17 out of 17 people found this review helpful.
The only foundation I'll wear
Date of Review: Mar 19, 2008
The Bottom Line: This really is a valuable kit. It's a great value, the coverage is adjustable according to your tastes, and it's good for you!
Let me start by saying I got a slightly different kit I have only seen at the Bare Escentuals store in my local mall. It is the same as the regular kit, but includes a refillable compact and Clear Radience. This kit cost $75 instead of $60, but it is worth it, at least for the compact.
Well, the regular kit comes with a primer, three brushes, two different shades of foundation, powder, and a complexion warmer. It really is a good value, either the $60 version or the $75 version. While it may seem I have more criticisms than praise, the praise far outweighs the criticisms. This really is a good face makeup system. I had never really been able to figure out how to wear foundation before this, because everything else seems mask-like. These products truly will let your natural beauty shine through,
I will explain my thoughts on each product in the kit, in order of suggested use.
Rever-upper
It is definitely worth it that you use this primer. I wouldn't recommend it as a moisturizer, as it leaves a rather sticky texture, and I can't imagine it would do well as a primer for a liquid foundation. However, with your Bare Minerals foundation, it is fabulous. It brightens your skin, keeps the cream-based powder on your skin longer, allows more to stick on, smooths skin out, even makes pores look better, is overall good for your skin, and does not contain any oil. I use a fairly heavy coverage of foundation on my nose, so the primer is definitely necessary to even out all that powder. I find on days that I forget the primer, my makeup doesn't look nearly as good and does not last as long.
Brushes
I prefer using the Flawless Face brush for everything, even packed powders from other brands. It's definitely a multi-purpose brush. I only use the Kabuki brush for blending what's already on my face. However, the bristles are closer together on the Kabuki brush, so those of you who want a heavier coverage should definitely use this brush (and make sure you use the primer). Both brushes are made of all natural goat hair. They feel quite nice on your face. I would say both brushes are high quality.
It also comes with a concealer brush. I actually use this for applying the foundation to my nose, since it's a cess-pool of skin flaws. (BIG pores, discoloration, blackheads, the works!) It is pretty good for covering up big zits, too. The brush contains synthetic fibers, which is good for a smoother, thicker, concealer coverage. I like this brush, and believe it would be good with other concealers, as well.
Foundation
This is the ONLY foundation I will wear. It has a very natural looking finish. It reflects enough light for your skin to look dewy and fresh. If you like a heavier coverage, this may not be great for you, although you can use the Kabuki brush, or buy the Maximum Coverage Face Brush separately. It is a cream based powder. It is supposed to work for all skin types. I have very oily skin and like it very much. It not only does it not clog my pores, but I believe it has cleared my skin up, which I've heard from many people. I love using makeup that's working overtime as something good for me. It really is a good formula!
The kit comes with two shades. I wish they had a Fair/Fairly Light kit, but I have not been able to find one. Most women of European descent will be Fairly Light. You'll probably find the Light shade is far too yellow. Even those of us with yellow or combination undertones will find it too yellow. The only thing I use the Light shade for is mixing a tiny bit in with my Fairly Light to brighten it up when I have more color. The Light shade works quite well on complexions of Asian women. I find if I apply the Fairly Light too heavily on my face, the pink undertones can be overwhelming. I recommend blending it very lightly (you won't need primer) along the neck, and even the chest, to even things out.
One problem is that, as the day wears on, it mixes with the oil my face produces and creates a film on my face, kind of uncomfortable if you wear it for the whole day. When this starts happening, (it's only a real problem on my nose) I lightly dab my skin with a tissue and apply more powder, which I will get into soon. Another couple of problems I have with the foundation is that it tends to settle into the lines on my forehead. I'm 17, so I don't have any wrinkles; It is hard for me to tell if this would be a major problem for women who do have a few wrinkles. My main problem? It is, like almost all of Bare Escentuals products, very, very messy. You have to carefully tap some of the foundation into the lid. Some usually ends up on my counter. The powder tends to get around your bathroom pretty easily, too. I have spilled a couple times, which is a total pain to clean up, and feels like spilling liquid gold since the stuff is pretty expensive. This is really messy with darker products like Warmth, or their eyeshadows. Another problem with the foundation is that it really doesn't work so well as an under-eye concealer, as they claim. I recommend getting another product for under your eyes if you have darker, blue-tinted circles, like i do.
Keep in mind: If you're walking around in the rain, this stuff won't hold up too well. It is quite the opposite of water resistant!
Warmth
I'm really not a huge fan of warmth, and I think they should have included a blush in this kit instead. It's main purpose is to warm up your complexion, which it does just fine at. Don't mistake it for a bronzer!!! It will look unnatural if it's too heavy, and it has no sparkle what-so-ever, like I think a good bronzer should. Warmth is the messiest of the products in the kit, so be careful. Instead of tipping some into the lid, just use the residue already on the lid. If you need to, tip the container upside down while the lid is still screwed tightly on. When you open it, you'll find a nice layer on the lid. I usually just keep my container upside down in my bathroom until I want to use it. You still have to make sure you tap the excess, as little as there should be, off. It's good for lightly layering over blush as well as blending into the neck and chest to warm things up. BEWARE: It is very easy to overdo the Warmth! It will look pretty garish if you do. Also, I personally wouldn't use this instead of blush as it is a bad tone all by itself. I probably wouldn't buy this all by itself, but it comes in the kit, which really is a good bargain, so I figured I may as well utilize it.
Mineral Veil
I really don't have any complaints about this stuff. It's very, very fine, fills my pores in well, and keeps oil at bay. The foundation is nothing without the Mineral Veil, but the Mineral Veil could be used with any other makeup. You can layer it on all day when skin starts getting oily, and does a stellar job of keeping everything in place. If you use it once skin starts getting oily, make sure you blot some of the oily makeup goo off first, as you won't have to use as much. It is recommended that on hot days you put a layer of Mineral Veil on before foundation to keep oil and sweat at bay, although I have yet to try this, seems like a waste of precious makeup to me. (I live in Oregon. We have two months of sun a year.) I keep Mineral Veil in my refillable compact (that comes with a half moon brush. I love this thing) and put it on my nose when necessary. You'll run out of the powder much faster and have to refill it much sooner than the Foundation!
The only thing that bugs me is this: When you open the jar up, it seems like a ton of powder gets released into the air! For that price, I want it on my face, not in my lungs!
Clear Radiance
As I stated at the beginning of this monster-sized review, this isn't in the regular kit. As with Warmth, I wouldn't buy this by itself. It hasn't impressed me a whole lot. It's a pink-tinted, light shimmer, pretty much. It's intended to either mix in with the mineral veil or go on the whole face, which boggles my mind. I'm wearing foundation to get RID of the pink in my skin, not add to it! I suppose it may look good on girls with yellower undertones, but still. It's OK on top of blush to add a little radiance, but, again, not a necessary step. If you do want to wear this, put it on after the Mineral Veil, as putting it on beforehand would cancel out the light shimmer.
