Flawless beauty

BARE MINERAL'S ORIGINAL FOUNDATION BROAD SPECTRUM SPF 15

$49

If want something that will give medium to full coverage while maintaining a natural luminous finish, try this.

While the general belief is that mineral foundations fade easily, this lightweight one, available in 20 shades, lasted on my skin for about eight hours.

It seemed to diminish the appearance of imperfections without making my skin look dry.

But you have to apply it the right way. For it to last, tap away the excess first, then buff onto your skin in circular motions.

Available at all Sephora stores.

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MAC MINERALIZE MOISTURE SPF15 FOUNDATION

$65

This liquid foundation has to be one of the best mineral foundations I've tried. Especially since I have dry skin.

Its milky formula blends effortlessly and melts into skin, leaving a satiny and dewy finish. I prefer to apply it with a beauty blender - a foundation brush could make it look streaky - and this ensures that the skin at both corners of your eye get coverage.

In short, it's a great everyday foundation for women with normal to dry skin. It's also easy to apply and stays on for about 10 hours, especially if used with a primer or setting powder.

Available at MAC stores.

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THE BODY SHOP EXTRA VIRGIN MINERALS CREAM COMPACT FOUNDATION SPF 15

$39.90

I had a bit of redness on my skin recently and was surprised that this cream foundation covered it up really well.

Its manufacturers guarantee this cream blends well and transforms into a lightweight matte finish to give medium to full coverage.

While it did just that, it also left my skin feeling a little oily, probably due to the extra virgin olive oil elements in it.

Without a primer, this foundation has a tendency to fade. Best to use it with a primer or setting powder.

Available at all The Body Shop stores.

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THE YOUTUBE TEST: PUTTING ONLINE ADVICE TO THE TEST

HOW TO APPLY MINERAL FOUNDATION (BARE MINERALS)

Username: From Head To Toe

Keywords: Mineral foundation

Sure, it takes almost seven minutes for this YouTuber to apply her mineral powder foundation.

But it is amazing to see how she manages to cover acne spots and scars.

She also lets you in on how to conceal blemishes without looking as though you have bright colour spots on your face.

The video gets a thumbs up for its attention to detail, even if she has an awfully whiny voice.

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FULL COVERAGE FROM MINERAL MAKEUP TUTORIAL

Username: gossmakeupchat

Keywords: Mineral foundation, make up, how to, apply, full coverage

This YouTube user shows how to use mineral make-up for full coverage.

He preps the skin by using a moisturiser before putting on the mineral foundation.

He dabs it all over the face at different spots - two to three on the forehead, and two on each cheek. These, he says, mark the points where he plans to buff the mineral foundation into.

He also shares tips on brushing downwards for a matte finish.

Yes, we know this is a guy, but there are some worthy tips here if you want natural-looking foundation and great shading techniques.