics!
Jill's Instructions (plus my comments in quotes, if any):
1. On a clean face, I applied Alba body lotion, SPF15. Then Glo-Mineral pressed face powder in Medium is used to even out skin tone.
(The take home message is simple: We should not forget to wear an SPF everyday. Notice her amazing skin?)
2. Next, Meow Lush Blush in Wanton.
The Meow sample blushes I've tried are really wonderful; in that they are very pigmented and have a LOT of glimmer. These blushes when applied under a mineral foundation or silk powder, becomes a little more toned down; depending on the time of day and the occasion. Also, the less you burnish these blushes, the more glimmer you retain, so you can really get two colors or two different looks with the same color of blush. This one I have chosen to use for the look, Wanton, applies with plum undertones and pink glimmer over top. I really like the Meow Lush Blush samples I've tried.
(It is interesting how different sometimes online swatches look from when the color is applied on skin. This blush looks warmer on Jill than it does in the swatch on Meow's website. My review of some of Meow's blushes can be found here.)
3. For eyes, Meow ScandalEyes in Patty H.
A very pretty dark blue with just enough sparkle for anyone over 30! I find that as one ages, too much sparkle can look bad as sparkles tend to migrate into small wrinkles that exaggerates them.
(A touch of creamy shimmer is really beautiful. But yes it's true, w
e have to be careful with too much glitter around the eyes. I have reviewed some of Meow's eye shadows as well.)
4. Next I used Jessica H. to highlight brow bones.
(Highlighting the brow bone area and the inner V's of our eyes freshen up our eye area; making us look more awake. This shade looks pretty on those with beige undertones in the skin. Those with ivory or olive skin tones should opt for something containing slightly more yellow undertone.)
5. I applied two coats of Max Factor's brown/black mascara.
(I usually wear black mascara. However I think the dark brown complements this look very well. I think I will take this tip from Jill!)
6. The lipstick in this photo is a 7 year old sample from Lancome, a pink with slighter shimmer. The name of the color has worn off. Perhaps it's time to get a new lipstick? :)
(Shhh...but I too still have my Nina Ricci lipstick palette from 10 years ago! I just don't have the heart to throw it away as it is so pretty and still smells amazing. This shade that Jill is wearing is a pretty rosy pink that naturally compliments most skin tone.(
7. To finish, I used a buff brush to lightly buff Lumiere's Island Sands Silk Radiance for a pretty glow. It is a great color for many skin types and gives a nice finishing look. Thanks for recommending it, Grayburn!
(You're welcome! You can still catch my review of Lumiere Cosmetics if you would like!)
Credits: Jill, Jill's husband for taking the photograph of Jill, Meow Cosmetics, Lumiere Cosmetics.
Wednesday
Mineral Makeup - Silk Naturals Foundation
There is something to be said for creating your own shade of mineral foundation. Those of us who have a certain controlling side to our personality will appreciate Silk Naturals ingenuity in letting us play along!
If I may say so, the most frustrating part of purchasing mineral makeup online is finding the perfect shade of foundation. Sometimes, we may even have to take on the challenge of mixing different shades together when our skin tone happens to fall in between shades.
Silk Naturals has heard our cries and is the first company to package a foundation kit which encourages us to roll up our sleeves and create our own perfect shade of foundation. They sell kits which allow you to create your own shade of ebony, buttery gold or warm gold. Each kit comes with a packet of white and colored mineral foundation, a measuring spoon, their famous perfecting powder, a user manual and an empty sifter jar to mix and hold your mineral foundation. Beginners can take advantage of their sample kit which includes a small sample of each of the three available shades.
The process, although a little intimidating to me at first, was actually fun and satisfying. Even with my experience in handling makeup, I managed to create a shade that was slightly too dark during my first attempt. I felt like a complete and utter failure. I even almost gave it all up until I decided, out of desperation, to stalk the company's forum for guidance. My call for help was quickly answered by a staff member who simply advised me to add more white powder (!). After several more times of trial & error, I finally had a shade that I could call my own! Grayburn's personal shade is 12 to 1 of white to buttery gold, with a dash of ebony.
The silk powder in the foundation produces a natural and flawless finish. Numerous raves scattered about the websphere boast about Silk Naturals' superior formula. However, my allergy to their foundation is my own personal tragedy. Now I am left saddened and envious of those lucky souls who can be artists of their own Silk Naturals mineral foundation.
