Mineral Makeup | Beauty and Fashion Tech

Sep 10, 2010

Makeup Swatches: Elizabeth Arden Tinted Moisturizer

September 10, 2010 By Carleenp Leave a Comment

Elizabeth Arden has a set of new Pure Finish Mineral Tinted Moisturizers. These tinted mineral makeup moisturizers have SPF 15 protection and give medium coverage. Many, if not most, tinted moisturizers are very sheer, so it is refreshing to come across ones that actually provide some real coverage, and these are more akin to a liquid mineral makeup than to a standard sheer tinted moisturizer. Four shades are available.

Below are swatches of the Elizabeth Arden Pure Finish shades. They do blend in pretty well, so even though they might stand out on the skin in the swatch, they do blend in to match quite well with any skin tone that is generally close to the shade. I added powder over mine as well, which blended things seamlessly. For example, I actually wear the second level shade, even though it looks too dark or too yellow in the swatch. Once blended though, it matches me perfectly.

From left to right: Fair, Light, Medium, Deep:

I found that the product wore quite well. It give the skin a luminous look and provides a comfortable, light moisture. Ingredients in Elizabeth Arden Pure Finish Mineral Tinted Moisturizer include:

Microlight Minerals – Natural mineral pigments that incorporate Mineral Mica, which acts as an optical diffuser to soften the look of fine lines and wrinkles.
Antioxidants and Vitamins A, C and E – Moisturize and provide antioxidant protection.
Dionysis Extract – An extract of the Sea Campion Plant which acts to slow the effects of free radicals and provide strong antioxidant protection.
Squalane – Botanically derived from olives, this ingredient brings back the natural feel of your skin's own moisture.
Jojoba Esters – Act as a barrier for water loss to keep moisture in the skin.
Sodium Hyaluronate – A powerful skin moisturizer.
Oil free, talc free and fragrance free.

You can buy these at the Elizabeth Arden website linked above or look for them in department stores and at specialty makeup stores. Most of those do not seem to have them online yet.

Disclosure: This review in based on products given to me by a representative of the company. For more, please se my disclosure page.

Disclosures: Beauty and Fashion Tech at times reviews products provided by a representative of the company. When we do so, we specifically state so. We also use affiliate links. For more, please see the disclosure page

Filed Under: Face Products, Foundation, Makeup, Mineral Makeup, Skin Care Tagged With: Elizabeth Arden, Mineral Makeup, Tinted Moisturizer

Mar 17, 2010

Makeup Forever Duo Mat Powder Foundation

March 17, 2010 By Carleenp 2 Comments

Makeup Forever Powder Foundation is my new favorite! I have been looking for some time for the perfect pressed mineral makeup foundation. Then I branched out into looking at powder foundation in general, without focusing on whether they were classified as “mineral makeup.” That is when I found MAKE UP FOR EVER Duo Mat Powder Foundation.

Makeup Forever has really been impressing me lately and their duo mat foundation is the best pressed powder foundation that I have tried yet. I liked Amazing Cosmetics Mineral Foundation (link is to previous review) quite a bit, but Makeup Forever tops it for three reasons: First, it covers better. Second, it wears longer. Third, the included applicator is actually pretty good. I highly recommend Makeup Forever powder foundation for melasma sufferers and can pretty much guarantee that it will appear on my year-end best products list.

Makeup Forever Duo Mat Foundation comes packaged in a mirrored compact with a sponge applicator. Coverage from this foundation when applied with the sponge applicator is medium to full. Use a brush for a more sheer look. Because this powder foundation covers very well, it is perfect for those with melasma, hyperpigmentation, or redness, who have difficult areas to conceal. It is also oil free, and I have had no problems with it on my acne prone skin. In fact, as discussed below, I particularly recommend this one for people with oily skin becasue it contains mattifiers.

The look from Makeup Forever Duo Mat Foundation is also nicely matte. I often get annoyed with mineral foundations because mineral makeup tends to be on the shiny and shimmery side, especially if it contains bismuth—an ingredient that can also cause skin irritation in some people. Makeup Forever Duo Mat Foundation is not just oil and bismuth free, it also contains ingredients to absorb oil and sebum to retain a matte look. However, the product does not feel drying, thanks to an anti-dehydrating agent. Those with oily skin will likely appreciate this powder foundation the most, but it certainly would be wearable by those with normal and even dry skin, especially if a moisturizer was applied first. People with dry skin would likely be happier with a liquid or cream foundation though.

Makeup Forever powder foundation is not streaky and wears most of the day for me without needing reapplication. Frankly, it is the best powder foundation that I have tried yet and I imagine it will be hard to find one that beats it. It gets excellent reviews online at Sephora as well.

You can find Makeup Forever at Sephora stores for $32. I bought mine in the store. If you shop online, the color names are pretty accurate (e.g. my ivory is a standard ivory), but the shade swatches there look pinker than the actual product is. Sephora does take returns of open products if you order online and end up with the wrong shade.

Note, this article uses affiliate links, for more please see my disclosure page.

Filed Under: Foundation, Makeup, Mineral Makeup, Powder Tagged With: Amazing Cosmetics, Foundation, Makeup, Makeup Forever, Mineral Makeup, Powder

Dec 10, 2009

Amazing Cosmetics Mineral Makeup Makeover

December 10, 2009 By Carleenp 2 Comments

I prefer pressed mineral makeup and also like to avoid bismuth, but finding a bismuth free pressed mineral makeup can be difficult! My favorite had been Sephora Brand, but when I went to refill mine, they told me that it was being discontinued! Awhile later, I was at Ulta and walked around checking the ingredients on all of the makeup brands and found one, just one, that had a pressed mineral makeup without bismuth. That was Amazing Cosmetics Velvet Mineral Pressed Powder Foundation. The Amazing Cosmetics rep happened to be at the store, so I had my whole face done, which allowed me to try a few other items as well.

Coverage with Amazing Cosmetics Mineral Makeup was pretty good. Apply it with a brush for sheer coverage, use the included pad for medium, or as the rep showed me, try a makeup sponge for more full coverage. It builds pretty well too, so I can apply it sheer to medium on most areas and then put extra over my areas of melasma. The selection of shades is not huge, but is OK, and the packaging is nice, with a mirrored compact. I found that it wears very well. I get most of a day out of it, which is more than I often get from powder mineral makeup. So, this is a winner, which is good since it is one of the few bismuth free pressed mineral foundations out there (Neutrogena and Jane Iredale also make bismuth free pressed mineral foundations and if you want a good bismuth free powder mineral makeup, check out Purely Cosmetics).

Anyway, like I said, I had the rest of my face done, and I liked Amazing Cosmetics overall. Here is the look, using Amazing Cosmetics Suede Eyeshadow Collection in Wheat, a couple of fabulous lip products, Amazing Cosmetics Lipcolor in Oliva and Amazing Cosmetics Lipgloss in Kathy, and a new favorite blush for me, Amazing Cosmetics Blush Matte in Pink Chocolate. All wore wonderfully, and I ended up buying the lip products and the blush to go with the mineral foundation. You can read more about the lip products in my review here on Girl Gloss: Amazing Cosmetics Lip Products. This picture also ended up being used for my Open Sky Store.