Mineral Makeup Cosmetics

Senna Cosmetics was founded by a woman named Eugenia Weston who is an Emmy nominated celebrity makeup artist. It has been a little under the radar and I only came to discover this when a friend of mine was applying her lipgloss one day and of course I loved it and asked about it. It turns out that most of her makeup was by Senna Cosmetics and I had to check it out for myself.

I searched far and wide until I stumbled upon ShopNBC one day out of the blue and there she was demonstrating her cosmetics on national television, I mean who knew she was that popular. So when I found out that they actually have Mineral Makeup I was so excited that I immediately ordered the set that was on ShopNBC which included the foundation.

I tried it as soon as it arrived and I have to say that I am very impressed with this line. The foundation that I used is called Mineral Mix Cover n’ Finish and it is available in five different colors and each color has two shades which is perfect for blending to custom create your natural color. What I love about having two colors is that when I am tanner which is usually in the summer I can use the darker color and still look great.

The very first thing I noticed upon application was how it glided on and wasn’t cakey but very silky and then I notice that one swipe had pretty good coverage. Here is what is so great about this product the loose mineral powder is the lighter one which is applied and then the top has a pressed powder that is slightly darker and can be applied to blend into your skintone. My skin really looked good and I think it did minimize my pores, silkify if you will my skin, and left me pretty happy.

I would definitely recommend this to everyone but the price is a little steep at $38 except that you get two colors so maybe well worth it.

I was really hoping that I would love this foundation since I am looking for a travel friendly version of mineral foundation that would be easily portable and not create a huge mess.

Rimmel Lasting Finish Mineral Foundation is alas not made for me and maybe not made for anyone. I had read some pretty bad reviews about this and I still thought I would give it the benefit of the doubt and try it out on my own skin. Well I tried for about two days and that was all I could pretty well handle.

For one the applicator doesn’t immerse hardly any powder at all and when it does it’s all a sparkly mess on my face. I can see too much shimmer and not enough coverage. There isn’t a very good range of colors so you have to guess which is another down side to the product.
I do have one good thing to say about the product and that is that it does not contain talc or bismuth oxychloride.

Certainly when I look for a mineral foundation I am looking for one, ease of application, and two, coverage well none were present therefore I must say that my $6 was a complete waste. Thankfully it was only around $6 at Ulta and I didn’t lose any sleep over it.

So my search for the perfect travel mineral foundation continues and I will be back to report what I find but until then I will continue using my other collections. I may actually try the liquid formula for this and see how that pans out. I will probably do a review and compare the two powder vs. creme. I am also contemplating a purchase from Everyday Minerals because I hear such rave reviews on makeupalley.

Bare Minerals Buxom Lip Gloss - .15oz

Bare Escentuals Buxom lip gloss actually came to me in a kit that I bought from QVC awhile ago. I bought the kit for the other things like the foundation and cheek color but it came with a couple of eyeshadows and a lip gloss called Buxom.

Buxom lips claims that it will create fuller more voluptuous lips naturally. It is infused with 100% bareMinerals and gives your lips a luminous shine with no sticky feeling. I finally got to try it this past weekend because I have soooo many other things to try and I have been meaning to get around to it.

When I first applied it I could smell a vanilla scent coming from the applicator and I thought oh this is not one of those tingly formula lip plumpers maybe this one is really different. Well I was wrong because a minute or so after applying I could feel the tingly effect but it wasn’t instant so that was good.

I thought it glided on very well and did not feel sticky or tacky at all however I have found that with lip glosses that feel so smooth and liquidy the lasting power on them is very poor. This was no exception I loved the color which by the way was called Zena and it was a limited edition but a very pretty nude pink but it does not last so reapplying is a MUST.

So as much as I loved the initial smell and the color of the gloss what good is it if it doesn’t last very long. I will continue my search for a great lip gloss that does everything. Will keep you posted!

You can buy the Buxom Lip Gloss at Beauty.com right now for $18.00

Peter Thomas Roth Instant Mineral SPF 30

Peter Thomas Roth has always been a favorite skincare line of mine and I usually have at least one of their items in my bathroom. I’ve had my eye on this one product for a long time and in fact when I was in Las Vegas a year or so ago I bought the Instant Mineral Powder with SPF 30 because I needed something that would be easy to apply in such heat.

I used this the entire time I was in Vegas and kept it in my bag at all times when I came back. I don’t know about you but I usually wear makeup pretty much everyday except some Saturdays and Sundays on the very rare occasion and when it’s hot in the afternoon you don’t feel like applying sunscreen over you makeup.

So this I believe is pure genius I mean not only is it minerals but they now have an SPF 45 and an Oil Free version which is even better!

I have never had any reactions to this product at all and the last time I wore it I had gone to an amusement park with the kids in 90 degree weather and didn’t get even a tad bit sunburned.

I cannot say enough about this and I don’t know of any other brand that can make powder come out of a brush so easily. I mean you literally take the top off push it down to reveal the brush apply as you would any powder and pull it back up to conceal the brush, I love it!

