A lot of people take their vision for granted! My grandma just went to the eye doctor for cataract surgery in one eye. She is doing great and says that her eyesight has dramatically improved. For the mean time, she is putting in a ton of eye drops daily. She reads and watches TV a lot so she has various glasses to do those things, but now I'm sure she can pair down how many she needs. My mom wears prescription glasses, and my dad wears reading glasses. I don't have any issues with my eyesight as of yet, thank God!

I was looking in to it, and there are some ways to strengthen your eyesight naturally. There are these cool looking things that are called pinhole glasses, which are a safe and natural way of relaxing and training your eyes. These pinhole eyeglasses are also known as "stenopeic glasses" and work by allowing only a very narrow beam of light to enter the eye, reducing the eye strain and increasing depth of field. Sounds pretty intriguing right?


What do you think of pinhole glasses? Would you try 'em?

Lily Organics is an amazing organic and natural product line. I recently had the opportunity to sample some items and I must say I was very impressed.

Usually, products I have tried from Organic lines seem to be very high quality, so I already had high hopes for this line. Lily definitely delivers! All of her products are chock full of organic herbs and botanicals grown at Lily's very own organic farm. The products come in glass containers that are stylish and reusable. Also, Lily Organics products are completely free of synthetic preservatives, so get your hands on this stuff and start using it fast!

My very favorite product that I got to test out was Lily Organics Organic Moisture Mist. This is the ultimate skin friendly pick-me-up for dry or normal skin. You can use this product after cleansing as a toner or just several times a day to continuously hydrate your skin. The ingredients are: Purified water, certified organic comfrey, seaweeds, lily, certified organic chamomile, certified organic calendula, kosher vegetable glycerin, essential oils of ylang ylang and lavender, and pure citrus seed extract.

Although none of Lily's products contain synthetic chemicals, as you should do with most products, I was sure to patch test this before spraying all over my face. Luckily, this product was kind to my sensitive skin and there were no reactions of any negative kind. This is truly a great facial mist!

My mom is currently using the Organic Moisture Cream and she really is enjoying the moisturizing properties of an all-organic cream, the first organic one she has tried! I would have tested this myself but for fear of a reaction on my sensitive skin I decided to let her try it for me. She says it keeps her skin moisturized throughout the night and it feels very nice in the morning. Her complexion does appear noticeably brighter and healthier since using this product, so thank you Lily Organics!

In addition to those wonderful products, I also like Lily Organics Kissable Lips lip balm as a natural and healthy way to moisturize my lips... it feels wonderful on.

Oh, also, PR representative from Lily Organics sent me Lily's book, Beauty, Health and Happiness, which I am currently reading and enjoying. I like how the book integrates personal notes from Lily's life along with details about her products and organic beauty in general. I highly reccommend picking this book up if you get a chance!

Do you like organic skin care? Why or why not?

Looking for natural or handmade bath and body products? If you haven't done so already, you should really check out Peeptoad Hollow (previously reviewed here)!

Luckily for us skincare junkies, Peeptoad Hollow is offering a discount code just for Shop With a Vengeance readers. Just enter one of these codes into the voucher section of your shopping cart and hit recalculate to see your savings!

Peeptoad Hollow's products are perfect for pampering yourself or for a gift. Happy shopping :)

Peeptoad Hollow is an independent bath and body company that offers decadently rich handmade soaps and other skincare products. I recently had an opportunity to try some of their wonderful creations, and I really like the different scents they have available.


I am currently using their 98% natural Vanilla Spearmint Handmade Soap as a hand soap in my bathroom... love it. It feels a little bit different than other soaps because the butters and oils in it seem to coat and hydrate your hands while washing.

Another one of my favorite scents of theirs is the Dreamy Buttercream Goat Milk Glycerin Soap. It smells delicious! -- Like an almost foodie scent that just warms you up.

If you are thinking of escaping the chemicals and boring scents of regular soaps, you should really consider treating yourself to a natural soap, or buying some as a gift. Peeptoad Hollow offers some nice, affordable gift sets that would surely be appreciated by all.

