THE VALUE OF CAMOUFLAGE
WHO CAN BENEFIT?
Camouflage can make or break a patient’s experience of surgical procedures! It is the simplest and most inexpensive way to ensure that she or he maintains a positive frame of mind and is enthusiastic about the next visit. And, camouflage doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s no longer necessary to have specialty training, or to work with unusual colors and heavy formulations. Neither is it necessary to spend large amounts of time on the application.
Clearly, patients who have undergone facelifts, laser surgery or any procedures that necessitate days to weeks of recovery time, benefit greatly. Camouflage allows them to see the results of the physicians’ work faster, creates confidence in their choice, takes the pressure off the support staff who can now turn worried patients into happy ones, and allows patients to return to “normal life” considerably faster than if they weren’t shown how to hide redness and bruising.
jane iredale mineral powders have changed all that. Made from undiluted pigment comprising particle sizes that diffuse light, these minerals give unsurpassed coverage with very little product, so that the skin always looks like skin and distractions are easily concealed. Our mineral bases also contain an SPF 20 and are classified as Very Water Resistant. The sun protection is achieved with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide providing UVB and UVA protection. These bases also contain sea minerals because they have been shown to soothe sensitive skin, prevent trans epidermal water loss, rebuild the lipidic film barrier and have a nutritive effect on mature skin. All of our bases have passed comedogenicity and sensitivity testing. Now camouflage is fast, simple, effective and may actually assist in the healing process.
But there are many other patients who also benefit from using camouflage and in doing so open the doors to procedures and services that can be performed during their working day. For example, redness from a facial peel can be covered in seconds by minerals — not only concealing erythema but also replacing the protective lost stratum corneum and providing essential sunscreen. The patient may return to work fully protected and wearing a mineral base that may even help calm the skin. (The titanium dioxide and zinc oxide in our bases are known anti-inflammatories.) Never attempt camouflage without first getting the permission of the attending physician.
DEFINITION OF MINERAL MAKEUP When we began our company in 1994 we defined mineral makeup as being a concentrated pigment powder that did not contain talc, rice powder or any such diluter. Mineral powders should not contain synthetic preservatives such as parabens or FD&C dyes. The idea was to keep the pigment as pure as possible so that it could be worn by the most sensitive skins including those who have just undergone surgery and are suffering from conditions such as rosacea and acne. jane iredale minerals are a foundation, powder, concealer and sunscreen all in one and provide enough coverage to conceal port-wine stains and tattoos. However, they can also be used for daily wear by those who want light coverage and a flawless-looking protected skin.
Provided the skin hasn’t been broken, our jane iredale minerals can be used to conceal the results of any procedure or condition. Imagine rosacea or acne patients being able to walk out of a medical office with all signs of their conditions hidden. Imagine as medical professionals that you may now know that the camouflage they are wearing is helping their condition instead of exacerbating it. This is the magic of minerals as camouflage. The result, benefit and lift to patient morale are instantaneous.
WHAT RESULTS CAN YOU EXPECT?
THE CORRECTIVE COLOR
Results can range from complete coverage to simply diverting the focus and everything in between! It’s important to let the patient know what can be reasonably expected. Redness can often be completely hidden. It is more difficult to achieve complete invisibility with other distractions such as tattoos. You may have to try a number of times before both you and the patient are happy. However, with the range of products and colors available in the jane iredale line, there is almost always a way to achieve a result that gives satisfactory coverage, and just as importantly, is fast and easy.
There are some additional products that are necessary to cover bruising, hyperpigmentation, tattoos, etc. These can be found in our cream concealers, Circle\ Delete, Enlighten and our Corrective Colors Palette.
There are a variety of ways to apply minerals depending on the desired result.
Guide to choosing the right color: Orange/Peach conceals blue and purple Yellow conceals red Lilac conceals yellow
Covering redness such as erythema from laser resurfacing, rosacea and acne
These colors cancel each other out because they are complementary colors.
Green has been used for a long time in the makeup world to cover redness on the theory that green and red are complementary colors (opposites on the color wheel), and therefore, cancel each other out. This technique works well on an artist’s canvas but not on the human skin. The usual effect when green covers red is a grey ghost-like pallor or green, both of which have to be concealed. Our yellowtoned mineral bases such as Warm Silk, Warm Sienna and Golden Glow will cover redness very effectively.
Brown and gray (the most difficult colors to conceal) are a mixture of colors so they have no complementary color. It is important here to experiment. Try a beige color first and then add orange/peach or yellow depending on the color that seeps through.
