Showing posts with label Mineral Foundation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mineral Foundation. Show all posts

Friday, 12 June 2015

Nude by Nature Pressed Mineral Foundation | Natural Glowing Makeup


I have been a fan of Nude By Nature Loose Mineral Powder Foundation for around 3 years. I have always found their mineral powders to have really nice coverage along with a matte finish, which my oily/combo skin certainly appreciates. 

I enjoy using mineral powder foundations alone in summer, straight over the top of a lightweight sunscreen. I am typically a fan of medium coverage liquid foundations, and love adding a thin layer of mineral powder over the top to bump up the coverage when I feel like I need it. The Nude By Nature Loose Mineral Veil has been one of my favourite loose setting powders over the years.


Nude By Nature Pressed Mineral Powder Foundation RRP $39.95


In March this year, the Australian mineral makeup brand released their brand new Pressed Mineral Cover Foundation, and I was itching to give it a go! To my delight and surprise, I was invited to the Nude By Nature pop-up store in Westfield Sydney,  during the week that the Pressed Mineral Cover Foundation launched. I was booked in to have my makeup done by none other than Maria Yousif, whom I can tell you is just as beautiful on the inside, as she is on the outside! I certainly felt less than glamorous standing next to her, and if you follow her on Instagram, you will know what I am talking about!! Here is a photograph below from the evening...


Maria and Me!
Image courtesy of SweatyBetty PR.


I have been gifted some products to show you today, alongside those are products that I have purchased myself. Prior to the launch of the new Pressed Powder Foundation range, I had just purchased a value set from Nude By Nature's online store, and will share a link to that below, as I feel it represents great value!


If you would like to hear my thoughts on the new Pressed Mineral Foundation, and see my natural makeup look using lots of lovely products, then do read on!...


Nude By Nature Pressed Mineral Powder Foundation RRP $39.95

I have been really enjoying this mineral foundation. At the event, I was gifted the pressed foundation in the shade light/medium. I can use both the medium, or the light medium in the loose powders, but the pressed powders do seem to run a little deeper, and a little warmer shade wise. The light/medium was just a little too deep/warm for me to get away with, so I popped in to my local Priceline and purchased the light shade, which matches me really nicely.  Do swatch the powders in store if you can, and really blend it in to your skin to get the best match.

The Pressed Mineral Foundation is creamy, blends beautifully, and gives a really lovely satin/matte finish to the skin. Not a hint of shimmer or sparkle, my skin just looks healthy and natural. I certainly don't feel any product on face, it is perfectly lightweight. Nude By Nature describe this as a medium to full coverage foundation, and I have found the coverage to be closer to medium on my skin. The coverage of foundations in general is quite subjective... what may be full coverage for some people may only be light for others, it depends entirely on exactly what you have to cover up! I have a lot to cover up...acne scarring, blemishes, and a decent amount of pigmentation thanks to four pregnancies and some sun damage. On a daily basis, medium coverage is completely fine by me, and what I typically prefer. This mineral foundation really does have a beautiful skin like finish, and is unlike any other mineral foundation I have tried in the past. Love.


Nude By Nature Airbrush Mineral Primer RRP $29.95 AUD
 Soft Focus Liquid Mineral Illuminator  RRP $21.95 AUD.

I pulled these two products from my collection to show you, and though I don't use them on a daily basis, they are lovely products. The Airbrush Mineral Primer is very lightweight, but also quite nourishing and very protective, and can be a little heavy on my oily/combo skin to use every day. Of late, with the weather being so cold and my skin looking a little dull, I have been experimenting. I mix in some of the Soft Focus Illuminator with the Airbrush Primer to make my own custom glow-boosting primer. I have a heavy swatch of this in the photograph below. Blended well, and patted gently onto the skin in a thin layer works best for me. The mineral foundation buffs over it really nicely, and you can see the subtle glow of the skin peaking through it....love this little combo!




