review // Signature Minerals

I've been using Signature Minerals makeup for a bit over a year now. I found it at the beginning of my switch to all natural products and I really love it.  I've wanted to post about this company for some time now, but I was waiting to place a new order before I did.  Well, I have, so here it is!

Signature Minerals' makeup is...

100% natural, silky smooth mineral makeup that is nice to your skin. It contains no toxins or irritants, so even those with sensitive skin, rosacea, and other skin conditions can use it.

  Since Signature mineral makeup cannot harbor bacteria and does not clog pores, it is an excellent choice for those suffering with acne breakouts, as well.

Signature Mineral Makeup is Gluten Free, Corn Free and Vegan, and has a natural SPF of around 15.

 I thought I'd show you some of my favorites.  :)  And don't forget to check out the swatches at the end!

Loose Mineral Foundation ($14-$18)

 

 

Signature Minerals foundation comes in 17 shades to cover to a wide variety of skin tones.  And of course you can always mix two to get your perfect shade, if necessary.  Before you buy a full size (they come in 30g & 20g jars and a 10g refill bag) you can order almost FREE samples to find your right shade.  Yeah, FREE...it's amazing.  All you pay is the $5 in shipping.  You can choose 6 samples from all of the foundations, correctors, blushes/bronzers and veils.  My perfect shade is 4.0, and then I just add a bit of warmth in the summer with bronzer.  These foundations are finely milled and go on silky.  I've found that the secret it to apply it is in several very light layers.  That way each layer can melt into your skin and it won't end up looking cakey.  I love to use my Eco Botan Artisan Kabuki Brush from Everyday Minerals to buff it in.   

It also lasts a good 8-10 hours.  Since my skin can be dry sometimes, using powder foundations can make my face feel tight.  So if I'm having one of those days then I'll make sure I moisturize really well, prime with my 100% Pure Primer and spray rosewater and aloe on my face before applying the foundation.  Then I'll spray my face again once I finish my makeup.  That seems to really help cut any dryness I might be having and set my makeup.  On normal days, I will get a little shiny in my T zone, but not as much as with a liquid makeup.  I just use a blotting tissue and I'm good to go.  

Loose Mineral Concealer & Corrector ($10-$18)

 

These 10 powders are specifically formulated to cover and visibly correct pesky problem areas, like under-eye circles, redness & blemishes.  There are 4 skin-toned concealers and 6 color correctors.  They come in 30g, 20g & 10g jars, plus 6g & 10g refill bags.  I actually don't use any of the concealers, but I am in LOVE with the Soft Mint Corrector.  It might be my most favorite thing from SM!  Since my fair skin is prone to redness, especially around the nose, this is a life saver for me.  Instead of having to pile on a thick layer of foundation to cover the redness, this pale mint-colored powder covers/neutralizes it in one light application.  Most days I actually apply this before the mineral foundation with the same Kabuki brush, although sometimes I'll do a light dusting at the end with a EcoTools Powder Brush.  My mom loves the yellow Sunshine Corrector for dark under-eye circles and she says it works so good, that people have asked here what she's been using.  
And that's always a nice thing!

Loose Mineral Concealer & Corrector ($10-$18)

 

Signature Finishing Veils are designed to minimize pores, control oil and reduce shine.  There are 5 to choose from, 3 tinted ones, a translucent and one that adds radiance to the complexion.  Again, they come in 30g, 20g & 10g jars, plus 6g & 10g refill bags.  I personally use the Angel Veil, a pale beige powder with yellow undertones.  Now, while I'm not sure that it really minimizes my pores, the kaolin clay & serecite in this powder does help control oil in my T-zone during the day and gives me a soft overall finish.  I apply the Angel Veil, mainly to my T-zone, with my fluffy powder brush after I finish my other face makeup.  A little goes a long way so you only need to tap the tiniest bit into the lid and you're good.  I have also tried samples of the Radiance and Translucent Veils.  I've found that the Radiance is a nice check highlighter, but a little too much all over for me.  If you have dull skin, it would be a nice perker-upper.  And I can leave the Translucent, it's not great at absorbing oil since there's no koalin, so I don't really see the necessity.  Keep in mind, the Angel jar above is old... a new full size Veil (20g jar) comes with a Rotating/Click Lock Sifter, like my pic of the Foundation and Soft Mint.

