The first thing to do is get into the mindset that ALL minerals are concentrated - no fillers - so LESS IS MORE! It doesn't take a lot to provide total and complete coverage.
Next, to have flawless makeup application, you must practice good skin care! Cleanse and tone your face, and apply any serums or light moisturizers. Make sure to give them plenty of time to soak into your skin. If you apply minerals before your moisturizer has absorbed, you're going to get a cakey, blotchy look. Your minerals will glide much more smoothly onto dry skin.
Pick up a little corrector, concealer, or even a lighter foundation with a concealer brush or sponge and press into skin over the spots you want to hide, smoothing and feathering the edges to blend into the rest of your face. Remember to apply color correctors first, then follow up with a concealer. Otherwise, your corrector may not perform as well, and leave you looking sallow. You can also try applying minerals wet, with either water or a dab of your moisturizer, as a concealer for more complete coverage of imperfections. Experiment a little with correcting and concealing to see what looks most natural on your skin.
Tap a small amount into the lid of the foundation jar. For light to medium coverage use a light fluffy brush. For a little heavier coverage, a kabuki brush or flocked sponge will be a good choice. Take your brush, dip it into the lid and swirl. Swirling will distribute the powders over and into the brush. After getting the powder onto the brush, you will want to tap off any excess. Either tap the brush onto the side of the lid, or on the bottom of the handle.
Start at your jaw line and move toward the center of your face. Buff in gentle circular motions. Apply minerals very lightly in the eye area. Applying too much will cause the minerals to settle into the lines around your eyes. You'll want to apply your makeup in very thin, sheer layers. Apply a thin layer, then step back and look - give the minerals a minute to "warm up" to your face (it makes a difference... trust me). If you want to go a little darker, apply another very thin layer. Continue to do this until you obtain the coverage you want. Just remember, the allure of the minerals is the natural look they give you. No tell-tale makeup lines around the jawline!
Those with oily or combination skin may want to try an oil-control primer, combining primer or rice powder into their foundation, or an oil-control foundation. Another trick is to apply rice powder or primer before your foundation, then your foundation, and another thin dusting of powder.
Those with extremely dry skin may want a creamy foundation. You can do this, too! Just take your favorite light daytime moisturizer in the palm of your hand, add mineral powder and mix to your desired consistency and color. Apply with a sponge.
For post laser surgery, you should apply makeup only after skin has completely re-epithelized. Application with a flocked sponge is quite effective for post laser treatments.
As with all our minerals, our blushes, bronzes, shimmers and enhancers are very concentrated and should be applied sparingly. The best applicators for these are blush brushes and fan brushes.
For eye shadow, dip the eye shadow brush of your choice, tap off excess, and apply sparingly. Choose a lighter color to highlight under the brow area, and a darker color in the crease as a shader. For a more bold and dramatic look, apply shadows wet!
As eyeliner, wet your brush with water and dip into minerals. Mix them together (the back of the hand works well), and apply close to lashes. You can give a longer-lasting look by simply mixing your minerals with a touch of water or eyeliner sealer. For lip color, dip your lip brush into your favorite lip balm/gloss, then into minerals. Blend well and apply to the lips. For that "Hollywood Look", dab a tiny bit of shimmer onto the center of the bottom lip.
You can even use your minerals in any nail polish! Dip your nail polish brush into the mineral powder and apply to nails. You can even add minerals to a bottle of clear polish.
Makeup too heavy, chalky, or like a mask.
The cause is either your are using the wrong color for your skin tone, or perhaps over-applied. Try using a darker shade or blending two shades together. You may try using a fluffier brush to apply.
Shiny or oily appearance.
There are several things that could cause this. You may have oily or combination skin, so you might want to try a light dusting of setting powder before applying foundation. It is also possible your moisturizer may be too heavy. Make sure you use an oil-free moisturizer for best results.
Makeup looks cakey, streaky, blotchy, or uneven.
There are several possible causes. One of the biggest culprits is your moisturizer. You may be using a moisturizer that is too heavy or oily, or you may not be allowing it to completely absorb into your skin. Try using a light, oil-free moisturizer and allow it to absorb. Our suggestion: SPF 30+ Sheer Moisturizer. It's heaven under makeup. Whichever one you choose, allow it to completely penetrate skin. Over-application can be an issue as well. Remember, THIN layer - less is more.
Skin looks and/or feels dry.
You probably need to exfoliate (We have a great line of facial exfoliants to choose from). Exfoliating will smooth the skin's surface and decrease that dry look and feel. If exfoliating and your regular moisturizer doesn't do the trick, consider using a slightly heavier moisturizer.
Makeup is collecting in fine lines and/or your pores look larger.
Again, over-application is a main cause. Also some of the lighter foundation shades can be more luminous and cause the problem. You can try blending rice powder with your minerals, and apply with a sponge using a rocking and pressing motion.