JANIS, MY West Coast correspondent, is a fan of mineral make-up. I'm talking California, not Connemara here. I confess that picking her brains on the products and procedures that the real women of LA use was a tempting proposition when I met her. Never off the job, that's me, writes Phyl Clarke.
Before I got to know Janis well enough to ask about surgical procedures, we had a ramble around Sephora one afternoon. The store was enormous and I was as happy as a kid in a sweet shop, dabbing and slicking and comparing shades from a mind-boggling array of brands. Über cool consultants, dressed in black Nehru suits, were discreetly on hand to assist in choosing just the right product for my needs. Is this what heaven is like, I wondered, as the hours drifted by?
At the checkout, the subject of foundations arose, and I asked Janis if she had a favourite. I couldn't actually tell if she was wearing any - she looked natural and fresh, but with fantastic false eyelashes and a slick of lipgloss. "Bare Escentuals BareMinerals," she confided, adding that she shared her eyelash lady with none other than Cher. Ooh, the sheer Hollywoodness of it all.
Back in dreary, damp Dublin, I tried to relive the magic by finding out more about the brand. You might be forgiven for thinking that mineral foundations are the newest thing on the block, with brands tripping over each other to have their version on the shelves. Bare Escentuals practically invented mineral make-up more than 30 years ago, and use only 100 per cent crushed minerals, making it suitable for use by people with problem skin conditions such as acne and rosacea. It's the number one selling foundation in America. No, not the number one mineral foundation, the bestseller of all foundations.
One of the reasons for its success may be that the people behind the brand understand that this is a new way of wearing colour, and have produced an ingenious starter kit containing all the essentials. Begin by popping on the DVD, which takes you through each stage of application. A skin prep, called Rever- Upper, and selection of brushes is included. Two shades of foundation (there are three different starter kit shades) give you the option of mixing or using different colours within your shade range. You need an unbelievably small amount of colour tapped into the lid, which you then swirl on to the brush. After tapping off any excess, blend it on to face in a circular motion. Next, add "healthy glow" powder, which looks far too dark, but again, just a tiny amount adds contour and freshness. Finally, the mineral veil adds radiance. These powders seems to turn creamy on the skin, which has the benefit of smoothing out any imperfections and also softening lines.
Before you log on to Aer Lingus to book your flight, the reason I'm telling you all this is that the brand has finally made it to our shores and will be available at BT2 from the end of the month. Hurrah! The starter kit costs €68.