We've
put together this Frequently Asked Questions page to include some of the most
common queries we receive. Please check this page before emailing customer service,
thank you!
Q:
Most mineral powders give me a shiny look — how is it that your mineral
powder is matte?
Q: What is the coverage like with your foundation? Can I customize
it?
Q: What's the best way to apply your powder? Are any special techniques
needed?
Q: How do I know what color I should purchase?
Q: I currently wear foundation powder from (insert another mineral
powder brand) in (insert other brand shade name). Which of your powders is an
exact match for this?
Q: Once I have samples of several foundation shades, how do
I find my perfect match?
Q: If I am mixing shades to create my perfect foundation match,
do I need to grind or mix the powders in some special way or will the shake
or stir methods work?
Q: My face and neck are two different colors. How do I choose a
foundation shade?
Q: How do I determine my skin tone?
Q: Can you explain the undertones of each color family of foundation
shades?
Q: Do I need to wear a finishing powder over my foundation?
Q: Does your powder have SPF?
Q: Are your mineral powders good for oily skin?
Q: I hear that your mineral powder does not accentuate pores
or fine lines like some brands do. Is this true?
Q: If your mineral foundation powder contains mica, then why
isn’t it shiny?
Q: I hear that mica powder is an irritant. Is this true?
Q: Do you offer a concealer?
Q: What is the difference between the Pure Blushes and the Pure
Rouges?
Q: Can I use (insert Aromaleigh product name) on my lips/eyes?
Q:
Will this makeup stand up to sweating?
Q:
Can I wear moisturizer under minerals?
Q: Do any creams or lotions interfere with minerals?
Q: Should I wear a heavy or light moisturizer under minerals?
Q: Can minerals be worn with a standard foundation?
Q: Can minerals expire or go bad?
Q:
How do I use the Pure Hues?
Q:
Why do your products cost less than the major mineral cosmetic brands?
Q:
How can you ship so quickly?
Q:
I only have $25 to spend on my first order. Where should I start?
Q:
Most mineral powders give me a shiny look — how is it that your mineral
powder is matte?
A:
It's all in the ingredients. We don't use bismuth oxychloride, an ingredient
that gives most mineral powders their "glowy" look and silky texture. Some people
are sensitive to this ingredient and find that it can cause breakouts, itching
and irritation. Because we don't use it, the texture of our mineral foundation
feels very different from other brands. It is more fluffy and powdery to the
touch. Another benefit of avoiding bismuth oxychloride is that no special "buffing"
technique is needed to buff the product into your pores and fine lines (just
glide it on!) and no finishing powder is needed to cut down on shine.
Q: What is the coverage like with your foundation? Can I customize it?
A: Depending
on how you use our foundation powders, you can
achieve widely varying levels of coverage, perhaps more than any other mineral
cosmetics line! Our Voilé and Glissade powders
most closely approximates the coverage of other popular mineral foundations,
such as Bare Escentuals and Jane Iredale.) Some ladies feel that Glissade offers slightly heavier coverage than Voilé, although theoretically their coverage is equivalent. See our Mineral
Makeup How-To’s page for more details.
Q: What's the best way to apply your powder? Are any special techniques needed?
A: No
special time-consuming application techniques are necessary. As with any powder,
you'll need something to apply it. Apply your chosen mix with a brush and get
lighter coverage. Use a makeup sponge or flocked sponge and the coverage will
be heavier. You can achieve even heavier coverage by applying your powder over
a well-moisturized face, or create a tinted moisturizer by adding some of your
foundation mix to your favorite lotion.
Q: How do I know what color I should purchase?
A: We
highly recommend samples to start. Our 31 shades of both foundation powders
offer a great variety of hues for varying skin colors and undertones. We also
have posted information on this site which can help you determine whether you
are warm, cool or neutral.
To get personalized color help, visit the Aromaleigh
Aficionadas forum.
Q: I currently wear foundation powder from (insert another mineral powder brand)
in (insert other brand shade name). Which of your powders is an exact match
for this?
A: There
are numerous mineral makeup brands available, all with varying shades and undertones.
Even the same shade can appear different on various skintones. for example,
our 2W (light warm) color is a very close visual match to Bare Escentuals #2.
However, many ladies who wear BE #2 find that this shade does not work for them.
There are so many variables involved in giving cross-brand color matches that
it is a complicated and difficult task. We are unable to give exact cross-brand
color matches. We recommend that you try some samples of our foundations and
we encourage you to visit the Aromaleigh Aficionadas
forum, which is full of helpful ladies who love to
help "newbies" find their perfect foundation match.
Q: Once I have
samples of several foundation shades, how do I find my perfect match?
