PRESCRIPTIVES: All Skins Mineral Makeup
Prescriptives All Skins Mineral Foundation
Prescriptives has jumped on the bandwagon and introduced a mineral makeup line. It goes one step further than the others out there by adding semi precious gems such as rose quartz and amethyst to its formulation. According to Prescriptives, the latter two ingredients, plus the mineral calcite, give the skin more radiance. But all mineral makeups claim to make you “glow from within.” I’m not sure if additional minerals and gems enhances that ability or not.
Prescriptives offers warm and cool options for this foundation. Women with yellow or peach undertones should try the warm shades while those with pink, bluish undertones should look to the cool shades. There are six levels of shades in each section and, as usual for Prescriptives, they will work for a wide range of women of color. The ingredients content is another matter. Personally, I would try this product on my hand, but I could never put it on my face since it not only contains Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide but Squalane as well. I’d be a pimply mess within the week if I used this.
Active Ingredients: Titanium Dioxide 12.00%, Zinc Oxide 4.90%
Other Ingredients: Squalane, Lecithin, Quartz , Amethyst, Calcite, Ascorbyl Tocopheryl Maleate, Silica, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol. [+/- Mica, Titanium Dioxide (ci 77891), Iron Oxides (ci 77491, ci 77492, ci 77499), Bismuth Oxychloride (ci 77163)]
Cost: $32.50
PRESCRIPTIVES: Virtually Fresh Skin Refining Makeup SPF15
Prescriptives Virtually Fresh Skin Refining Makeup
This foundation won Allure magazine’s Best of Beauty award last year. Virtually Fresh was created to remove skin imperfections and pore visibility, leaving users with perfect looking skin. It’s basically a silicone-based foundation. The silicone acts as a primer to at least erase pores. Hiding imperfections requires some layering of the product, since it goes on a bit sheer. As usual for Prescriptives, the foundation comes in a wide range of shades, for women with yellow/orange, red/orange, red or blue/red undertones. There’s a pretty good chance of finding a color that matches your skin color and undertone.
I have a big problem with the formulation of this foundation, however. Products with alcohol in them have a tendency to make people oily when used frequently. Alcohol is drying, so the skin starts producing more oil to compensate for the loss of moisture. This foundation also contains Sodium Chloride, but it’s so low on the list I wonder if it would have an effect on the skin.
Active Ingredients: Octinoxate 1.20%, Titanium Dioxide 1.00%
Ingredients: Water\Aqua\Eau, Dimethicone, Alcohol Denat., Glycerin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Porphyridium Polysaccharide Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Saccharomyces Lysate Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Phospholipids, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Salix Nigra (Willow) Bark Extract, Arginine, Isostearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Serenoa Serrulata (Saw Palmetto) Fruit Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Salicylic Acid, Silica, Algae Extract, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Trehalose, Behenyl Betaine, Methoxy PEG/PPG-7/3 Aminopropyl Dimethicone, PEG-8, Butylene Glycol, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Capryloyl Glycine, Sodium Chloride, Boron Nitride, Fragrance (Parfum), Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol. [+/- Iron oOxides (ci 77491, ci 77492, ci 77499), Titanium Dioxide (ci 77891), Mica]
Cost: $32.50
PRESCRIPTIVES: Anywear Multi-Purpose Makeup Stick SPF 15
Prescriptives Anywear Makeup Stick
I imagine this is an updated version of Prescriptives discontinued Exact Matchstick, a product I once considered purchasing. I can’t remember why I resisted the Matchstick, but it definitely didn’t have to do with finding a compatible color. Prescriptives sells a really nice range of shades for a wide group of women.
I would definitely try the Anywear Stick if it didn’t contain the Titanium Dioxide. But unfortunately it does and, as such, it’s sure to break me out. Silica can irritate skin as well.
Active ingredients: Octinoxate 5%, Titanium Dioxide 2.90%
Other ingredients: Di-PPG-3-Myristy Ether Adipate, Phenyl Trimethicone, Silica, HDI/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Tribehenin, C20-40 Alcohols, Isononyl Isononanoate, Ozokerite, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lecithin, Oryzanol, Aluminum Stearate, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Sorbitan Laurate, Propylene Glycol Laurate, Propylene Glycol Stearate, Polysorbate 20, Stearic Acid, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI77492, CI 77499).
Italics=potentially comedogenic or irritating ingredients.
Cost: $35
MAC: Select Tint SPF 15
MAC Select Tint
This was one of the products I considered trying before finally settling on Nars’s Oil Free foundation. I liked the lightness of this tinted moisturizer. Plus MAC is known for creating a range of shades that work for women of color. But two things stopped me from really embracing Select Tint.
