With so many mineral makeup companies, it's hard to know which products are actually quality and which are brands simply trying out new marketing.  Upon sampling Purely Cosmetics mineral makeup, it stood out in some ways, less so in others.  Read on for my picks from this company.

Mineral Foundation

Purely Cosmetics mineral foundation offers a variety of coverage from sheer to full.  Foundation can be mixed into your favorite moisturizer for added coverage, and set with a sheer mineral primer.

Trying out the full coverage, I smoothed on my usual face moisturizer mixed with foundation.  After letting it set, I brushed on a layer of Silk & Pearl Powder Primer with the kabuki brush, followed by the same foundation as I'd mixed with the lotion, and finished with a dusting of Pure Silk Powder.  This felt a lot heavier than the makeup I usually wear, but my skin looked flawless.

I was slightly less impressed with Purely Cosmetics' lighter coverage.  Just brushing on foundation and primer evened my skin tone, but not as much as other products I've tried.  I would recommend going all-out or not at all if your goal is concealing blemishes, although the Pure Silk Powder alone is a perfect sheer solution for zapping away oil.

I finished up the looks with a dusting of bronzer.  The loose blusher and bronzer are way more highly pigmented than a drugstore bronzer, so apply lightly and slowly.  Removing overdone makeup is a hassle, but the concentration of the Pure Cosmetics blush and bronzers mean you need very little product, making it a money saver.

Any powder foundation goes on better with a kabuki brush, and their real hair kabuki sells for just $20.  It's definitely a great investment for no matter what makeup you're using, from high-end to drugstore.

Eye Palettes

Pure Cosmetics cream to powder eye shadows are great for layering and easy to apply, but my favorite eye products were their loose powder shadows.  Like the cream to powder, the loose shimmer is also layerable, so you can apply to desired opacity.  Dip a slanted brush into water and apply directly over your eyeliner for an amazing pop of color or just an added charcoal effect, depending on the shade.

Overall, I would recommend these products to anyone who loves full coverage and wearing a lot of makeup.  Although a few layers felt heavy to me, it's a lot lighter than the same amount of coverage offered by other companies.  It is also paraben-free and unlikely to clog your pores - if anything, mineral makeup can actually improve skin quality.

Of all the products I've tried, my faves were the Pure Silk Powder, loose Blushes/Bronzers, and loose Mineral Eye Shadows (faves: Golden, Charcoal Smoke).