Mineral Bronzer ($10-$18)

 

These bronzers give a very natural finish and will not turn orangey on your skin.  They come in 30g, 20g & 10g jars, plus 6g & 10g refill bags. The 2 lighter non-shimmery shades are fairly neutral.  One of these, Goddess is my favorite.  It gives a nice amount of warmth in the summer and a subtle contour in the winter.  I have also tried samples of the 2 darker shimmery shades that lean toward golden brown hues.  These are obviously too dark for me, unless I were to self tan, so I just like to use them as eye shadows.  If you're naturally darker or self tan often, these would be beautiful on you.  I apply this bronzer with my E.L.F. Complexion Brush all over or my Real Techniques Angled Kabuki to contour.  I like this bronzer becasue it's buildable and blendable, so it's pretty hard to mess it up.  Again, the Goddess jar above is old... a new full size Bronzer (20g jar) comes with a Rotating/Click Lock Sifter.

Mineral Blush ($10-$14)

 

There are 18 shades of blush to choose from... matte, satin & shimmery... in a variety of colors.  They are available in 30g & 20g jars and a 6g refill bag. These SM blushes wear light but last all day, no streaking or fading.  They are silky and super pigmented so REALLY the tiniest bit gives a nice amount of color.  I suggest starting small and build up if desired.  I haven't bought a full size blush yet, but I did get some samples to try, including a beautiful matte coral and shimmery pink.  I have also tried a few others a while ago.  The only ones I haven't loved are some of the dustier tones, like Adobe Sun, Dusty Mauve & Buff Apricot.  They come off a little chalky looking on my skin.  I think these would be best for the fairest complexions.  And Rosewood is a little too deep for me, so I know it would be great for darker skin.  But I am loving Coral, Pink Jazz and Roseberry.   I apply these blushes with the EcoTools Tapered Blush Brush.  

 

Mineral Eye Colors ($5-$10)

(Larger jar above is Athena)

Signature Minerals offers dozens of highly pigmented eye shadows in a variety of colors, textures and finishes.  For easy ordering they are divided into finish categories on their website: matte, semi-matte, pearl, shimmer & metallic.  Right away, I can tell you that the pearl finish is my favorite.  Most of these shadows are super pigmented with high color payoff.  I'd say the only ones that lack a lot of richness are some of the matte shades, like Accent. They actually notate Accent as Semi-Matte and Cream & Taupe as Matte, however I feel like they should be switched.  Accent has no sheen, while Cream & Taupe have just a hint.  I've also tried Terre Medium before (a Matte), and it really is...matte.  This is probably my only qualm...I wish it was more clear what was what.  These shadows do tend to crease a bit by the end of the day, but as I've said before, they lack the chemicals that make commerical shadows pretty much permanent.  I just use a natural cream shadow base before, and that helps them last a good 8 hours.  The shadows are available in 10g & 5g jars, but you can also try unlimited samples for $2.50 each (approx. 1g product)

SWATCHES

Remember that swatches are usually much more pigmented so you can see the coloring. Real application can start much lighter and be built up.

Foundation, Bronzer, Corrector & Veils
(Keep in mind, several of these are hard to see...becasue they are made that way...so you don't see them!)

Blush & Extra Bronzers

Coral - True Coral (Matte)
Roseberry - Dusty rose with bare hints of shimmery pale raspberry
Pink Jazz - Cool rosey pink with a pearlescent shimmer
Rosewood - Earthy rose with a luminous glow
Adobe Sun - Warm earthen Clay (Matte)

Eye Shadows

Grey Fox - Brown with pearly silver/gray highlights
Majesty - Silvery brown with purple iridescence
Taupe - Warm brown with a hint of raisin (Sheen)
Cream - True golden cream (Sheen)
Athena - Shimmering golden pink (it's much lighter than shown on the website) MY FAV :)
Accent - Eggshell white (Matte)

 Signature Minerals makeup is non-irritating and I can firmly vouch for that, because I have very sensitive skin.  It has never given me a rash or made me break out.  The fact that it only has a handful of ingredients, was one of the main reasons I tried it in the first place.

The last thing I wanted to talk about was Signature Minerals' customer service.  They really care about their products and their customers and will do what is necessary to make them satisfied.  I got locked out of my account a few months ago, emailed them in the morning and by early afternoon of the same day I got a personalized email with a solution.  Then, in my latest order, I received a Lipstick (by Honeybee gardens) that I was not happy with.  I emailed SM again with my issue and a picture, and they gladly accepted my return of the lipstick.  I chose another shade, which I hope to get next week.  I just wanted to mention this quickly because I truly feel that a company's commitment to satisfaction is just as important as their product line.   And I love dealing with companies who recognize this.