APPLICATION
Cleanse the face and moisturize. Allow the moisturizer to absorb. If you are applying PurePressed Base, swirl our Handi Brush around the cake, use the side of the compact to tap off any excess and begin application where you want the most coverage. It is important to layer minerals and not to try to cover everything at once. If more coverage is needed, use our flocked sponge to pick up additional powder and roll/press it into the skin. Be sure to carry the minerals beyond the jaw line and down the neck, if possible. This gives much needed sun protection in vulnerable areas. If you are applying Amazing Base loose minerals, lightly dip each side of our Chisel Powder Brush into the minerals, tap off any excess on the side of the jar, then use the lid to work the minerals into the brush until all powder is absorbed. Begin application. Use our flocked sponge to add more minerals where needed. A spritz of one of our facial sprays (D 2 O, POMMISST or Balance) will set the minerals and give a dewy finish to the application.
Cream concealers are best applied with our Camouflage Brush using a criss-cross motion. Although the skin looks smooth, it is in fact made up of hills and valleys. A horizontal stroke merely covers the hills. Your ring finger is the weakest finger you have, so use it to blend and feather the edges of the concealer. Using your ring finger will ensure that you do not use too much pressure and the warmth from your finger will melt the concealer into the skin.
Hyperpigmentation and Vitiligo You will probably need to try a variety of techniques to cover these conditions. No one technique works for everyone. Hyperpigmentation is made up of many colors which combine to look like brown or an ashy gray. You may have success in concealing some shades but others will seep through the camouflage. It is important to experiment and to let the patient know that you may need to try a number of times before you’re satisfied. ◆ First try a layer of PurePressed Base or Amazing Base applied on clean, moisturized
skin. If this isn’t enough coverage try our white-washing technique. Spritz the flocked sponge with one of our facial spritzes (usually three spritzes are sufficient), press the wet sponge into Amazing Base and use a palette to further press the minerals into the sponge for even distribution. Then roll/press the sponge over the area that still needs coverage. The minerals will look lighter in the beginning but they will dry to their normal color. Smooth out with the flocked sponge or our Foundation Brush.
White-washing is a particularly effective technique for vitiligo where it is better to find a color between the dark and light areas and apply a wash in order to blend the two together. (Apply the wash in long strokes to cover larger areas.) It is usually unsatisfactory to try to match the white areas to the darker pigmentation. Apart from how time-consuming it is, there will almost always be a dark border left around the areas where there is no pigment. Most vitiligo patients would rather find a fast way to minimize the contrast between the two areas thereby lessening the impact of the contrast. This can be accomplished with minerals because of their light diffusing qualities. ◆ A color that can often be effective in neutralizing hyperpigmentation is peach/orange.
It has to be used judiciously, but it will stop the ashy bleed-through that is common when covering dark pigment. First, match the skin tone to the correct Amazing Base or PurePressed Base shade. Then, pick up some of our Enlighten Concealer or the peach color in the Corrective Colors Palette. With the Camouflage Brush, work some of the concealer into the brush. Pat the concealer onto the patches of darker pigmentation. With the flocked sponge, pick up some of the mineral powder and roll/press it onto the areas you are camouflaging. With your powder brush, layer minerals over the entire face. Set with a facial spritz. If you need more coverage on the pigmented areas, you may add another layer of the orange concealer and roll/press the minerals again. This layering technique is more effective than trying to cover everything at once. You will have a more natural result.
Bruising and tattoos When bruises are still in their blue/purple stage, you may use the same technique for camouflage as you do for a tattoo. (You will need to use different colors when the bruise transitions to yellow.) Be prepared to try different techniques until you find the right combination of products that conceal to your client’s satisfaction.
Some bruises and tattoos also respond well to some of the techniques described in the hyperpigmentation section above.
The peach/orange shade in Enlighten and the Corrective Colors Palette will be invaluable for covering the blue/purple in bruises and tattoos.
Match the skin shade to Amazing Base or PurePressed Base. Try the orange from Enlighten or the peach tone from the Corrective Colors Palette and stipple over the discoloration with our Camouflage Brush, then press mineral powder on top with the flocked sponge. If the bruise or tattoo is not covered, add another layer by repeating the entire procedure again.
Always be sure to feather the edges of the camouflage or it will look like a patch.
Yellow bruising When the bruise is in its final healing stages, it will look yellow. This yellowness can exist for a number of days and will need to be neutralized. Try a pink base shade first, then layer the complexion color on top. If yellow still shows through, use the lilac concealer from our Corrective Colors Palette. Apply with the Camouflage Brush and brush the minerals on top.
Camouflage is a rewarding experience that requires creativity and patience. But now, with the flexibility and color range that jane iredale offers, there is no camouflage that is beyond the medical professional who has a will to make a difference in patients’ lives.
FLAWLESS FINISH Iredale Mineral Cosmetics, Ltd. 28 Church Street Great Barrington, MA 01230 t. 800.762.1132
f. 413.644.9057
www.janeiredale.com