It seems I have spent an obscene amount of time and money searching for the best foundation for my skin. And while I’ve had a lot of “misses”, I’ve found a few really great “hits” along the way. One of the things that make it challenging for me to find a great foundation is that it is really hard to find shades to match my skin tone. I was blessed with yellow-olive tones from my father’s Spanish (from Spain) heritage and fair pinkish tones from my mother’s English-Irish-German mix. So anything too yellow looks sallow and anything too pink looks ruddy. Thanks, mom & dad! Add in the acne and the scarring and I have triple the challenge. But I am not one to give up and my persistence has paid off! Behold, my top picks for mineral foundations! 😉
*note – these are just powder foundations. I have a separate list of favorite creams and liquids! 😛
 |
| Photo by Chickweed & Blush |
- The All Natural Face – Out of all the powder foundations I have tried, this one ranks numero uno on my list. First of all, the ingredients are minimal and don’t break me out. The color range is the widest I’ve seen and if for some reason, you can’t find your match, the wonderful people at The All Natural Face will custom blend your perfect shade for you! The staying power is great and it doesn’t cake like some other brands I have tried. The color I have been wearing is “Porcelain Kissed by Honey” (a fair neutral shade) and it is as close to matching my skintone as can be.
2. Everyday Minerals – Everyday Minerals was the first non-bismuth oxychloride-using brand that I had tried and while there are so many pros to this line, there are also a few cons. First of all, all of the foundation bases they have (with the exception of the IT and Jojoba Bases) use lauroyl lysine in their formulations. Now, I realize that this ingredient is an amino acid derivative that is made from natural coconut fatty acid. That being said, some people have reported suffering breakouts from coconut based ingredients, lauroyl lysine being one of them. I personally have not had any issues, but I know others who have. The only other negative I can say about this brand is again, very hard to find the right shade match. Most colors are either too light, too dark, too pink or too yellow for me. On the positive side, the Jojoba Base is simply amazing! Adding Jojoba to a powder foundation is genius in my book. It goes on beautifully, lasts all day, doesn’t cake, doesn’t break me out and feels light on my skin. Again I just wish they had more fair shade options or did custom blends, but ah well! It is still an amazing line. 🙂
Price – $14.99 for 4.8 grams
Ingredients – Mica (CI 77019), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Esters. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499).
Price – $26.00 for 9 grams
Ingredients – Sericite, Boron Nitride, Zinc Oxide, Vegetable Derived Magnesium Stearate, Certified Organic Jojoba Oil, Certified Organic Lecithin (from soy), Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides (edible plant-based oil), Comfrey Derived Allantoin, Certified Organic Raspberry Extract (+/- iron oxides, mica)
4. Faerie Organic – This is the only mineral foundation line that I have seen that actually has a section on their site dedicated to acne help. All of their products are created with skin issues in mind and they make sure to not use anything that would aggravate or cause acne breakouts. They have 2 different formulas, Maximum Coverage, which offers a high coverage level with a semi-matte finish and is great for concealing rosacea, cystic acne, hyperpigmentation, and other imperfections. It contains the highest levels of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, both of which are anti-inflammatory. The Air Brush formula is lighter, but still covers everything you need to cover. It also leaves a “glow” to the skin, which helps to deflect attention from whatever you are trying to hide. 😉 I had first tried the maximum coverage, since with my skin issues that should have been the best option. However, it looked cakey on me and only accented my flaws. I have been using the airbrush formula and that works much better for me. It covers beautifully, is long-wearing, and has actually helped to clear up breakouts that I have had. My only complaint is that I haven’t been able to find a good match yet for my skin tone. I haven’t given up though, I’ve been playing around mixing the colors, so eventually, I figure out I’ll find my shade. 🙂
Price – $18.50 for 9 grams
Ingredients – Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Boron Nitride, Iron Oxides
5. Alima Pure – Ok, I’m ashamed to even admit that I haven’t tested this sooner. And even more ashamed to admit that I’ve had a container of this for quite a while. That being said, OH WOW, WHY didn’t I give this foundation more of a chance sooner??!!!! I’m wearing Neutral 2 and it is truly my perfect match. It goes on wonderfully, with absolutely no caking or settling in anything you don’t want to accentuate and it lasts all day long. It is light enough to feel as though you are not wearing foundation, yet still covers all of the things you need to cover. I can’t say enough good things about this brand and now I know what all the fuss is about! 😉
Price – $25.00 for 7.5 grams (you can also buy samples for $1.50)
Ingredients – Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, Iron Oxides.
6. Herbs of Grace – I first heard of this lovely brand from my friend, Jill Bickford. This is the only mineral makeup she will use, and I figured if she likes it, it has to be good. And good just doesn’t describe this amazing line. I think out of all the foundations I have tried, this one truly offers the most complete coverage – you will not be needing a concealer with this foundation. It is foundation, concealer, and sunscreen all in one. There isn’t quite the range of shades as in other lines, but they do offer samples, so I would suggest going that route before buying a full-sized product. The colors I have tried are Wheat (a light-medium-neutral shade), Aveena (light with pink undertones), and Linden (a very light neutral shade). I think my best match is probably a mix of all 3 (Linden actually has some yellow tones to it), but I am still experimenting. One word of warning – a little goes a very long way! Too much and it will look “masky”.
Price – $18.90 for 8 grams (you can buy samples for $2.50 and a sample kit for $7.00)
Ingredients – Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Mica Powder and Ultramarine Blue
7. Lucy Minerals – Lucy Minerals offers 4 different formulations – Original, Oil Control with Silica, Oil Control with Calcium Carbonate and Lucy Light. I personally prefer the “Lucy Light” formula as it is less creamy and doesn’t have the same issue of “cakiness” as the others can have. The color I have been using is “Light”, a fair neutral shade, and it is a pretty darn good match for my skin I’m happy to say. I did try the “Cream” shade it was way too yellow, although it does make a great anti-redness concealer!
Price – varies depending on the formula: $13.50 (Lucy Light) to $15.00 (all the rest) for 10 grams
Ingredients: Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Mica, Magnesium Stearate, Iron Oxides
*the other 3 have the addition of allantoin, Apple Poly (polyphenols), transresveratrol, green coffee been extract, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (vitamin C)
While I know that there could be other mineral foundation lines out there that are just as good if not better than the ones I have listed, I am still testing brands so my list may change soon. Also, I’m pretty picky when it comes to what I put on my face. I need specific criteria, and so far, these brands have for the most part, met that list. I do want to add that to ensure the best application possible, skin should be exfoliated (dry patches will make the powders look cakey and un-natural), and moisturized. I also like to use a non-silicone primer, such as Vapour Organic’s Stratus Instant Skin Perfector before I apply my foundation, as this helps the make-up to go on more smoothly. I also always use a finishing powder to “set” my make-up and give my skin a more polished, air-brushed look. 🙂
************************************************************
Have you tried any of these brands, if so what are your likes/dislikes. What is your favorite mineral foundation brand? I’d love to know what you think! 🙂
Peace and Love,
~Sabrina
**All products were purchased by me, and all comments are purely my own opinions
***I had some issues while trying to edit the photo, so please excuse the way it looks!
Free Brand Guide
A brand guide for Musicians, Artists, Creatives and Businesses who refuse to blend in - this guide will help you build a brand that feels like home, one that reflects your story, your art, and your unique magic!