SimplyNaturale

This steps were copied from Signature Minerals website itself. Essentially, most mineral makeup users can follow these steps with additional steps that may differ between products, such as for the i.d Bare Minerals user, they would emphasise on buffing in the powders as this is how you apply that product to obtain coverage.

Take a look at the steps below. Hopefully, it’ll help convince new users that it’s that easy! And this could be an additional guide for those who have used mineral makeup.

How to Apply Signature Minerals Makeup

We couldn’t think of any better way to explain how to apply mineral makeup than to show you! In this tutorial, Lauren will take you step-by-step through her own mineral makeup application - we included untouched photos, commentary and tips to make this as useful as possible.

Lauren has combination skin, uneven skin tone, under eye circles, and a few blemishes. She applies her makeup to conceal and correct problem areas, even out skin tone and achieve a polished yet very natural look.

As you go through this tutorial, please adjust your application to suit your own coverage and finishing needs. Signature Mineral makeup is very versatile and very forgiving - adjusting for your skin type, age or skin condition is never a problem!

STARTING FRESH 

I always start by cleansing and moisturizing my face.

I use a mild facial cleanser and a good moisturizer made for combination skin. You can use the cleanser and moisturizer of your choice - whatever works for you!

Keep in mind…

Everyone needs moisturizer, even those with oily skin! There are good moisturizers for all skin types (dry, oily, combination). If you aren’t currently using a moisturizer, please consider it!
 

LAYING THE GROUNDWORK

If you don’t have anything to conceal or correct - skip this step!

I need to conceal blemishes, under eye circles, and red areas around my nose. For best results, I like to apply concealer just before the moisturizer settles in completely.

Keep in mind..

Apply in light layers. You can apply concealer to specific areas the way I do OR - depending on your needs, you can apply concealer all over your face or even mix it into your moisturizer!

You do not need to buff in your concealer or corrector. Amazingly, you won’t see it at all once you buff on your foundation but it will still cover very well.

Which concealer/correctors should you use?

If your complexion is in the light-medium, medium or deep range use Multi-Tasking concealer. If your complexion is in the pale, fair or light range then Light Touch concealer is for you.

If you have rosacea and/or redmarks apply Soft Mint Color corrector on those areas. If you have dark under eye circles, apply Sunshine Color Corrector in light layers under your eyes.

APPLY YOUR FOUNDATION 

Before applying foundation, I make sure my moisturizer is completely settled in and my skin is dry. Note in the photo above you can still see the concealer. Once I have buffed on my foundation you will not see concealer at all.

Unlike the rest of your mineral makeup, you want to apply your mineral foundation by gently “buffing” in a circular motion. Here’s how…

1. Place a small amount of foundation into the lid (or container of your choice).
2. Load your bristles by swirling or tapping your Buki in the foundation.
3. Remove the excess foundation by tapping your brush on the side of the lid or container.
4. Using a circular motion, gently buff the foundation onto your entire face. For the most natural results make sure to blend into your hairline and upward along your neck and jawline.
5. Build your coverage. Apply one light layer at a time until you acheive your desired coverage.

Keep in mind…

Less is more! No matter how much coverage you need, never pile on your foundation - it just won’t look natural. It is always best to apply light layers (using a small amount each time) to build your coverage.

I use 2 layers to get the coverage I want but you can always use more. If you feel it takes too many layers to get your desired coverage, consider applying a concealer or veil all over your face before applying your foundation.

Buff gently. If you buff too vigorously or too hard you might find that you are ‘buffing on’ and then ‘buffing off’ - you do not want to buff off! Being heavy-handed can also irritate your skin - so be gentle!

ADDING COLOR

Bronzer can be applied before or after blush, I like to apply bronzer before my blush.

I start by dusting a little bronzer over my face just where I would naturally get sun (forehead, chin, cheeks, nose). Next, I sweep my blush upwards along my cheekbones.

Keep in mind…

Unlike regular powder makeup, Signature mineral blushes and bronzers are highly pigmented - it takes just a tiny amount. To get the amount I need, I turn my jar upside down and use what is left on the lid - it is enough to do the job quite well!