Check 'em out!

Attention sun lovers! As we all know, Summer is in full force, so your sun protection should be as well. On my last trip to the beach, I tested out a pretty cool product by MelanSol.

Instead of sticking with Banana Boat or Hawaiian Tropic, I chose to use the 100% Natural Antioxidant Sunscreen Lotion by MelanSol. This sunscreen was SPF25, so I got a nice tan even while using it. It is for face and body, but I decided to play it safe and only apply to my body to try it. Their website even explains that according to contrary belief, you don't need a super-high SPF to fully protect yourself from the sun. MelanSol uses natural mineral zinc-oxide pigments to shield your skin, similar to the mineral powder sunblock I use on my face by Peter Thomas Roth (see full review here).

As the "Antioxidant" part of the name suggests, this sunscreen is loaded with goodies like Grean Tea, Vitamin E, and Bio-Melanin! I love the fact that it doesn't contain any unknown chemicals. Also, it has a very unique, earthy smell, probably due to ingredients such as "Lemon Oil and Lavender, Oregano, Thyme, and Rosemary Extracts". It absorbed quickly, leaving a nice sheen to my skin, and seemed to moisturize while protecting.

All in all, I will be using this natural product again! If you are looking for an all-natural alternative to beat the sun this summer, check out MelanSol!

Have you tried an all-natural sunscreen before?

What is your favorite sunblock?

Congratulations go out to Melissa, winner of the Affordable Mineral Makeup Giveaway! You've got a week to respond to my email in order to claim your prize :)

Moving on, my first giveaway for Reader Appreciation Week is this lovely package from our friends over at Eclipse Spa!

In case you missed it, I posted earlier about some of Eclipse Spa's wonderful goodies that they were kind enough to send me to review. Eclipse Spa's products are truly awesome and luxurious, and I'm absolutely delighted to be able to share them with you! As an added bonus, all of their products are natural and organic.


The prize for this giveaway consists of Eclipse Spa's amazing "Escape Package", a $69 value!

The beautiful spa set contains: A Lavender Drawer Sachet, Organic Sugar Soy & Tea Bath, Organic Lavender Body Moisturizer, a Lavender Candle Votive, and Escape Vol. 1 CD. This package comes gift wrapped in a handmade green leaf box made from banana leaves, how cool is that?!

I can't wait to share this prize with you! All you have to do is fill out this form with your name and e-mail, and you could win it!

Standard Disclaimer: This giveaway is limited to U.S. participants only. All complete entries, via the form, are valid until the closing of the contest, at 12:00 AM on 7/20/2008. Multiple entries under the same name/e-mail do not increase your chance of winning. One winner will be selected at random at the date of the contest closing. If the winner, chosen at random, does not respond to my e-mail by one week after the contest closing, another winner will be chosen!

To learn more, check out Eclipse Spa's website, here.

Good luck!

Congratulations to reader Tina, winner of the Alice Cosmetics Giveaway!

Didn't win it last time? No worries, because I've got another great giveaway for you this week! Affordable Mineral Makeup has been kind enough to offer one lucky reader the chance to win a $30 gift certificate to their online store!

Affordable Mineral Makeup is an Eco-Friendly mineral makeup company. Their products contain only natural ingredients, and each product only uses four ingredients (Titanium Dioxide, Mica, Iron Oxide, and Zinc Oxide)! Affordable Mineral Makeup products contain no bismuth or additional fillers, so you know you are using the best for your skin.

Affordable Mineral Makeup's product line is very easy on the wallet. Their multipurpose powders/eye shadows run about $7-8 each. They have birthday gift sets, mascaras, foundations, correctors, you name it! They also offer a variety of lip products for $10 each. There are over 200 shades of products, so you will definitely find something that suits you on their awesome site! Best of all, you get a free sample with every order :)

This giveaway is limited to U.S. participants only. All complete entries, via the form, are valid until the closing of the contest, at 12:00 AM on 7/13/2008. Multiple entries under the same name/e-mail do not increase your chance of winning. One winner will be selected at random at the date of the contest closing. If the winner, chosen at random, does not respond to my e-mail by one week after the contest closing, another winner will be chosen!