Credits: silknaturals.com
Tuesday
Everyday Minerals - Fresh News!
I'm actually excited about the packaging of a product for a change. Along with their newly transformed website (still in the testing phase, but will boast plenty of exciting features), Everyday Minerals will be launching a new travel jar to house your favorite mineral makeup for traveling with.
These jars look like they have the same concept as the Philosophy The Supernatural Airbrushed Canvas. I can see them work for mineral foundations, light-colored blushes and highlighting powders. However, I do worry that they may not work well with my clumsiness! I guess I will have to try them for myself.
Since these will only be available in limited quantities, so grab some before they're all gone!
Credits: everydayminerals.com, philosophy.com
Monday
Brand Focus - The She Space
With an already extensive range of mineral cosmetics (especially the choice of eye shadow pigments), The She Space has recently added yet another product that is one of its kind: The Pigment Bar.
The Pigment Bar takes things a bit further by letting the artist in all of us take charge! The concept is simple and fun; first choose a "Ready-to-wear Velvets" (base shade), then customize that shade if you wish with a pearl, iridescent, or sparkle finish. The Velvet bases come in many choices from the bare minimum shades of pale nude, all the way to purples, greens, and blues.
I stopped by their new chat forum to get a chance to talk a little with Heather, the creator of this company, and also to see what all the buzz was all about. So I thought that it may be interesting for those out there who are pigment enthusiasts like me, to hear what I learned during my chat with Heather. These are a lot of great information here, so enjoy!
My Question:
I asked Heather what her best sellers/most popular colors are from her makeup line. I really wanted to know what her most popular shades were and what shades I should be adding to my collection! To help you get an idea of what the colors were that she mentioned, I have added pictures of the colors in their order of appearance. Enjoy!
Heather:
".. for the face......the highlighters and blush always do well when people try them, but with so many eye colors, I think that my clients forget they are there sometimes! LOL! Champagne Moon, Morning Dew, Blush and Glow, and Personal best and Passion Dance are incredibly universal colors that do really well from these groups!"
"Now..the fun part...the eyes....and this whole thing is a phenomenon to me....in germany greens and blues of ALL kinds do exceptionally well.....in Denmark and the Netherlands I sell loads of purples and browns.....Singapore and that part of the world loves the lighter more sparkly shades.....Japan, Mayalsia and Indonesia the same thing....Italy and France seem to try a bit of everything.....Croatia, Sweden, Netherlands and Israel....anything goes! I could go on and on....LOL!!!!!! I just think it is amazing how certain countries tend to gravitate to groups of colors! How cool is that??? Here in the USA.....anything neutral is a sure thing and then there are clients who would never wear brown and do everything in the rainbow!!! It is just way too fun to have the opportunity to see what you all do with these colors once you have them! Some top sellers that come to mind:
Touched by Truth
Moonlight Whimsy
Crushed Metal
Chasing Mystery
All of the black diamond dust liners
Asylum
Swim with the Fishes
Twisted Psychic
Decadent Day Dream
Rocked by love
resisted anxiety
Rockin Egyptian
Far too Fabulous
Voluntary mayhem
Can't hide from Karma
Save the Trolls
High Drama
Dimwitted
Convicted
Demon Chatter
Gothic Glamour
Boogie on Man
Kiss the Frogs ...."
Credits: theshespace
Friday
Q & A - Everyday Minerals & Meow Cosmetics
Reader's Question:
" hi! i came across your post (blogger) and saw that you've tried both meow and edm. i'm currently using meow (pampered puss) and i don't really have anything negative to say about it except that it dries my skin at times. i just want to ask how edm compares to meow and which one of the two has a "creamier" finish. which of the two do you like best? and, which of the edm formulas do you suggest i try? thanks in advance! :) "
My thoughts:
Hello! Thanks for your question. (I thought that I would share this in a Q&A, since I have previously received similar questions as this.)
I have to say that I love and use the foundations from both Everyday Minerals and Meow Cosmetics. However, I do choose which one to use based on a few things. I will choose the formula to use on any particular day based on the condition of my skin, weather, and what I will be doing.
In general, on days where my skin needs extra coverage, and if I have the time to spend on blending, I will pick up my Everyday Minerals foundation. The two formulas that I like the most from them are matte and semi-matte. They both have a creamy-feel and give great coverage. Their intensive formula is too intensive for me though, and their original glow formula looks too glowy for my liking (I feel that it emphasizes pores and lines). I know that if I use their foundations, I will need a touch-up with a blotting powder later on in the day.
