Tag: mineral

bareMinerals Correcting Concealer SPF 20

bareMinerals has been releasing rockstar complexion products over the last couple month: bareMinerals READY SPF 20 Foundation, bareMinerals READY SPF 15 Touch Up Veil and bareMinerals ‘Stroke of Light’ Eye Brightener. They are now rounding out their offerings with a creamy, correcting concealer. While I tend to prefer drier concealers for blemishes, this seems to achieve both creaminess for under eye, along with enough coverage and substance for blemishes, perhaps due to the mineral content.

The formula contains copper that helps camouflage imperfections. Lemon peel extract helps with discoloration over time – huge for me as hyper-pigmentation is my main complaint. And the added physical sunscreen (titanium dioxide) isn’t irritating and always welcome. The finish is radiant (not too matte), especially for a mineral formulation. They have eight shades – find four sampled below:

I’ve been using my finger to blend below my eyes and a more sheer layer over my sun-damaged areas. I then follow with the bare Minerals READY foundation. I like how it sort of sets the concealer. Over all this is a full coverage look. But you could use just concealer where you need it for a lighter coverage.

Shop my bare Minerals favorites:

 

MAC ‘Mineralize Volcanic Ash’ Exfoliator

There was some pretty heavy duty scuttle last week when MAC accounced they were bringing back a discontinued cult-favorite. I haven’t used much MAC skincare, but had heard great things. So, that puppy was ordered and on its way to me, stat.

I love the inky, consistancy of the MAC ‘Mineralize Volcanic Ash’ Exfoliator. The formula contains a foaming cleanser as well – you know I can’t resist a foaming cleanser.  The sugar crystals are on the larger side, but don’t irritate my skin. I’m not sure you could consider this “gentle” though. The earth smell of volcanic ash is especially pleasant to me – it feels spa-like and is rich with minerals. And don’t hesitate to use this on stubborn bumps on your arms and legs.

No wonder there was such a fuss. And now I am hooked too. The exfoliator is currently available at Nordstrom, but I don’t know for how long!

BY TERRY Hyaluronic Face Glow

I feel so remiss haven’t not reviewed this product earlier. It was my winter holy grail – lightweight, combats dryness and evens out my skin. The Hyaluronic Face Glow was my first By Terry product I had ever used. And I ordered it sight unseen. I ordered Warm Glow, the darkest shade available (not completely sure why). But it actually works. It requires some blending around the neck and I would be better with Nude Glow, but I love the bronzed look it gives me.

It is paired down version of a foundation. It primes (and I often use it as a primer when I really want to go flawless) and moisturizes. But I wouldn’t call it a tinted moisturizer. It is more light-weight and “airy” with its mousse-like feel. And I adore the signature By Terry floral scent. It is very subtle, and lovely.

So why is this such a good moisturizer? The primary ingredient is whipped hyaluronic acid molecules. Along with galanga leaf extract, this penetrates while softening and plumping. The mineral pigments give a radiant, but not dewy or shinny finish.

This product is unlike anything else I have tried. If you love light-weight foundations and tinted moisturizers and have even an iota of dry skin, give it a try.

RMS Beauty Cream Eyeshadow

The big question here is “does it crease?”.  I am so  happy to report: “NO!”.  I have been working with this product for a couple weeks because I wanted to be absolutely sure I could report no crease.  As long as you follow founder and makeup artist Rose-Marie Swift’s directions for nothing under the product, there will be zero gathering, clumping or creaseing. 

There really is no need to pile anything on before, because this doubles as eye cream. The shadow moisturizes on its own and will work more effectively without interference of other products.  Contact with other products can “affect its relationship with the skin.”

With all the hoopla behind mineral makeup, we know there is probably some benefit. But if you are like me, I find it drying on my dry to combo skin. This gem provides the benefit of minerals without drying with the addition of some team players: coconut oil, beeswax, jojoba seed oil, and cocoa seed butter.

Birchbox offers the Cream Shadow in the following colors: 

  •  Lunar, a shimmery nude 
  • Magnetic, a violet-toned slate 
  • Solar, a luminous gold 

    The color I chose was Lunar, but all the Birchbox offerings are very neutral. Lunar gives a brightness with just a slight shimmer.