If you're interested in trying out some of their products, I'm going to share this month's 25% off code with you (25snap). It does expire May 6th, so if you want the next month's code make sure you sign yourself up for the monthly newsletter!  You can find the sign-up on their homepage down on the left.

I do know that their pricing may go up a bit next month, due to an increase in their raw ingredients, etc. so be aware.  Hence the higher discount this month... usually it's 15-20% off.  That's why I stocked up on my must haves!!

Please don't hesitate to comment below or shoot me an email if you have any questions.  I'd love to hear from you!  :)

review // Battle of the Blotting Tissues!

Even though I have dry/combination skin I do tend to get a bit oily in my T zone during the day, especially in the summertime.  I've been going through a blotting tissue journey, if you will, and figured I'd share my thoughts.

 

c/o FabEllis (since I'm all out!)

Since I first learned about blotting sheets about 5 years ago I had been using the Mary Kay beauty blotters oil-absorbing tissues.  I was a Mary Kay (MK) consultant and so I got a good deal on them... about $3 for 75 sheets ($6/75 sheets retail)... they were a good size (1 did the job), dispensed easily and absorbed amazingly without taking off my makeup.  Well, when I stopped being a consultant and ran out of the MK tissues about a year ago, I went searching elsewhere for a comparable alternative....

First, I tried e.l.f. Essential Shine Eraser sheets and they were okay.  The best selling point is that you get 50 sheets for only $1.  BUT they were a bit smaller and not as absorbent.  They dispensed easy enough & didn't mess up my makeup, but I would have to use at least two e.l.f. tissues to do the same job of just one MK tissue.

Next was, Boots expert shine control papers.  Okay, so you get 50 sheets for about $5... so I'm thinking, "Great! These have got to be a bit more absorbent..."  Well, they are, but they are so small and you have to rip them out of the little booklet they come it. There's no easy dispenser on this one.  This was unknown to me until I got home and unwrapped the booklet from it's plastic cover...  Inevitably you waste part of the tissue and you have to use 2 or 3 since they are so itty bitty.  But, like I said, they were excellent at absorbing and my makeup didn't budge, but I just can't be bothered with the tearing out and then blotting three times.  No go.

Then, while in the checkout line at Sephora about a month ago, I spotted boscia's [limited edition] Pink Peppermint Blotting Linens.  I had actually heard some good things about them, so I thought, let's give it a go.  So you get 100 sheets for $5 (at least I did, but I've also seen then for $10...).  That's basically the same price as the Boots tissues and a bit more than MK and E.L.F. tissues.  But at least these are pretty much worth it.  They are the same size as my beloved MK tissues and have a nice built-in dispenser too, but they feel more like the E.L.F. tissues and that is my only complaint.  Again, these don't pick up any makeup but I just don't feel like, compared to my MK tissues, that these absorb quite as well. And the peppermint extract smells nice, but it's not a big selling point for me.  I'd rather the tissue work amazingly and have no scent. 

I should mention that none of these tissues have oil added... Yes, that's right, some companies add mineral oil.  Uh, cough... Clean & Clear... cough, cough.  Seems a bit counterproductive to me... What a good reminder to always check the ingredient list!  ;)

In fact, looking at the ingredients of each, it seems like the tissues with linen and/or calcium carbonate absorb better (to me).  My conclusion is that the best blotting tissue would be a larger tissue made from one or both of these ingredients.  I think that means out of these four options, my Mary Kay tissues win.  I know there are tons more options out there, but I think it may be time to find my MK consultant and order some more of these!

DIY // facial scrubs for every skin type!

I posted a few weeks ago about the Benefits of Raw Honey and promised some of my favorite homemade masks/scrubs using the stuff.  So here we go!

I tried to compose a few for different types of skin, so everyone could benefit... one for sensitive skin, one for normal/dry, one for oily or problematic skin and another for aging skin.

3 Tbsp. Raw Honey
1/4 Cup Rolled Oats (before blended into bits)
8-10 drops Lavender essential oil 
1 Tsp. Lavender buds (optional)

Raw Honey - natural humecant attracts and retains moisture in skin; aids in healing and rejuvenation

Rolled Oats - gentle exfoliant, packed full of healing amino acids; hypoallergenic and moisturizing

Lavender essential oil - anti-inflammatory (combats redness), antiseptic, and anti-fungal properties; soothes agitated or broken out skin; calming & pleasant scent. 

+  Run oatmeal through the blender or food processor to break it up a bit. You don’t want it be too powdery, just break it up into tiny bits. 
 + Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.
+  Stir to combine. If it's too crumbly add more honey to mixture to make it more paste-like. 
+  Transfer mixture to a small Tupperware or glass container with a lid (I really like the 4oz Ball jars but the short 8oz Ball jars are nice too).