On my lazy days, when I don't feel like I need or want a lot of coverage, and, if I know that I will not want to touch-up too much, I will reach for my Meow Pampered Puss foundation. This powder is finely milled so it gives a little less coverage in comparison (you can apply more layers to achieve better coverage). It also feels slightly more powdery-dry (in a good way). I like it for its lightness and for when it is warmer outside. I have not tried their Flawless Feline foundation (intensive coverage), as I prefer a buildable formula.
During days when I have that extra time, I will use different colors and formulas of foundations from both brands together! I may use the semi-matte Everyday Minerals foundation as a base and top that off with the Pampered Puss Meow foundation. This combination gives my skin the coverage and the makes my skin look refined!
Since both companies sell samples of their foundations, it is a good idea to take full advantage of that. I personally feel that foundations that have a matte or semi-matte finish, as opposed to the glowier ones, are more user-friendly. I think the skin looks better if you do 'spot-glow' instead; that is, use a glow product on selected parts on your face where you want a sheen. Just remember to moisturize your skin well before applying your foundation and be sure to give the moisturizer/primer the time to soak in (this may help you with the drying problem you are experiencing).
I know that both Everyday Minerals and Meow Cosmetics have a huge fan following. So feel free to share what you think about their foundations in comments!
Credits: Grayburn
Thursday
More Reads: Everyday Minerals
Just giving a heads-up to those of you looking to read some more information about Everyday Minerals.
A great blogging friend of mine from Hungary has recently written a stellar post '(The Long Awaited Haul) Fourth Everyday Minerals Haul + Swatches. Show Izar some love and do check it out!
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SHARE YOUR OPINION:
What is your favorite Everyday Minerals product & color?
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Credit: Grayburn
Friday
Mineral Makeup Series - Liquidfy!
The first thing I do each morning after I get up is head to my computer. This morning as I was approaching my computer desk, I saw something that was a surprise. BFOG (boyfriend of Grayburn) had left a lovely splash of rose petals on my keyboard! A charming way to celebrate the arrival of the weekend!
Back to a more serious topic...
I have read countless complaints out there about mineral foundation. Some of them are about the messiness of loose pigments but most of them are about the cakiness that a few of you have experienced.
There is one way to get around those two issues at once. And that is to liquid-fy or cream-ify your loose mineral foundation. This may not be something new to many of you but because I continuously hear the same concerns from some of you, I thought I should discuss briefly how it is done.
1st method:
I know many of you prefer creamy or liquid formulas when it comes to foundations and concealers. However, it is very easy to convert any mineral foundation or concealer (loose powder) into a more emollient form. It can be achieved simply by combining a small amount of the mineral powder with your favorite facial moisturizer, serum or cream. Try combining your minerals with different emollient bases and you will soon discover one that works best for your skin type. You might even discover that applying mineral foundation and concealer this way can be easier because it requires no kabuki or buffer brushes. Mix them together in your hand to apply the mixture like a tinted moisturizer, or mix them in a dish and you can dip your foundation or concealer brush to apply the foundation/concealer.
There is a another method....
2nd method:
The second method is a little different. In this method, you liquidfy the mineral foundation when it has already been applied dry to your face in the normal fashion. Let me explain. First apply your loose mineral foundation as you would normally with a kabuki or buffer brush. Then spritz your face with a facial toner or spray some of the toner onto your brush. Buff out the facial toner and use it to blend the foundation. This method allows the mineral foundation to get even closer to your skin and the moisture from the toner takes away the dryness that can sometimes be associated with mineral foundations. Just be sure to choose a toner that is alcohol-free and you are good to go!
Credits: Grayburn
Wednesday
Mineral Makeup Series - Pressing Mineral Shadows
(left to right: Cherish, Hypnotic, Rique, Champagne)
I decided to take the leap and pressed a few of my mineral shadows. I realized that the color and texture of the original shadows may be lost forever but for the sake of experimenting and future 
convenience, I charged ahead. The four of them are pictured in these photos and are all from Lumiere Cosmetics. Pressing shadows may or may not work with your particular type of pigments so proceed with caution and work with a little at a time. Result may vary of course but my shadows became more concentrated, 
creamy and vibrant after 'pressing'. This 'pressing' technique that I used actually did not require any pressing at all but you could also add the extra step of pressing them to make them more compressed. So far my shadows have not cracked nor crumbled but have made pigment shadow application more foolproof. Here are the 4-5 easy steps:4 or 5 Easy Steps:
1. Empty pigments into a palette, pan or pot that you want your shadow to be pressed into.
2. Pour in enough rubbing alcohol to wet the pigments.
3. Stir well with a bobby pin or your tool of choice.
4. Let dry until shadows are completely dried before using (apprx. 3 hours).
5. (optional) Press pigments before they are completely dried using a sanitized coin or spoon.