Which bronzer should you use?

If you are in the light-medium to medium range use Goddess Bronzer. If you are in the pale, fair or light range, use Gran Mariner bronzer.

 EYE APPLICATION

Since I like a natural look for daytime wear, I use natural shades of eye shadow. I use 3 colors - one on my lids, one on my crease and then one as a highlighter under my brow. For night time wear or special occassions I line my eyes and sometimes use more intense colors or apply my eye colors wet to create a more dramatic effect.

Keep in mind…

Signature eye colors are so versatile you can create any look you want!

With just one sweep, even the most intense looking colors look very natural! To create more intense or dramatic looks, just apply your eye colors in layers or apply them wet!

Any of the darker shades can be used as eye liner. Apply dry for a more subtle line; wet for a more hard line.
 

FINISHING TOUCHES

To complete my application, I always dust on finishing veil because it gives me such a polished look!

Keep in mind…

Finishing Veil works in so many ways, everyone should use it! It sets your makeup, reduces the appearance of pores and fine lines and gives you an all over polished look. On top of that, finishing veil helps control oil and shine without drying out your skin! Each Signature Finishing Veil works great for all types (dry, combination, oily).

Which Finishing Veil should you use?

Translucent is a completely transparent finishing veil that works for everyone. If you have yellow undertones also try Angel finishing veil, for pink undertones also try Petal finishing veil, for tan or darker undertones also try Tawny finishing veil.

Angel, Petal and Tawny provide excellent oil control where needed but since they are non-drying, they work beautifully for all skin types.

 

FINISHED PICTURES

I hope this guide makes applying your mineral makeup much less challenging and a lot more fun! The main thing to remember is that you should not be intimidated by your mineral makeup. Play around, have fun and find the technique that works best for you!

This is more applicable for Signature Minerals user, however it could be a guide for other mineral makeup brands when choosing the right color for their eyes.

First, it’s essentially better to categorize your eye colors according to their family and start off from there by choosing their shades accordingly. Here’s how I categorize and arrange the Signature Minerals color before choosing them.

The colors are arranged by intensity, from the lightest of shade to the darkest.

Red	Brown	Yellow/Green	Blue	White/Black
Soft Pink	Tierra Light	Sun	Sky Blue	White
Terra Cotta	Tierra Medium	Moss Light	Wave	Sparkle
Hibiscus	Khaki	Laceleaf	Butterfly Blue	Lavender Ice
Fuchsia	Champagne	Moss Dark	Purple rain	Mooncrest
Eggplant Light	Sand Beige	Turquoise	Aurora	Teal Light
Eggplant Dark	Beige	Nikki’s Emerald	Midnight Blue	Silver
Pink Pearl	Jo’s Sandcastle	Rainforest		Lavender Pearl
Bordeaux	Gold Salmon			Moon
Desert Sun	Soft Brown			Spruce
Plum Pizzaz	Taupe			Charcoal
Wild Thyme	Tierra Dark			Black Liner
	Driftwood
	Cocoa
	Bronze
	Copper

From the chart above, you may choose which lightest shade that could work as a base for you and the darkest shade for the corners of the eye. These eye colors are essential in enhancing your natural eye color.

Take a look at my next guide on Basic Application of Eye Colors.

As with all mineral makeup, it only takes the tiniest amount of eye color to get beautiful results that last all day.Many of the darker eye colors also make fantastic eye liners. Apply them dry for a more subtle, natural look. Apply them wet for a more dramatic hard line!

You will need brushes like eye shadow brush and eye liner brush to achieve those beautiful eye makeups.

Any of the eye colors (except greens and blues) make beautiful lip colors. Here’s a few ways to make it work: Dip your lip gloss wand and apply to your lips; Apply before or after your favorite lip protector (chapstick, Burts Bees, Carmex, etc); Apply with your favorite lipstick to create a brand new shade.

Source: www.signatureminerals.com

This guide is with reference to using Signature Minerals which can be referenced for other brands in the market.

