When it comes to mineral make-up,

I am about as clueless as can be.

 

Let’s go back 20 years ago when I bought my very first compact, the MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation which was, in essence, a 2-way cake.  Having never used make-up prior to that, I bought every sales pitch coming out of Ginger’s mouth (my MAC salesperson) and went home with a bag of stuff.  Like a mountain of stuff which I ended up not using because (a) I’m lazy; (b) I had no idea which was for what; and (c) I forgot I even had them. Anyway, the point here is that I used my MAC compact religiously for so many years, through different skin tones (cringe), and I have to say, I really hated it. It was gunky and yucky.  It looked fake and dated.  I looked fake and dated.

It was only when I moved to the States in 2010 did I pluck up the courage to ask the MAC sales people (not Ginger, this time it was Lana) about a loose powder option.  Bham.  That’s when my world changed and I was introduced to the MAC Mineralise Loose Powder Foundation. I loved how silky it went on and how perfectly natural it looked and how long it stayed immaculate BUT I did not realise it was mineralised.  I know.  I just thought it was the best loose powder I’d ever come across (in retrospect, it probably saved me and my face quite a bit).

Cue Youngblood Cosmetics.

Now we’re talking.  So, you ask, what’s all that fuss about minerals and putting them into the make-up you wear on your face?

When made with the highest quality ingredients, mineralised make-up contains no harsh chemicals, dyes, or preservatives, all of which can cause irritation. And being devoid of talc, parabens, oil, and fragrances, mineralised products are gentle enough for all skin types and conditions. Furthermore, the presence of titanium dioxide (also found in sunscreens) means mineralised make-up also provides some level of protection against the sun, albeit on the lower end of the scale.  And there’s zinc oxide too (it boasts anti-inflammatory properties) which can have a calming effect on the skin, a particularly vital consideration for those who suffer from flare-ups and acne, and conditions such Rosacea.

I’ll come clean.

Although a leading brandname, I’d personally never heard of Youngblood Cosmetics before their PR agency reached out to me.  I was intrigued by the concept of make-up which was formulated specifically for hypersensitive skins. Which had been proved in the fight against blemishes.  A brand which women continued to use long after their complexions had healed because it was just that good.

Here, from top to bottom, you have the Youngblood Mineral Rice Setting Powder in Light, the Youngblood Natural Mineral Foundation in Neutral and the Youngblood Hi-Definition Hydrating Mineral Perfecting Powder in Translucent.

Used by many upscale med-spas and skincare clinics around the world, Youngblood cosmetics are apparently the industry standard among professional makeup artists, celebrities and beauty customers.  How cool is that 🙂 oh and in the image above, there’s the Youngblood Crushed Mineral Shimmer Blush in Sherbet (oh how many way do I love thee, more on that later).

Now, while I adore the Purely The Basics Mineral Kit in its entirety, my love has grown in leaps and bounds for that Natural Mineral Foundation.  Unlike many others, it doesn’t attempt to neither conceal nor camouflage but rather, enhance what you have.  It was only several days ago that I was telling someone how I’m a loose powder sort of woman because everything else feels icky and gunky.  That includes concealer and foundation and contouring creams and all that jazz.  I use them not.

But this here, this Natural Mineral Foundation, it’s a game-changer.

With a few swift strokes of the brush, my skin has never looked more flawless and, more importantly, natural.  I don’t look or feel like a painted doll.  Which is of grave importance to an Asian woman with natural waves and Barbie lashes.

On that note, I’m not too fond of the Rice Setting nor Perfecting Powders because again, I prefer the bare minimum so, you know, it’s a matter of preference.

Now back to that wondrous Blush.

The top image shows the Blusher used as eyeshadow, lipstick and, of course, Blush. And the bottom, I’ve used it not only on eyes and cheeks but also, with a wet brush, as an eyeliner.  I love how wonderfully versatile the product (and colour) are.

Infinite possibilities.

Now if you’re wondering what other Youngblood goodies I used, see below.

Yes, I become so infatuated with the Youngblood line that in true Sheela fashion, I went and amassed more.  After Christmas, I’ll be sharing more looks created using Youngblood cosmetics, and I hope you’ll come back to see them.

Do you use mineralised make-up? Which brands do you prefer? Let me know, do.

Love, Sheela

Linking up with Favourite Fashion Friday, Fabulous Friday, Dallas Style Blog, Sincerely Jenna Marie, A Labour Of Life, Forage Fashion, Book Of Leisure,  The Sydney Fashion Hunter, My Girlish Whims, The Red Closet Diary, A Good Hue, Shoe & Tell, Tucker Up, Color & Grace, The Stylish Housewife, Trend Spin, Fresh Fashion Forum, Two Peas In A Blog, Trendy Wednesday, Happiness At Midlife, Bloggers Who Inspire Me, Visible Monday, Style Elixir, Turning Heads, Let It Shine, What I Wore Wednesday, Style Swap Tuesdays, Style Me Wednesday, Confident Twosday, More Pieces Of Me, On The Daily Express, Personal Style, How I Spring, Watch What I’m Wearing, Walking In Memphis, Tremendous Tuesday, Pumps & Push-Ups, Who’s Wearing What Wednesdays, Fun Fashion Friday, Casual Friday, Whitney a la Mode, I Will Wear What I Like, Style Story, Jersey Girl Texan Heart, Classy Yet Trendy, A Little Bit Of Cheer and Midweek Muse.