But I never really knew what I was doing. As I got older and ventured into the workforce, I realized cutting out certain vanity primping routines would result in more sleeping in time. (8 a.m. start times and me never did jive very well.)

But in my early 30s I noticed my skin changing. I got these weirdo dark spots on my cheeks. Likely spending all weekend every weekend at the beach when we lived in Jax didn’t help much.

I never really used foundation but I needed a way to even out my skin tone so…I started experimenting with makeup again. (Before that, I was a mascara and lipstick only kind a girl. Eye shadow and blush for special events.)

So I’ve spent the last several years looking for a makeup (meaning foundation) I like.

I found out fast if it’s in a bottle and I have to put it on, I don’t like it. But I’m not too keen on powders either.

Revlon has a creamy kind of one that comes in a compact I like. However, when  the Bare Minerals craze hit, I bit. Sort of.

Bare Minerals was far too expensive for me. I was not about to fork out that kind of money on makeup.

So I went with some store brand knock-off. I was not impressed. That stuff gets all over the place! And on my face? Blech. I don’t like the way it feels, and I really don’t like the way it wears on my skin.

I have friends who swear by it. They’re faces look great. One time I even asked a neighbor for tips. Maybe I was doing something wrong.

Nope. She applied her makeup the same way as I did…but with better results. (Both on her face and not as much clean up afterwards. I swear, all the sink needs is a little lipstick and some perfume and it’d look better than me after I get done trying to get mineral makeup on.)

The other day I needed some more makeup because my Revlon one was about out. I decided to try some Cover Girl Simply Ageless stuff. Not bad. I think I picked too light a tone, but guess what I found makes it work?

Swiping on some bronzing mineral makeup I still had laying around, followed by a touch of the finishing powder.

So that’s the secret…a creamier based foundation followed by the mineral stuff. Well, at least now I know!