DIY Mineral Makeup Anyone???

In the last seven years or so, I’ve shied away from mineral foundations. As I learned more about the ingredients in mineral foundation, I realized that the reasons I moved away from it were probably due to the brand of mineral foundation I was using. That foundation had too much sheen and shine. It also seemed very “powdery” (OK…just work with me here) and it appeared to settle into my fine lines. Since my skin was also beginning to dry out, that was problematic as well. Fast forward to now, where I am not only interested in the many different types of makeup, but also the ingredients that go into them. So, I decided to try to make my own mineral foundation. Why? Because it’s FUN and I can!!

 

My search for a “recipe’ that works for me lead me far and wide. There are many potential ingredients that can go into mineral foundation but I wanted it to be as simple and natural as possible. That meant lots of pure pigments, some white clay and a couple of kinds of white powders that not only add opacity and body to the mineral foundation but also sun protection. After lots of research, I finally settled on the methods and recipes promoted by the website natural organic products and recipes.com. This website has recipes for many shades and also tells you how to modify the recipes and the shades to your needs. The great things is that mineral foundation is SO easy to make and the ingredients are easy to find. I used these recipes “as is” except I omitted the Redmond Clay. After researching online site to purchase the raw ingredients, I ended up going with TKB Trading. Here are the links to the exact products I used in my mineral foundation:

• Red Oxide
• Yellow Oxide
• Brown Oxide
• Titanium Dioxide
• Zinc Oxide
• Kaolin Clay
• Serecite Mica

You can, literally, make your own matte mineral foundation for about $1 per jar!

I made four colors (small batches) just to see how the process and the colors worked. What I ended up with were four silky and highly pigmented mineral powders which can be worn as light coverage to full coverage and everything in between. The great news is that not only did this makeup not settle into my fine lines, but it also blended well with the natural oils in my skin, providing me with a beautiful, natural glow. During last week’s business trip, one of my female coworkers commented on my “beautiful, glowing skin!” See below for pictures and swatches.

Very Light

“Denise’s Blend”

1 part Very Light, 1 part Light Pink, 1 Part Titanium Dioxide

Light Pink

Light Yellow

From Left to Right: Very Light;  Denise’s Blend; Light Pink; Light Yellow

Please excuse the few “flakies” I have around my nose. That’s due to Retin A. The mineral foundation didn’t cling to other dry areas nor did it make my pores appear huge. Big win!

Honestly, this is some of the best foundation I have ever used. I have to work on applying it a bit lighter as I don’t usually wear full coverage foundation but that’s just a technique issue. Because it’s so easy to adjust, I’ve finally found the right color that’s a balance between my pink face and my lighter, yellow skin on my neck. And because I found my shade so easily, I can use this pigment powder to formulate a tinted moisturizer, a mineral  based liquid foundation and potentially a concealer. If I actually do all of that, I will post about it (of course)!

So, what do you think? Have I inspired you? Will you be trying a DIY project making mineral makeup?