For more information, check out Affordable Mineral Makeup's website, here.

I was recently given the opportunity to test out Microdermx, a medical-grade microdermabrasion product from Nikkel Holistic Skincare. Unlike many other at-home microdermabrasion products, Nikkel's Microdermx uses medical grade corundrum crystals with concentrated amounts of natural botanicals, nutrients, and active enzymes to exfoliate and pamper your skin. It is a completely safe, natural, and affordable alternative to microdermabrasion treatments at a doctor's office or salon.


Although I do not have a lot of experience with microdermabrasion products or treatments, I found this product very easy to use and very effective. Microdermx comes in two formulas, Step One and Step Two. Step One is the microdermabrasion corundum crystal formula, which has a light and pleasant lemony floral fragrance. Using this product, you can actually see your dead skin cells sloughing off, so you know it is working! I thought it was really cool how you can actually see the process as it is going on. After you are done, you just apply Step Two to replenish and moisturize your skin. I have been using it just as a regular facial lotion as well on my acne-prone skin, and it hasn't broken me out at all. In fact, I've already noticed slight benefits to my skin after using this system only once!

Microdermx contains no synthetic or chemical additives, such as parabens, minerals oil, or propylene glycol. It claims to even skin tone, diminish pores, fade wrinkles, fine lines, acne scars, and brown spots... and although that is a tall order, I find it believable because I think it is truly a spectacular product that I will certainly continue using. Even on my skin, which can be sensitive at times, this product did not irritate or cause any breakouts. I was impressed!


I have illustrated the process to show everyone how cool this product is! In the first photo, I applied a dab of Step One to the back of my hand. When doing your face, in order to be most effective, you are supposed to work in sections. Then, you are supposed to rub in the product (as shown in photo 2) until the lotion portion absorbs mainly and you can feel the grainy corundum crystals exfoliating. Keep rubbing the product until you see these "balled up" pills of dead skin cells mixed with the crystals. See photo 3. Gross, right?! But really awesome at the same time!

After you see the pills of skin balling up, wash the product off and apply Step Two to replenish. As with any microdermabrasion process, you are not supposed to apply your regular treatments or lotions as your skin is highly sensitive at this point. I found Step Two to be very healing and soothing on my skin, with no clogged pores or problems because of it.

Microdermx can be purchased off the Nikkel Holistic Skincare website at http://www.microdermx.com. The two step process can be purchased for $79, and since you only use a small dab each time, it's quite a deal!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED!

Congratulations to reader Michelle, winner of the Sterling Minerals Cosmetics Giveaway!

This week's giveaway is from another fabulous Mineral Makeup brand, Alice Cosmetics. The lovely Patty of Alice Cosmetics is offering one lucky reader the chance to win a $30 gift certificate to their online store, as well as a free Eye Shadow Guard, and the Mini Miracle Cloth pictured below.

The Eye Shadow Guard is a super-useful tool for applying eyeshadow, as it protects your face from any shadow fallout. Eye shadow fallout is when (generally this happens with pigments or loose shadows) you are applying your eye shadow and it "falls" all over your cheeks.

The Mini Miracle Cloth is a cloth to be used for cleansing, whether wet or dry. It is made up of millions of microfibers which emusify the oil in the skin and rinses it away along with your makeup. This means you can clean your face without soap!

This giveaway is limited to U.S. participants only. All complete entries, via the form, are valid until the closing of the contest, at 12:00 AM on 7/06/2008. Multiple entries under the same name/e-mail do not increase your chance of winning. One winner will be selected at random at the date of the contest closing. If the winner, chosen at random, does not respond to my e-mail by one week after the contest closing, another winner will be chosen!

