Win a Just Pure Minerals Vegan Lipstick of Your Choice (Plus 20% Discount on Orders)!

I cannot be MORE excited about vegan mineral cosmetics brand Just Pure Minerals and the fact that I am able to give my readers the opportunity to win one of their amazing products, a fabulous Luscious Vegan Lipstick in the shade of their choice (out of 22 amazing colours). SQUEAL!

Since discovering this 100% vegan brand and woman-owned company sometime last year, virtutally every single make-up product I have ever bought since has come from JPM. Yes, I love the stuff that much!

And whenever I make a new order, I camp by my letter-box waiting for my delivery. I don't know - from the process of choosing and ordering (the site just seems so personal to use, and the actual service even more so), through to the excitement of receiving and wearing the products - as well as the great value prices - I adore everything about Just Pure Minerals.

Nothing nasty, all vegan!

Just Pure Mineral products contain no synthetic dyes or fragrances, no animal by-products, no parabens, and no other nasties. They are all-natural (the lip gloss is the only product that in some shades isn't) and are definitely all vegan and cruelty-free. It seems silly to put ingredients onto your precious skin which may be harmful, and there is nothing in these products which will do that.

Lots of choice, great value!

From lip balms, bronzers, eye shadows, foundations, setting powders, mineral veils, blushers, lip glosses, eyeliners and so on - even vegan cosmetic brushes, made without using animal hair - I like the fact that there is masses of choice with Just Pure Minerals, with lots of colours and shades.

From more natural, everyday colours, like the Universal Beige eyeshadow which is now my firm favourite base shadow, to bright statement make-up, like the dazzling damson Madison lipstick (which I didn't think would suit me, but thanks to being able to try samples, I have discovered it actually looks pretty groovy!), Jo (the owner of the company), has worked hard to offer a broad range of shades to suit many skin tones and tastes.

And with my last order, Jo also sent me some extra samples to try out in light of offering this giveaway/prize draw to readers. For the first time, I tried the lip balms. These are NICE! What I like about the darker colours like Barely Bella and Barely Mambo, which is based on one of the lipstick shades, is that I can carry these off being so fair-skinned. I don't think the full-on lip colour would work for me, but the tint of colour in the balm is really lovely.

As well, when I first starting buying from JPM, I was astounded at the prices. They are SO reasonable. Considering what you are paying for (not cheap, nasty, animal-tested, animal-derived, mass produced make-up with yukky, harmful ingredients), and the fact that the service cannot be faulted, plus the make-up is fun and funky and actually does the job it says it will do - you'd be a fool to grumble at them.

For example, the beautiful eye shadows, which stay on with power and don't crease (I know, I have been out clubbing until 7am while wearing them!), can be bought for $14 (£9.20) for three full-size jars. The Luscious Lipsticks retail at $9 (£6) each, and the Mineral Eye Liners (which last about a million years!) are $6 (£4) each.

The Perfect Face Kits - starting at $28 - are a great way to start sampling JPM. They allow you to try a range of samples in your own time, before choosing your full-size products, which you get at a discount, bundled price, including a postage & packing dicount. And if you decide after trying the samples you don't like the products, you will be refunded the full-size product price that you have paid. How many companies offer such a service as this?!

My only small gripe on product range is that Just Pure Minerals don't yet have a mascara, which is my personal 'essential' cosmetic. So I'm hoping one is currently in development! (Pretty please?).

The postage costs are extremely reasonable too. The only downside for those of us ordering from the UK are the UK Customs Duty rules. If you order anything above £15 in value from abroad, we get slammed with VAT and customs to pay. One way of working around this can be to make separate orders, as by my calculations (which I cannot remember now how I worked them out, so you'll have to trust me or work it out for yourself!), it's cheaper to pay postage on three packages up to the value of £15 each, than pay the import duty.

If you're ordering quite a lot though (over the value of £45), it will likely be better value to pay the duty and tax on the one package. There is a one-off customs fee, and then the VAT on top. Try the Duty Calculator to work it out.

Using mineral make up

I had never used mineral cosmetics before ordering from JPM and testing out some samples (they cost $1 each by the way, and you get another free with each purchased, so it really turns out to be two for $1!), and I was a little dubious of how a mineral foundation could work well. Now I have discovered it, I will never go back to sticky, heavy, cream-based products.

Yes - I can honestly say my complexion and the 'finish' looks so much better using mineral cosmetics. Pores are filled in better, my skin looks smoother and fresher, and my skin-tone looks far more even. If I use the mint corrector on any reddish patches or blemishes before applying foundation, my face is flawless. And using a mineral veil completes the look and blends everything together.

Plus I have danced all night in a sweaty club, and my face has stayed in place! The mineral veil definitely helps.

If you are a mineral virgin, don't fret, there's loads of advice around on how to apply, including on the Just Pure Minerals site in the FAQs. I also found a neat little article about mineral make up on handbag.com

WIN a Just Pure Minerals Luscious Vegan Lipstick!

Yes! I have one of the creamy, truly luscious Just Pure Minerals lipsticks up for grabs for a lucky reader. One of my personal favourite shades is Natalia (pictured above), as it's a lovely, natural day-time shade. Although for a more vampy look, I also love Cerise, and Madison is great for a funky night-out!

So how can you be in with a chance of winning a Just Pure Minerals Luscious Vegan Lipstick, worth $9, in the shade of your choice? All you have to do is this:

1. You need to SHARE and COMMENT to enter! Go to the Chocolate and Beyond Facebook page, then share the picture which looks like this one below (please do 'like' the page as well, if you, um, like!).

2. COMMENT! Tell me which shade of Luscious Lipstick is your winning favourite, by leaving a comment under the picture! Go to the Just Pure Minerals website, and choose the lipstick shade that you'd like to win.

3. Keep an eye on the Facebook page for the announcement of the winner, which will be made after the closing date of 19th April (23.59GMT).

4. Cross your fingers and toes and hope that you are the winner!

When the winner has been picked at random in 2 weeks time, I will post to Facebook and ask them to send me their email and address details. Please ensure to add the Chocolate and Beyond Facebook page to your news feed and list of interests,so you don't miss hearing the news if you are the winner!

If the winner does not reply with email details within two weeks of my announcement, I will have to choose another!

Special 20% spring discount offer!

If you're really excited to try Just Pure Minerals yourself, then up until April 10th, there is a special 20% discount on all orders about $9. That's quite a hefty savings on products that are already fabulous prices! All you have to do is enter the code SPRING20 when you're checking out for all purchases of $9 or more.

Visit Just Pure Minerals to order and use the code.

Prize Draw Terms & Conditions (that is, the small print)

1. The final date of entry is 23.59 hours GMT on 19th April 2013. No entries can be considered after this.

2. You must follow the steps as described to enter. If not fully carried out, your entry is invalid.

3. Only one entry per person is allowed. Anyone who enters with multiple emails/comments will be disqualified.

4. The judge’s decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into. The prize cannot be exchanged or transferred and no cash alternative will be offered.

5. The prize is subject to availability by the sponsor. No responsibility can be taken by Chocolate and Beyond on when or if the prize/s reach you. Once the competition closes the prize responsibility is entirely in the hands of the sponsor.

6. The prize draw winner will be randomly selected.

7. No automated entries allowed. These will be disqualified.