Review: Valana Minerals (Update/Edit at the end)

My Valana Minerals (VM) order arrived today.

This is the first post I'm doing that will have lots of pictures....You've been warned.

So, a little about VM:

• Mineral foundations, shadows, lipsticks, etc.
• Made specifically for women of color
• 20+ foundation colors

Erin of MakeUp Fiend suggested I try it out. I want to move away from liquid foundation, MAC SFF specifically, because I know it's contributing to my breakouts. My addiction stems from the outstanding coverage MAC provides. I tried Bare Escentuals (or Bare Minerals) in the past. I didn't appreciate (yes, I was kind of offended) by the ONE "black girl" color option provided by the company (at the time...don't know if they've stepped their game up or not). It was ashy looking and provided very light coverage of my dark spots and problem areas. In other words, it was a "no-go."

I've been wary of mineral make-up since then but was a little impressed by how well VM was demonstrated to cover spots (see the left side of the photo gallery under "concealor"). Honestly, the color selection and this picture sold me on trying it out.

So...let's get to the review. I purchased 3 samples--Gentle Amber, Amber Blaze and Mahogany Fire. I chose my colors by looking at pictures from the photo gallery and by using the foundation descriptions. I suggest doing a combination of both to choose probable matches.

I received the following in the mail:

<-------packaging

<------color chart with other information

<--------actual size of the three samples. 5 grams of foundation in 3 stackable jars

Skepticism set in when I swatched my hand...see why below:

I thought I'd missed the mark on the foundation colors by a mile. I picked three different shades to avoid this! *side note* The foundation looks very shimmery in the container but looks less shimmery on the skin.

***Tangent/FYI***

I love make-up vlogs and blogs. I'm subbed to several. Something I've noticed is that none...and I do mean, NONE of the girls really have "problem" skin and most of the "oily" girls aren't "oily". Most of the women I sub to on Youtube have near perfect skin. I'm not sure why any of them bother with foundation at all.

With that being said, I'm going to go out on a limb and post a picture of myself on the www of my face with no make-up. I'm doing it for all the women like me, who appreciate these women, but just can't relate. Shouts out to the sistas with jacked up complexions! Everyone else proceed at your own risk and #dontjudgeme (Yes, I'm talking to you!!!!).

Below are two before pictures.

As you can see, I have extreme problems with hyperpigmention due to my never ending battle with acne. These pictures are of both sides of my face with absolutely no make-up on. I would put these pictures side by side but Blogger won't let me! GRRRR....moving on.

I washed my face with the Mary Kay face wash I purchased about a month ago. Not because it's so wonderful, but because I spent good money on it. I followed the directions on the sheet to apply moisturizer and allow it to fully absorb into the skin. I then chose the color I thought best matched my face (Gentle Amber) and went to work. I covered my problem areas by using my Posh brush because the "bristles" are soft and compact. It seemed perfect for applying the minerals as a concealor.

Here are the afters:

I'm not going to lie. I am impressed by the coverage. It's better than the Make Up Forever HD Foundation coverage and honestly the same as the MAC SFF coverage I get on a lazy application day. Not bad for mineral make-up. Not bad for make-up at all when you have as much to hide as me. I was a bit nervous about potential shine problems (every oily girls enemy) so I applied a little MAC Blot in Dark over it with the MAC 150 brush.

And the front.

Review wouldn't be complete without outside pictures...

Below is a picture of me outside on a completely different day wearing MAC SFF NC50 so you can see the difference.

Lastly, here is a picture of me at the end of the day with approximately 6 hours of wear. ***sidenote*** I'm sick, so I look tired and...yeah...just look at the make up.

Final thoughts:

Overall, I'd say give it a try. I give it a B-. I like it and plan to use it at least 3 times a week to give my skin a break from MAC SFF. I hope I see some changes in my breakout cycle. Unlike MUFE, my face didn't look like I'd painted it with orange, oily clay after wearing it for 30 minutes. We visited a friend and I expected my face to look like an oil slick by the end of the visit (as it does with MUFE and MAC) and it didn't. I was really impressed by this. I'm not saying it cut down on all the oil, but my skin definitely wasn't as oily.

I need play with the other colors to see if i can get a better match, but the Gentle Amber was pretty close, reiterating the fact that the photos and foundation color descriptions can give you a pretty accurate read of which samples to order. I also need to play around with application because I think I can get slightly better coverage. The thing I loved best about it was it washes off very easily. I had no film or extra make up packed in my pores. Great! Great! Great!

I only had two real issues with my Valana Minerals make up:

• 
  
  The slight shimmer of the foundation. It's most noticeable in the sunlight.
• 
  
  My face also itched a bit for the first 30 minutes of wear.

Have you used Valana Minerals? What was your take?

Hope this review was helpful.

Love!

EDIT (6/15/10)

Okay, I realized the itchiing was coming from one of my brushes, not from Valana...didn't use a brush (made liquid foundation) yesterday and there was no itching.

I might be noticing some skin changes but it's really too early to tell. I can say I haven't had as many new pimples, blackheads or whiteheads (which usually develop daily wearing MAC) since Saturday night. The only difference is that I've worn Valana for the past three days. I can also say that Valana didn't seem to exascerbate the two "issues" I was already dealing with (see the pictures).