Shipping costs for the winner's order will also be reimbursed! How awesome is that?! For more information, take a look at my previous review of the brand, or start shopping at Alice Cosmetics' website. Good luck everyone!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED!

Congratulations to reader Jean, winner of the Mineral Concepts Giveaway!

If you missed the last giveaway, don't worry -- This week I am offering a fabulous new prize from Sterling Minerals Cosmetics!

Sterling Minerals Cosmetics is a truly exquisite Mineral Makeup line that caters to sensitive skin of all ages. They use only the finest ingredients in making their delightful products and are soft to the touch, incredibly lightweight, and hand crafted to provide luxurious benefits to your skin. To ensure safety, Sterling Minerals Cosmetics does not use micronized minerals and is nanoparticle free.

If you've been dying to try mineral makeup, Sterling Minerals Cosmetics is offering one lucky reader the chance to win a full sized Rose Petal Foundation, Lip Glaze, and Mineral Veil!

To participate, simply look over their Rose Petal Foundation shades and choose which color and formulation would best match your own skin type. Then, fill out this Giveaway Form!

Once a winner is chosen, I will be in touch to get your shipping address and let you know you have won. The Lip Glaze and Mineral Veil will be hand selected based on your Foundation choice.

This giveaway is limited to U.S. participants only. All complete entries are valid until the closing of the contest, at 12:00 AM on 6/29/2008. Multiple entries under the same name/e-mail do not increase your chance of winning. One winner will be selected at random at the date of the contest closing. If the winner, chosen at random, does not respond to my e-mail by one week after the contest closing, another winner will be chosen!

Want more info? Read up on Sterling Minerals Cosmetics at their website, here.

Since any sunscreen I use usually leaves my face a broken-out oil slick, I am currently loving this new product by Peter Thomas Roth. It is a bit pricey at $30 for the small filled brush, but I think it's worth it!
This SPF 30 mineral powder is so fine and translucent that it feels and looks as if you have nothing on. I do notice a slight bit of oil absorbancy but aside from that, although the powder is tinted, it offers no coverage. I've been using this for about a week now and have had no allergic reactions or problems so far, which makes me a happy camper! I love the fact that there is only a minimal amount of ingredients listed on this container (so it's not filled with chemicals). I also appreciate that it is totally portable and since it is a powder it won't "melt" in the sun.

Getting down to business, most reviews on MakeupAlley complain that this brush is poor quality. The brush is not the worst, but also it is far from the best. The bristles are not as soft as they could be, and are clearly synthetic. In order to operate this product, you have to twist the bottom to release powder and apply, then slide up the body of the brush to cap it closed.

I have not had issues with the bristles breaking or falling out myself, but also when I apply I am not so much "brushing" it on as I am "dabbing" it on with the brush. I noticed that unless I am "dabbing" (going with an up and down motion horizontally tapping against the skin) I can't really see the powder coming out and so I don't really feel like it is working. But when I use this motion, I see small puffs of the powder so I know it is coming out of the brush.

I usually apply as a final layer over other mineral makeup or just alone when I am feeling lazy but going to be out in the sun. Although I love it, I do find it to be a bit pricey so I'd like to see what other companies come up with along the lines of mineral sunscreen. Most mineral makeup does offer a bit of SPF anyway because of the Zinc Oxide in it, although that isn't necessarily their claim to fame. I purchased mine at Ulta, but you can also find it wherever Peter Thomas Roth products are sold. If you're looking for an easy to use, portable, good-for-your-skin sunscreen, check this out ASAP!

Have you tried this product? Love PTR? Hate it? Let me know!

Hey everyone!

Sorry it has been a little while since a real update here, I am in the process of moving and my laptop crashed the other day so I've been a little frustrated and busy and unable to blog. Anyway, I'm back for the meantime and I have a FOTW today using a few products from Alice Cosmetics!


