Alima Pure Runway Collection for Fall 2011

Alima Pure's limited-edition Fall 2011 Runway Collection ($30) will be available exclusively online starting tomorrow, August 2, at alimapure.com. The four gorgeous eye shadow shades for fall offer a variety of ways to take your look from summer into fall - and from natural to dramatic.

Here are the shades that comprise the collection, listed below with their position in the photo at right in parentheses.

• Backstage Satin Matte Eyeshadow - pale pink, a perfect base shade (top left)
  
• Front Row Luminous Shimmer Eyeshadow - shimmering pale gold (bottom right)
  
• Press Pass Luminous Shimmer Eyeshadow - deep taupe (bottom left)
• Catwalk Luminous Sheer Eyeliner - hybrid charcoal, emerald, chocolate mixture that's hard to categorize (top right)

Alima Pure suggests you apply Backstage Satin Matte Eyeshadow from lashes to brow, like silk lingerie for your lids. I love that analogy! Sweep Front Row Luminous Shimmer Eyeshadow on your lids. Smudge a little more under your lower lashes to add drama. Brush Press Pass Luminous Shimmer Eyeshadow into the lids, concentrating on the outer corner of the eye. Like your best cashmere sweater, this shade will go with just about everything. Finish your look by lining your eyes with Catwalk Luminous Shimmer Eyeliner and mascara. Select nude-toned blush and lips (how about Holly Berry Organic Nourishing Lipbalm?), and away you go.

I took swatch photos this past weekend. If you have really good eyes, or a great display, you might be able to see Backstage at the top of my arm. I can barely see it because it blends into my skin so well. Below it, I applied Catwalk as a shadow to show you that this liner shouldn't be limited to use as an eyeliner. It would be a gorgeous, shimmering accent shade for most of us. Press Pass is taupe and loveable. I will reach for the shimmering, medium-toned taupe often. Front Row is perfectly named. It should have a front row in your makeup drawer, with its pure gold glory.

My swatch photos were taken in full sun. I applied all four shades with a sponge-tipped applicator, giving them a little more oomph than is necessary for everyday wear. I wanted you to see the colors adequately. With the exception of Backstage, the base shade, these are sparkling shades. You can see the sparkle in the pots, and you'll see it in the finely milled mineral pigments on your skin.

Because Alima Pure's pure colors and mineral pigments are rich and long-lasting, you don’t need much powder to do a beautiful job. That's why it was, for me, simply a matter of learning to pick up just the right amount of powder on my brush. I used to be afraid of mineral pigments, but with Alima Pure's shades, practice has made perfect, and I'm a convert.

Alima Pure makes its mineral makeup using only the purest cosmetic-grade mineral pigments. There are no additives, fillers, or fragrances that can irritate your skin or clog your pores. In fact, the natural mineral pigments Alima Pure uses are actually good for your skin, providing sun protection and helpful anti-inflammatory properties.

Alima Pure has a great Web site, filled with information, and their blog is interesting (a great discussion of natural health and beauty). They also have a Facebook site and a Twitter account (@alimapure). Check them out - you won't be disappointed. This is mineral makeup a makeup snob can love! Because the company takes its global relevance seriously, $2 from each Fall Runway Look will go to the Global Fund for Women. Need another reason to shop online tomorrow?

Photo at top and collection courtesy of Alima Pure; other photos by Best Things in Beauty