I bought Bare Minerals makeup thinking that it would help my skin and feel lighter than my regular foundation. I got prepared to apply the makeup, I washed my face, moisturized, then swirled and tapped. It went on easily enough, but it didn’t work as I expected it to. I was highly disappointed. The makeup was dry and cake-y, and even the lightest color did not match my skin.
At the time I had an acne break out and the coverage did nothing for me. After I worked with it for a while, though it covered very little, I decided to leave it on my skin to see how long it would last. Even with the mineral veil, it wore off after a couple of hours.
I am highly interested in the idea of mineral makeup: A makeup that is good for your skin and that you can sleep in! I don’t think I would have dared to sleep with this makeup on my face, for it surely would have stained my pillow.
My grandmother also bought a set of Bare Minerals Makeup and she hated it. This is definitely not makeup for people with wrinkles or fine lines, because it settles in all of those undesirable places. I was not impressed with this makeup.
Bare Mineral Makeup Review
by Deanne
(Columbia, Mo)
I recently went to a local salon for a Bare Mineral Makeup Makeover. I am in my late 40’s with fair skin (oily in the T-zone) and uneven skin tone. Thanks to good genetics and skincare, most folks think I am in my mid-to-late 30’s. After hearing about mineral make-up, I hoped to discover a foundation which was lighter and more natural looking than cremes.
I really liked the way the mineral makeup felt as it was applied. So very light and clean feeling! It also went on very quickly. However, I realized that I would need to learn a variety of new techniques to duplicate what the salon employee did with such speed and ease.
The big surprise occured at the “reveal”. I eagerly anticipated the makeover results. Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw… wrinkles!!!! Fine lines I did not even know that I had were quite visable. Whoa…..
According to the salon employee, Bare Mineral Makeup is not for everyone and some skin looks older due to the application technique. The salon employee privately recommended against this product for my “mature skin”. There was no sales pitch.
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Editor’s Note:
Thanks Deanne for your mineral makeup review.
Bare Escentuals is a natural mineral makeup we have all probably seen at one time or another on an infomercial. It contains 5 natural ingredients all rated safe on the Skin Deep Database:
Titanium Dioxide
Zinc Oxide
Bismuth Oxychloride
Mica
Iron Oxides
Bismuth could cause problems for sensitive individuals. This ingredient produces a glow that many mineral makeups have when applied. Some women have reported itching, rashes and irritation when using products that contain it.
If you are sensitive make sure and check the ingredients on any makeup you use. There are natural mineral makeups that do not contain bismuth some of which are listed on the best mineral makeup page.
After checking out the Bare Escentuals site I was disappointed that I could not find the ingredients they use in their mineral foundation. I had to do some research to find them and I also could not find any info about animal testing.
I did contact them and they said that they did not do any animal testing or work with companies that do.
Many companies are responding to consumers who want to see a list of all ingredients used, policies on animal testing, fair trade or the environment by providing that info on their site. I also check to see if they have signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics or carry a logo showing their commitment to being cruelty free.
Personally, I am more likely to shop with a company that provides that info easily within their site.
UPDATE:
When I first wrote about Bare Minerals they did not include the ingredients. Thanks to Cindy who recently posted a comment about Bare Minerals I see that they have improved their website to include the ingredients. This is a welcome change and I hope more companies of all kinds follow suit.
Is bare minerals safe ?
Make up? Are you speaking of bare minerals make up? Then the answer is yes.
Bare Mineral Review
by Lola
(Pennsylvannia)
I have been using Bare Minerals for about 9 months now. Although it is one of the better makeups that I’ve used to date, it certainly is not as great as they claim on the infomercial.
The basic foundation does not cover as well as they claim, and I cannot sleep while wearing it, without breaking out the next morning. The “warmth” that comes with the package is SO dark! I can’t spread it evenly over my face and it makes me look like an orange person from Alice in Wonderland (they won’t let me use the actual word on this site without letting me post this review)!
Also, I don’t see any difference in the tone of my face when I apply the “mineral veil”. Basically, I use a L’oreal or Maybelline foundation as a concealer, to cover up any spots or blotches, then I use the Bare Minerals to even out my tone. I will not use the “warmth” until I am very tan in the summer. Until then, I recommend Lumene’s Air-Light Terracotta Powder. It spreads so evenly and you don’t have to worry about looking orange.
EDITOR’S NOTE:
Thanks Lola for the review.
Below are the ingredients for Bare Minerals Foundation:
Active Ingredients: Titanium Dioxide 12.6%, Zinc Oxide 21%. Inactive Ingredients: Bismuth Oxychloride, Mica, Iron Oxides, Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide
This product does contain Bismuth Oxychloride which some women find irritating to their skin.
I don’t care for products from Maybelline or L’Oreal because both of these companies continue to do animal testing.
Would have liked to include the ingredients for Lumene’s Air Light Terracotta Powder but was unable to find them. If anyone else knows them please submit them in the comments for this review. Thanks.
Also, as editor of Natural Living for Women I am confused by Lola’s comments about not being allowed to use “the actual word” in her review and can only guess she was thinking of another site.
