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No need to shell out $34 for bareMinerals anymore, you can make your own.

NEW WESTMINSTER (CUP) — Guaranteed not to be tested on animals, just you.

What you will need:

• Arrowroot powder
• Cocoa powder
• Ground cinnamon
• Nutmeg
• 5 drops of almond oil (optional)
• An empty jar or compact container cleaned out with hot water and vinegar

You may have noticed that none of the ingredients I have listed have an actual measurement, besides the almond oil. There is a reason for this. Because there are so many different skin tones in the world, the combination of these ingredients, and how much you use of each, will vary. My guide will give you a basis for creating the foundation, but it will require some trial and error on your part to perfect your colour.

Start with the arrowroot as your base. Arrowroot is a cornstarch alternative, so it should be available in any natural foods grocery stores. That doesn’t mean that this recipe will work okay if you use cornstarch instead though. Cooking- wise, cornstarch and arrowroot are very similar; when they’re raw, not so much.

Add 1 tsp. of arrowroot powder if you have darker skin, or 1 tbsp. for lighter skin. This doesn’t need to be perfect; you’ll be adding other stuff to alter the shade. If you have medium-toned skin, err on the side of caution and do 1 tbsp. or bridge the difference and do 1 1/2 tsp.

The next part is up to you. Experiment with the cocoa, cinnamon, and nutmeg to find what combination leads you to your best shade. In hue, they go from cocoa to cinnamon to nutmeg, so try to figure out what might work best for you. If you’re really pale, chances are you won’t be using a lot of cocoa, if any. If you have really dark, rich skin, you probably shouldn’t start out altering the tone with nutmeg. Cinnamon is an odd one, because it’s used to not only darken, but to make the tone warmer, so be careful with it. If your normal foundation is a cooler shade, I would say avoid adding cinnamon in large amounts.

Use a clean, fluffy brush to try out the powder on your face, altering it as needed until you think it’s perfect. It helps if when you test it, you go to a window to see what it will look like in natural light.

When you’re satisfied, you can either keep it in a jar as a loose powder, or mix some up with the almond oil and press it in to an empty compact if you’d prefer something a little more portable. Begin with five drops, but if you find it’s still too powdery to stay in the compact, add more almond oil as needed.

Voila. Your very own, all-natural, homemade foundation Perfect for if your shade is difficult to find, or maybe you just don’t have the cash to buy all those expensive vegan brands.