Ginger Garrett

Want to see me at a store near you? I’m packing my pillow and hitting the road, so please come see me if you can. I love connecting with new friends and inquiring about the location of the nearest Starbucks.

Atlanta, November 6

2PM–4PM

Lifeway Bookstore, Mall of Georgia

(Lifeway is actually across the street!)

November 22, Nashville, TN

Dec. 6, Des Moines, Iowa

Dec. 13, Kansas City

I’ll post the stores and times when I get them. All I know now is that I have to be ready to roll out stating this weekend.

Also, several of you have suggested tweaks and additions to the mineral guide. I loved every idea, so I will be updating that list this week.

Here it is! So many of you have been asking for this, so thanks for your patience. Below you’ll find a comparison of all major brands of mineral foundations available at retail, including price and weight. Below this is a key to understanding the main ingredients.

Did you know that half of all women say they have trouble finding the right foundation? Not only do we struggle to choose the right color, but with minerals, the choices and claims are overwhelming. Use this guide to find the perfect mineral foundation for you.

Loreal Bare Naturale Minerals $14.99  for  .35 ounce

Titanium Dioxide 10%

Contains bismuth? YES

Contains talc? NO

Paraben preservatives? NO

 

Revlon ColorStay Minerals $13.99 for .35 ounce

Titanium Dioxide 0.9%

Contains bismuth? YES

Contains talc? NO

Paraben preservatives? YES

 

Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Talc-Free $10.99  for  .49 ounce

Titanium dioxide

Zinc oxide

Contains bismuth? NO

Contains talc? NO

Paraben preservatives? YES

 

Cover Girl TruBlend Minerals $8.99  for .39 ounce

Contains bismuth? NO

Contains talc? YES

Paraben preservatives? YES

 

 

Maybelline Mineral Power Natural Perfecting Powder Foundation $9.99 for .28 ounce

Zinc oxide

Contains bismuth? YES

Contains talc? NO

Paraben preservatives? NO

*Special features: includes added vitamins and plant extracts

 

Neutrogena Mineral Sheers $12.99 for  .18 ounce

Titanium dioxide

Contains bismuth? YES (as a main ingredient)

Contains talc? NO

Paraben preservatives YES

*Special features: contains added vitamins, including Vitamin C which has been proven to help prevent premature aging

 

Almay Pure Blends Mineral Powder $12.99 for  .1 ounce

Titanium Dioxide 0.88% , Zinc Oxide 20%

Contains bismuth? YES (as a lesser ingredient)

Contains talc? NO

Paraben preservatives YES

Key Ingredients to Know:

Talc: a cheap filler that prevents a lasting finish to cosmetics. Talc is the ingredient responsible for eyeshadow that “slides off” during the day, for example.

Bismuth: a heavy mineral that creates a sheen on the skin. However, bismuth has to be buffed onto the skin with gentle pressure to get a smooth application. Some complain that bismuth makes them itch and is irritating.

Iron oxides: pigments that create the color of foundation

Titanium dioxide: a sunscreen that provides both UVA and UVB protection

Zinc oxide: sunscreen that provides both UVA and UVB protection, plus is soothing to irritated skin. Zinc oxide is a major ingredient in diaper rash balms.

Mica: mineral that reflects light and helps camoflauge problem areas. If you don’t like the finished look of your mineral foundation, and find it too shiny, try switching to a brand with less mica.

Propylparaben, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben: preservatives made from petroleum waste. Suspected, but not proven, of interrupting hormones, with a possible link to breast cancer. However, powders applied to the skin are not absorbed as readily as liquids. Parabens in powder cosmetics are therefore less worrisome.

 

I am particulary fond of the Almay, Physicians Formula, and Mabelline products. Mabelline is well formulated and inexpensive. Almay does contain parabens but the high concentrations of zinc oxide and titanium oxide make it a great choice for smooth, soothed skin.

A groovy blogcast featured a few of my books (and an interview with me) on their site last week. Check out the site–if you don’t like me, you’re sure to find someone else interesting!

 

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/GodUnplugged/2008/10/16/Beauty-Secrets-of-the-Bible

Several of you are asking me to hurry up and post my review of mineral makeup. I promise, promise it will go up this week. I had a family emergency last week and had to fly to Laguna Beach, California. 

Laguna Beach is like no other place on earth. First of all, no one walks anywhere. Everyone drives, and in expensive automobiles, no less. Most city streets are 6-8 lanes across, and as I walked from the hospital to the restuarants across the street, I had to pray for my life.

Since no one walks in Laguna Beach, the pedestrian timers on the stoplights give you exactly ten seconds to cross all lanes of traffic safely. You had to start in a sprint and finish with a leap if you wanted to keep your limbs. I swear I stopped traffic, as no one had seen a pedestrian before. A few  whipped out their cell phones and snapped a picture.

When I returned home from this beauty mecca of the world, I was painfully aware of how short I fall from the ideal. I needed a manicure, a Prada bag, my roots done, and underwear with more elastic. A few years ago, this would have all precipitated a crisis that only Visa could fix. Now, I can shake it off and sigh. Years ago, one question changed my life. One question made me unashamed to walk through a world of beautiful people, knowing my faults were all too obvious.

You see, I used to walk around looking at other women, thinking, “What does she have?” I wanted to know what I was missing. Now I ask, “What does she need?” I want to know what she is missing. When I turned my focus away from what I didn’t have, when I began to look at other women as friends who needed what I could give, my world changed.

I love how The Message puts it in this passage from Luke 17, where Jesus is speaking to us:

“What I’m trying to do here is get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God’s giving…Don’t be afraid of missing out.”

Ah. Even the terrors of Laguna Beach, where the waves are high and the bosoms are higher, can be calmed. I can focus on giving what I have, not making a secret angry list of what I want. I can give compassion and grace, encouragement and compliments, and so much more, an abundance of hope to others, because that is what I have. It’s what I’ve been given, from a Father who loves his daughters.

As the Health & Beauty editor of CALLED magazine, I get samples of many products from publicists. Some are great, some are good, and some are just  plain silly. (Such as the marital enrichment program which consisted of advice and an automatic toilet seat light…to “avoid those annoying fall-ins.”)

Two products this week caught my eye:

Every Man Jack, a new line of men’s skin care products being introduced by Target, contains no parabens or undesirable ingredients. Better yet, the products smell great and a gift set is being introduced in time for Christmas that runs about $10. It’s a definite buy.

VEGA Whole Foods Smoothie Infusion. These are little packets you can pop into a bottle of juice or a smoothie. They are nutritional powerhouses of organic foods. I’ve gotten addicted to the Smoothie Infusions and their meal replacement bars. The Smoothie Infusion is a great buy, since you can add it to whatever juice you keep on hand. (www.myvega.com)

And finally–I know I owe you all a post on mineral makeup comparisons! I have had back to back family emergencies this month and have let the posts slip. I will work on getting this up for you all asap–and thanks so much for checking in and asking about it. You are all treasured friends!

I’ll also be posting details on my book tour: I’ll be in Atlanta on November 1, November 22 in Nashville, and December 6 in Des Moines. I’ll be joined by two of my favorite novelists of all time, Chris Coppernoll and Kimberly Stuart.