Mineral makeup has increased in popularity as we become more and more conscious of the effect products have on our skin and bodies. Mineral makeup is free of irritants like perfumes, preservatives such as parabens, alcohols and dyes that many traditional makeup brands use. However, many mineral makeup lines contain Bismuth Oxychloride.

Bismuth Oxychloride is a chemical that produces shine. Although approved for use in cosmetics, 75% of the users (mostly women) are allergic to this chemical. When you use a product containing bismuth oxychloride you are pushing small metallic particles into your skin that will clog your pores. Acne and roseacea sufferers who use these products find that they also irritate and aggravate their condition. You can tell if you are allergic if your face itches after application. This chemical is also not complimentary for use on older skin because the shimmery look creates a mask-like appearance that enhances wrinkles making skin look older and feel drier than it is.

After years of struggling to find a makeup line that did not make her sensitive skin itch and break out with acne, Kristin Adams founded Afterglow Cosmetics mineral makeup line which suited her needs.

“All the women in my family are sensitive to food, cosmetics and perfume” says Kristin. “I started using make-up to cover up acne but it seemed to only make my skin feel and look worse.”  To develop the line, Kristin teamed up with one of the foremost cosmetic chemists in the industry. Their focus on using only pure, natural and organic ingredients make Afterglow‘s mineral makeup a favourite with dermatologists and estheticians worldwide. But even with all the great benefits, many women that have switched from traditional makeup to mineral makeup are confused about how to the best way to use mineral makeup. Here are a few tips that will help optimise your experience.

For those with dry, flaky skin, add a small amount of powder into the palm of the hand. Add a drop of moisturiser. Blend the two products together until a smooth, creamy consistency is achieved. Use your fingers or make-up wedge to apply. For young or blemished skin, apply it in very sheer layers bronzer or foundation with a vegan kabuki brush or flat top brush all over the face.

Loose powder mineral makeup is NOT designed to work with a sponge. Mineral bronzers and blush can be applied with a fan brush, blush brush, kabuki brush, or flat top foundation brush. Apply to areas where you want a fresh sun-kissed glow.

To apply eye shadow, dip an eye shadow brush into the desired colour and apply to your eyelids.

For liquid eyeliner, wet your brush with water use our Organic Colour Lock; dip into the desired colour of mineral powder.  Mix liquid and powder together on the back of your hand or in separate container until well blended; apply to the lid as desired.

Afterglow Cosmetics has 15 shades of organic lipstick and four shades of Organic Hydra Gloss. These are premixed for ease of use. However if you feel the desire to create your own shades, dip your lip brush into your favourite lip balm/stick/gloss and then into the mineral powder of your choice. Blend well and then apply to lips.

Afterglow’s mineral makeup is 100% vegan with a unique blend of minerals and natural pigments, carefully formulated with your health and beauty in mind. Afterglow’s products have continuously been among the most highly rated for safety on the Environmental Working Group’s “Skin Deep Report” website.

Afterglow are also proud signers of The Breast Cancer Fund’s Compact for Safe Cosmetics (Campaign for Safe Cosmetics) to advocate for safer cosmetics. 

We all ’suffer’ in the name of vanity. Consider the plucking of eyebrows, or the brazilian – and I ain’t talking about the Duque de Caxias.

We preen and experiment constantly. I’m still making ’surprising’ and ’shocking’ beauty discoveries at the grand old age of 25. I have you know, been accustomed to Vogue and Instyle since day dot – not to mention my constant scrupulous magnifique lookage at gorgeous celebs on the red carpet.

Suffer we do, all in the name of beauty… but it’s not all hit ‘n’ miss. Now and then you discover products that are worthy of a killer gush. I’m talking in league with my favourite Dior lipgloss (sadly discontinued, what were they thinking?), YSL’s great lash mascara and my Givenchy ‘Irresistable’ perfume. It takes a rare product to turn my first preference for bronzer from Lancome to something else entirely – something that’s good for my skin, even, and Afterglow’s pure organic mineral makeup has done it for moi.

The Organic Mineral Glow Bronzer

I’ve tried just about everything, and with bated breath I received a batch of make up from Mookychick (all for free, perks perks!) to try out. If I’m totally honest with you I wasn’t expecting to be wowed. But lo and behold! I was beyond excited when I gave this beauty a go because, as you can see from the photos, the bronzer actually makes my skin glow! Shh… I know it says thats its the job but the people behind ‘Afterglow’ (the make up, not the feeling) genuinely deliver. I loved the mineral bronzer so much I’m taking my samples on holiday!

