MINERAL MAKEUP FAQ
Q: Most mineral powders give me a shiny look — how is it that your mineral powder is matte?
A: It's all in the ingredients. We don't use bismuth oxychloride, an ingredient that gives most mineral powders their "glowy" look and silky texture. Some people are sensitive to this ingredient and find that it can cause breakouts, itching and irritation. Because we don't use it, the texture of our mineral foundation feels very different from other brands. It is more fluffy and powdery to the touch. Another benefit of avoiding bismuth oxychloride is that no special "buffing" technique is needed to buff the product into your pores and fine lines (just glide it on!) and no finishing powder is needed to cut down on shine.
Q: What is the coverage like with your foundation? Can I customize it?
A: Depending on how you use our foundation powders, you can achieve widely varying levels of coverage, perhaps more than any other mineral cosmetics line! Our Voilé and Glissade powders most closely approximates the coverage of other popular mineral foundations, such as Bare Escentuals and Jane Iredale.) Some ladies feel that Glissade offers slightly heavier coverage than Voilé, although theoretically their coverage is equivalent.
Q: What's the best way to apply your powder? Are any special techniques needed?
A: No special time-consuming application techniques are necessary. As with any powder, you'll need something to apply it. Apply your chosen mix with a brush and get lighter coverage. Use a makeup sponge or flocked sponge and the coverage will be heavier. You can achieve even heavier coverage by applying your powder over a well-moisturized face, or create a tinted moisturizer by adding some of your foundation mix to your favorite lotion.
Q: How do I know what color I should purchase?
A: We highly recommend samples to start. Our 31 shades of both foundation powders offer a great variety of hues for varying skin colors and undertones.
Q: Once I have samples of several foundation shades, how do I find my perfect match?
A: There are several ways to do this. You can wear each shade by itself for one day and see which looks best. You can apply a stripe of each shade on your clean face (most recommend doing this near the jaw line) and choose the one that seems to disappear into your skin. If none of our shades seems quite right on its own, don’t forget that you can mix your shades into endless combinations to custom-design your own color! Some ladies also add flaxen or goldenrod matte eyeshadows for more yellow tones. Still others choose a shade that does not match their skin tone, but corrects it, such as women with Rosacea who often choose a shade with more yellow tones to counteract the redness in their skin. It’s all up to you!
Q: If I am mixing shades to create my perfect foundation match, do I need to grind or mix the powders in some special way or will the shake or stir methods work?
A: Mixing our foundation powders by combining them in a container and simply shaking or stirring works fine. Just be sure to get them well-mixed, especially if the shades are very different from each other.
Q: My face and neck are two different colors. How do I choose a foundation shade?
A: This is a tough one. Some women prefer to match their neck, so that everything is one color. Others prefer to match their face, feeling that the look is more natural. You might try it both ways or even choose a shade that is a combination of the two. Trying each look and asking family and friends what they prefer can help you decide, as well.
Q: Can you explain the undertones of each color family of foundation shades?
A: Yes. Here’s a quick list.
Yellows = beige + yellow
Warms = beige + yellow + peach
Neutrals = beige + yellow + peach
Cools = beige + peach
Alabaster = no undertones, for the palest of pale skintones.
Ghost= pure white
Q: Do I need to wear a finishing powder over my foundation?
A: No, a finishing powder is not necessary as it is with other mineral foundations that have a more shiny appearance. Our foundation powders are perfectly matte. We find that spritzing your face with a fine mist of spring water "sets" the makeup and keeps your look fresh.
Q: Does your powder have SPF?
A: While all powders containing titanium dioxide or zinc oxide offer barrier protection from the sun, we cannot indicate a specific level of SPF without getting costly testing done, as per FDA regulations. Because we are a small company, this testing is not affordable to us at this time.
Q: Are your mineral powders good for oily skin?
A: Yes — they are excellent for oily skin! Many of our customers with oily skin are very pleased with the level of oil control that our foundations provide — especially the Gossamer formula. Some even swear that our foundation improves the condition of their skin and prevents breakouts! We also offer an oil-control primer powder called Porcelaine that can be applied over, under or mixed into foundation for extra protection from that midday shine. We are frequently asked if our product is non-comedogenic. Mineral makeup and most natural makeup is considered to be non-comedogenic, and this is a term that is used extensively in marketing to sell products. We choose not to use it, even though our products do fall within that category. You should keep in mind that sensitive & problem skintypes can react to anything and there is no definite guarantee that the product will work for you, or any customer- "your mileage may vary", we say... so we urge you to purchase samples first.
Q: I hear that your mineral powder does not accentuate pores or fine lines like some brands do. Is this true?
A: Yes, this is true. Because we do not use bismuth oxychloride, which can settle into and accentuate pores and fine lines, our foundation powders tend to glide across the skin, masking imperfections.
Q: If your mineral foundation powder contains mica, then why isn’t it shiny?
A: Not all mica is shiny or glittery. We use a variety of mica powders in Aromaleigh cosmetics. In our foundation powders, we use a very finely milled, non-glimmering mica powder.
Q: I hear that mica powder is an irritant. Is this true?
A: Mica powder is a benign ingredient that does not have a history of irritation. Although we have heard of the occasional very sensitive individual who cannot wear micas, this is quite rare.
Q: Will this makeup stand up to sweating?
A: Yes! Countless satisfied customers have been pleasantly surprised by how well our products tolerate extreme temperatures and sweating (and motorcycle rides and horseback riding, etc!). If you do sweat a lot, blot your face with a towel rather than wiping it. Your makeup will stay on better that way.
Q: Can I wear moisturizer under minerals?
A: Absolutely! Most women do. For the smoothest mineral foundation application, allow your moisturizer to absorb completely before applying your minerals.
Q: Do any creams or lotions interfere with minerals?
A: None do, as long you don’t use too much lotion and it is allowed to fully absorb into the skin before applying your minerals.
Q: Should I wear a heavy or light moisturizer under minerals?
A: Only your skin can answer this question! In general, oily skin usually does better with a lighter formula and drier complexions often need more moisture. You can even mix your minerals with your moisturizer or sunscreen lotion to create a liquid foundation if you wish. Experiment to see what you like best on your own skin.
Q: Can minerals be worn with a standard foundation?
A: Certainly, but then you are losing the benefits of minerals: no chemicals, no preservatives, no artificial color dyes, and the look of flawless skin!
Q: Can minerals expire or go bad?
A: Theoretically, minerals are inert, inorganic ingredients and cannot support microbial growth. Care of course should be taken to use clean brushes and applicators to avoid cross-contamination, and not sharing or swapping cosmetics with other people.
Q: Why do your products cost less than the major mineral cosmetic brands?
A: Aromaleigh is a small, independent company. There is no middleman, no advertising and no fancy packaging, all of which saves our customers money...
Q: I only have $25 to spend on my first order. Where should I start?
A: Samples, samples, samples! We offer reasonably priced samples of every one of our loose powder products, which can be invaluable in choosing the right colors for you.
Q: Do Aromaleigh products contain micronized ingredients or nano-particles?
A: No, Aromaleigh products do not contain micronized ingredients or nano-particles.
Mineral makeup is lauded for providing "coverage". A mineral makeup which was comprised of nano-particles would not provide any notable coverage at all. For this reason, nano particles have no use or purpose in mineral cosmetics and they are not used in Aromaleigh Mineral Cosmetics. The words "micronized" are sometimes loosely used to refer to nano-particles or inaccurately used by some mineral makeup companies to infer that their products are finely milled.
Aromaleigh does not use any micronized minerals. Aromaleigh uses ingredients and pigments manufactured for cosmetic use that fall within a standard micron range.