I was anxious to try my new Physicians Formula Baked Collection wet/dry eyeshadow. There’s something about mineral makeup, a certain shimmer and shine that naturally attracts the eye. I had looked at this item a few times in the store before I finally plunked down my $7 for a trio of shimmering colors in a collection called Baked Sugar. This selection features a pinkish color, one that is a darker pinkish brown and a whitish highlight shimmer.

First let me say that either dry or wet, the product applies nicely, feels smooth and soft on and does produce a lot of shimmer. When applied dry, I thought it wore off too easily and had less staying power than when applied wet.

Perhaps I bought the wrong shade collection but I was disappointed that the color didn’t stay true from container to application, looking much lighter and less rich after it was on my eyelids. Also - wet or dry - the two darker colors really didn’t look any different after application. I even tried applying both colors next to each other on the back of my hand and was unable to distinguish one from the other. So much for a darker color to create shadow in the crease. The lightest shade, white, was distinct from the other two but the least likely to be used on a daily basis.

There are darker shade trios in the Baked Collection line that might perform better but I am loath to try them after this experience. I gave the Baked Sugar trio to my daughter. The light pinkish shimmer will suit her young face much better and because of the natural and hypoallergenic formula, I won’t have to worry about it irritating her eyes or skin.

L’Oreal has introduced Bare Naturale, a mineral based foundation powder. Mineral makeup is great for any skin type. It won’t clog pores and it’s naturally gentle to skin. Bare Naturale has vitamins and minerals for nuturing your skin as well as an SPF 19 sunscreen.

L’Oreal’s Bare Naturale is available in 8 shades to match your skintone. The applicator brush is swirled into the sifter, embedding powder on the bristles. After shaking off any excess, the foundation powder is applied with the brush using circular motions from the center of the face out to the hairline. You can repeat the application process until you reach your desired level of coverage.

The newest trend in comsetics is mineral make-up. Consisting of inorganic minerals and pigments found in nature,such as zinc oxides, mica, titanium dioxide and ultramarine pigments, these products are advertised as better for your skin than regular make-up. From powders to eyeshadow, there is a great variety of these natural mineral products being marketed.

These products promise to eliminate allergic reactions and breakouts and be safe for all skin types. For selection and always with price in mind, I recommend Physicians Formula or Neutrogena’s line of mineral makeup products. Physicians Formula has multiple products and I particularly liked their Solar Powder bronzer with sunscreen. Neutrogena is a name we know we can trust and their line of Mineral Sheers includes foundation powder and eyeshadow with a little shimmer. Best of all, both are available at drugstore prices.