Beauty Queen

By: Ruth Kerrison
Created on 25th March 2010

Having been a successful celebrity make-up artist for twenty years, a brush with skin cancer woke Susan Posnick up to the need for a new type of make-up. She talks to Cosmetic Surgery & Aesthetics Guide about developing her own range of mineral cosmetics

Q: What is your background in the beauty industry?
I worked in the beauty industry for twenty years as an awardwinning celebrity make-up artist with big names such as Sienna Miller, Cindy Crawford, Amber Valletta, Renee Russo as well as magazines such as American Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and Allure.

Q: What prompted you to develop the Susan Posnick make-up range?
After being diagnosed with skin cancer in 1999, I wanted to use a product that would provide maximum sun protection, yet not feel heavy or mask-like on my skin. I also wanted a foundation that wouldn't melt off in the heat (like liquid foundation), yet still give me a radiant-looking complexion.

After an extensive search, I found that nothing with all of the attributes I wanted existed in the marketplace. So I decided to develop my own product.

On my quest, I discovered these things called ‘minerals' at a make-up trade show. Inspired, I joined forces with a lab which, like me, thought out of the box. We were able to create 13 shades of mineral foundation with a high natural SPF, also infusing them with natural vitamins, anti-oxidants, and antiinflammatory agents.

Q: What makes mineral make-up products different?

Pure mineral make-up allows the skin to breathe, so, it is the healthiest, most natural makeup one can apply. Pure mineral make-up contains no fillers or powders, so it won't settle into fine lines or wrinkles. The minerals adapt to the warmth of the skin to create a ‘second skin' which makes your own skin look fresh and luminous.

Loose minerals are antibacterial. Because there are no additives, preservatives or fillers, there is nothing in the product to harbour bacteria.

Another of the benefits of mineral make-up is that it can offer strong, natural sun protection. The use of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide provide an immediate and effective sunblock - it is as if you are pulling a shade down between you and the sun. Since this sun protection is in a powdered form, it won't clog your pores or give your skin that heavy, mask-like feeling.

Q: How soon after a cosmetic treatment can you begin to wear your
make-up range?

It depends on the kind of treatment you have. If you have a facial or light peel - either acid or dermabrasion - we recommend you apply Susan Posnick COLORFLO Mineral Foundation immediately after your treatment. In this way you have instant natural sun protection and coverage of any redness that might occur from the procedure. In addition, COLORFLO contains vitamins A and E which are natural anti-inflammatories that soothe and calm the skin.

However, if you have a CO2 peel or a more invasive treatment, your doctor will most likely advise you to wait ten days before applying any cosmetics.

Q: How do you provide such an extensive range of colour options without using the dyes that are used in commercial makeup?
Minerals offer almost endless colour possibilities and blending these various pigments can provide practically any colour desired. Since the natural pigments blend with the warmth of your skin, the foundation colours are quite adaptable and therefore more than one colour can often match the skin tone.

Q: Does it differ from commercial make-up in terms of application?
Powdered mineral foundation lets the skin breathe. It is light-weight and can be built up for coverage, without it looking like you are wearing foundation. Minerals fuse with the warmth of the skin which gives you a much more natural look-it's your skin, just better.

Traditional make-up, on the other hand, is heavier and tends to ‘show’ when applied to the skin. So, your make-up may look beautiful, but not your skin.

COLORFLO and COLORME are super easy to use and no fuss. The self dispensing products are luxurious to the touch and dispense just the right amount of product needed to create beautiful looking skin.

Q: Mineral make-up is becoming increasingly popular; what is it about your product that makes it stand out from the competition?
My mission is to do ‘the thinking for you'. COLORFLO is the highest quality pure mineral formula, self-contained in a luxurious, refillable brush. COLORME is a small pot with a convenient mirror on the top, containing luscious mineral colour safe enough to use on your cheeks, eyes and even lips.

The Susan Posnick range has the highest SPF of any mineral make-up collection on the market, and is both sweat-proof and water resistant - I wanted to make it easy for women to protect their skin from the sun, without having to reapply every time they exercise.

My goal is to continue to develop products that are innovative in both product and packaging, blending the best of nature and science, continually providing the consumer with simple yet stylish, portable make-up.

NEW FROM SUSAN POSNICK

Coloressentials is the latest addition to the Susan Posnick family - a lipstick collection designed to end the eternal quest for the perfect lip colour.

Benefits:

• All five shades compliment every skin tone and work with the natural colour of the lip
  
• Travel friendly, compact casing with a unique magnetic closure that ensures the lid stays put
  
• Formulated with minerals and nourishing vitamins A and E along with olive oil
• Enriched with antioxidants to fight free radicals and reduce the appearance of fine lines
  
• Specially formulated to stop the colour bleeding into fine lines