Is your mineral makeup really mineral makeup at all? I found an interesting test for determining whether your mineral makeup is “true” mineral makeup — though the definition of that term is somewhat nebulous. Still, I figured I’d give it a shot with all my different mineral makeup, and got some revealing results for you guys! Check the below list for your mineral makeup and see how it performed.

Here are the steps of the mineral makeup test we used, provided by Color By Camille founder Camille Meyer:

1. Scrape 1/4 tablespoon of mineral makeup powder into 1/2 cup of water.
2. Mix the powder into the water for 5-10 seconds.
3. The makeup powder mix should float on top of the water. If the powder mixes with water and transforms into a milky substance or sinks to the bottom, it’s not true mineral makeup.
4. Insert your finger into the water. If the powder mix on your finger goes from gooey to powdery when you rub your fingers together, you’ve found a true mineral makeup.

And here are the results!

Pur Minerals Mineral Makeup Test Results

Pur Minerals foundation is one of the best mineral foundations I’ve ever used, so I was surprised to see some of the powder float to the bottom — but then I realized because it’s a pressed powder, it might not work the way this test expects loose powder to work. Hmm. Still, most of the water stayed pretty clear despite my efforts at grinding the powder up and stirring it in. And when I wet my fingers in the water, the makeup did return to somewhat of a powdery texture — which as you read on you’ll realized was a rarity indeed.

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Mineral Makeup Test Results

This was a surprising one. The water got awfully cloudy with MAC Mineralize, which the test suggests is not good. However, it wasn’t milky, and this powder is very fine and comes in a pressed format, so maybe it’s not the optimal makeup for this test. I made sure to grind it up extra well though. When I rubbed it between my fingers, the makeup felt more like clay than powder; but again, this may be due to the extra-fine powder.

RAW Minerals Mineral Makeup Test Results

Does it say something about RAW Minerals that I chose to use an eyeshadow rather than my RAW Minerals foundation to do this test because I didn’t want to lose a quarter tablespoon of it? At any rate, RAW Minerals performed very well on the first part of the test, with almost no powder floating to the bottom. However, this also felt like clay when I rubbed it between my fingers — but like MAC Mineralize, this powder is very fine. Could this be normal for certain textures of mineral makeup?

Bella Terra Mineral Makeup Test Results

Yes, this is that brand they sell at the little kiosks in your mall. I was mesmerized by their massive stack of eyeshadows (which I do NOT regret buying, by the way) so the foundation was a natural extension of my shopaholism. However…this foundation did not perform well, as you can see. The water is straight up milky and it felt like paint on my fingers. I don’t know what this test’s results really mean, but that can’t be good.

Mineral Essence Mineral Makeup Test Results

You may not be familiar with Mineral Essence, and their foundation’s results in this test probably won’t encourage you to become familiar with them. As you can see from the above photos, they failed this particular test horribly. (But again, what value this test has I’m not sure.) The water became entirely opaque and milky and the stuff acted like paint on my fingers. Ewie.

So sorry for not having included Bare Minerals, by the way — I just ran out! Honestly though, I don’t know how accurately this test works for all mineral makeup — there are so many different types these days, and really, is synthetic all bad?

Because I hold the misconception common to bloggers that every word that comes out of my mouth is interesting and important, I’ve started a series of YouTube videos called Video Makeup Diaries. The plan is to show you the makeup I wear and the beauty products I use each day and chat about ‘em. I made my first one today! Check it out:

Click here to view the embedded video.

In case you don’t want to wait through the video to find out, the products I discuss include:

• Rock & Republic lip gloss in Alpha Blonde;
• L’Oreal HiP eyeshadow in Foxy;
• L’Oreal HiP Chrome eyeliner in #910 Black Shock;
• OPI Brights nail polish in Shorts Story; and
• Skindinavia Makeup Finishing Spray in Bridal.

I hope you enjoy the video! Please leave me a comment and let me know if you liked it.

Did you know that the sun can fade your hair color? Of course you did, you’re a smart little beauty and/or beach bunny. What you might not know is how to protect your haircolor from the sun’s rays — but luckily, L’Oreal has an answer for you with its EverPure UV Protect Spray.

One thing I loved about EverPure shampoo and conditioner was the scent, so I was happy to see they made sure to add the refreshing rosemary and mint to this product as well. Since the entire EverPure line is sulfate-free, you don’t have to worry about your hair becoming dry or damaged. The spray feels moisturizing when you first apply it — my only issue was that it felt a bit dry afterward.

The verdict: 8/10 – A lightweight spray that’s useful for everyone under the sun!

EverPure UV Protect Spray sells for about $8 at Amazon.com and drugstores everywhere. Get it while it’s (literally) hot!

Summer is over, but that doesn’t mean it’s too late to sport a healthy glow. With my legs already donning pale signs of the coming winter, I picked up L’Oréal’s new Luminous Bronzer Self-Tanning Lotion from their Sublime Bronze collection.

After using the Self-Tanning Mist from their Sublime Bronze collection, I swore I’d never use another non-airbrush self tanner again, but this one intrigued me with its promise of instant shimmer. It’s a tinted lotion that bronzes any pasty pallor in seconds — and they are NOT kidding about the shimmer. Wow. If you’re going for a natural, sun-kissed glow, you may be a little overwhelmed; however, I kinda dug the ultra-radiant look and found it perfect for a night out.

The lotion takes a few minutes to dry and is a bit sticky in the meantime, but the scent is nice. My only other recommendation: wash your hands well after applying, and make sure to get your wrists and forearms — I didn’t have any stains between my fingers, but every time I’ve used it I manage to miss a little in cleaning up my wrists and end up with a few brown splotches.