A: There
are several ways to do this. You can wear each shade by itself for one day and
see which looks best. You can apply a stripe of each shade on your clean face
(most recommend doing this near the jaw line) and choose the one that seems to
disappear into your skin. If none of our shades seems quite right on its own,
don’t forget that you can mix your shades into endless combinations to custom-design
your own color! Some ladies also add flaxen or goldenrod matte eyeshadows for
more yellow tones. Still others choose a shade that does not match their skin
tone, but corrects it, such as women with Rosacea who often choose a shade with
more yellow tones to counteract the redness in their skin. It’s all up to
you!
Q: If I
am mixing shades to create my perfect foundation match, do I need to grind or
mix the powders in some special way or will the shake or stir methods work?
A: Mixing
our foundation powders by combining them in a container and simply shaking or
stirring works fine. Just be sure to get them well-mixed, especially if the shades
are very different from each other. The only time you need to use a blender or
grinder is when you mix the matte oxides and ultramarine pigments shown at the
bottom of the color chart on the Pure Hues page.
Q: My face
and neck are two different colors. How do I choose a foundation shade?
A: This
is a tough one. Some women prefer to match their neck, so that everything is one
color. Others prefer to match their face, feeling that the look is more natural.
You might try it both ways or even choose a shade that is a combination of the
two. Trying each look and asking family and friends what they prefer can help
you decide, as well.
Q: How do
I determine my skin tone?
A: See
our color chart to learn the difference
between warm and cool skin tones.
Q: Can you explain
the undertones of each color family of foundation shades?
A: Yes. Here’s
a quick list.
Yellows = beige
+ yellow
Warms = beige + yellow + peach
Neutrals = beige + yellow + peach + pink
Cools = beige + peach + pink
Pinks = beige + pink
Linens = just beige
Alabaster = no undertones, for the palest of pale skintones.
Q: Do I need
to wear a finishing powder over my foundation?
A: No,
a finishing powder is not necessary as it is with other mineral foundations
that have a more shiny appearance. Our foundation powders are perfectly matte.
We find that spritzing your face with a fine misting of our Orange Blossom Mist,
one of our toners, or spring water "sets" the makeup and keeps your look fresh.
We do, however, have a beautiful finishing powder called Illuminator, which
gives skin the candlelight glow that many desire. We also offer the Coquilles,
a line of corrective finishing powders in six different colors designed to enliven
the skin and erase the appearance of specific flaws, as described in detail
on the Coquille page.
Q: Does
your powder have SPF?
A:
While all powders containing titanium dioxide or zinc oxide offer barrier protection
from the sun, we cannot indicate a specific level of SPF without getting costly
testing done, as per FDA regulations. Because we are a small company, this testing
is not affordable to us at this time.
Q: Are
your mineral powders good for oily skin?
A:
Yes — they are excellent for oily skin! Many of our customers with oily
skin are very pleased with the level of oil control that our foundations provide
— especially the Pure Powder. Some even swear that our foundation improves
the condition of their skin and prevents breakouts! We also offer an oil-control
primer powder called Porcelaine that can be applied over, under or mixed into
foundation for extra protection from that midday shine.
Q: I hear that your mineral powder does not accentuate pores or fine lines like
some brands do. Is this true?
A: Yes,
this is true. Because we do not use bismuth oxychloride, which can settle into
and accentuate pores and fine lines, our foundation powders tend to glide across
the skin, masking imperfections.
Q: If your mineral foundation powder contains mica, then why isn’t it shiny?
A: Not
all mica is shiny or glittery. We use a variety of mica powders in Aromaleigh
cosmetics. In our foundation powders, we use a very finely milled, non-glimmering
mica powder.
Q: I hear that mica powder is an irritant. Is this true?
A:
Mica powder is a benign ingredient that does not have a history of irritation.
Although we have heard of the occasional very sensitive individual who cannot
wear micas, this is quite rare.
Q: Do you offer a concealer?
A: Our
Pure Cover was originally designed as a concealer, and it performs beautifully
in that capacity! We recommend using a shade lighter than your foundation for
under eye circles and a shade darker to conceal blemishes. We also offer several
matte eyeshadows in neutral tones that can make excellent concealers. Consider
wheat, fawn, cupid, peach, flaxen, goldenrod, seafoam or mint as concealers
or additions to your Pure Cover. Our Coquille corrective powders can also assist
in concealing certain flaws.
Q: What is the difference between the Pure Blushes and the Pure Rouges?
