Move from Bare Minerals to Lily Lolo - Help getting good coverage!

[starfish8]

Hi everyone

I'm a fairly new user of mineral make up (Bare Minerals). Have been using foundation/Mineral Veil without issue for a couple of months, then tried one of their pink blushers. Within a couple of days I had terrible itchy sore skin. My cheeks were sore but I started to feel itchy elsewhere on my face too. (Not sure if that was my imagination or the itch spreading!) After doing some research, maybe I have had a reaction to Carmine in the blusher, but am concerned I might have had a wider reaction to the ingredients in Bare Minerals foundation. (Bismuth Oxycholoride seemed to be mentioned a lot online with some people getting delayed reactions). I don't like the idea of buffing harmful ingredients into my face, so have searched for an alternative.

After lots of reccs on here, I've just received some samples of Lily Lolo today. A few shades of the mineral foundation and two finishing powders - Flawless Matt and Translucent Silk.

Tried an application today, and wasn't particularly happy with the coverage. (Doesn't help I had a bothering toddler in the room!) I tried Flawless Matt on my t zone, a couple of layers of mineral foundation (Blondie - good match), used Bare Minerals concealer brush to put a bit more around my eyes then finished all over with Translucent Silk.

I can't say I was as happy with the overall depth of coverage - My skin is pretty clear but have open pores, and the combination of BM foundation and Mineral Veil seem to cover them well. The overall look of BM also seems more dewy than LL, which seemed quite flat and dull in comparison.

The main thing I need to get right is the coverage (which needs to last all day in my office job) and ideally a dewy/healthy look. Also control of my shiny nose! I really hope I can get Lily Lolo working for me, as I'm a bit concerned to go back to BM given the reaction I've had. It's hardly filled me with confidence!

Can any Lily Lolo users advise the best way to go about applying and in what order? Maybe I am using too much/little of one of the products too?

Thanks so much Mumsnetters!

[FrustratedFrugal]

Bismuth is used in mineral foundation to impart a dewy glow. I sometimes use Lily Lolo, I prep my face with a serum, wait a bit (=have coffee), then add a few layers of LL buffing them in and finally set with a spray of water. I needed to practice for a few days before I got the finish I wanted. It is lighter coverage than BB creams, and might be lighter coverage than BM.

[mewkins]

Hmmm, I use LL and never tried BM but used Bellapierre previously. I only use the mineral foundation (over a regular concealer - not LL) and no finishing powder and it doesn't look too flat and gives decent coverage. The more you buff (rather than apply extra on top) the better it looks I think. I use bronzer, blusher, highlighter on top

[starfish8]

Thanks, that's interesting about the Bismuth adding sheen - makes sense given it's metal based.

I think I need another go tomorrow whilst husband and child are out of the house. Trying a new make up at the same time as being mithered for different games on an iPhone is hardly helpful!

[starfish8]

Which concealer do you use out of interest mewkins? Looking for a new concealer for the increasing dark circles of mine!

[mewkins]

I use l'oreal touche magique. Brilliant for covering blemishes and my dark shadows! Actually I think I do foundation first then concealer.

[starfish8]

Had another go today and still struggling. Seems to offer extremely light coverage and doesn't seem to build in the same way as Bare Minerals. It's not covering my pores well at all. Really sad as I want it to work for me. Looks like I might head back to my old Clinique liquid foundations....

[FrustratedFrugal]

Starfish I think LL is light coverage only. I can only use it when my skin is in great shape. Their mineral concealer is heavier coverage but I think it gave me spots.

[starfish8]

Thanks FrustratedFrugal, looks like it's not for me :-(

[Realitea]

I use ll powder foundation as a finishing powder and it gives just enough coverage (and I really need it!)

[amazonianwoman]

I started using LL last week, I like it, much prefer it to BM which made me look like a dried out fluffy old lady. I find the coverage heavier than my BM complexion rescue and even a Chanel foundation.

[starfish8]

amazonianwoman maybe I like 'dried out fluffy old lady' look?! haha!

Realitea, are you using LL with something else - saying you use it as a finishing powder?

Maybe I'll give it a go again next week. I've got a couple of other shades as samples so may try a different one along with a primer underneath?

[Notsoaccidentproneanymore]

Try buffing in circles in both directions - clockwise and anti clockwise.

I've used LL for a few years now. It's the only one I can find that's pale enough, with no yellow.

This is how I do it;

Tap the foundation into a bowl. Swirl your kabuki in a figure of 8 for about 5 seconds. Then turn your brush on its end and tap a few times. This helps the powder to disperse through the bristles. Then starts buffing, in small circles (both directions) for about 3 minutes. Start with the area which needs the most coverage (usually the nose). If after a few minutes the coverage is still too light, add a little more powder to your brush, then buff again. The more you buff, the better finish you get.

Finish by buffing in your finishing powder in the same way.

I read somewhere that you could mix some with your moisturiser and apply it that way.

[starfish8]

Thanks for the specific details Notsoaccidentproneanymore really helpful.
I'll give it another go in a few days when back from travelling.

I've been using the technique that I followed for BM. Feel like I know what I'm doing with mineral, though maybe I need to buff more than I'm used to.

I'm also going to try with a primer underneath too, as I wonder if this will help the open pore issue. I was using the BM primer, so should really use a primer under LL to make a fair comparison on coverage of open pores.