At $30 it has lasted me over a year and it was well worth every penny!

You can buy it at Beauty.com for that price as of this post.

RareMinerals Skin Revival Treatment - Clear 15 oz (4.2g)

I have been meaning to try the skincare line by Bare Escentuals and I still haven’t tried everything in the collection. I have however been able to get my hands on a small or mini version of the RareMinerals Skin Revival Treatment which is a mineral based treatment that is said to deliver clear, bright and smooth skin while you sleep.

Some of the things that I have read this product does include reduced fine lines and wrinkles, reduced sun damage, refined pores, brighter complexion, and the list goes on and on.

With all of that being said, I was skeptical because how can a product do all of those things without containing any of the following parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, petro-chemicals, and phthalates. So I decided to test drive this for myself after all I do consider myself a mineral makeup junkie so why not be a mineral skincare junkie as well!

The product comes with a sponge top applicator and I have yet to review the Rimmel mineral foundation one that I tried and absolutely despised since nothing seemed to come out, this one is much better. I can actually feel and see the product going on, however, I have read lots of reviews with complaints about the sponge tip applicator so beware. If you decide you really don’t like the applicator then by all means take the lid off and have at it with your Kabuki brush.

In all the reviews that I have read about the RareMinerals Skin Revival Treatment I have seen comments about luminous skin and reduced pores. I can definitely attest to both as well as some reduced lines around my eyes which weren’t there until recently anyway.

So every night before bed I cleanse and apply a cream but my routine changed and now I cleanse and apply this powder all over my face. For the first few nights it felt really weird putting on makeup so to speak before bed but I quickly got used to it and after that, things were looking great.

Every morning I would wake up without that oily feel of the cream that I had applied the night before, I actually felt matte and my skin looked great! So I know the price is a little steep at $60 but I am guessing you will be hooked and then you won’t need all those fancy creams.

They have 4 different shades, which I don’t really understand because this is supposed to be a night time treatment…duh!! Anyway, I’ve listed the 4 shades below.

AfterGlow Cosmetics

My search for the best mineral makeup line continues as I try new things only for a month or two and then decide that I really wasn’t satisfied with what I was using. Will I ever be satisfied or am I just on a quest to find the best of the best in all areas of my life?

Despite having this mineral makeup blog I actually do use a ton of other makeup (eyeshadow, lipgloss, lipstick, etc.) from lots of other lines so maybe one day I will venture out and start reviewing other items but for now my search continues with mineral makeup.

I decided to try Afterglow Mineral makeup line which claims that they use organic botanicals and none of the synthetics that other lines use including but not limited to paraben preservatives, bismuth oxychloride, synthetic dyes, talc, gluten, petrochemicals, cornstarch, carmine, mineral oil, etc. etc. etc.

I failed to tell you that I have been searching for an all organic line of mineral makeup and so far have only found this one but I have feeling there are more to come. So not only is Afterglow Mineral Cosmetics natural and organic but they never test on animals and the line is 100% vegan.

I normally wear Medium in all mineral makeup lines but this line actually has different names for each color so I decided to try Tan since it is summer and I am slightly tanner than usual. The coverage was fairly light so if you are looking to cover up freckles, sun spots, broken capillaries, etc. this may not be for you. When I used it my sun spots were still pretty noticeable and I would have liked better coverage but it would be great if you are just looking for light coverage on the weekend to the beach or the pool.

The brushes were nice as they are NOT made of any animal hair which makes me feel better about using them. Overall my rating of Afterglow Mineral Cosmetics is a 3 1/2 and the only reason why is because of the coverage.

My ideal mineral foundation should cover up my sun spots and be natural! They also have a starter kit which as you may or may not know is always a favorite of mine since I am bit committment phobic.

Simply Karen Mineral Makeup

Simply Karen is definitely one makeup line that has been under the radar and hasn’t had much attention in the media.  I for one only heard about it through a friend who is always trying new things and finds buried treasures at least that is what I call it.  After hearing from her how it works I decided to try it and not listen to what she was saying about it but come up with my own thoughts.

I used their brushes to apply the makeup and I found the brushes to be a little harsh on my skin so I immediately switched to my own brushes from other collections that I just love.  Once I got that little caveat out of the way things started to go smoothly I applied the makeup and was pleasantly surprised to see that it was easy to apply and the coverage was good…notice I didn’t say great.

Well the coverage  was good for my skin which has some sun spots and a little larger than normal pores.  If you are looking for heavier coverage this may not work for you but personally I sometimes like light coverage just so I don’t feel cakey.

The other great thing about Simply Karen mineral makeup is that there is no Bismuth as with Bare Minerals and it also has an SPF of 15 which is always good even if you are wearing sunscreen.

Now I do have to tell you one more thing my friend mentioned that it settled in her fine lines and I am not really sure why because that didn’t happen to me so I have decided to let you decide whether you want to try it or not.

