Each ingredient serves a hyper-specific purpose from Oatmeal (a natural skin soother) to Soy (for radiance) and Tapioca and Rice Flour (to smooth and refine).  The resulting powder is soft and finely-milled  - you can blend it easily for anywhere from sheer to heavy coverage. It’s available in five shades from Light to Deep.

Multi-Grain Makeup leaves skin looking lovely – you won’t see the dryness that is all too common with many mineral lines.

Visit www.origins.com or your local Origins store to purchase!

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Though Neiman Marcus describes this as “lightweight,” that describes more the texture than the coverage.  A little goes a long way with this cream formula, which includes Vitamins A & E, so apply just a wee bit to begin and focus on the areas of your face where you need the most coverage (for me, that’s under the eyes and on the chin). It blends beautifully and gives a really natural, effusive look, especially when applied with fingers as opposed to a brush or a sponge.

I’m pleased to report that the Classic Flawless Finish Foundation also includes SPF 8 – of course, you should aim for at least SPF 30 on your face, but should you inadvertently forget sunscreen one morning, you’re covered.

Snag your own bottle at the Neiman Marcus link above or visit www.lemetierdebeaute.com for a store locator.

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This pro-quality Japanese line offers a top notch foundation formula that leaves my skin looking as flawless as possible (seriously, I’m hi-def camera ready in this stuff).  The coverage is substantial so just a bit goes a long way. I can use about three pea-sized or smaller dots to cover my entire face.

KohGenDo’s Moisture Foundation is available in three shades – Pale Ivory, Natural and Ochre – and I find that if I mix the lighter two shades, it’s the perfect hue for my skin.  Darker skinned gals may not have a match here, however.

To learn more about KohGenDo or to snag the Moisture Foundation for yourself, visit the website.

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TREND: A NEUTRAL, FLAWLESS COMPLEXION

In the spring and summer, your best feature should be flawless skin. But since it’s warmer outside, you have to use a product that isn’t too heavy and won’t run down your face when it’s humid.

TIP: To make sure you don’t over-do it, use a product that gives you sheer, light coverage that makes it look like you were born with smooth, flawless skin! Apply it just like you would your regular moisturizer. An added bonus is finding one with SPF in it! (She suggests Mineral Wear® Talc-Free Mineral Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 15 – I also love Laura Gellar’s, though it’s a bit more expensive.)

TREND: A SUBTLE GLOW… EVEN WHEN A VACATION ISN’T AN OPTION

It’s not as easy these days to jet off for a weekend getaway, but you don’t want your only glow to come from the light of a computer screen either. The solution? Fake it with a subtle, natural-looking bronzer – one that will make friends ask which beach you spent your weekend at.

TIP: For a subtle glow that is polished, not overdone, use a bronzer that offers gorgeous color and one that offers a mistake-proof formula. Picking the correct bronzer will give the illusion of a soft, smooth surface. Sweep it across cheeks, forehead, nose and chin, neck and chest for a healthy looking fresh finish. Use it to create some cleavage as well! (Joanna suggests Bronze Booster Glow-Boosting Pressed Bronzer)

TREND: MAKE EYES POP WITH A WASH OF WARM, RADIANT BRONZE

A subtle application of bronze shimmer shadow on the top of lids is right on trend for spring and summer. With the same shade in hand, sweep color gently under the lower lashes to make your eyes stand out for a more dramatic pop.

TIP: Make sure the shadow is applied starting right above eyelashes and take it up just past the crease. Be careful though – if you apply it any higher, the look will go from being in trendy to clown-ish. (Try another great Physician’s Formula product to get this look - Shimmer Strips Custom Enhancing Shadow & Liner – Bronze Collection)

Will you be sporting any of these key trends this summer?

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Image courtesy of Bobbi Brown

Bobbi’s creamy, moderate coverage formula is a favorite of mine and I’m really loving how you can choose an empty six pan palette on site and mix and match eye shadows, blush and lip quads to create one simple, portable system.  Though I love, love, love makeup, it’s my dream to have ONE small stash that suits all of my needs and Bobbi’s system could be that for many women.

The Foundation Stick Compact is available in twenty shades, three of them new (above is Alabaster, the lightest). Check out Bobbi Brown counters or www.bobbibrown.com to shop.

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Image courtesy of tarte Cosmetics.

