Make Mine Mineral

“Proto- col have cleverly blurred
the line between makeup and skincare”

I’ve long been an advocate of mineral makeup. When it comes
to making a celebrity client look radiant and youthful, I have to say that there
is really no better product than a mineral powder foundation.

You may have noticed that for some time now ‘Mineral’ has
been a beauty buzz word used by almost every cosmetic brand around and it’s
with good reason. Mineral ingredients, in their purest form, promise to not
only even out the skin tone but also diffuse fine lines and offer the complexion
a natural, high sun protection.

The science is pretty simple. Mineral rocks such as mica,
zinc and titanium dioxide are crushed into a powder form so that they shimmer
ever so slightly (without looking glittery) when they’re brushed onto the skin.
When the minerals blend with natural oils already in the skin the result is a
complexion that looks flawless... and because the minerals are so finely milled
they can be built up in sheer layers to cover the most stubborn areas of
redness without looking cakey.

In my experience, once I introduce a woman to mineral
makeup, she loves the effect so much so that she rarely wants to go back to
using a traditional foundation. The problem however is that most mineral
foundations come in pots of loose powder and require clever application to get
the right amount of coverage without using too much. Many women complain that
the pots spill in their handbags and that the loose eye shadows fall all over
the face when brushed over the eyelid.

Enter Proto-col, the company best known for bringing us
skin-strengthening collagen in tablet form. Proto-col has now turned their hand
to compact mineral makeup and the timing couldn’t be better. I was delighted to receive a selection of their Baked Minerals range of compacts because it meant that I would be able to
carry mineral makeup in my kit and apply it without having to worry about the
mess.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered this was more than
just mineral makeup. Proto- col have cleverly blurred the line between makeup
and skincare, blending complexion calming essential oils like jojoba oil and safflower
oil together with healing lavender(great for spot prone skin) and baking them
into a compact to make application easy. The foundations feel super soft and
silky to touch. They leave the complexion feeling hydrated yet not at all
greasy. I love the Baked Mineral Colour Corrector – a swirl of green and flesh
toned powder which adapts to any skin tone to obliterate redness. The shimmer
powders impart an instant glow without looking too shimmery. The eye shadows
are a dream to blend and my favourite; Smoky, suits absolutely every skin tone
I use it on.

The best product really is the lip gloss though. The wand
lights up for easy application and the tube has a mirror on the side so that
you can see what you’re doing. A range that’s easy to apply and absolutely
flawless looking on the skin- I think this could be the future of mineral makeup.

From £11.95 to £27.95

It Was Bound to Happen Eventually

 

After years of giving makeup a bad reputation there is one beauty product making resurgence on the catwalk this autumn/ winter and I’m almost ashamed to admit how much I love it. Yes, lip liner is back and for anyone who missed it in the 90’s, beware because this is one guilty cosmetic pleasure that is surprisingly addictive.

Remember when ‘Supermodel’ was a new buzz word and Linda, Kate and Naomi were fresh blood on the catwalk? I remember spending hours in front of the mirror trying to outline my lips to look like Karen Mulder’s- up to my 15 year old armpits in my mother’s brown lip pencils and beige lip sticks. It was a hard habit to give up - thank goodness the lip gloss trend came along to keep us all feeling properly plumped.

Well, sharpen your pencils and be inspired by the designers pioneering the trend this coming season. Vivienne Westwood’s show led the way with a cheeky homage to Pamela Anderson in her Baywatch days- all big hair, smoky eyes and pale mouths with upper lips lined well outside ‘natural’ territory. On a more serious note, Giorgio Armani and Yves Saint Laurent teamed their classically chic collections with red lipstick lined in a stronger, deeper red pencil....etching the mouth with a sharply defined cupids bow.

The strong lip line is not for everyone but a well blended outline is a great way to create a fuller looking pout and stop lip colour from bleeding into fine lines around the mouth. Also, as we age, the natural line around the lip shrinks so applying a lip pencil matched to your natural lip colour will replace the definition, giving a more youthful look.

For failsafe lip lining, make sure your pencil is freshly sharpened. Begin lining the mouth at the cupids bow, using small, feathery strokes to define the ‘M shape at the centre of the upper lip. Be careful not to make the cupids bow ‘dip’ too wide- it’s not flattering on anyone. Work along towards the corners and repeat with the bottom lip, starting at the centre again. Softly work over the strokes with a clean cotton bud to soften a harsh line and follow with lipstick or gloss.

Recently I’ve found myself lining the mouths of models on every shoot I work on. My favourite ‘90’s Supermodel ’ lip line is Hush by Nars(£14)- a light beige brown that is subtle enough to use with pale lip colours but strong enough to stand out. For a shade that matches most mouths, try Dervish by Mac (£10)and for teaming with strong red lipsticks, opt for a long lasting matt pencil like Estee Lauder’s Double Wear Lip Pencil In Red(£15).