Do you have any beauty DIY tips to share with us?
Credits: Grayburn
Top 10 Tried & Tested Favorites - Mineral Cosmetics
Tried, tested and then tested some more. In no particular order:
Lumiere Peppermint Pattie (eyeshadow) - a shade that contributes to more complex-looking smoky eyes.
Everyday Minerals Nick Nack (blush) - it does no wrong and you just can't mess this up! I have even swept this over my lids for that brightening pop of color.
Meow undereye concealer - glides on smoothly and covers.
Everyday Minerals On the Phone (eyeshadow) - no thrills highlighting eye shadow with a blendable texture.
Any of Lumiere's Lumi Lips but especially in One and Only - kisses boyfriend without the tackiness but dogs don't love these as much because they are not scented!
Everyday Minerals In the Garden (eyeshadow) - comforting and sultry at the same time and just so lovely!
Everyday Minerals foundation in Matte or Meow Cosmetics Pampered Puss foundation for less makeup days.
Meow VandalEyes in Sexual Misconduct (eyeshadow) - because I finally have an eyeshadow with a naughty name and it gives me a seductive glance.
Lumiere Island Sands (silk radiance) - as the name implies, it makes me look like I've been basking in the sun's radiance and feeling pretty happy and healthy!
Meow Firefly Shimmer (blush) - glow naturally and bare.
Feel free to share what your favorite shades or brands of mineral makeup are. I would love to check out your suggestions!
Credits: Grayburn
Friday
Mineral Makeup Series - Foundations
A good foundation, much like a good partner is hard to find. I think that sometimes we're so eager to get to the end that we forget that we can have a lot of fun along the way. A good foundation has to fit with the condition of your skin and help bring out the best of it. Once in a while, you need to re-evaluate the situation at hand to see if it is still doing its job. And finally, remember not to settle for second best.
I have given the following mineral foundations a good test run for the past month and more. They were tested based on their wear, texture, packaging, and their range of shades. I thought it would be interesting to put them all side-by-side to see how they do against some of their competitors. Of course, do try them out and judge for yourself, but here is what I think about them.
Lumiere Cosmetics
Formulas: Flawless, Veena Velvet, Luminesse, Cashmere
Range: 6 (from fairly light to deep)
Tones: 5 (cool, neutral, beige, golden, warm). The swatches on their website looks ashier than they do in real life.
Formulas:
**Veena Velvet
Ingredients: premium grade serecite (colorless mica), titanium dioxide, avena sativa, zinc oxide, iron oxide, magnesium stearate.
Wear - starts off on the dryer side then settles in as it wears. Lasted the day for me with only one touch-up.
Texture - sheer with no sheen. Light to medium coverage which takes 2 light layers to cover skin imperfections. Works even better worn with well-prepped skin (moisturizer & silicon-based primer).
Packaging - Works well and looks classier than many other companies'. I prefer transparent over opague labels on the bottom of these jars.
Cashmere
Ingredients: silk powder, serecite (colorless mica), titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, boron nitride, iron oxides
Wear - starts off on the dryer side then settles in. Lasted the day for me with no touch-up.
Texture - with slightly more of a sheen than Veena Velvet. Medium coverage which I use sparingly and a moisturizer underneath. Works even better worn with a silicon-based primer.
Packaging - Works well and looks classier than many other companies'. I prefer transparent over opague labels on the bottom of these jars.
Flawless
Ingredients: premium grade serecite (colorless mica), titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, iron oxides, boron nitride, silica, magnesium stearate, squalane
Luminesse
Ingredients: premium grade serecite (colorless mica), boron nitride, zinc oxide, avena sativa, titanium dioxide, iron oxide, tocopherol (vitamin e)
Overall:
I have tested both Veena Velvet and Cashmere. They go on slightly dry at first, they becomes more natural after couple of hours of wear. I find the Veena Velvet formula sheerer and more flattering on my skin. Those with dryer skin may find these two formulas a little dry initially. I would use a silicon-based primer to help the foundation glide on and to make it more dewy-looking. Color range is fair and it can be difficult finding the right shade based on the colors on your computer screen. Do purchase a sample first before commiting to a full size.
