What are the benefits?

Tired of the plastered-on-with-trowel look? Minerals are the solution to take you firmly out of ‘extra on The Only Way Is Essex’ territory to a flawless natural finish, with foundation that looks more like a second skin.

“Minerals are excellent for all skin types, and particularly for sensitive skins, as they literally let the skin ‘breathe’,” says Amanda Bell, professional make-up artist at The Session School (www.thesessionscool.com).

While conventional products often contain a whole raft of chemical nasties, the main benefit of making the mineral switch is that the ingredients, like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, can actually benefit your complexion.

“Skincare-utilising mineral compounds are super-effective without being over-active or unbalancing the skin, so they are a fantastic alternative to chemical-laden ranges,” adds Amanda.

 “They’re natural sun protectants and have anti-inflammatory properties too,” explains skincare expert and facialist, Sarah Chapman.

“Mineral make-up is especially good for those with acne or problem skin as it contains healing properties and is non-clogging.”

How to buy the real deal

You need to read the label - genuine minerals should contain no talc or bulking agents (which normally make up about 80% of normal non-mineral powders).

“Look out for brands that claim to be mineral-based but actually only contain a small percentage of minerals in their composition,” Sarah warns newbies to minerals.

Check the ingredients and if ‘talc’ is listed first, it’s not a pure mineral product.
It’s these alien ingredients that suffocate the skin – the exact opposite of the mineral make-up aesthetic.

Application tricks

The easy-to-apply nature of mineral make-up means you can’t really go wrong with the application, but there are a few tricks for flawless technique.

These products are best applied with a brush (the higher quality the better) in a sparing manner - their lightweight qualities mean a little goes a very long way.

“Make sure you layer your coverage,” says Sarah. “Allow minerals to set on the skin for 10-20 minutes before assessing the colour and finish, and apply more if needed.

“Mineral make-up needs time to melt into your natural oils for you to see the full effects of application.”