I was given the opportunity to test out some samples from the Alice Cosmetics Mineral Makeup line so I decided to do a Face Of The Week with them instead of just talking about it. I did take some photos, so here are what the samples looked like (such cute sifter jars!) and some swatches of the eye colors they let me try:


For my FOTW, I used Alice Cosmetics Oil Control Base, followed with their "Medium" Foundation and "Warm" Buffer. For a little extra coverage, I used Ecco Bella FlowerColor Coverstick in Beige.


For the eyes I used MAC "Old Gold" pigment (view my post about that here), and Alice Cosmetics "Sage" Eye Shadow. I used MAC Fluidline in Dipdown to line my eyes, The Body Shop Brow and Eye Powder for my Brows, and NYX Doll Eye Waterproof Mascara in Black. I also used MAC "Funtabulous" Dazzleglass on my lips but it doesn't really show up that well in the photo.


All in all, I think Alice's foundation was very flattering and a lot lighter of a formulation than previous minerals I have tried. It seemed to provide coverage without a heavy look, and I liked that. The shades were dead on, so I was glad that the colors worked out as well. The eyeshadows are really shimmering, sheer, pretty shades as well that seem to be in a neutral palette.

What do you think of my look? Have you tried Alice Cosmetics?

Summer is upon us and all that salt water, wind, and sun can really irritate your sensitive skin. If you're like me, chapped lips are a thing of all seasons, leaving you to rely on various balms and products year-round to temporarily moisturize before having to reapply excessively. So then, in the summer, your problem just gets worse as the sun beats down on your poor lips! Well... not anymore, folks!

Enter ChopSaver. This awesome lip balm is made of organic and all-natural ingredients and contains no petroleum or harsh chemicals. Instead, ChopSaver balm is infused with soothing shea butter, mango butter, vitamin E, and aloe. ChopSaver uses the comforting goodness of arnica, comfrey, calendula, and white willow to regenerate and nurture your dry lips back to life all season long!

The best part... it stays on for hours without reapplying. I kid you not. I was reapplying by force of habit but it really lasts and lasts. The reason it is so durable is because ChopSaver lip balm was invented for musicians who play wind and brass instruments, as their lips generally get easily chapped, inflammed, and sore. You may have noticed all that musician talk on the packaging. The balm was designed to soothe these issues and quickly heal your lips, while protecting them for an extended period of time. It would probably be great under lipstick as a primer as well!

ChopSaver is beloved by the musician community and is slowly but surely easing its way into the beauty and dermatology world! This product stays on forever and feels great on. It smells light and natural, and feels like your lips are truly protected when you glide it on. The scent is wonderful but not overwhelming or so exceedingly delicious that it will make you lick the product off your lips. Dermatologists recommend this product for people who have dry lips due to Accutane, or just chronically dry and chapped lips. Oh, goodness, this stuff is just great.

So, I am currently carrying the SPF version in my purse and it is likely that I'll be using it all summer long. I truly am in love with this balm. It really speaks for itself so I urge that you try it ASAP! I promise you will likely THROW AWAY your Burt's Bees or Chapstick after using this product! You can find ChopSaver at music stores in the U.S. and abroad! Check out their website :)

Thank you ChopSaver!

What are your favorite balms this summer? Have you ever tried ChopSaver?

THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED!

Hi all!

Congratulations to reader Sydney, winner of the anbPortal.com giveaway! I will be in touch shortly to get your information.

To the rest of my beautiful readers, don't worry if you missed the last one, I'm keeping these giveaways coming ;)

This time around, our fantastic prize is sponsored by the lovely Carol Jeanne of the Mineral Concepts Mineral Makeup company!

Mineral Concepts is a pure, natural line that is free of irritants and questionable chemicals! Mineral Concepts powders are actually crushed natural minerals that are formulated without any dyes or synthetic fragrance to ensure a healthy, calm appearance. There are various benefits to wearing mineral makeup, including its long shelf life, great coverage, water resistance, just to name a few.

Not only that, but Mineral Concepts products are non-comedogenic, non-acnegenic, and anti-inflammatory! The staying power is unrivaled and it offers chemical free SPF sun protection, which is super important in these summer months!

