TROUBLESHOOTING MINERAL MAKEUP

Welcome to our troubleshooting section! Whether you have specific skin problems to conceal or are unsure about your makeup application techniques, this is the place to find helpful suggestions!

For more information, check out our FAQ and how-to sections on the makeup pages. For personalized help, post your question at our Aromaleigh Aficionadas forum.

Problem: I have Rosacea. How can I cover the redness?
Suggestions:

  • Try applying the Pashmina heavy coverage foundation/concealer over red areas. This dense mineral powder gives great coverage.


  • Use some of our matte eyeshadows for color correction. We recommend shades such as Askefreur, Frimia, Modir, Nanna, Norn, Sif, Svalin for lighter skin tones. For medium/deeper skin tones, consider Laufey, Hulda, Olin, Gullveig, Gerd, Embla.


  • Mix Pashmina foundation/concealer with the matte eyeshadow of your choice to customize the perfect shade.


  • Give a natural skin care line a try. Many of our customers report that our gentle, soothing ingredients help heal their Rosacea, giving them less redness to cover!


Problem: I have oily skin. How can I avoid oil breakthrough?
Suggestions:

  • Try Porcelana, our oil-control primer powder.


  • If you mix Pashmina into your foundation blend, try decreasing the percentage of it. Oily skin seems to experience less oil breakthrough when the lighter Gossamer or Dewdrop formula is the major ingredient in the blend.


  • Be sure your skin is getting enough oil! So often, oily skin treatments and blemish fighters dry out skin so much that it actually causes it to produce more oil!


  • On the other hand, overusing oil can be too much of a good thing


  • Apply jojoba oil or extra virgin olive oil to your face at bedtime to help balance skin naturally.


  • Be sure that you’re not over-exfoliating. Irritated skin can react by producing more oil.


Problem: How can I minimize the appearance of large pores?
Suggestions:

  • Try Porcelana, our oil-control primer powder.


  • Apply your foundation with a flocked sponge or go over your brushed-on application with a flocked sponge using downward strokes. This tends to minimize the appearance of pores.


  • If you apply your foundation with a brush, you can also try using downward strokes with your brush.


  • Try using less foundation. Too much powder will accentuate pores.


Problem: My face looks chalky/cakey after applying my foundation.
Suggestions:


  • Try using less foundation powder. This is the most common cause of a chalky/cakey appearance. Sprinkle about half of what you think you will need into your jar lid or dish and work just a small portion of that into your brush or sponge. Layer on your foundation little by little and stop just one layer short of what you think is enough. Let the powder warm to your face for 10-15 minutes and check it in natural light. Chances are, you’ll look just right!


  • If that’s not the problem, you may be using a foundation shade that is too light for your skin. Try the next darker shade or mix some of a darker shade into what you’re using.


  • If your skin leans toward the dry side, or you have combination skin with dry areas, you may not be giving your skin enough moisture.


  • Another cause of a chalky appearance, dead skin cells must be removed to create the best canvas for minerals or any kind of makeup. Be sure to exfoliate regularly.


  • If a powder application is just too dry for your skin, mix your foundation with your moisturizer or facial sunscreen lotion to create a liquid foundation.


  • You can also apply your foundation powder with a damp sponge.


  • Try a spritz of toner or a mist of water to finish your makeup.


  • Try our Illuminata Finishing Powder or one of our Glamoured finishing powders to give your face that soft, dewy glow.


Problem: What can I do if my foundation turns orange on my skin?
Suggestions:

  • You may need a shade without peach tones, as they are usually the culprit here. Try a foundation from our Linens, Pinks or Yellows, or mix a bit of powder from one of these color families into your existing foundation. None of these contain peach tones. For extra pale skin, try Alabaster. It also has no peach tones.


Problem: I feel a grab/pull on the skin when applying my foundation. The mineral powder seems to be uneven when I apply it, forming patches and heavy areas. How can I alleviate this?
Suggestions:


  • Most likely, you are using too much foundation powder. Sprinkle about half of what you think you will need into your jar lid or dish and work just a small portion of that into your brush or sponge. Layer on your foundation little by little and stop just one layer short of what you think is enough. Let the powder warm to your face for 10-15 minutes and check it in natural light. Chances are, you’ll look just right!


  • It that’s not the problem, you might not be giving your moisturizer enough time to absorb. Wait 10-20 minutes after moisturizing before applying your makeup.


Problem: My skin feels dry/tight after applying my makeup. Sometimes the powder seems to fall right off. What can I do?
Suggestions:


  • Your skin is dry and you need more moisture. Try a more moisturizing serum or lotion, applying it and allowing it to absorb before makeup application.


  • If a powder application is just too dry for your skin, mix your foundation with a serum, moisturizer or facial sunscreen lotion to create a liquid foundation.


Problem: Why does my face itch and/or feel hot when I wear Pashmina Mineral Foundation in the summer?
Suggestions:


  • Some women notice a slight sensitivity to zinc oxide in the warm summer months, especially when they sweat. If you wear a mix of Pashmina and Gossamer/Dewdrop, try decreasing the percentage of Pashmina.


  • You may find that wearing Gossamer/Dewdrop alone in the summer works best, as it contains no zinc oxide.


  • Another possibility whether you are wearing Gossamer, Dewdrop or Pashmina: Your face has become sensitized by buffing your minerals into your skin with a kabuki brush. Stiffer brushes and hard buffing can produce tiny fissures on sensitive skin types. Discontinue use of the kabuki brush or use a softer kabuki. You might want to use a flocked sponge for a while until your skin heals.


  • Problem: Sometimes I get streaks of orange or brown on my face when applying the foundation powders. What causes this?


  • Since all our foundation powders are blended by hand, you will sometimes see an occasional particle of pigment that didn’t get thoroughly mixed during our blending process. There’s nothing wrong with your foundation. Simply blend it away with your finger or sponge. This problem is most common when your moisturizer is not fully absorbed and the pigment particles grab on your skin, darkening and leaving a streak.