Basic tools you will need to make this happen:

Bella Terra’s Face Brush for contouring, foundation, blush and blending, The Face Brush delivers ultimate precision and versatility. The densely packed hair and structured shape achieves flawless dimension along the cheekbones, forehead and jawline. Perfect for using with pressed or loose powders, liquids and creams to create beautiful sculpting all over the face. Check it out here : The Face Brush

Bella Terra’s Mineral Bronzer When it comes to contouring, the most basic contour product is a powder bronzer. To define and soften the profile of your face, glide your brush across your jawline. If you are concerned about double chins, sweep the contouring bronzer under the chin to create a slimming shadow. See the shades: Mineral Bronzer

Bella Terra’s BB Cream Now for the highlighting. BB Cream should be applied above the bronzer and never come into contact with the powder. Think about where the sun would naturally fall on your face and using your fingers, pat and blend the cream into these areas.  Applying a little BB Cream in the corner of your eyes will make you look more “wide awake”. Get it now: BB Cream

The first, and maybe the most important, step in any beauty routine is to exfoliate and cleanse your skin.  Dead skin cells accumulate on your face, even in short amounts of time.  To quote my grandmother, if you are “putting your face on” in the morning before work as many of us are,  then dead skin cells and sweat from the pillow you just abandoned are a huge culprit for clogging pores and making your makeup flake and slough off during the day.  Using an exfoliator to scrub off any dirt and harmful particles is an essential first step to making your foundation last for long periods of time.

Once your face is clean and refreshed, you must moisturize.  I don’t care if you live in the Sahara Desert or near the ocean where the air is so thick with humidity that you can see it, you are going to need a daily moisturizer.  It’s important to find a moisturizer that works with your skin type, so experiment with those and find one that works best for you.  It also doesn’t matter what skin type you have, you will still need to moisturize.  I have naturally oily skin, and I use a daily moisturizer because it is so good for my skin, evens out skin tone and texture, and creates an essential base layer for foundation.

Next, I like to use Makeup Primer.  Primer is a clear, gel-like product that fills in fine lines and other imperfections, creating a smooth canvas on your skin.  It forms a bond with your cosmetics, helping them adhere more strongly to your face and last until you choose to take them off.  The primer also allows you to use less product, which makes the time in between shopping trips longer.  Not to mention the Bella Terra Makeup Primer I use is incredibly soft and silky, and works excellently with ourfoundation.  I also use Eye Primer to conceal dark circles under my eyes.  I feel like this helps my powder foundation stay in place longer, giving me a uniformly luminous and smooth final look.

A friend of mine came up with her own technique.  She uses BB Cream instead of makeup primer, applying it by tapping it in deeply into her skin.  BB Cream is a 3-in-1 product that serves as a moisturizer, anti-aging cream, and concealer. BB Cream provides good coverage by itself and adding powered foundation on top helps create a truly flawless, long lasting look.

Now that your face is clean, moisturized, and primed, it’s time to apply your foundation powder.  At this step, it’s extremely essential to have a good brush, because how else is the mineral powder supposed to get from the container to your face?  There are a myriad of different brushes out there, but I love Bella Terra Brushes because they’re not made of bunnies, but have super-soft synthetic fibers that make application amazing and easy.  As for style of brushes, that’s up to you.  There are brushes made strictly for foundation, and those work wonderfully.  I have friends who swear by their bronzer brush and use that for everything, and that’s great too.  Personally I like Kabouki brushes, mostly because there’s no long handle to wield and I feel like I have more control.  Once you’ve got your brush picked out you are ready to go.  One of the reasons I like Bella Terra’s Mineral Foundation so much is due to the small openings in the powder guard, which allow you to tap out only as much product as you need.  This way you don’t end up with a whole clump of wasted product on your brush that will either dust off, cause streaks on your face, or create a big cloud when  you accidently exhale near the brush.  I’ve found that a blotting motion and small circles with the brush work best to ensure overall coverage, as well as massage the product deep into your skin so your color won’t wear off throughout the day.

And you’re finished!  Well, finished with foundation anyway.  Now you can go on to do all those other things that make your face a work of art, but at least you have created a fabulous, luminous, long lasting canvas.  But seriously, don’t forget to exfoliate, cleanse, and moisturize.  That part is non-negotiable.

