Making it up as we go along.

I've never been good at or paid too much mind to makeup--at least since middle school, but that's what this post is about!  I know there must be some reprieve from garden updates now and then. :)

 I'm sure I would only embarrass myself if I gave specific details about the dates and circumstances when I've last acquired things like blush, eyeshadow, etc. They might include such keywords as "prom," "Mary Kay," or "grandma."

However, by way of reading green blogs I've recently learned about mineral makeup. Mineral makeup is natural and comes in powder form. It's free of the many scary additives, chemicals, and preservatives in conventional makeup. While YM magazine (is that still in print?) would tell you to throw away your concealer tube after 3 months, mineral makeup has no expiration date. Cause it doesn't grow stuff or spoil. It's minerals! It's also inoffensive to sensitive or easily upset skin. Some of the big names claim their product is "so pure you can sleep in it." What I think is maybe the best part is that mineral makeup has zinc in it, which is a natural UV ray blocker. Sun protection!

The two biggest companies in this market are Bare Escentuals and BareMinerals, which will charge you about $30 for a little "get started" kit. I almost made the mistake of putting in my chips with one of these brands, until I realized that Ebay and Etsy both offer a very wide array of small businesses that sell mineral makeup. So I bought a little starter kit from Smoky Mountain Minerals. They gave me a few different shades of foundation and concealer plus green and yellow correction powders, three "finishing" powders, a blush, and a bronzing powder,  for $13 including shipping. These will last me a long, long time.

Awhile ago my mom bought me the larger container  (you see above in the upper right hand)of mineral powder with a fat little brush. It is by Physician's Formula*. I've been using it everyday for two years and it is still 3/4 full of powder. A little goes a long way. The sifter on that container works wonderfully--releasing just enough powder. My one complaint about the Smoky Mountain containers is that the sifters are useless. The holes are too big,  so you just have a bunch of lose powder and need to have a steady hand to avoid spilling it.

So thanks, mineral makeup, for showing me what a nice, subtle difference a little color or finish can make.

 *I also like Physician's Formula because they have an Organic Wear line. After nearly a decade of loyalty to the classic pink-and-green Maybelline, I started using Phys. Form.'s  free-of-harsh-chemicals  mascara and will never go back. It rubs off a little more easily, but knowing I'm not flaking poison into my eyes is worth it. Plus the brush is 100% recyclable!