Everyday Minerals
Formulas: Semi-matte, Matte, Intensive, Original Glo
Range: 6 (from fairly light to deep)
Tones: 6 (warm, golden, cool, beige, buff, olive). The swatches on their website 
looks more ashy/pink than they do in real life.
Formulas-
Ingredients:
Mica (CI 77019), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Zinc Oxide (CI 77947). May contain: Iron Oxides (CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 77491), Ultramarine Blue (CI 77007)
Semi-matte
Wear - No color change and no touch up for me at the end of the day. May not control oiliness well enough for those with oily skin.
Texture - Quite creamy and seems to smooth over face. Very slight sheen.
**Packaging - The best I've seen. Samples come in small jars with sifters. Regular size jars have a wide mouths (wide lid), great for swirling a big brush in (see picture). All have clear bottoms with clear labels which make it easy to see through. They are also stackable (see picture).
**Matte
Wear - No color change and no touch up for me at the end of the day. This formula is not more matte than semi-matte. May not control oiliness well enough for those with oily skin.
Texture - Not chalkier or that much drier than semi-matte. There is slightly less sheen as well.
**Packaging - The best I've seen. Samples come in small jars with sifters. Regular size jars have a wide mouths (wide lid), great for swirling a big brush in (see picture). All have clear bottoms with clear labels which make it easy to see through. They are also stackable (see picture).
Intensive
Wear - Too intensive for my liking, so no touch-ups for me whatsoever.
Texture - Thick and chalky on my skin so it will cover well if that is what you're looking for.
**Packaging - The best I've seen. Samples come in small jars with sifters. Regular size jars have a wide mouths (wide lid), great for swirling a big brush in (see picture). All have clear bottoms with clear labels which make it easy to see through. They are also stackable (see picture).
Original-Glo
Wear - It feels lighter and sheerer than other formulas and did not last as long on my skin.
Texture - It definitely has the glow factor which I am not too crazy about. Even if it looks natural, I don't enjoy the way it emphasizes flaws on skin.
**Packaging - The best I've seen. Samples come in small jars with sifters. Regular size jars have a wide mouths (wide lid), great for swirling a big brush in (see picture). All have clear bottoms with clear labels which make it easy to see through. They are also stackable (see picture).
Overall: I like all the formulas (but the Matte version the best) I have tried and will use them depending on the day. The color choices are average and it seems to be lacking for those who have darker skin tones. I believe though that EM is looking into fixing that. I find that it works best on well moisturized skin. It is great that the jars are stackable and have completely see-through bottoms.
Meow Cosmetics
Formulas: Purrr-fect Puss, Pampered Puss, Flawless Feline
Range: 6 (Lightest (almost white) to Very dark)
Tones: 13 (peach, peach/yellow, soft yellow, yellow/peach, golden beige, yellow/beige, neutral, warm, beige/pink, warmpink cool pink, cool beige, oliver/beige)
Formulas-
Purrr-fect Puss
Ingredients: Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides
**Pampered Puss
Ingredients: Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, Iron Oxides
Wear - Lasted the day with one touch-up at the end of the day.
Texture - Veerry sheer and light (very finely milled). I needed 3 layers to get medium coverage. More work for days when you may be rushed.
Packaging - Both 'munchkin' size and 'full size' have wide enough mouths for a good swirling of the brush. Full size is huge!
Flawless Feline
Ingredients: Mica, Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Boron Nitride, Iron Oxides
Overall: I only tried Pampered Puss. I like this for days when I don't need much coverage and don't feel like wearing a primer. There is an impressive array of colors to choose from, which can be good and bad as well, as it can be overwhelming to find the right shade.
L'Oreal
Formulas: 1
Range: 10 (Light ivory to Cocoa)
Tones: 4 (Ivory, beige, buff, tan)
Ingredients:
1st formula - kaolin, iron oxides, mica, copper, boron nitride, calcium, manganese, magnesium, bismuth, titanium dioxide
2nd formula - Talc , Boron Nitride , Dimethicone , Carnauba Wax - Copernicia Cerifera , Cetyl Dimethicone , Trimethylsiloxysilicate , Triisocetyl Citrate , Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice , Tocopherol , Panthenol , Titanium Dioxide - May Contain , Zinc Oxide - May Contain , Bismuth Oxychloride - May Contain , Iron Oxides - May Contain
This is my review for the 1st formula -
Wear - Didn't control oiliness and emphasized dryness as well! The color changed at the end of the day.