This TM has a few comedogenic ingredients – Isostearic Acid, Ehtylhexylglycerin and Stearic Acid – towards the middle and end of the list. Also when I was considering purchasing this product, the shades were either too orange (NW45) or too light (NC45) for me. They’ve since added an NC50, which is a darker shade of brown with a yellow undertone. Don’t know if it would actually work for me though.
Active Ingredient: Octyl Methoxycinnamate
Other Ingredients: Water, Purified, Dimethicone, Silica, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Cetyl Dimethicone, Phenyl Trimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Polydecene, Glyceryl Dilaurate, Isostearic Acid, Tromethamine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sucrose, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Caffeine, Linoleic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Cellulose Gum, Cholesterol, Polyethylene, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, PEG-9 Dimethicone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Steareth-21, Steareth-2, Stearic Acid, Polyperfluoromethylisopropyl Ether, BHT, Tetrasodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben. May contain: Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Chromium Oxide Greens
Italics=potentially comedogenic or irritating ingredients.
Cost: $25
PRESCRIPTIVES: Custom Blend Concealer
Prescriptives Custom Blend Concealer
Prescriptives has long offered customizable foundations. Recently they added a few other customizable items, including concealer. I love the idea of getting a concealer custom made to suit your skin color and tone. Women often have an extremely hard time finding makeup that matches.
Prescriptives already has a number of concealers available; the custom blend concealer simply fills in the gaps. It does contain Steareth-10 which has a pretty high comedogenic rating. But this ingredient is towards the middle of the list, so intrepid users may want to try it.
Ingredients: Water, Butylene Glycol, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, TEA-Stearate, Phenyl Trimethicone, Glyceryl Distearate, Steareth-10, Silica, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lecithin, Bisabolol, Cholesterol, Tocopheryl Linoleate/Oleate, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Dimethiconol, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, TEA-Isostearate, Cellulose Gum, Xanthan Gum, BHT, Disodium EDTA, Sorbic Acid, Methylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Butylparaben, Isopropylparaben, Phenoxyethanol [May contain: Titanium Dioxide (ci 77891), Iron Oxides (ci 77491, ci 77492, ci 77499), Ultramarines (ci 77007)]
Italics=potentially comedogenic or irritating ingredients.
Cost: $32
PRESCRIPTIVES: All Skins Loose Powder
Prescriptives All Skins Loose Powder
Unfortunately, there seemed to be some mysterious ingredient(s) in this that broke me out. Now it’s perfectly possible that the problem was caused by a previously used product. But my experience with this powder and the Virtual Matte foundation has made me a bit leery of the Prescriptives line.
Ingredients: Silica, Polyethylene, Octyl Methoxycinnamate, Nylon-12, Benzophenone-3, Urea, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Allantoin, Water Purified, Bisabolol,, Lauroyl Lysine, Acylates Copolymer, Propylene Glycol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sorbic Acid, BHT, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Methylparaben, Proplyparaben, Butylparaben. May contain: Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499)
Italics=potentially comedogenic ingredients.
Cost: $26
PRESCRIPTIVES: Virtual Matte Oil Control Pressed Powder
Prescriptives Virtual Matte Pressed Powder
Ingredients: Talc, Dimethicone, Silica, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Zinc Stearate, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Salicylic Acid, Lauroyl Lysine, Sucrose, Octyldodecyl Lactate, PCA, Nylon-12, Lauryl Alcohol, Magnesiumm Silicate, Tetrasodium EDTA, BHT, Dehydroacetic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Chlorphenesin, [+/- Mica, Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891)]
Italics=potentially comedogenic ingredients.
Cost: $28
PRESCRIPTIVES: Virtual Matte Foundation SPF 15
Prescriptives Virtual Matte Foundation
Prescriptives is known for its wide range of shades. Its products are conveniently segmented into groups for women with yellow/orange, red/orange, red and blue/red undertones. Although its foundation colors might not suit everyone, it’s worth giving the line a try. On the plus side, Prescriptives offers some fairly dark shades for women with yellow undertoned skin, which is pretty rare. For those in the “hard to match” category, Prescriptives also makes customized foundations and concealers – just get it done by a specialist used to mixing shades for women of color. Their customized liquid foundation was the first foundation I ever used regularly.
Active Ingredients: Octinoxate 2.50%, Titanium Dioxide 0.97%
Ingredients: Purified Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Butylene Glycol, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Dimethicone, Magnesium Sulfate, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Algae Extract, Acetyl Hexapeptide-3, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cholesterol, Ceramide 2, Linoleic Acid, Sodium Mannose Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Polysilicone-11, Phenyl Trimethicone, Lecithin, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Isteardimonium Hectorite, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Propylene Carbonate, Silica, Xanthan Gum, Laureth-7, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Methoxy Amodimethicone/Silsesquioxane Copolymer, BHT, Chloroxylenol, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben. May Contain, Mica, Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Titanium Dioxide
Italics=potentially comedogenic ingredients.
Cost: $32.50
MultiFACEted Cosmetics 