Have you tried Minerals yet?! To get you started, Mineral Concepts is offering one lucky reader the chance to win their "Try Me" Mineral Makeup Kit!

This kit contains a Mineral Foundation, Velvet Finishing Powder, Blush or Bronzer, 1 Deluxe Flat Top Buffer brush, and 1 Flawless Face Brush. This is an awesome deal and I'm really excited to be able to share it with you!

TO PARTICIPATE, PLEASE FILL OUT THIS GIVEAWAY FORM!

I request that you leave your e-mail address so that I can contact you to retrieve your shipping information in the event that you win the contest. This information will be kept private! Once you win, you will first be contacted by me and then by Carol of Mineral Concepts, who will request your color choice information.

This giveaway is limited to U.S. participants only. All complete entries are valid until the closing of the contest, at 12:00 AM on 6/15/2008. One winner will be selected at random at the date of the contest closing. If the winner, chosen at random, does not respond to my e-mail by one week after the contest closing, another winner will be chosen!

Along with some nice Mineral Foundation, the fine folks over at Mineral Concepts were kind enough to let me sample some of their lip balms and multi-purpose blush products!

What I sampled:

• Face & Lip Blushes (Mystic Mauve, Torrey Girl, Bambino)
• Moisturizing Lip Balms (BooBoo, NeNe, Rose)

I really liked their "Mystic Mauve" blush, which was a pretty, shimmery mauve color. All the Face & Lip Blushes tend to stay put very well, which means that you have to apply quickly and precisely. This was my first experience with Mineral Blushes, and I must say that it was an interesting one. I am used to pressed powders so it takes a little more skill to work with the loose powder, but the effect is sheer and lovely. The colors all have a touch of shimmer as well.

The Moisturizing Lip Balms are excellent. They come in very natural, flattering shades. The "Rose" shade was definitely my favorite, as it produces somewhat of a 'Your Lips But Better' shade. Very pretty!

Just for fun, I layered "Mystic Mauve" with BooBoo Lip Balm to create a look that rivals any long-lasting shimmer lipstick out there. My results? A really pretty effect that you would never guess was created by a powder!

So from this whole mineral experience, I've learned that you can really utilize mineral makeup to its fullest by mixing and matching colors and creating looks and effects that are suitable to your skin type, tone, and qualities.

Not sure what your skin is looking for? Take advantage of the sample size offers that companies such as Mineral Concepts provide! These allow you to test out the products for a nominal fee. You can try different colors or types of minerals to see what is your best match. Who knows, you may find something you love!

Have you ever used a mineral blush or lip product? What were the results?

Like any of these Mineral Concepts shades? Ever blended or mixed your own minerals? Let me know!

Oh my gosh. From the moment this package arrived, I knew I was in for a treat! Eclipse Spa sent over some samples for me to review and I must say, I was highly impressed. The products they sent over were from their Men's line of soaps and lotions, called "Sexy Men". Although it was targeted to men, I could not stop smelling this box of goodies... it just smelled so refreshing and natural and good! Like a woodsy, comforting, fresh scent. Mmm.

I recruited the boyfriend and headed to work testing all these fabulous potions. First, he tested out their "Woody Soap" which is an organic, all-natural, handmade soap made with cold-pressed olive oil and herbs. The soaps themselves come in a paper wrapper with a little explanation of the product, and they are cut into bars so that one edge is still rough and "natural" looking. They aren't girly or frilly looking at all. The "Woody" soap was practically bursting with delicious smelling cedarwood and fir needle oils that just so happen to be antimicrobial and deodorizing. Well, the deodorizing part was great because he was sweating a lot that day!

The natural ingredients used in the soap have traditionally been used to relieve joint and muscle pain. This was also nice, because he helped my parents move out some heavy furniture beforehand. He told me he liked the scent of this soap and that it lathered up quite nicely in the shower. He liked the roughness of the bar itself, which has scrubbies (perhaps sea salt or cedar bits) in it to help exfoliate your skin.

