If you have breakouts or discoloration on your face, you know how difficult it is to get the right coverage. It’s a battle between hiding blemishes and redness and keeping your makeup from looking caked on.
Many women avoid mineral makeup because they don’t think they will be able to get the kind of coverage they need. With the proper application and tools, however, you can get that fresh and flawless face without the harmful chemicals of traditional creams and liquids.
Starting Smart
The key to proper makeup application is skincare. Having a clean, moisturized surface makes all the difference when you’re applying your mineral foundation. Always start with your favorite natural cleanser. Wash your face gently with lukewarm water and pat dry. It’s important not to rub your face with a towel because the fabric can be irritating and increase redness. It can also damage the elasticity of your skin and contribute to find lines and wrinkles.
Once your canvas is clean, it’s time to moisturize. Many acne treatment kits include a moisturizer, so you may already have this step covered. Use only enough product to add a light layer to your face. Make sure you only use what your skin can absorb in a few minutes or your foundation may stick more heavily in some places.
Priming Up
An excellent natural makeup primer is crucial for maximum concealing and even coverage. These primer products will fill in the fine lines and wrinkles and minimize the appearance of pores. The added smoothness will make it easier to create consistent layers of mineral foundation for a luminous, even end result that actually covers those red spots. Like your moisturizer, apply primer and a light layer across your entire face.
Choosing Makeup
Not all mineral foundations and mineral concealers are equal. Afterglow Cosmetics’ line of natural makeup products includes titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. These natural mineral ingredients make makeup opaque. Without these two white minerals, your coverage would be sheer and translucent at best. If you have troubled skin, don’t settle for imitations that lack these important mineral pigments. We’re looking for coverage here so we need all the opaque pigments we can get!
The Right Brushes
The tools you use to apply mineral foundation and mineral concealer are almost as important as the makeup itself. For concealing, you need a brush that is dense, flat and tapered. The flatness of the brush will also allow you to press the powder onto an area and then blend it in. This application technique is called ‘packing’ the pigment or powder onto an area. The tapered shape allows you to access hard-to-reach places, such as your bottom eyelid and corners of your eye and nose, easily. It also gives you more control over the amount of pigment you’re laying down.
For mineral foundation, there’s no better brush than the kabuki brush. This gently rounded, dense, short-handled brush lets you apply mineral foundation in a wide swath for quicker and more consistent coverage. It’s also the perfect length for buffing on color gradually in small circles for an application that covers and looks luminous at the same time.
Putting it All Together
Even with blemished or reddened skin, the secret to a flawless mineral makeup application is using light layers to achieve luminous results. Begin with a small amount of mineral powder on your kabuki brush. Starting at your jaw line, using gentle pressure, buff in circles. Move the brush around constantly, traveling from the outside perimeter of your face inward. Blend down the neck. If you require more coverage, repeat the application steps.
Remember, you can use a lighter layer of mineral foundation and correct spots with concealer. This will keep your makeup from looking thick and save you valuable product. To do this, use a concealer brush and gently dab mineral makeup onto the red area. Feather the edges of the applied area to even out and blend in the direct application.
And that’s it! Finish with a mineral setting powder and you’re ready to add color to your cheeks, eyes and lips and get on with your day.