A: Both
provide cheek color, but that is where the similarity ends. The Pure Blushes
are our variable intensity cheek colors. They provide sheer, buildable color
that has a translucent quality. The Pure Rouges are denser, deeper shades, and
are more what-you-see-is-what-you-get. The color effect is very much like what
you see in the jar. Very fair women usually prefer the Pure Blushes, where women
with darker complexions often prefer the Pure Rouges, but all skin shades can
use either formula.
Q: Can I use (insert Aromaleigh product name) on my lips/eyes?
A: According
to the FDA, certain pigments are not safe for use on the lips and/or eyes. While
we are not able to provide a "yes" or "no" for each individual
color cosmetic due to the hundreds of pigments involved in creating our many
colorful products, here are some general guidelines to follow as you choose
how to wear your Aromaleigh makeup:
Matte eyeshadows
— not for use on lips
Frost eyeshadows — not for use on lips
Pure Blushes — ok to use anywhere
Pure Rouges — not for use on lips
Color Washes — not for use on eyes
Pure Bronzes — ok to use anywhere
Pure Gilt — ok to use anywhere
Pure Moonlight — ok to use anywhere
Pure Opal — ok to use anywhere
Q: Will this makeup stand up to sweating?
A: Yes! Countless satisfied customers have been pleasantly surprised by
how well our products tolerate extreme temperatures and sweating (and motorcycle
rides and horseback riding, etc!). If you do sweat a lot, blot your face with
a towel rather than wiping it. Your makeup will stay on better that way.
Q: Can I wear moisturizer under minerals?
A: Absolutely! Most women do. For the smoothest mineral foundation application,
allow your moisturizer to absorb completely before applying your minerals.
Q: Do any creams or lotions interfere with minerals?
A: None do, as long you don’t use too much lotion and it is allowed
to fully absorb into the skin before applying your minerals.
Q: Should I wear a heavy or light moisturizer under minerals?
A: Only
your skin can answer this question! In general, oily skin usually does better
with a lighter formula and drier complexions often need more moisture. You can
even mix your minerals with your moisturizer or sunscreen lotion to create a
liquid foundation if you wish. Experiment to see what you like best on your
own skin.
Q: Can minerals be worn with a standard foundation?
A: Certainly,
but then you are losing the benefits of minerals: no chemicals, no preservatives,
no artificial color dyes, and the look of flawless skin!
Q: Can minerals expire or go bad?
A: Theoretically,
minerals are inert, inorganic ingredients and cannot support microbial growth.
Since our Voilé loose mineral powder contains no liquid oils (e.g. vegetable or nut
base oils), liquid vitamins (e.g. vitamin E) or plant extracts (e.g. water based
herbal extracts), no preservatives (anti-microbials) are needed. Care of course
should be taken to use clean brushes and applicators to avoid cross-contamination,
and not sharing or swapping cosmetics with other people. Our other mineral foundation, "Glissade" has characteristics which create an environment conducive to contamination is a preservative is not used, hence, we add a very minimal amount of paraben preservative to Glissade to ensure your safety.
Q: How do I use the Pure Hues?
A: The
possibilities are endless! Mix Pure Hues together to create new shades. Use
them straight as eyeshadows or add them to other loose mineral powders to change,
adjust or enhance the color or effect. The Pure Hues that are safe to use in
lip products (such as adding to a lip balm, gloss or existing lip color) or
on eyes as eyeshadows are indicated as such. We don't offer recipes or personalized
mixing advice for the use of Pure Hues. You'll need to use your creativity for
that, so have fun!
Q: Why do your products cost less than the major mineral cosmetic brands?
A: Aromaleigh
is a very small company and the majority of our products are micro-formulated by one woman.
She also maintains the website, makes the labels and, with help from a few extra
hands, packs the jars and ships the orders! There is no middleman, no advertising
and no fancy packaging, all of which saves our customers money...
Q: How can you ship so quickly?
A:
Since we are a small company, strict organization and efficiency is crucial
to our success. We also have limited workspace and manpower (or rather, womanpower!)
so we microformulate our products in small batches. We keep a small inventory
of samples and full-sized products on hand for quick order filling. We work
very hard, long hours and shipping orders quickly is our highest priority. No
real secrets here. Just good old-fashioned elbow grease, an organized process
and a love for what we do!
Q: I only have $25 to spend on my first order. Where should I start?
A:
Samples, samples, samples! We offer reasonably priced samples of every one
of our loose powder products, which can be invaluable in choosing the right
colors for you. Start with Voilé or Glissade, selecting several possible
shades that might match your skin tone. Pick at a couple of each of the Pure
Blushes and the Pure Rouges. Try several of the Pure Eyes frost and matte eyeshadows.
If you still have some money left, try one of our beautiful lipsticks, lipglosses, lipbalms or color washes.