The verdict: 8/10 – Great for a radiant glow on a night out, but not an all-purpose solution for a natural look.

Cleanser, toner, daytime moisturizer, sunscreen, night cream…with all the products we’re supposed to be using for daily maintenance of our skin, grooming becomes a full-time job in itself. Luckily, there are time-saving products like L’Oreal Revitalift Deep-Set Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream, which comes with two eye area moisturizers: one formulated for morning and one for night!

The creme uses Pro-Retinol A technology to accelerate skin renewal for visibly smooth and revitalized skin and Fiber-Restoring Complex technology to help repair and rebuild skin’s fiber capital. What’s that you say? Didn’t know your skin had a fiber capital? Well, it does: the fiber capital is the support network essential for smooth and wrinkle free skin. With time it begins to collapse, and deep-set wrinkles appear.

The AM SPF Fiber Protection Gentle Hydrating Cream uses the Fiber-Restoring Complex to help repair broken skin fibers of the delicate eye area, while broad spectrum protection UVA/UVB SPF 15 helps prevent future damage. I enjoyed the silky, wearable feeling of the morning cream and saw an instant liveliness added to my sleepy eye area.

The evening Advanced Wrinkle Repair cream helps repair and rebuild broken skin-fibers by using Pro-Retinol A to work with the skin’s natural restoration process to smooth the eye area. As you might imagine, this creme was a bit thicker than its morning counterpart; my eye area looked smoother immediately after use.

Overall, I’m enjoying this easy moisturizing regimen and loving the results so far. I can’t wait to see how my eyes look in a month or two!

L’oreal Revitalift Deep Set Wrinkle Repair Eye Creme is available for $11.99 at Amazon and drugstores everywhere.

Need to fatten up your wimpy lashes? L’Oreal’s latest mascara Extra-Volume Collagen promises to do just that. According to L’Oreal, the mascara is infused with collagen and hyaluronic spheres that clings to and magnifies lashes for “12 times more impact”. (I guess that means your lashes are 12 times bigger – like the overall lash area? How do they measure impact? I’m confused.)

I tried this mascara and the first thing I’d like to note is the brush. It’s HUGE. Mammoth. My inner and outer lashes definitely suffer. On the plus side, the mascara itself has a glossy sheen to the finish that really seems to draw attention to my individual lashes. The buildable formula doesn’t irritate my sensitive eyes, flake or smudge.

Most of this mascara’s impact involves thickening individual lashes; I would’ve liked to see more length and definition like spokesdoll Eva Longoria over there, but if you’re looking to plump skinny lashes, this mascara works like a charm. My lashes stayed perky through the end of the day, but was a little clumpy to apply…and the too-big brush plus my clumsy fingers equals messy lids.

The verdict: 6.5/10 —nice for the price and those with anorexic lashes.

L’Oreal Extra Volume Collagen Mascara is available at Amazon and most drugstores for $6.99.

I normally prefer sleek and polished coifs to the bedhead look — but the carefree, loose curls in the ads for Herbal Essences’ Tousle Me Softly line tempted me to join the other side. Who wouldn’t want these Gisele curls?

When going for the perfectly messy look, it’s important to avoid weighing your hair down with product. Luckily, the Tousle Me Softly shampoo and conditioner are light enough to give hair some styling juice without gunking it up. Plus, I really enjoyed the violet and pomegranate scent! (Pomegranate’s the new “it” food in beauty, you know.)

To get the perfectly messy look, I used the shampoo and conditioner, then towel-dried my hair. Style as you like — the line offers mousse and spray gel, but I like to wrap sections of hair around my fingers or a small barreled curling iron and finish with the Tousle Me Softly finishing cream.

Overall, the line is well-priced and performs well to boot — and the fab marketing and scent don’t hurt! Tousle Me Softly is available at drugstores everywhere.

Beauty’s already getting artsy with MAC makeup and Logics hair products; why shouldn’t fragrance follow? KENZO has teamed with designer Ron Arad for their new scent Unidentified Fragrance Object. Aurélien Guichard’s exquisite fragrance rejects the traditional olfactory pyramid and instead balances a powerful heart with four natural ingredients. The UFO bottle designed by Arad is currently on display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Only 1,000 of these unique hand-polished bottles will be produced for the US!

Top notes: orange blossom, Bulgarian rose

Heart notes: Frankincense

Base notes: Vanilla

I got to nab this exclusive fragrance, and I have to say I love it! The floral scent reminds me somewhat of Chanel Allure, but it’s a bit more exotic. The heady fragrance is suitable for wear to either a job interview or a night out at the club.

This super-limited one of a kind goodie will only be available at Bergdorf Goodman and KenzoUSA.com in August 2009. Get it while it’s in this neck of the universe!

There are tons of KENZO fragrances perfect for summer days…but oh, those summer nights! As night falls and the hot air dissipates, Kenzo introduces Indigo, a pair of sensual fragrances for him and her inspired by the seductive dance of color and scent as dusk settles on the water. The bottles, deep blue for men and purple for women, fit together to create a true indigo.

Top notes: Bergamot and mandarin essence
Heart  notes: Sambac Jasmine and Orange Blossom absolute, Ylang-Ylang essence
Base notes: Tonka Bean absolute, Amber

I got the chance to sample this sexy new scent, and  got oodles of compliments the very first time I wore it! The scent is a surprisingly deep and romantic departure from Kenzo’s usual light, flowery modus operandi. Kenzo continues to amaze me with each release as the ideal addition to their well-rounded fragrance collection — and seductive Indigo is the perfect choice for summer 2009.

L’Eau par Kenzo Indigo Eau de Toilette Spray sells for $55 in the 1.7 oz size at Amazon.com.