From The Vault: Pure Pressed Foundation – Jane Iredale

Some products you use time and time again, replacing them at regular intervals and this powder foundation was one of them .

When working for one of my most regular broadcast clients we often have guests (usually male) join us in the studio at very short notice and more often than not for very short periods of time. This frequently results in me having to do unexpected make-ups in a matter of minutes; sometime seconds and this is where Purepressed Base Mineral Foundation from Jane Iredale (£35.00) comes into its own.

I generally favour a cream or liquid foundation over anything else however when it comes to speedy male make-ups, if anything more than a little powder or anti-shine is required then this is my go-to product. The powder foundation provides an all-in-one solution: giving a medium coverage base with a semi-matte finish (HD doesn’t like super matte skin) whilst concealing and balancing the texture and tone of the skin.

The industry standard product for male grooming is Studio Fix Powder Foundation from MAC; not necessarily the best but certainly one of the most prevalent. Purepressed is in my mind, a viable alternative that not only offers a nicer finish (in my opinion) for High Definition work but is also cruelty free – something that can no longer be guaranteed by the competition.

The spectrum of shades is incredible for a natural line – there are 24 in total (Studio Fix has 50); and what makes this product a viable option for me is the range of shades available for darker skin tones – brilliant!

Purepressed is easily applied using a sponge (such as a beauty blender), however I prefer to use a flat ended dual fibre brush and working in light circular motions around the face to buff it into the skin.

I don’t only use Purepressed foundation for last minute make-ups, I often choose it as a base for those individuals who don’t want much (they don’t have a choice in the amount I use in all honesty but it creates the illusion that I am only using a powder – you get a lot of people who think they know better than you in this game). I apply a primer to the skin with my fingers or a brush and a touch of concealer (probably the only time I conceal before foundation) before going in with this.

The one flaw with Purepressed is that it contains an SPF 20. Yes, it’s perfect for daily wear but it does mean that I have to exercise caution when it comes to any photographic work as the Titanium Dioxide can play havoc with certain lighting conditions (such as camera flash); as a rule I try to avoid foundations and powders with high levels of Titanium Dioxide for this very reason.

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Purepressed foundation has been a staple of my profit for years and to be honest it still is. I find it incredibly useful for Male Grooming jobs and for quick fixes.I don’t see myself stopping using these foundations any time soon, they are a great go-to product and handy to have in your kit.

It is a versatile product that can be applied as a sheer dusting or built up according to requirements. I have a number of these in my kit in all manor of shades. The one drawn back I didn’t mention previously is that on very dark skin even the darkest shades can look a little ashy, but it does really vary from person to person.

Annoyingly they used to be available in both filled compact and cheaper refill pan options however they seemed to have stopped offering this and only sell the refill (at a similar price to the original filled compact!). Not such good value for money now but still a good product.

Ingredients:
Mica, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Boron Nitride, Zinc Oxide (Ci 77947), Dimethicone, Stearic Acid, Plankton Extract, Algae Extract, Pinus Strobus (Pine) Bark Extract, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Extract.
May Contain Iron Oxides (Ci 77489, Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499), Ultramarines (Ci 77007), Chromium Oxide Greens (Ci 77288)
Details:
ww.janeiredale.co.uk

Images: (1) ; (2) Jane Iredale