The English Mineral Make-up Company

Style isn’t the first word which springs to mind at the mention of mineral make-up. It may sound harsh but sadly it’s true. The vast majority of loose mineral make-ups are packaged in little round plastic pots with screw top lids; effective and practical (until they break or become unscrewed in your bag) but not particularly visually appealing. Over the summer I was introduced to The English Mineral Make-up Company (EMM), the relatively new kid on the block and one who has brought a new look to loose mineral powder make-up*.

Established by a mother and daughter team who were looking for something more from their make-up, The English Mineral Make-up Company is well and truly at the premium end of the spectrum. Just one glance at the elegant packaging and you know you are looking at a brand to whom luxury is paramount. It is about the experience as a whole and not just the product within.

I was kindly sent a couple of products to try; a foundation and two blushers; Rose and Deep Pink along with a mini kabuki brush.

The products arrive housed in cute little creamy white velour bags (the only negative as they show the dirt pretty quickly!), the pots are more akin to a traditional compact than a mineral make-up pot. Sturdy transparent cubes with a white flip top lid which clicks reassuringly on opening or closing the lids. Inside are a little mirror and a snuggly fitting sponge (not pictured), which not only helps keep the make-up from escaping from the large sifter squares but could also be used for application should you desire.

The Mineral Foundation (£37.00) was packaged in a beautiful box tied with a ribbon and also enclosed was a super cute mini bamboo kabuki – Perfect for daily touch ups or on a weekend away. tI tried Neutral Light, one of thirty one foundations in the range covering a spectrum of fair to deep shades with yellow, pink and neutral undertones. It is lightweight and finely milled and goes on smoothly without caking (at least on me) or sitting particularly heavily in my increasing number of fine lines and wrinkles. It feels slightly silky to the touch (the inclusion of silica no doubt accounts for this) and has a satin finish.

The Blush & Contour Powder (£25.00) is similar in texture and finish to the foundation. Rose (pictured below) is a delicate pink which gives a rosy glow to the cheeks whilst Deep Pink is a lovely, well, deep pink! The finish has a slight sheen which gives radiant glow rather than a full on shimmer.

I am not the biggest fan of  mineral make-up and there are very few mineral lines which I like but this one will definitely be added to the (short) list. I have thoroughly enjoyed wearing it and found myself reaching for both the foundation and blush on a regular basis. I would definitely try more from the range and potentially incorporate a few pieces into my kit too.

Having been impressed with the product, the one potential negative is the price. As I am sure you will have noticed the EMM products are certainly at the upper end of the scale in terms of budget and are in excess of most other mineral lines – certainly in the UK. If you can push to it, it is definitely worth a try – they do a sample service if you are just curious..

Have you tried the EMM products? If so what did you think?

* Mineral make-up in its truest form are loose powder formulations and for the purpose of this post it is these I am referring too; not liquid hybrids, baked, pressed or mineral based products.