About a month ago, I ordered the BareMinerals makeup. I've been curious about it for awhile, and I decided it was finally time to give my old foundation a rest. I've been wearing Mary Kay foundation since I was about 15 years old, and I was interested to try something new.

Here are their claims:

"Imagine a makeup so pure you can sleep in it. Really. Fall fast asleep in front of the television, and never worry about a blemish come morning. Sound too good to be true? Well, it’s not. Bare Escentuals’ 100 percent pure mineral makeup, i.d. bareMinerals, is a groundbreaking line of feather-light powders for the eyes, cheeks, and face, which are free of everything. In fact, the makeup is so pure, it’s actually good for your complexion. Between i.d. bareMinerals and the brand’s complete line of color cosmetics, Bare Escentuals has earned its reputation as a makeup pioneer - and its mile long list of fans have the flawless complexions to prove it."


I've put this review off for a long time just to make certain I was pleased with the product. Readers, I'm here to say that this makeup is revolutionary and I think I'm a convert!


The best way I can describe the way this makeup looks is to compare it to airbrushing. It's as if you have a magic eraser that greatly diminishes the appearance of fine lines, acne blemishes, blackheads, and other epidermis undesirables. They don't go away, but your whole face looks smoother and more even in tone.

I have this one little trouble spot on one of my cheeks, and the BareId covers this spot better than either my old Mary Kay makeup or my industrial-strength concealer. The makeup covers all of my blackheads on my nose and gives my skin a beautiful, even texture.



After a few days, I was surprised at how good my skin felt. It is smoother. It is less dry and irritated. My blemishes are less noticeable. My fine lines don't show up as much with this makeup. There is no seeping into the smile or frown lines of your face. I look younger and fresher.

There is no greasy feeling at the end of a long day. The foundation stays fresh all day long! No more applying foundation AND concealer AND powder; this does it all. I carry my makeup with me in my purse and tend to be a fiendish primper, but I find that I only need to reapply this makeup once throughout the day to look fresh. That's compared to at least three or four times with my old Mary Kay makeup.

I was impressed so far, but the real test was to go back to my old makeup for a few days. (The original color I ordered was too dark and I had to get it replaced.) My skin was irritated and itchy. It seemed drier and less smooth. I had never noticed it before, but now that I have such a positive comparison, I don't think I could go back to my Mary Kay makeup.




Here's the one disadvantage that I see to this product. Because the makeup is in a powder form and you dust it onto your face, application can be tricky and messy. You MUST use a Kabuki Brush to apply this makeup. If you don't have one (I didn't!), you'll have to get one. But the makeup is $25 per container and the brushes are $28, which is a lot. What's a finance-conscious fashionista to do? Well, Bare Escentuals has a special deal. You can get two different shades of foundation, the Mineral Veil and Warmth, and some brushes. In addition they send along an instructional DVD and a little bag in which to carry it all. I paid about $75 for this. They automatically send you more makeup and charge your card every two months unless you tell them otherwise, so be careful if you want a one-time deal!

Notes about Mineral Veil and Warmth: I wasn't impressed with either of these products. The Mineral Veil acts as a powder but I found it drying. The Warmth just looked like I rubbed dirt on my cheeks (it's really brown) and I didn't like it at all. Both of these seemed redundant in my mind. Don't bother.

Bottom Line: Try this. Try it as soon as you can. You will love it and it will change your makeup expectations forever! You won't believe how good you look!