Texture - Chalky, thick, shiny and just sat on top of the skin.
Packaging - The brush it came with is coarse and so it did not feel very nice to buff the product into the skin with it.
Overall: Not for me! I am too clumsy to work with this type of packaging and I did not find the right shade for me. It also does not come in different formulas to choose from.
Neutrogena
Formulas: 1
Range: 6 (Fair to light to Bronzer)
Tones: 3 (ivory, buff, tan)
Ingredients: Mica, Bismuth Oxychloride, Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbic Acid, Pantothenic Acid, Soybean Flour, Silk Powder, Zinc Stearate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, may contain: Ultramarines, Carmine, Manganese Violet.
Wear - I gave up before I could tell.
Texture - Sheer
Packaging - The powder is dispensed through the brush by shaking and tapping the brush itself. It took a lot of work to get any powder out. The amount that I did get out was too sheer to cover anything on my skin.
Overall: I got so tired from shaking this thing plus it didn't look right on the skin. I don't think I really had a good chance to give this a proper test run. If you managed to try this, please let me know what you think.
Credits: Grayburn, lumierecosmetics.com, everydayminerals.com, meowcosmetics.com, lorealparis.com, neutrogena.com
Tuesday
Mineral Makeup Series - Meow Cosmetics
I am so overwhelmed with all these little baggies and sample jars of colored mineral powders that I am seriously in need of one of those rotary business card holders to help me get organized. If anyone knows of any better way to organize them, please drop a line!
The pictures you see below are samples of eyeshadows, foundations and blushes from Meow Cosmetics. Sometimes a company can become so overly "themed" that they might risk coming across like a Versace pillow. Makeup should sometimes be fun though, so all the cat pictures on Meow Cosmetics' jars are fun indeed. Their leopard-print tissue papers add an extra spice. All in all, Meow Cosmetics produces some very finely milled mineral products and probably the largest mineral foundation (review coming) collection I have seen.
From left to right:
First row - IdealEyes Sourpuss, VandalEyes Sexual Misconduct, VandelEyes Embezzling, CatEyes Skinny Bitch, Firefly Glint, Firefly Firecracker, Firefly Shimmer, Firefly Glisten, Tickled Pink
Second row - Frisky Korat, Sleek Angora, Sleek Korat undereye, Frisky Angora, Sleek Abyssinian, Frisky Kora undereye, Sleek Korat, Sleek Manx
IdealEyes Sourpuss (eyeshadow)- Medium olive with very fine gold and peach shimmer. It has a nice sheen to it that is not overpowering.
VandalEyes Sexual Misconduct (eyeshadow)- Light olive base with very fine gold shimmer. Buffs out to a
metallic green gold that has is a cooler tone than Sourpuss (above).
VandelEyes Embezzling (eyeshadow) - A light green that is warm because of the gold shimmer it sits in. Slightly more sparkly than the IdealEyes serie.
CatEyes Skinny Bitch (eyeshadow) - This matte shadow brightened up my entire lid with its apricot/beige tones. Reminds me of a color-correcting undereye concealer which hides bluish circles.
Firefly Glint (blush) - Powerful fine shimmer that starts off slightly iridescent, then buffs out into a light bluish/silver pink. The shimmer is truly so fine that they are hardly noticeable. Universally flattering.
Firefly Firecracker (blush) - Woa! The real thing looks nothing like the picture on their website! In the little sample bag, it looks like pure red/brick pigment. On my skin however, this turns into a deep raspberry (no mauve) with gold shimmer. The shimmers in this one is by no means huge but is more noticeable than those in Glint (above). Works best on darker skin tones I would say.
Firefly Shimmer (blush) - In the little sample baggie, this looks like a muddy orange. Out of the bag and on my skin, it looks like a true peach with gold shimmer.
Firefly Glisten (blush) - Mid-tone brick/peach that is quite pigmented. Adds more of a punch than Shimmer (above).
Tickled Pink (blush) - The name is as cute as it looks in the sample baggie. This shade is almost the same but slightly darker and more intense than Glint (above).
Credits: Grayburn