Oh, and one more thing which is quite important and I can’t believe I didn’t mention earlier in my review it’s all natural!  That really makes it worthwhile for myself because these days you just don’t know what is in your cosmetics!

They have an “Allure Collection” that sells for $59.98 as of this post. I’ve noticed that they’ve changed the price on this a couple of times, so make sure you check the link below to see if the price is still the same.

Simply Karen Allure Collection Kit Includes:

• (2) Shades of Mineral Foundation – two options to match of your skin tone and allows for custom blending.
• (1) Mineral Finishing Veil – creates the perfect, flawless finish to your makeup.
• (1) Mineral Blush – offers a subtle hint of color, for a natural glow long-lasting, soft color blends easily for quick application.
• (1) Your choice of Mineral Eye Shadow or Bronzer – create an elegant or natural look, can be used with a wet brush as an eye liner or select the bronzer perfect for highlighting and creating a natural sunkissed look.
• (1) Multipurpose Powder Brush (value $22) – apply your mineral foundation, finishing veil, or blush.
• (1) Perfect Coverage Concealer Brush (value $20) – great for concealing under eye circles and blemishes.
• (1) Dual End Eye Shadow & Blender Brush (value $16) – applies mineral eye shadow to the entire lid with ease.
• FREE Makeup Bag – classy, red-microfiber cosmetic/handbag, fully lined in black fabric.

Bonus Items:

• Free Foundation Buffer Brush (value $23).
• Free Exchanges.
• Tips & Tricks Application Instructions.
• No Clubs to Join – The site says that you will not be enrolled in an automatic shipment program.

Click here to purchase the kit now…

So I’m not exactly sure when E.L.F cosmetics started doing Mineral makeup and I always knew E.L.F to be the 2 buck chuck of cosmetics which is always a plus in this economy but I know I had to try it out.

For those that don’t know what E.L.F. stands for it is Eyes Lips Face.  The Mineral Booster is suppose to give you the “photo finishing touch” to your skin after you have already applied all of your makeup, it’s sort of the top coat if you will.  I applied with a big brush that I normally use with Mineral makeup and added as the final touch.  I have to say that I was skeptical at first since it is only $5 for the .18oz size and $8 for the .63oz size but boy was I impressed!

I tend to get slightly oily towards the end of the day however with this as the finishing touch I didn’t notice any oil production at all.  I have heard it being compared to Makeup Forever’s High Definition powder which is around $30.  I haven’t tried the Makeup Forever version but boy is it talked about on Makeupalley.  I think this made my skin look and feel very natural so it wasn’t cakey at all even after you apply your regular foundation which could be mineral or not because I have used it with both.  The other great benefit is that it contains Vitamins A, B and E, so your skin is getting nutrients while making you look great what more does a girl need!

I found a 25% off coupon with purchase of $25 or more while scouring the net. Just punch in: EGMINERALC when checking out.

All Mineral makeup 25% Off! Use Coupon Code EGMINERALC With Any Order Of $25.

Raw Minerals Collection

The Raw Minerals Collection by Raw Natural Beauty is another one of those products I am yet to try.

From what I’ve read, Bismuth Oxychloride is the main ingredient, which is similar to Bare Escentuals. It’s also the main cause of itchiness in mineral makeup too. So if you have sensitive skin, you might want to sample it first.

You might also want to search through the comments to see if there are any good reviews on this one.

Here’s everything that it comes with:

Raw Minerals 30-Day Free Trial Mineral Makeup Kit

• 2 Mineral Foundations
• Mineral Glow
• Active Veil SPF 18
• How-to Guide and DVD
• Maximum Coverage Foundation Brush
• Concealer Brush
• Multi-Tasking Brush
• Price: 30-Day Free Trial (Shipping&Handling)

User Rating

Bare Escentuals Mineral Makeup

Bare Escentuals has been creating makeup products since 1976 and started in San Francisco, Ca. I was shocked to hear that, especially since the President Leslie Blodgett looks so young. So could it be the minerals that are keeping her youth?

Well I’m not so certain but who knows…maybe? So what do I think of Bare Escentuals? Not for everyday. The reason I say that is because when time is of the essence it just doesn’t work out and half the time I end up spilling the powder all over my counter tops and have to spend more time wiping it up. Though, I’ve heard that spilling is an issue with a few brands out there. It’s also not ideal for travel because of the same reason.

I also felt a slight tingling in my face after I applied it and I thought it was just hot and sticky that day but tried it again and felt the same thing. So after looking up Bare Escentuals on makeupalley and reading posts regarding the itchiness I thought, no wonder! As far as coverage goes, well it’s pretty good, and it really does feel like I have nothing on. But I’ll save it for when I have plenty of time to apply which is very rare.

I’ve also heard the color range is very limited and not everyone can find a shade that’s right for them. I was fortunate because the Medium Beige was perfect for me!

With all of this said I still don’t think I’ll get rid of any of the Bare Escentuals makeup that I currently own but I’ll definitely have fun trying other brands.

See, I told you I’d review one that I’ve tried myself. 🙂

What are your thoughts?