I adore Nude By Nature brushes. I don't own any of their eye brushes, but I can certainly vouch for the face/complexion brushes. Great quality and beautifully soft, they buff and polish the mineral foundation into the skin really nicely. The double ended brush sitting in the front of this picture was a gift, and I LOVE it! The wider, flatter larger side is perfect for blush, bronzer, or powder, and the smaller, densely packed flat top brush is perfect for buffing in the mineral foundation around my nose, my chin and the middle of my forehead. It works beautifully to smooth the look of my large pores!

Nude By Nature Ultimate Nude Eye Shadow Palette   RRP  $ 24.95 AUD.

Aren't these colours beautiful? Who can resist such lovely neutral, earthy tones I ask you? I have swatches of these below, and they are smooth, creamy, pigmented and blend really nicely on the eyes. The packaging is sleek, streamlined and sophisticated. The middle shade, Latte, is a favourite shade of mine for a quick, easy one shadow look. It has a very subtle, pretty sheen to it. Beautiful!


Nude By Nature Mineral Eyeliner - Brown  RRP  $14.95 AUD.

The Mineral Eyeliner is a beautiful shade of brown that really makes my blues eyes pop. It is a true dark brown, not charcoal, not bronze. Whilst my oily eyelids prove to be a challenge for most eyeliners, I still find it to last quite well, only noticing a little bit of fading at the end of the day.
The Mineral Mascara has a drier formula, which I love, and the natural bristle wand does a nice job of providing both length and volume. A really nice, every day mascara. I do find that it transfers to my upper eyelid around halfway through the day, though many brands of mascara have the same effect on me. It really comes down to personal preference with mascara I find, as many brands perform differently for everyone.


Nude By Nature Mineral Mascara - Black - RRP  $17.95 AUD.

Nude By Nature Mineral Blush - Virgin  RRP $19.95 AUD.

Nude By Nature's Virgin blush is stunning. A beautiful rosy, neutral blush that gives your cheeks a gorgeous glow! In fact, it reminds me a little of Benefit's Rockateur boxed blush. Love. Highly recommend! When I feel like my skin is looking a little dull and tired, I will bring my blush forward, closer to the sides of my nose, and right on top of the apples of my cheeks. It always helps to make me look fresh and awake, even if I don't feel it!

As with any loose powder products that I own, I only pull back the plastic covering a little way, and then trim it with scissors to expose only the first row of holes ( as you can see in the photograph above ). It not only saves you from making a mess, it saves your product being wasted as well. You can tap the perfect amount out into the lid, without getting the product all over your bathroom, in your slippers, in your hair, on your toothbrush ... you get my point... just a handy tip I thought I would share!


Nude By Nature Natural Mineral Lipstick - Demure  RRP $17.95  AUD.

Enriched with Jojoba oil, Shea Butter and Vitamin E, this lipstick feels very comfortable on the lips. This shade, Demure, is a gorgeous rosy/mauve/neutral shade that is very flattering, and very on-trend.  It reminds me a little of MAC's Twig, I shall have to swatch them to compare! It is a beautiful shade that would complement any makeup look,  definitely one to check out next time you are in Priceline!

I have swatched the lipstick, blush, eyeshadow palette, and the mineral eyeliner for you below. You may notice that the lightest shade in the eyeshadow palette does not show up well on my skin, only because it is very similar to my colouring! Both photographs are taken in natural light. I am really impressed with the quality of these products!


Swatched in direct natural light.
L-R   Lipstick - Demure,  Blush - Virgin,
Ultimate Nude Eyeshadow Palette - Creme, Latte, Espresso
Mineral Eye Liner Waterproof - Brown.


Swatched in indirect natural light.


The products on my mug!


You can find Nude By Nature in Priceline pharmacies across Australia, and on Priceline's website. 

You can find the Nude By Nature website here, along with a more comprehensive list of stockists.