Lastly, I woke up with no oiliness this morning, again....I think there is a connection between the fact that VM washes off CLEAN. We'll see....I'll update in about a month. Three days without a breakout is kinda ground breaking though. Hmmmmmm.

UPDATE (11/24/10)

Hey mineral makeup enthusiasts!

Just want to make good on the update I was supposed to do in July. *haha* I've been using Valana for 5 months now. I eventually ordered went with Mahogany Fire instead of Gentle Amber. I've purchased two full sized jars/containers since then. 

Final synopsis:

I was originally very satisfied with the coverage but am growing to dislike the look of it on my face. It could be my switch from Gentle Amber to Mahogany Fire. Additionally, I have to admit that the foundation has the best coverage for my severe hyperpigmentation when mixed with moisturizer (a suggested method of application given in the directions, "tinted moisturizer"). Only problem is that most moisturizers, even Neutrogena's Oil Free with SPF 35, exacerbate my skin issues. Also, the oiliness is back! I wake in the morning to sheets of oil on my face...so much for that change. 

In short, I'm stopping by the MAC counter this weekend. LOL...The purpose is to NOT break out. That was my original quest. I might as well go back to MAC if I'm going to have breakouts. I'll use Valana from time to time to give my skin a rest...

In all fairness, Valerie provides GREAT customer service and there are many who have had lasting results with this product. I say TRY it out...just my own experiences.

Love.

For my mother

She came to the bus stop wearing a PT uniform. Her eyes were puffy. She'd very obviously been crying. My face and chest grew warm from embarrassment as I looked around at the other kids. I heard the loud engine of the bus and noticed it was just up the road.

"Are you hungry?" She asked.
"I ate breakfast already."
"I took back my deodorant so I could buy you this."

Embarrassment turned to anger. Why was she doing this? I snatched the Burger King bag and stabbed dangers at her through narrowed eyes. I watched her drive away through the back of a dirty bus window and ate tried to eat the sausage biscuit. I had gotten cold. Between the lump in my throat and the dryness of the hardened biscuit, it was hard to swallow. I was 14.

I'd moved in with my mother two years prior. She was fresh from a tour in Germany and I was fresh from nine years of living her sister's family. We were two people, practically strangers living in a house together, trying to make it work. She was a woman taking on full time motherhood, a pursuit she'd only tackled for the first 3 years of my life. I was a child taking on full time daughterhood. Something I'd never had to consciously try.

I didn't know much about her. She was a mystery to me. This isn't because she never called or wrote. She'd send me gifts and money. My heart would jump at the thought of speaking with her on the phone. My visit to Germany to see her and my father for my tenth birthday, is to this day, one of the best birthdays I ever had. She'd always been the cool one. The one who'd traveled. Lived life. I wanted her to like me so much. I wanted her to be proud.

There were so many "black spots" in her past that I knew nothing about. Although I'd grow to forgive what I thought was totally unfounded treatment of me during my teen years, I still didn't understand it. Why the tight hold, disallowing me to go to sleepovers or hang out after football games? Why was she so frustrated? Why did I make her so angry? Why? Why? Why?

I have to say that honestly, up until about a week ago, my mother's motives were still somewhat of a mystery to me. She shared information with me that unlocked a world of understanding and with it, I've grown to appreciate her even more. Without realizing it, she'd answered all my "whys"? I'd often wonder why she left me with her sister instead of getting out of the Army and taking care of me. She inadvertently told me the answer---to avoid welfare in Marion, SC. I can't even begin to explain how different my life would have been had she chosen the welfare route.

I'd often wonder why she was so strict about me hanging out. Again, she shared the answer without knowing there was a question---to prevent the naysayers from being right about me being a teenage mother. Her being a single parent and me being a latchkey kid, I was a statistic waiting to happen. I'd often wonder why she worked jobs with crazy hours after she retired....to provide adequate support for us. The hours, horrible as they were, gave her a paycheck and kept the bills paid.

I finally understood the bus stop incident after our conversation. Thirteen years later, it made perfect sense. She was struggling with trying to prove to herself and others that she could raise me and provide for me, even if she had to do it all alone.Nearly everything she's done in her life since I was born has been done for me, her only child, her dearest love....She did it to prove everyone wrong. I WOULD do well in school. I WOULD graduate from college. She did it to prove something to herself. She COULD be a good mother. She COULD provide for the two of us. We WOULD make it.

I remember her always saying to me near the end of our many arguments, "We're a team, Tynika." I didn't get it then but I get it now. I finally understand what she was doing the entire time. The self sacrifice required to do what she did as a single mother is something I really can't comprehend.

"I saw a picture of you from the wedding," she said, "The one with the garter. You had this smile on your face. You looked the happiest I'd ever seen you look in my life. That's when I knew I'd done my job. When Just Fine came on at the reception, I just had to dance with my son (in law) because I did just fine. We did just fine."

Perspective is amazing and hindsight is 20/20.

So...to my mother:
Thank you for the sacrifices you made in your life for my sake. You did the best you could and best you knew how. It turns out that your best was all in all, pretty great. It took me some time but I get it now. I love you. I am proud to have you as my mother.