Bespoke is a hot word today, just like green beauty. It is slapped on anything from software to kitchen furniture. Meaning one-off original, designed and made from scratch, “bespoke” also describes made-to-order versions of a manufacturer’s standard range.

Bespoke makeup blends are easier to create than you think. You will need to assemble a basic artist’s set of paints, or in this case, a few smaller jars of mineral pigments that you can blend and toss together. You will also need a basic paint palette, ideally made of plastic, with round shallow wells, and a few miniature palette knives or spatulas, similar to those found in upscale moisturizers in jars. For precise measurements invest in a set of miniature measuring stainless steel spoons that can pick exactly a pinch or a dash of fine powder.

For basic blending you will need a small (2 gram) jar of each of the following:

The lightest possible mineral foundation

Plain golden shimmer

Plain silver/icy shimmer

Deep bronze foundation

A basic rose/pink mineral blush with no shimmer in it

Optional shades: light green, pale lilac, light pink shimmer.

Now you are ready to customize your colors. Here are some basic combinations that you can use to correct the wrong color, or when the color you’ve been faithfully wearing for a long time suddenly feels off. Instead of spending money on a slightly different shade, why not improvise?

 

If your foundation feels a little bit chalky, it is probably too light for your skin. Maybe you just got a little bit of a tan (and if you read chapter 10 on sun protection, you will know how to do it safely). To correct this, combine a pinch of your usual foundation in a well of the paint palette with a drop of the deep bronze foundation. Add more bronzer until you get the right shade.

If the foundation started to accentuate fine lines, it’s probably too dark for your skin. Combine a pinch of your usual foundation with a drop of the pale one and add two drops of light pink shimmer.

To instantly transform your powder foundation into an oil-free fluid, combine a pinch of your foundation with an equal amount of chamomile hydrosol or witch hazel. Blend carefully in the paint palette.

To instantly transform your powder foundation into a tinted moisturizer with added SPF for summer time, simply blend a pinch of your usual mineral foundation with a dime-size amount of your favorite moisturizer and add two drops of pure golden pigment for added summer luminosity.

If your foundation feels too pink for your skin, add two drops of pure gold pigment and one drop of the palest foundation in your palette and blend carefully. Apply as usual.

If you have olive skin and it suddenly feels washed out, add a drop of pale lilac shimmer and a drop of pure gold shimmer to a pinch of your foundation.

If you are dealing with a sudden bout of redness, correct the problem by mixing a tiny drop of pale green shimmer to a pinch of your foundation. Another solution is to add a drop of pure silver/icy shimmer but if you don’t like too much sparkle, then pale green should work just fine.

To create your own bronzer that will bring a healthy glow without a hint of brick, combine two drops of your usual foundation, one drop of pure gold shimmer, one drop of light pink shimmer, and one drop of deep bronze foundation. Blend well and apply sparingly with a blush or all-over fluffy brush. Don’t apply bronzer with a kabuki brush, or you’ll shine like an award statue!

A word of caution: inhaling mineral makeup particles is not healthy, since titanium dioxide and zinc oxide microparticles can accumulate in lungs. Please avoid fluffing the makeup with a large brush and hold your breath as you blend and apply it.

TAKEN WITH PERMISSION FROM THE GREEN BEAUTY GUIDE:

 

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