My latest find to fit the bill is tarte’s ReCreate Anti-Aging Foundation with Wrinkle Rewind Technology ($37).  This mineral pigment-based liquid foundation offers strong coverage but with a soft, diffused finish.  With anti-aging, hydrating and brightening ingredients (along with broad range UVA/UVB SPF 15 protection), ReCreate is pretty much the ULTIMATE multi-tasker.

ReCreate is paraben, sulfate, oil, dye and talc-free.

To shop tarte, visit www.tartecosmetics.com

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Brett Freedman, Makeup Artist & Founder of Vanitymark Cosmetics

Next up in our series of Makeup Minute How To’s are tips on making foundation last.  Foundation is an essential for women who want coverage but getting your makeup to last the duration of the day can be a challenge.

Celebrity makeup artist Brett Freedman (who keeps stars like Reba McIntyre and Jenna Fischer looking gorgeous) gave us his top three tips for foundation with staying power:

1. My first trick to getting a foundation that holds up is to find a long wear formulation. I LOVE Revlon’s ColorStay Active Light Foundation. It’s super sheer, comes in an amazing color range and has SPF 25.  That’s  not even the best part. The stuff STAYS. Oh, it won’t come off till you take it off. It’s so lightweight it lets the skin breath. Very important in the warmer months.

2. Switch to an oil free moisturizer. Apply while face is still damp. Denser moisturizers can sometimes  ‘break down’ foundation. Lock in moisture right after cleansing and allow your moisturizer to dry completely. You’ll use less foundation and it will really absorb and adhere to skin. This trick is all about timing. Origins Plantidote Mega-Mushroom Face Lotion (an oil free moisturizer) is one of my faves!

3. Set with loose powder and a big fluffy brush. A compact is good for touch ups but for a solid, diffused finish to just applied foundation there is nothing better than loose powder. Finely milled powder works best to really get in there and ’set’ every little area. A big fluffy brush insures even distribution. NARS Loose Powder has an amazing feel and ultra soft on the skin. 

For more info on Brett or to check out his line, Vanitymark, visit www.vanitymark.com .

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Image: Prescriptives

I must say, I am a mighty picky chick when it comes to foundations, and I’m willing to bet many of your are too, no? And that once you find a great product, you’ll stick with it forever and ever, right? Well, as a die hard fan of tinted moisturizer paired up with a pressed powder, I am now singing the praises of this Prescriptives makeup and am even willing to go so far as to chuck my old stand-bys in the garbage. Seriously.

First off, the compact is absolutely gorgeous, which I’ll admit, is a huge selling feature to me. When something that makes me look beautiful looks beautiful on its own, that’s a great start.

Second, the makeup itself goes on beautifully, provides fabulous coverage, lasts for ages and does not clog my easily-clogged pores. I was very, very afraid that now that I have my skin under control and looking great, trying a new makeup would make it rebel, but I’m happy to say that after a week of use, I see no signs of breakouts at all. Hallelujah!

Here are a few selling points:

• Suitable for all skin types
• Natural looking in all types of light
• Minimizes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
• Minimizes the appearance of pores
• Oil-free, fragrance-free, and non-acnegenic

This is a cream-to-powder makeup with light-reflecting properties. It’s available in 12 different shades, so you’re sure to find the right one for you. It’s a fabulous product any way you look at it.

Interested? You can snatch this up for about $35 by vising Prescriptives.com or by stopping by any Prescriptives counter nationwide.

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Not that I want to see myself all blown up like this, but I think it gives you a truer picture of how well the Mineral Mousse Foundation really gave my skin a flawless look. No shine either! The Mineral Compact Makeup was very light and really was the finishing touch to making my skin look so matte. The Lip Mixer is pretty cool because it has a solid matte color at the bottom of the tube and as you pull the applicator out it glides through the section of shimmer and shine. The color I am wearing is called Lip Stir (#703). The mousse is French Cream and the compact is Creamy Natural.

The best part is that Milani Cosmetics can be found at your local drugstore and is completely affordable! So ladies, now you can go look like a snowbunny too!

Photo Credit: Milani Cosmetics and (c) Shannon Nelson and cannot be used without expressed written permission.

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I have fair to medium skin, so Pure Finish 3 looks flawless on my skin. I loved how it gave me full coverage without looking like I had a face full of makeup on.  What’s great is that it concealed imperfections and mattified my skin like a pressed powder would but without the typical “shine” of mineral powder.

It’s also a pretty big compact for only $37.50. And Crystal of Beauty or Bust–it doesn’t contain talc! (I was thinking of you when I found that out!) Find your perfect shade at: www.shop.elizabetharden.com

*Photo Credit: Elizabeth Arden

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