Bare Minerals Make-up Review
I have used Clinique and decided to try Bare Minerals Make-up. I have never had any problems before and unfortunately with Bare Minerals Foundation, I reacted badly.. My skin appeared red and a rash broke out.. allergic reaction? After reading the ingredients, must be the bismuth oxychloride… but definitely not going to use again!!
EDITOR’S NOTES:
Thanks for the review. Bismuth oxychloride bothers many women and unfortunately you never know until you try it. If you are someone who reacts to skin care products you might want to avoid this ingredient all together. There are many really nice mineral makeup brands that do not contain this ingredient. Just read through some of the other reviews. I try to include the ingredients for each product mentioned.
Bare Minerals Review
by Leta
(Houston)
Bare Minerals is the biggest scam going today; if another 20 year old at the makeup stores tells me how good it is for my skin I will scream. It contains titanium dioxide which is the most irritating ingredient you can use. I’ve tried it twice; both times I broke out in a scaly rash on my face; at the time I didn’t know what was causing it. I researched and found out the problem. How they are getting away with their advertising is beyond me.
EDITOR’S NOTES:
Thanks for your comments Leta.
Any ingredient is a potential irritant for someone. Titanium dioxide may have caused rash and irritation for Leta but it is rare. It is considered to be safe to use on the skin and very rarely causes irritation.
Bare Minerals does contain bismuth oxychloride which is often the culprit when someone experiences a rash after using mineral makeup.
When choosing mineral makeup read the ingredients. If it contains bismuth oxychoride consider trying a sample first before committing to a full size purchase. This is especially important if you know your skin is sensitive.
Bare Escentuals Mineral Makeup Review
Since discovering mineral makeup 2 years ago, I have tried many brands. Some were quite good and others were not. Some were just ok. After trying so many brands I finally had something to compare them against, so this mineral makeup review can be more complete.
Bare Escentuals is a very popular brand. In fact, they might be the oldest mineral makeup company. They were started in San Francisco in 1976, so they’ve been providing a more natural alternative for almost 30 years.
Their most popular advertising is on infomercials, gaining them the nickname “Infomercial Mineral Makeup”. You might have seen them on home shopping network channels. Affiliates sell them on EBAY or their own personal websites.
It’s a widespread brand and is often the first brand someone tries when they choose mineral makeup. It was the first brand I tried after seeing it on a late night infomercial.
I got a deal of two foundations, mineral veil and warmth, as well as three brushes for around $60 plus shipping. It was actually the I.D. Bare Minerals brand, but they are the same corporation. I chose the light foundation set.
When I tore into the package my first impression was surprise at how far down in the jar the sifter sat. It looked like I had only gotten ½ a jar of product! But I didn’t know anything about mineral makeup at this point, and figured that was just the norm. I couldn’t wait to try out the brushes…the kabuki had looked like so much fun!
I dutifully swirled, tapped and buffed. Immediately the harsh bristles irritated my sensitive skin. I dumped the kabuki and used the regular face application brush that came in my package. It applied the makeup with no irritation. I looked in the mirror, was pleased with what I saw, and went out for the day.
Later someone pointed out to me that I looked “streaky”. I thought that was odd, so I decided to practice my technique. And that’s a big part of getting any mineral makeup to look good. You have to perfect your technique and find what works for you and what gives you the look you like. I like a light to medium coverage, so I had to work to not apply too heavy handed. But I also had to make sure I buffed every single direction or my pores seemed more noticeable.
I was happy with the coverage, the color and the wearability. It was truly light and comfortable to wear, while still minimizing my rosacea. I was very pleased, and didn’t mind at all that I was charged for and sent a refill every three months. I couldn’t wait to expand my collection to include blushes and eyeshadows. But I was so excited to find a foundation that didn’t clog my pores, irritate my skin or look like a mask. I was unhappy with the shininess of the makeup, but that was about it.
When summer came I continued to wear Bare Escentuals and continued my exercise regimen. However, with the summer heat compounding my sweating, my face started itching. I mean, really itching. I couldn’t figure out what was causing it. I thought it might be my cleanser, moisturizer, etc. After all, I did have sensitive skin.
After trying everything I could think of, including detergent, and nothing helped, it finally occurred to me to test my makeup. And sure enough, that’s what it was. I dumped it from my routine then, and did some research. That’s when I learned that the two things I disliked about the makeup (the itching and the shininess) were likely caused by the ingredient Bismuth Oxychloride.
EDITOR’S NOTES:
Thank you for this very thorough and helpful mineral makeup review.
As this reviewer has found if you have sensitive skin any product containing Bismuth Oxychloride may cause uncomfortable irritation, rashes or itching. It can found in a variety of products from makeup to blush to eyeshadow.
Barescentuals
by Robyn Sehy
(Los Angeles, CA)
I have used Barescentuals for about 5 years, and like how it makes me look. However, I am 61 and my skin is getting more and more dry as I get older, and I think it is too drying for my skin currently. I tried it with their makeup primer which did not really help and think I will go to a green makeup sold by Sephora called “Tarte” as soon as I use up what I have.
