By Caroline S.
Packaging: The Inika Mineral Illuminisor comes in a pretty little plastic pot, with the word "INIKA” printed in stylish gold on top of a matte black lid. The main body of the pot is transparent so you are immediately able to see the product inside - useful if you want to quickly grab your favourite products without having to read labels on the bottom of packaging to check which colour you're picking up!
The matte black lid screws off easily to reveal a sifter lid, rather like the top of a salt pot. After peeling off the clear, sticky tab that seals the holes, you can shake as much or as little powder out as you wish. If you are going to be carrying Inika Mineral Illuminisor around, it may be advisable to peel the sticky layer back, shake out the powder and then replace it - or you will end up with a lot of product gathering in the lid which will spill all over when you open the pot! Overall it is nice, clean, simple packaging which fits well with the feel of the brand.
Application: Firstly, I must say that it has been 5 years since my first foray into the world of mineral make-up. My first experience was terrible - at the time there was only one major brand of mineral cosmetics being sold in the UK via a large well-known shopping channel (Naturisimo does NOT stock the particular brand I am referring to). Having pale, sensitive skin, their promises of natural make up that would never irritate seemed like a godsend to me. I therefore went ahead and spent a ridiculous sum of money on the full range including foundation, finishing powder, blush, eyeshadow and their own version of the mineral illuminisor.
I experienced a terrible, painful skin reaction to the make up - one which I later learned was very common when using minerals that contain the ingredient bismuth oxychloride. Thankfully, Inika have produced a high quality range of products which are all completely free of bismuth oxychloride and therefore suitable for my delicate complexion. Yet, it was still with a certain sense of trepidation that I applied the Inika Mineral Illuminisor for the first time.
My prior experience of mineral illuminating powder was not great - not only because of the skin reaction but because it left me looking like a disco ball if I applied too much and extremely greasy if I applied any less! However, the first thing I noticed about Inika Mineral Illuminisor was that it wasn't sparkly. It looked like a soft powder blush with a hint of shimmer - not glitter. It is also a stunningly beautiful and unusual colour. Do not be put off if you are somebody who thinks they don't suit pink - I am a cool-toned redhead and I struggle to find suitable pinks that don't make me look like a doll or a clown! This is a super-sheer, natural pink with (to my eye) almost a hint of lilac. It gives an incredibly "clean", finish which immediately brightens the skintone without looking overpowering.
At first I used a large natural-hair kabuki brush to buff the powder above my cheekbones and give a light, highlighting effect. This works well and the Inika Mineral Illuminisor itself has good sticking power with little fall-out. I then tried using the flattened side of a synthetic bristled small blush brush, to sweep the powder over my existing matte blush on the cheeks. Again, this worked perfectly, with the powder adhering well to my skin and blending easily. It gave a hint of light and shimmer to a flat blush without altering the colour.
However because I loved the colour of the Inika Mineral Illuminisor so much, I decided to experiment with layering the powder over and over itself in order to build the" pink-ness" and achieve a blush effect rather than merely a sheer illuminating effect. Amazingly, I found that this WAS possible without looking like I'd fallen in a pot of glitter. I can't say that this would be possible on mid-dark skin tones as the colour IS very sheer - but if you are one of the pale ladies out there who really struggle to find an ultra-pale blusher, this might just do the trick.
Inika Mineral Illuminisor is incredibly versatile. The makers suggest that it can be brushed lightly over the whole face to give a healthy glow or mixed into moisturiser for a subtle shimmer anywhere on the body.
To add to this, my personal recommendations are to use it as a highlighter on your collarbones to lengthen the appearance of your neck and enhance the décolletage. Or try dipping a thin eyeliner brush in water, then the illuminisor and run along the lash line over your eyeliner. It gives a soft, fresh look for Summer which emphasisis your eyes without looking too heavily made up. A dab of the Inika Mineral Illuminisor in the middle of the lower lip also adds volume to your lip shape (for that ultimate Angelina look!) There is also absolutely no reason not to use this either as an eyeshadow on its own, or to mix or layer with other eyeshadows to add depth and shmmer.
Although Inika sell their own range of brushes to accompany the products, if you don't feel like splashing out just yet, be assured that the products WILL work with your existing tools (with the possible exception of sponge-tipped applicators) so this isn't a case of being forced to spend a great deal at the outset. Once you've fallen in love with Inika, you can then treat yourself to the matching brushes.
However - THIS IS THE IMPORTANT BIT: Inika products contain
No Bismuth Oxychloride
No harsh chemical ingredients
No Talc
No Genetically Modified ingredients
No Parabens
No harmful preservatives
No harmful fillers
No mineral oils
No petrochemicals
No fragrance
Inika is the only cosmetics company in the world to be
100% Certified Vegan or Certified Organic or Both
100% Certified Cruelty Free
100% Certified Halal
Results: I am so pleased to have discovered Inika - my faith in mineral make-up has been completely restored. I have had no adverse reactions to this product whatsoever - and I have used in on bare skin as well as over foundation. If you have been disappointed by mineral make-up in the past, I urge you to try Inika - it is a completely new experience. If you are new to mineral cosmetics and a little uncertain about application etc, I can assure you that it is not frightening at all and as easy to use as standard, non-mineral cosmetics. The prices are incredibly reasonable - especially when you consider that mineral make-ups tend to be much more highly pigmented and therefore last longer than alternatives.
Certainly in the case of the Inika Mineral Illuminisor, you are buying a multi-tasking product that can not only help to disguise flaws and give you a glow but can also be combined with your existing make-up for a whole new look.
To conclude, this is a truly impressive product which gives lift and highlight as well as a subtle hint of healthy colour. Once you've tried it, you'll wish you'd discovered it years ago. I'm certainly going to explore the rest of the Inika brand - especially as the whole range is incredibly competitively priced and much cheaper than some of the more famous mineral brands that contain "nasties" not present in Inika products.
Pros
contains NO nasties like bismuth oxychloride
suitable for sensitive skin types and those prone to allergies
suitable for all skin types from greasy to dry
non-comedogenic - won't clog pores which can lead to spots and blackheads
lovely, stylish, simple packaging
great price
will last for a long time
incredibly versatile
gives a wonderful finish however you choose to use it
difficult to go wrong when applying - it is hard to "overdo" it
easy to apply with any brush
Cons
the sifter pot may spill if not opened carefully after shaking the pot
you'll probably spend far too much time trying out all the different ways of using this genius product!
Inika Mineral IIIuminisor (£11.50) and Inika products are available from naturisimo.com