Why is this important?  The main ingredient in many powders and bronzers is Talc, which can clog pores and contributes to drying out your skin.  Talc in its natural form can contain asbestos, which we all know is dangerous and cancer causing.  The Talc found in makeup and medicated is powders is treated and deemed safe, but why risk it?  Talc is basically a filler, as are many of the other ingredients, including wax, oil, parabens, and Bismuth Oxychloride – which is a major skin irritant.

But enough about why the other stuff is bad, let’s talk about why the ingredients in Bella Terra’s Mineral Foundation are good!  The main ingredient is pure, 100% Mica Mineral with no additives or fillers, which is different from even some of the most notable mineral makeup brands.  Your skin loves Mica because it contains hypoallergenic properties that soothe, calm, and protect your skin.  Your skin loves Mica in your foundation because it performs as a translucent layer that reflects light and gives your face an even, smooth, and lucid appearance.

Ingredient number two is Titanium Dioxide; another mineral, go figure!  This one makes me happy because it provides natural sun protection from both UVA and UVB rays, which means I don’t have to buy or apply an expensive and oily sunscreen.  Not having to expose the sensitive skin on my face to a potential pimple break-out due to a cream sunblock is a huge relief.  In addition to sun protection, Titanium Dioxide contains anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce skin irritation, redness, and minimize fine lines and discoloration.

The naturally-occurring mineral deposit Iron Oxide, which appears on the label as Red/Black/Yellow/etc. Iron Oxide, is responsible for a myriad of skin-toned pigments.  These naturally opaque mineral pigments are used to create stunning earth toned colors, making it easy to find the exact right shade for your skin.  I always have trouble finding the right shade during Spring and Fall, because I am gaining and losing my tan, but this ingredient works with the Mica Minerals to help match the makeup to my skin tone, no matter if I am a baking in the sun, or going into hibernation.

Sericite is your friend.  This super pure mineral is a type of natural powdered Mica with an ultra-fine grain size and a low luster, silky texture.  This makes your foundation easy to apply and extremely soft.   I didn’t think that “soft” was a hard-to-find trait in powdered foundation, but I was blown away by the way my face had such a light and refined feel from just wearing Bella Terra’s foundation with this ingredient.  Sericite acts as the setting powder and primer that makes this wonderful feeling possible.

So that’s it.  That’s all the ingredients.  I told you there were only four, which is much better for your skin than sixteen, surely.  Bella Terra’s Mineral Foundation is such a multi-purpose tool, I’m impressed that four minerals can do so many things.  All of Bella Terra’s products are animal free and cruelty free, so I’m officially converted to the healthy and natural makeup camp, and I’ve already found my favorite foundation!

Bella Terra’s Advanced Radiance Eye Cream hydrates the delicate skin around the eyes, lightens dark circles and minimizes the appearance of fine lines. It combines nourishing all day moisture with vitamins and an anti-oxidant complex enriched with lemon peel ferment and yogurt extracts to exfoliate and help promote skin’s surface renewal process. The result is lighter, brighter, healthier-looking eyes and a younger appearance.

Bella Terra’s Milky Cleanser is not only designed to remove makeup on the surface of the skin, but the Mineral Oil seeps deeply into pores to remove any residual dirt and debris, leaving the face clean and fresh. With water as the main ingredient, the skin is left completely hydrated without being oily. Our Milky Cleanser is good for all skin types, even those with sensitive skin and can also be used as a pre-shave, skin-soothing agent for men.

Bella Terra’s Exfoliating Gel offers exclusive technology that lets you see a visible difference in just one use! You’ll enjoy an intensive, deep cleansing beauty treatment with natural botanical extracts and soothing Aloe Vera and Chamomile that gently exfoliates dead skin cells, removes dulling debris and excess oils. It will reveal the healthy, rejuvenated skin that lies underneath. Ideal for use by both men and women.

Nightly Restoration Cream revitalizes and repairs your skin while you sleep with this rich night cream that helps to replenish antioxidant and moisture levels, instantly relieves tightness and softens fine, feathery lines. Vitamins A and E, uniquely contained in our red microspheres, burst at night, releasing powerful antioxidants that condition, nourish and repair the skin while protecting it against premature aging and harsh environmental elements.

Bella Terra’s Lifting Eye Serum brings dull and tired-looking eyes to life by brightening, firming and restoring delicate skin. With serious doses of nourishment and protective antioxidants this lightweight, non-greasy formula absorbs easily into the skin to deliver stunning results. It promotes collagen renewal to strengthen connective tissues and boost elasticity, helping to maintain a youthful, healthy appearance.