The value set that I mentioned earlier in the post can be viewed here, and is called the Bright, Nude and Cheeky gift set, and offers great value at $49.95 for over $120 worth of products. It contains the loose mineral powders, not the pressed version, however, if you are new to mineral makeup this is a set worth considering in my opinion! It also contains two exclusive products that are not sold outside of the kit, one of them being a rather delicious lemon lip scrub...



Are you a Nude By Nature fan? Have you tried the new Pressed Mineral Foundation?
Do let me know your thoughts in the comments below!




Thanks so much for stopping by!



Blessings!



Lou xo








Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored, nor are there any affiliate links present. Thank you SweatyBetty PR for having me at the event, and thank you beautiful Maria for doing my makeup! Lou xo






Monday, 16 March 2015

My Natural, Everyday Makeup Look with Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics

I have used, and enjoyed mineral makeup for the last four to five years. As someone with acne prone skin, I was initially drawn to it because of it's lightweight, but buildable coverage that was going to let my skin 'breathe' and not exacerbate my acne. I have tried quite a few different brands and formulas over the years, and when offered the opportunity to try Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics I said yes please!

Today, I have some thoughts to share with you regarding the products, and some photographs of the makeup on my skin. I created a very quick and simple everyday look using the products below. This type of makeup look is really the only one I am good at!! I have been putting my "face on" for many years now, and honestly I do wear some sort of makeup on a daily basis. Some people may be gasping in horror, but most people who have experienced acne, or any other disfiguring skin condition will probably understand. I do try to keep things looking as natural as possible, whilst evening out my skin and giving my face a bit of colour, glow and subtle definition. 

I was surprised to discover that Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics were founded in 1996, almost 20 years ago! Pauline Youngblood, founder and president of Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics, used her knowledge and experience as a medical aesthetician to develop a range of mineral based cosmetics that would provide excellent coverage, whilst still allowing the skin to breathe. The first product developed,  the Natural Mineral Foundation, and was designed for patients recovering from laser treatments, acne, rosacea and cosmetic surgeries. Free of talc, oil, parabens, fragrance, Youngblood boast luxurious, lightweight, and non-comedogenic formulas in sleek, sophisticated packaging, and are cruelty free.









YOUNGBLOOD  Pressed Mineral Eyeshadow Quad - Timeless
L-R Doe, Coco, Desert, Haze.
Swatched in indirect natural light.

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics
L - R   Lipgloss - Da-ja Vu,  Pressed Mineral Blush - Blossom
Pressed Mineral Eyeshadows as per previous swatches.
Swatched in direct natural light


Natural Mineral Foundation - Soft Beige

If you are familiar with mineral foundations, you may be aware that the formula's can vary greatly, depending on the brand. Some are more on the dry side, and others are more creamy. This mineral powder falls into the creamier category, and I really like it. On the skin, it gives what I would call a satin finish, not shiny or sparkly, just natural and glowing. The shade I have is in Soft Beige, which is a pretty good match for my light-medium skin tone. It has a slight yellow undertone which I prefer as it helps to counteract the redness I can experience in my skin at times.

I start with a small amount tapped into the lid, pick up the powder with a kabuki brush, hold it upright and tap the base of the brush lightly in the palm of my hand. I personally like to do this, as it allows some of the minerals to drop into the bristles. When you first place the brush to your face, an overloaded brush can mean that the product can look at little heavy in that area. As I said, this is just the way I like to do it to avoid any areas looking cakey. A light hand is best with creamy formulas like this one in my humble opinion. I start on one side of my face, on the cheek area, and blend the foundation in circular motions around my cheeks, sweep it down the side of my chin, up and across the side of my nose, and then up to my temples and forehead area. I then repeat the same process on the other side. Without adding any more product, I will then spend a few minutes lightly buffing the minerals into my skin. I find that as you do this, the minerals can really blend into the skin, it perfects the finish and improves the coverage without adding any additional product. Like many cosmetic products, it is best to start with a little a build up coverage gradually. For the photographs below, I did one layer of the mineral foundation. You can still see some of my pigmentation and freckles peaking through, which I don't mind at all. I'm not about full coverage for my everyday makeup, but I think one layer gives me a nice medium coverage, evens out my skintone, and gives my skin a nice fresh look. If you compare the skin on my neck and chest area to my face, you can see the coverage that it gives.
I like to follow my mineral foundations with a good spritz of a hydrating facial mist. I find that it helps the foundation to meld with the skin. Youngblood do have a variety of facial mists available, however I have not tried them. I will share some of my favourite hydrating mist toners in another post!

