by Nikki Gotianse-Tan
MAKE-UP and I are like fair-weathered friends. We have chance encounters, usually involving another friend (the erstwhile godsend of a makeup artist), where we mesh and I feel we can live happily ever after. But leave us alone and it’s an entirely different story. I don’t quite know what to do with it. However, I’ve come to accept that applying some is a nonnegotiable in my daily effort to looking presentable. It’s nothing fancy though. Loose powder, concealer and some lip gloss get the most mileage on my face. But as sparingly as I use it, I am a student of the school of thought that one mustn’t be made to feel “made-up” when putting on make-up. Skin must still be able to breathe and not be a literal confection of cake-y, stage-thick Technicolor muck. It felt like fate then when the assignment to cover Jane Iredale Mineral Cosmetics fell on my lap. I’ve heard whispers of mineral make-up before, in tones of ‘natural,’ ‘light,’ and ‘like it’s not even there.’ This is makeup language I can understand and appreciate.
Jane Iredale Mineral Make-up, which I quickly learned is the brand as far as mineral cosmetics is concerned, is only a year old in the Philippines and even less than a month old in Davao but it has already been making waves in the beauty and skin care market thanks to the efforts of True Scents and Minerals, Inc. and its president, Judith Barran. The company is the exclusive Philippine distributor of the brand, more widely known as “the Skin Care Make Up” and their presence has been widely noted throughout various Rustan’s department stores and a newly minted counter at Chimes Davao.
The flattering reputation of Jane Iredale’s complete line of cosmetics has its roots in its micronized minerals and pigments that form microscopic crystals. Because of the super fine concentration of the ingredients, just a tad gives unsurpassed coverage and makes it act as a foundation, powder and concealer all at once. The powders are also water resistant, making mid-day creases and smears nearly impossible. Here belies the main secret to the weightlessness that the brand is known for, as well as the luminescent glow their products afford the wearer. They are however heavy on skin care benefits, making its natural virtues extolled not only by celebrities such as Victoria Beckham and the cast of TV talk show, “The View”, but also of medical professionals such as plastic surgeons and dermatologists. The fact that their products are non-comedogenic, sensitivity-tested, anti-inflammatory and safe for use even after treatments like peels and laser resurfacing reveals the core strength that founder Jane Iredale was really aiming for: makeup that is a true extension of skin care and at the same time aesthetically pleasing.
A look at the color palette of this breakthrough brand of cosmetics reveals that this is a brand that celebrates not only beauty but all complexions and ethnicities. Whether it’s a smoky eye, a deep berry-red lip or a sun-kissed glow that one is after, this is make-up that can accommodate and with a proprietary technology that assures long-lasting coverage. Theirs is a science that is sound and one that expertly translates onto the face in a broad range of looks achieved through their line of staples such as their Dancing Liquid Minerals foundation and Active Light concealers and complemented by their seasonal collections, the most recent which is dubbed Silver Lining for Fall 2009.
After a little slather of their tinted moisturizer and a touch of their Amazing loose powder that blended so well that it was like second skin in an instant, I was an immediate fan. “The application always does it,” relayed Judith. Their company showroom which is located in the newly developed Paseo de Legaspi compound in Legaspi Street will showcase the full line of Jane Iredale Cosmetics in the coming weeks. This along with the Enchanted Meadow body care and home fragrances and the Nature’s Essentials aromatherapy line that one can find in their quaint and inviting space neatly round up the company’s selection of quality products that are at once opulent and rooted in all things green. It looks like they’ve found out how to successfully bring the natural back to beauty.
True Scents & Minerals showroom is located in Paseo de Legaspi Compound, J.P. Rizal and Legaspi Sts., Davao City. Tel#: 321-1417 / (Chiqui) 0928-5083385. (Aromatherapy and Mineral Make-up Workshops are being offered)
Jane Iredale Mineral Cosmetics are available in Chimes Specialty Store, Gov. Sales St., Davao City.