After testing out the soap, the boyfriend also tried out Eclipse Spa's Energy Lotion for Men, which is a fantastic concoction of natural and organic plant oils and extracts. Oh my gosh, it smelled amazing. This product also contains a natural sunscreen (SPF 18), which is awesome for day-to-day wear out in the sun. The lotion can be used on both your face and body, and is loaded with mandarin, tangerine, and peppermint essential oils that smell fresh and vibrant. Instead of being strong and manly, the lotion has more of a natural, fresh, and minty smell that I, personally, adore. I would love to smell this on a guy. I actually kept the lotion for myself!

I also tried out the "Eucalyptus Sandalwood" Soap, which is antibacterial, antiviral, balancing, and grounding. The scent was strongly minty (probably the Eucalyptus) and fresh, but also welcoming and warm. The lather felt soft and excellent on my skin, and the bar was VERY exfoliating... there were little bits in there that felt almost like sandpaper on my skin. It may have even been a bit too exfoliating on my skin if I had scrubbed hard enough. But I'm a delicate flower, and this is a "Manly Man" soap! I'm sure it gets all the dirt and sweat and dead skin off, without a doubt. I know I felt super-squeaky-clean afterwards! No wonder my boyfriend loved its gritty texture.

If you are looking for a soap or a lotion that both you and your boyfriend can share, I highly recommend looking into the Eclipse Spa line. These products have an extremely pleasant unisex vibe and amazing fragrances that aren't too girly, or excessively macho either. They are just wonderful. These are a great gift idea for the man in your life (Dad, Boyfriend, Hubby), as well.

Check out these products and more at EclipseSpa.com!

I was recently given the opportunity to try out some products from the Mineral Concepts Mineral Makeup line!


I was running out of usual foundation so it was quite convenient that I was able to test out some mineral foundations from this company. Along with other sample goodies, the 'Sampler Kit' I was provided with included two shades of Mineral Foundation, one Velvet Finishing Powder and one Mineral Blush. I really liked the coverage (medium to full) and found that the shades "Sand" and "Almond" were very close to my own skin color, but not exact, of course. Luckily, with the Kit I was able to combine two of the shades to create the optimal color for my complexion. It seems like depending on how much sun my skin gets, most of their shades would work out well for me!

The two foundation shades I blended were "Porcelain" and "Tan" and the result turned out fabulously. I figure in the summer when I have more of a tan, the accurately-named "Tan" shade will likely be my go-to color. This product feels awesome on! I applied with my trusty Kabuki brush and was pleased with the instant results. The product felt creamy and soft, and blended almost as if I was applying a lightweight cream foundation or liquid. I did, however, have to be careful not to apply too much because the coverage can get a bit heavy if you cake it on! That being said, you really do not need an extra concealer with this product. Just apply a little extra Mineral Foundation over any trouble spots or redness with a concealer brush, and voila! Flawless.


Also included was a deliciously smoothing, featherweight Velvet Finishing Powder (I chose "Matte") that set my makeup, and controlled shine. I did use a primer beforehand as well that probably helped a bit as well. I only had to reapply the Finishing Powder once throughout the day and my makeup stayed superbly. Don't be frightened by the bright white shade of this powder, I promise you it blends out to a translucent veil! You can even see on the swatch image above how it makes your skin look airbrushed!

All in all, the Mineral Concepts Mineral Makeup face line is excellent for most skin types. I have combination skin and am acne-prone, and the oil-control was pretty decent with these products. I will have to continue using to see if it improves the condition of my face (experiencing a slight almost-that-time-of-the-month breakout currently), but so far, so good. These products are irritant free, so I'm not worried. Dry skin will love the creamy, smooth application! For the very oily, more Velvet Finishing Powder can be used as a pre-base primer. You can order your generous samples right on the site!

More Mineral Concepts coming soon! :)

What do you think? Any mineral makeup lovers out there? Have you tried Mineral Concepts?