Ultimate Concealer - Medium

This concealer is quite creamy to touch and easy to blend, and can be applied lightly for sheer coverage, or built up to a medium coverage. Some concealers with particularly emollient formulas can slip and slide on the skin, however this one does not. I found it best to apply with a flat concealer brush, and then blend a little if needed with my fingertips. I also used a thin layer of this as my eyeshadow primer and it worked a treat! I found that it did not completely cancel out the bluish undertones I have under my eyes, but it did diminish them nicely for an everyday look. I did have to build up the concealer over a few pesky blemishes, but it did the job nicely and I was able to blend away the edges easily.
I always apply my concealer after my mineral foundation. I have never had any issues doing it this way, and find if I use it prior to the minerals I end up just buffing it away. 

Pressed Mineral Blush - Blossom

An everyday makeup look is never without blush for me. It is a staple in my routine, and is one product that ALWAYS makes me feel, and look fresher and a little more awake than I typically feel! 
Blossom is a beautiful pinky/peach shade with what I would call a slightly warm, almost terracotta undertone, perfect for an everyday natural look. It has a matte finish, however the finish on the skin is not flat at all. I added a little of the eyeshadow in the shade Desert straight over the top of the blush, to give a little bit more glow ( cos when you're 40, you need all the help you can get.. ).


Pressed Mineral Eyeshadow Palette - Timeless

A lovely neutral eyeshadow palette with 3 matte shades and one shimmer. The formula of all four shades is smooth and blendable. The lightest shade Doe, does not swatch particularly well on my arm, however it works beautifully as a matte highlight on the browbone. The shade Coco, described by Youngblood as a medium, warm chocolate brown also has a matte finish, and I applied it all over my lid and up into my crease. I used my finger to tap a little bit of the shade Desert, a peachy golden shimmer, onto the centre of my lid. As I mentioned earlier, I also used this shade on my cheeks, over my blush to add a subtle glow.
I used the cooler, grey toned shade Haze softly along my upper lash line with a small angled brush. Using the same brush, I took a little of both Haze and Coco, and filled in my brows. These pressed shadows really adhere nicely to the skin, and I found these two shadows to work perfectly to even out my brows and give them a little bit of definition. You could certainly build up the colour if your brows are darker than mine. These eyeshadows are a pleasure to use, and quite multifunctional...gotta love that!


Lipgloss - Da-ja-Vu

Smack bang on the rosey brown/neutral lip trend, this lipgloss has become a firm favourite of mine. It is not sticky in the least, very nourishing, gives your lips a plump, hydrated appearance whilst conditioning them with natural oils. It has a really nice amount of colour pay off, and works perfectly on its own without any other lip product required. I adore this formula, and feel absolutely compelled to own more shades...

All photographs below are unedited and were taken in natural light to try to give you the most honest representation of not only my skin, but the colours of the products that I used. I am a makeup enthusiast, not a makeup artist, and I am also not in my first flush of youth, so please be kind!








You can click the link Here to go to Youngblood Australia's website, where you will find a plethora of information and all of their products. You will also find lists of stockists, both bricks and mortar and online. I found quite a variation in pricing on some of the online stockists, so I have not included individual pricing in this post. I will say that they do tend to sit in the mid to higher end in terms of pricing, however I would not hesitate to recommend them, and would indeed spend my own money to purchase more. 



Have you tried any Youngblood Mineral products? Are you a mineral makeup lover? Let me know your thoughts below in the comment section...I always love to hear from you!



Thanks so much for stopping by!



Blessings,



Lou xo



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