Juniper
A few weeks ago, I was introduced to a homegrown 100% mineral-based makeup brand, Ronasutra™ which has actually been around since 2007 but until today, it was only available online and through a distribution chain that included 27 main stockists and 600 dealers across Peninsular & East Malaysia as well as Brunei, Singapore and Indonesia. The brand opens its first counter at Plaza Shah Alam today.
Ronasutra™’s products include 2-in-1 Mineral Foundation & Powder, Cheek Colour, Retractable Kabuki Brush and Anti-bacterial NBR Sponge. Their bestselling product is the 2-in-1 Mineral Foundation & Powder which is currently available in 8 shades. The 2-in-1 Mineral Foundation & Powder has been formulated specially for Asian skin tones and are free from blue pigments, There are just 5 ingredients in the 2-in-1 Mineral Foundation & Powder.
Mineral makeup has always been the alternative for those with sensitive skins or those seeking makeup that does not clog or congest pores. Ronasutra™ products have been used by Muslims during prayers as they are free from alcohol, fragrance and animal products.
The products come in loose form as there are no oils and ‘binders’ in the formula to compact the powder. Ronasutra™ states that the 2-in-1 Mineral Foundation & Powder provides an effective UV cover due to the minerals’ natural ability to reflect and protect the skin from harmful UV rays. Ronasutra™ further states that another benefit of using the product is the anti-bacterial properties which help skin naturally reduce acne through regular use as it has high zinc oxide content.
Natural Buff 2-in-1 Mineral Foundation & Powder, Kabuki Brush, Apricot Orange Cheek Colour
The 2-in-1 Mineral Foundation & Powder is a buildable product which you can layer on depending on the coverage you want. If you just want a light coverage, you apply one layer but if you want more coverage, layer on 3 layers.
The powder is quite fine but I think a deeper jar would have been more practical to avoid some of the powder from flying out when the inner cover is opened. No doubt there is a plastic sifter so you don’t necessarily have to open the inner plastic cover but I’d still have preferred to see the product contained within a deeper container. Note that the 2-in-1 Mineral Foundation & Powder does not come with a powder puff.
Once the 2-in-1 Foundation & powder has been buffed on to skin with the Kabuki Brush, it didn’t look cakey/chalky and I didn’t feel as if there was a thick layer. The appearance was natural and it felt lightweight. The product is said to last for up to 16 hours in hot and humid weather but I haven’t had occasion to put that to the test as I rarely wear makeup for longer than 12 hours, I try not to anyway.
There are currently 5 shades of Cheek Colours and I chose Apricot Orange for this review only because it was the closest shade they have to coral and I am so tired of pink cheek colours. However, this Apricot Orange shade has to be applied with a light hand. Still, I think it is a bit too orangey for my liking. I can see this working for ladies who have darker skin tones though.
Ronasutra 2-in-1 Mineral Foundation is priced at RM48/8g for a single colour shade and also available at RM58 as a set of 5 (Cream Peach, Sawo Yellow, Natural Buff, Honey & Mocha). The Kabuki Brush is priced at RM38 and NBR Sponge at RM5.
All Ronasutra™ products are available through a distribution chain consisting of wholesalers and dealers, select beauty centres, online retailers and independent pharmacies. They can also be purchased online at www.ronasutra.com or from its first dedicated cosmetic counter at Plaza Shah Alam.
