Deeply Superficial
Sydney Morning Herald
Thursday October 25, 2007
The idea of putting powder on your face seems strangely anachronistic these days, especially with the advent of mattifying foundations that make the need for blotting shine redundant. But I like a bit of a pouf and so it seems to me that we have lost something in not having a dressing table of marabou-feathered powder puffs at our disposal.
But a kind of revolution is happening with powders. It was only in May, when visiting New York, that a make-up artist friend suggested I drop into the Sephora emporium for a jar of i.d. bareMinerals SPF 15 Foundation powder by Bare Escentuals, which she rates among the best. I was hooked. The tiniest bit of powder gives surprisingly good coverage, evens out my skin tone and delivers the kind of glow you see on the cheeks of Hollywood starlets when they're let out of rehab. Just like those television commercials and the gushing endorsements of TVSN spokespeople, mineralising powders work well, work fast and seem to suit every face from Glad Wrap-smooth teenagers to expression-lined grannies. Because the best of the mineralising products are free of harsh chemicals, fillers, talc, preservatives and fragrances, they're recommended for women with skin conditions such as rosacea and for women who have undergone cosmetic procedures. Unlike talc, the powder does not settle into wrinkles or cake-up your complexion.Just about every mainstream brand has a mineralising foundation these days, from L'Oreal Paris's Bare Naturale to M.A.C.'s Skinfinish range and Almay's handy Pure Blends with a built-in brush. Dermatologists sell them to their clients and you can also find cruelty-free and vegan brands in the health food stores. It's worth investigating these latter options. One brand I'm now using is Inika (www.inikacosmetics.com), founded by Sydneysiders Miranda Bond and Jenni Williams, who began the Thriving Healthy Women Network that specialises in toxin-free living. The range of colours in the foundations and bronzers is excellent, as are the dazzling eyeshadow colours. It's all pure and ethical - and a speck of it goes a long way, as I discovered after dusting my clothes in it at my first, too-vigorous attempt. The $54.95 jar will probably last so long it will need to be carbon-dated one day. Now I've got the hang of mineralisers, I've discovered something potentially more wonderful. Sydney make-up artist Karen Playel has brought to Australia the ERA spray make-up range from California (www.themakeupbusiness.com.au), which includes foundations and bronzers. The hypo-allergenic, water-based foundation in a can, with an SPF factor of 20, replicates a professional airbrush application and is almost foolproof. Really. I'm a bit of a fool, believe me, and I was very dubious about this but a quick two-second spritz of this product over my face, a minute for it to dry off, a bit of a pat down with a powder puff to remove excess moisture and, voila, a flawless finish that can be as natural or as photo-ready as you like. You can spray a small amount into the palm of your hand first and then dab it where you need more coverage. And you don't need to clean it off your eyelashes as it makes a great base for mascara. It's long-lasting, waterproof, suitable for the face and body and is recommended for those undergoing IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) or microdermabrasion treatments because it is sterile. People with pigmentation, scarring, birthmarks, tattoos or rosacea will find it a boon. I admit I was a bit terrified to use it at first but it only takes one or two goes to become adept. This is the stuff that's used on Hollywood film sets and mere mortals can buy the product ($74) off the website. The four-minute mile, the three-minute egg and now the two-second make-up. Oh, brave new world!
© 2007 Sydney Morning Herald
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