With the correct shade and proper application, you will find that your mineral foundation really is the ‘foundation’ of a beautiful and natural complexion.

Finding your shade:

It is very important that your foundation matches your skin tone very closely. Foundation that is too dark may accentuate fine lines and even give you an orange-y appearance. Foundation that is too light may give you a grey-ish, chalky cast.

Because of the nature of minerals, the same foundation shade may look very different on different people. By the same tone, many people find 2 or 3 shades that ALL work great! For this reason it is really best not to make a choice based on what looks good on someone else.

The best way to find your shade is to try smaller jars or samples of several shades in your range (light, med-light, med, deep) to see how they look on your own skin. Always try the foundation on your face or on the area around your jawline, never try it on your wrist or forearm - it does not work!

If by some chance you don’t find a shade that works for your skin tone, BLEND! Mineral foundation is actually intended to be blended, so don’t be afraid to try your own recipes until you find the perfect blend for your complexion! Just don’t forget to write down your recipes!

Applying your foundation:

Wash your face, exfoliate if needed, moisturize, apply your concealer or a finishing veil (if you prefer), then apply your foundation.

Less is More. I can’t express this enough. You just need the tiniest amount of mineral foundation to achieve a beautiful and natural complexion.

1. Place a small amount of foundation into the lid (or container of your choice).
2. Load your bristles by swirling or tapping your Buki brush in the foundation.
3. Remove the excess foundation by tapping your brush on the side of the lid or container.
4. Using a circular motion, gently buff the foundation onto your entire face. For the most natural results make sure to blend into your hairline and upward along your neck and jawline.
5. Build your coverage. Apply one light layer at a time until you achieve your desired coverage. If you feel it takes too many layers to achieve your desired coverage, you might consider applying concealer or finishing veil before your foundation.

 

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Foundation trouble shooting:When you first start using mineral makeup, it may take a few applications to really get the hang of it. Hopefully these tips will help you overcome or avoid some problems that many people have when they first make the switch to minerals.

Problem: Chalky, mask-like or too heavy?

Possible Causes: Over-application; Color is too light; Wrong brush or not enough buffing; Too much moisturizer or moisturizer hasn’t set in enough.

Solution: Use less; Use a darker shade or custom blend; use your Buki Brush and buff, buff, buff!; Use less moisturizer and/or let your moisturizer set in more before applying your makeup.

 

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Problem: Orange-y Appearance?

Possible Causes: Over-application; Shade is too dark.

Solution: Apply less; Use a lighter shade or custom blend.

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Problem: Dry Appearance?

Possible Causes: Surface of the skin is too dry and/or needs exfoliation.

Solution: Exfoliate as needed; Use moisturizer

If your skin is REALLY dry, you might want to try blending your foundation in with your moisturizer.

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Problem: Large Pores and/or Fine Lines Accentuated?

Possible Causes: Over-application; Not buffed in enough; Wrong Brush; Need veil.

Solution: Use less; Use your Buki Brush and buff well; Try a dusting of finishing veil to reduce the appearance of pores and fine lines.

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Problem: Shiny or oily Appearance?

Possible Causes: Moisturizer contains oil; Over-application; Not using finishing veil.

Solution: Use oil free moisturizer; Apply less foundation and/or buff more; Apply Finishing Veil (before and/or after foundation) to control oil and reduce shine.

If you have “uncontrollable oily” skin, please consider trying using angel, petal or tawny finishing veil under your foundation. The kaolin clay in these 3 veils really helps absorb and control oil (helps heal acne too)!

 

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Problem: Streaked, blotchy or uneven appearance?

Possible Causes: Over-application; Moisturizer is too heavy; Moisturizer hasn’t set in enough.

Solutions: Apply less foundation and buff more; Use less moisturizer; Allow moisturizer to set in more before applying makeup.

More questions and answers are available on our other page specifically for our customers to post questions and getting it answered.

Source from Signature Minerals — Mineral Makeup Tips (http://www.signatureminerals.com/tips-foundation.html)