The issue I generally have with make up, even the posh stuff, is that I never feel like I have make up on. I went partying in the West End last week and by my standards, I trowelled my best paint and potion on because I knew I’d be standing next to girls wearing loads of it (in the nicest way), but I still ended up looking like a naked-faced ghost.

When I put the Afterglow bronzer on I actually felt like I had some colour to me, and it didn’t feel like I’d slathered myself in prosthetic makeup.

The Organic Lip Love Lipstick

The mineral lipstick wasn’t quite my colour but the texture and ease of application were a dream, and the smell fairly neutral and clean (so no-one will be able to smell a strong scent before you get there, unless they’re a cat).

The Organic Mineral Eyeshadow

The loose mineral eyeshadow comes in little pots, and they’re faultless to apply. I generally find with many eyeshadow products that they crease on the delicate folds of your eyes, gather attractively in the corner like sleep and generally misbehave, causing embarassing gloop issues. Not pretty… so I gingerly applied the mineral eye powder and as I did so, it sparkled! Yay. Me like sparkles. Also, being a powder it slid on happily and there it stayed.

The Health Bit

As an eczema sensitive skin sufferer, Afterglow Mineral Cosmetics came up trumps again because all of their products are completely free of pesky ingredients normally found in make up such as scary-sounding ‘petrochemicals’, ‘carmine’ and ‘lake dyes’ (eep!!)

Of course, the products are tested on people not fluffy bunnies and if you’re heading towards old age (like me) then the anti-aging properties are an added bonus. Fabulous

The Final Word

I have to say I will definitely be investing in a pot of the mineral bronzer, though, out of all the mineral makeup products I test-drove. Because it’s pretty awesome.

Mookychick.co.uk

ORGANIC COLOUR

Brand New You Say’s “We love a fun, sassy take on make-up especially if it’s a natural mineral range. Afterglow Cosmetics have just become available over here and boy, do we have a crush on these pop-inspired beauty bits”.

The mineral eyeshadows (£16) come in a range of disco-friendly shades and the bronzers (£18) are perfect for keeping an all-year-round shimmer.

October 2008 Issue

Afterglow Cosmetics offer pure mineral makeup that is not only organic but is also highly pigmented and long wearing. Many Hollywood makeup artists have made the switch to Afterglow. I’ve been using mineral makeup for about 3 years now and it’s hard for me to imagine anyone using conventional supermarket makeup anymore. Mineral makeup is not only the wave of the future, its vegan and it’s actually good for your skin.

Afterglow has a full line of makeup including foundation, blushes, bronzers, eye shadows, eye liners, mascaras, lip glosses, lipsticks AND cruelty-free, vegan professional cosmetic brushes! Yay! These types of things can be hard to find in the vegan world, so thank you Afterglow! You’ve made many vegan makeup gals very happy. Afterglow also has amazing starter kits that are greats for peeps who are new to mineral makeup.

Afterglow items you must check out:

Organic Glow Bronzer (£18.00): Everyone wants sun kissed skin. Am I right? Or I’m I absolutely right? Afterglow’s bronzer comes in 3 shades (light, medium and deep). Become a natural bronzed beauty without the orangey colour of traditional bronzers. These bronzers can be used on the apples of the cheeks or as a contour. I used some Afterglow bronzer for my latest photo shoot and lemme just say, it made my skin glow and look magazine ready.

Afterglow Cosmetics directly donates a generous portion of the proceeds of the purchase from every Afterglow Organic Glow Bronzer sold to help aid the fight against breast cancer.

Vegan Kabuki Brush with Bag (£30.00): Amazing cosmetic brushes lead to amazing makeup application. It’s not rocket science. Like I mentioned earlier, vegan brushes are hard to come by and when you usually do, they suck. I said it. Afterglow has a wonderful line of brushes that are super soft and perfectly designed for applying loose minerals evenly. Your makeup is going to look flawless. What I like about the kabuki brush is that it’s petite and fits perfectly in my purse and never makes a mess ’cause it comes with a cute metallic mini bag.

Organic Lip Love Lipstick (£18.00): There are 15 fantabulous colours to choose from. I personally love Courage which is a yummy classic warm red. These lipsticks are organic and contain aloe vera and jojoba to help keep your lips moisturized and nourished.

Bronzer colours are available in Light, Medium or Deep and doesn’t contain irritating fillers like bismuth oxychloride which are hidden in some other leading mineral cosmetics. Afterglow Bronzers are perfect for ultra sensitive faces. Dust on and glow without the damaging effects of uv rays.