Everyday Minerals

This makeup line scored very well with regard to safety in the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep report on cosmetics and skin care.

The really great news is that Everyday Minerals will send you five pretty good sized samples for free (you only need to pay the cost of shipping) and the little pots even include a sifter, which means less mess.

Here is a link to the Everyday Minerals site, which also has a forum you can read through to help you decide which colors might work best for your skin tone.

You are allowed to try 3 sample powder foundations, one concealer and one blush. If you want to try more colors, you are allowed to order more sample kits and just pay the shipping, but you can only order one sample kit at a time. I ordered my sample kit when I was visiting family in the U.S., so my shipping charge was only $3.30.

The color of foundation that worked best for me was Fairly Light Neutral. The concealer (Intensive Light) was a good shade also and I loved the blush, Waffle Cone, which was slightly shimmery and quite neutral. For some reason, Everyday Minerals sent me a larger sample of the concealer – I am not going to complain about that!

If you have skin that tends to be dry, make sure you use a good moisturizer and let it dry thoroughly before applying the powders, and avoid the undereye area. Exfoliating regularly is also very important, since the powder tends to highlight any flakiness.

These mineral powders do not contain bismuth (some of the most well known brands of mineral makeup do) which can cause irritation and burning. They also provide some sun protection, although I would still use a sunblock if I were going to be outside for extended periods.