1 Tbsp. Raw Honey

3 Tbsp. Organic Sugar
3 Tbsp. Organic Unrefined Coconut Oil

10 Drops Rose Hip Seed Oil (optional) 

Raw Honey - natural humecant attracts and retains moisture in skin; aids in healing and rejuvenation

Organic Sugar - a natural exfoliator; source of glycolic acid which evens out skin tone, cleans pores, and improves overall skin texture by removing dead, dull skin cells

Unrefined Coconut Oil - anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial; fatty acids deeply moisturize and strengthen underlying tissues

Rose Hip Seed Oil - Omega-6 essential fatty acids nourish & restore skins moisture balance  

+  Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.
+  Stir to combine.
+  Transfer mixture to a small Tupperware or glass container with a lid (Again, I like to use a 4oz Ball jar).

 
3 Tbsp. Baking Soda
3 Tbsp. Raw Honey
4-5 Drops Tea Tree Essential Oil
4-5 Drops Lemongrass Essential Oil

Baking Soda - mild exfoliator helping remove dead skin cells; neutralizes skin’s pH so skin will produce less oil over time

Raw Honey - anti-microbial and anti-septic properties combat bacteria, natural humecant attracts and retains moisture in skin, aids in healing and rejuvenation

Tea Tree Essential Oil - antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiseptic, and immune stimulant properties that help heal and prevent acne and blemishes
Lemongrass Essential Oil - antiseptic and astringent properties help fight bacteria and clean away excess oil

+  Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.
+  Stir to combine.  When mixed, these ingredients actually puff up and get a bit of a whipped consistency, which is really fun!
+  Transfer mixture to a small Tupperware or glass container with a lid (Again, I like to use a 4oz Ball jar).

2 Tbsp. Cocoa Powder
1 Tbsp. Raw Honey
2 Tbsp. Organic Olive Oil
2 Tbsp. + 2 Tsp. Organic Sugar
1/8 Tsp. Vanilla

Cocoa Powder - (again) antioxidants help repair skin cells and neutralize harmful free radicals

Raw Honey -  vitamin and antioxidant rich composition helps mature skin to combat signs of aging and to look more youthful and plump

Organic Olive Oil - high in Vitamin E which soothes and heals skin; healthy fats deeply moisturize; packed with antioxidants that defend against free radicals; regenerative properties keep skin soft, smooth and firm
Organic Sugar - a natural exfoliator; source of glycolic acid which evens out skin tone, cleans pores, and improves overall skin texture by removing dead, dull skin cells

Vanilla - calms the skin and can help with redness
 

+  Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.
+  Stir to combine.
+  Transfer mixture to a small Tupperware or glass container with a lid (Again, I like to use a 4oz Ball jar).

 DIRECTIONS FOR ALL SCRUBS:

+  Scoop out a nickel size amount of scrub with clean fingers.

+  Mix a few drops of water with scrub in palm (helps with application).

+  Apply the scrub to clean face and massage gently in a circular motion (very gently for sensitive skin).

+  

Let the scrub sit on your face for a few minutes.

+  

Rinse the scrub off with lukewarm water or gently wipe off with a damp washcloth, if you prefer.

+  Pat your face dry with a clean towel. 

+  Follow up with your favorite toner and/or moisturizer.

Feel free to add or omit any of the ingredients as you see fit, like using Almond Oil instead of Olive Oil, or chopped up oatmeal for sugar, etc.

You can also play around with the ratios of ingredients to find what works best for you.

These mixtures will last un-refrigerated for a few weeks...but if you use it 2 - 3 times a week it'll be gone before that!

Because I have dry/combo skin, I can actually benefit from all of these... I can use either the calming all over or the clearing scrub in my T-zone almost every day.  And I can use the nourishing and revitalizing scrubs all over a couple times a week. 

Please note that I am in no way a doctor and can't know how each and every person will react to these ingredients, so if you have any concerns before trying one of these recipes please consult a licensed physician or dermatologist.  Just like when trying anything new, always test patch before applying to entire face.

All of these ingredients can be found in your local grocery store, but if you're having trouble, you can also find them on Vitacost at great discounted prices!  That's where I get most of mine.  :)

And if you're interested in learning other uses for essential oils you can check out my past post on that here.


Let me know in the comments if you decide to give one (or all) of these a go or if there's another DIY scrub mix you swear by.  I'd love to hear about it!