Review: Daniel Sandler Super Mineral Makeup and Watercolour Blush

Sunday 30 May 2010


I finally got around to testing out my Daniel Sandler product samples the other day! They do advise that you are supposed to try the samples straight away, as they come in little sealed plastic bags, but this isn’t the optimum storage condition and they can dry out faster this way. But with one thing and another, a full week had gone by before I thought to test my samples. I didn’t find that the product had suffered too much - it still gave me a decent idea of colours and how the products perform.

I had six samples to try – three shades of the Super Mineral Make Up, and three of the Watercolour Blush.

As mentioned, Super Mineral Make Up sounds, on paper, to be the answer to my foundation prayers. I’m really fussy with foundations and have never found one which delivers absolutely everything I demand, and in theory, this could be it. It’s long-lasting (according to user reviews), goes on super-smooth thanks to the silicone base – a substance used in most primers, which might also explain it lasting well. The minerals are kind to our skin, and it has a sun protection factor and anti-oxidants to protect as it beautifies. The coverage is meant to be just enough, bridging that fine line between enough coverage and still looking like real skin. It sounds amazing. And there must be a reason ‘Brides Magazine’ voted it their best ever foundation. After all, on your wedding day you want to look flawless but natural, so it sounded like we could be onto a winner with this base.

Now, there are a few places you can buy Daniel Sandler make-up, but nowhere near me, so the easiest way to access it online. When buying a foundation, you need that match to your skin tone, so it isn’t really suited to buying online, where the shades are hard to tell. Luckily, the website www.yourtruecolours.co.uk offers this sample service. I have a light golden skintone, so I ordered shades 3,4 and 5 hoping to find a match.

The first thing I noticed when I looked at them was that they were all too dark for me, which was strange. So I’d probably be looking at buying shade 2, although there is a chance this could be too light. Because of this, I only swiped the foundation on my jawline, rather than using the whole thing for a day and seeing how it was. I tried the lightest I’d ordered, and I could just about get away with it, but I don’t think it’s the colour I’d pick. I noticed how smooth it felt as I applied it, and blended in very seamlessly. It definitely made me want to buy a full size, although I’d need to test shade 2 to be absolutely certain. At £21.00 (plus delivery) the foundation isn’t the cheapest, so I’d need to be sure of the shade before buying.
Then there was the Watercolour Blush. Voted best blush by Grazia magazine (which is pretty much my bible), this is a sheer, blendable flus of colour, specifically designed to last through an active day. I had three shades to try – ‘Gentle’, ‘Flush’ and ‘Hail Mary’. ‘Gentle’ was exactly that, a warm, peachy-pink colour that didn’t show up a lot on my skin tone, although it might have suited someone paler. ‘Hail Mary’ was my favourite – it was a slighter darker apricot with a shot of gold shimmer. It looked a lot like a ‘natural but enhanced look’ on me, and boy did it hold its ground. I struggled to get it off with make-up remover at the end of the night, so if you’re looking for something extremely long lasting, it’s right up there. I loved this colour – the golden shimmer wasn’t too much, just enough not to need a separate highlighter, and that shade was the perfect shade where it’s a blush That also provides a bit of contouring. A little goes a long way as well - a tiny drop will do both cheeks, so the price of £12.00 per bottle seems justified. I’m definitely planning to purchase a full-size ‘Hail Mary'.

The third shade, ‘Flush’ was a really bright, cool-toned pink, more akin to Mac’s Blushcreme in Posey, which is what I’m currently using. I did like the colour, but I thought it looked a little fake on me, so it wouldn’t be a good choice for the ‘naturally perfect’ look. I found it wasn’t quite as long lasting as the ‘Hail Mary’ shade, so I think the metallic hints in that must have given it a little more tenacity. You get a good amount of play time with the colour before it sets, which would help if you were using a brush for application ( you can purchase a special ‘waterbrush’ from Daniel Sandler specifically for applying this product) but I did it with my fingers. It actually is easy to put too much on and underestimate how pigmented the blush is, whilst also being quite sheer. It dried to a smooth, powder finish and it felt quite different - and superior to – other blushes I’ve been using.

I’ll definitely be purchasing both these products (once I find out my perfect shade of foundation). I would highly recommend giving them a try, they are top quality items that are innovative and feel different from the other products out there. This range deserves to be a lot more famous than it is, but the slight trouble you need to go to hunting it down is richly rewarded. I know a lot of Daniel Sandler-trained make-up artists are specialists in wedding make-up and I can easily see why.

His sheer, long-lasting formulas would best be described as ‘natural perfectors’, giving you your beauty boost without compromising on either performance or a natural look. If I was getting married in the near future, they’d be my first port of call. But why save looking that good for your wedding day only?

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