http://www.bareescentuals.com/

Know it?

Use it?

Love it?

I happen to love it. They're blendable so if you get a few colors you can create all sorts of different looks. The trick is not to use too much.

how do you know what to get?

(there seems to be a lot of different stuff available)

I started with the starter kit which gives you a few brushes, two foundations (which is good so that you can get two different shades and blend until you match your skincolor), the warmth color (which has a bronzing effect) and the mineral veil which you brush on after you're done with everything else.

Then I tried on some stuff at the Sephora store. I ended up getting three eyeshadows, two blushes and a darker bronze. I use my own mascara (Maybelline Unstoppable), dip lip balm into a blush for lipstick and blend blush and/or a bronze with an eyeshadow. I tend to put on just the regular eyeshadow as a basecoat and put the more exotic mixed color in the crease.

I did get the bisque concealer, but I ended up replacing that with the summer bisque which goes better with my skin tone. If you can get to a Sephora, try before you buy. Otherwise, tell me what your skin tone and hair color is and I'll help you out.

Oh and I'm not a huge fan of the brushes - I find that the quality isn't the best. Instead, I use a Sephora brush set. But the minerals themselves rock.

The starter kit looks like the jars are so tiny. Besides, I really need a blush and that well rested stuff for the eyes looks good.

I think there's a store near me (not Sephora, a bare escentuals store) but sometimes you can get a better deal online.

Hmmm. Something to think about.

In the meantime, any tips are appreciated (from brianna or others)

They are smaller than the regular size but they last months. Besides, it's better to start small so that you find out what you like and don't end up with a huge jar of stuff you don't end up using.

That does seem like a voice of reason.

Should I order online or go into the store?

dd and i went into the store, sans makeup, and tried on stuff until we decided what to buy.

i didn't think the kit was a good investment because we didn't need or want anything from it.

you don't have to buy $50 Sephjora brushes, you can get VCS brushes for $3 and then you can replace them instead of cleaning them.

If you didn't get the stuff in the kit, what did you buy?

(I'm thinking I need/want foundation, veil, warmth, blush, and well rested. Possibly some eye stuff but that may be stretching the budget too much.)

Thanks for bring the topic up, Arizona. I've been wondering about this makeup as well. Brianna, did you find that the DVD really helped you? Because what's been scaring me off is that I don't know how to use it, but I'm not happy with my current foundation and would love to try something else. Is the $59.95 starter kit price online a good deal? And does it really make your skin look more flawless than with regular foundation (or do you have flawless skin to begin with)?

use it, love it, lasts forever, and I use the bad colours to colour resin

I'm going to admit that I don't know what that means.

Try on at the store but buy online if you can get a better rate. Once you know what you like you can order online. By now I pretty much know what's what so I don't bother trying on.


It's definitely worth looking into.


Yes, the DVD did help. It shows you how to use the makeup. It's pretty basic but there is a small learning curve. Going from liquid foundation to a powder isn't easy for some people. The only criticism I've ever heard is from people who don't have the right colors for their complexion and/or are using too much which can give your face a powdery look.


Well price wise, the stuff isn't cheap. In relation to buying the pieces seperately, the starter kit is worth the investment. But if you use it correctly, you only end up using a little every day so it can stretch a while.

I found the following major differences between this and regular foundation.

1. I have oily skin and the mineral veil definitely helped my skin stop looking oily.
2. I still have to remove the makeup before I go to sleep, but it doesn't make me break out.
3. It gives full coverage. If you use the bisque to cover imperfections after you finish with the foundation, the overall effect is pretty great. Flawless is a pretty strong word. The makeup is good but it's not magic.
4. There is lots of room for experimentation. You can achieve any look from really light/natural to glamorous without buying lots of extra products.
5. It lasts all day. You don't have to keep applying it although I do touch up with mineral veil sometimes because as I said I have oily skin. The only exception to that would be the eyeshadow which is another reason I tend to mix it with other face colors.

I obviously happen to love the stuff. Other people may have a different opinion. My advice would be to try it for yourself, preferably at a store where you have no obligation. If you decide you like it, don't go crazy buying everything. Let yourself adjust slowly adding what you like.

There's some hype involved which I'm usually wary of, but this time I think it's well deserved.

I use powder foundation now.


I spend about $25 on a foundation and it lasts about four months.

What's the advantage of their eye shadow? You say it doesn't last all day, so what would be the benefit of it?

If you buy the $25 size foundation from bare minerals, it should last more like six months. It's a pretty big jar.


The lightest eyeshadow colors don't tend to last all day. But if you mix them with their all over face colors, it will. I like some of their eyeshadows better than others.

So the point of going to the store would be to check out which colors to get in the starter kit? I don't feel so comfortable trying things out if I know I'm not buying there.

I think the starter kit is supposed to be general enough that it's stuff that anyone would want (picking a foundation type doesn't seem too hard). Then, if you know you like the stuff, you can go into the store to buy more and check out colors that might not look good on everyone. Is that basically right, brianna?

I don't think that's necessary. The foundation colors are pretty easy to pick, especially since you can pick two. I ended up getting medium and light. I use plain medium in the summer and mix it in the winter. If you have really light to regular light skin, get Fairly Light and Light. If you have light to light medium skin, get Light and Medium. If you have olive skin, get Medium and the one darker than that. It's pretty difficult to go wrong. What you want to try before you buy is the eyeshadow, blush and extra face colors.


That's your thing then. I have no qualms about it.

ETA: If you're still not sure which foundation colors to choose, just tell me what color hair you have and if you tend to burn in the summer - if so how easily.

Those prices are outrageous. This is more economical and what I use.

The coverage isn't as good though and there isn't much color variety in terms of the mineral powders. I guess we all have our preferences.

It's the best makeup I've ever worn. But my skin type is normal. I can't vouch for oily or dry.

So do I listen to Ahavati or Brianna? Brianna, have you tried the Physician's Formula mineral powder or pressed powder?

I have tried the Physician's Formula foundation. I'm not a huge fan of it. But that may be because of my skin type. My advice would be to try the cheaper one first. If you're fine with that, no reason to go with the more expensive. Physician's Formula can be found pretty much anywhere.

I got a foundation and blush. I think DD got the same. We pretty much just wanted it for Shabbos and maybe summertime, as a light cover.

I'm surprised; the stores don't do [mini] make-overs? You can let them know upfront if you're not sure you're buying. Thta's the whole point of them making you over..trying to convince you to buy.

If the store itself doesn't do the, try a department store makeup counter, they do makeovers all the time. Bloomingdales, Macy's, Nordstrom, Saks etc.

The brand I originally linked came recommended to me but I was also wondering if other mineral make-ups are just as good.

Is the difference mainly in color availability and range or is there a fundamental quality difference in the powders themselves?

I tend to buy in sets and then use the colours I do not need to colour a sort of plastic I use in some of my work.

To add another one to the mix, I love Prescriptives. Very natural looking and soft on your skin. It's not a heavy look, but very soft and fine. Definitely worth a try.

oh, ok.



interesting. the other stuff (the one I first linked to) looks better to me, for some reason. (although I can't quite explain why)

FYI- Rite Aid is running a deal for $3 off Physician's Formula mineral makeup with a coupon from the rite aid coupon book.
I bought a package to try out!

I just saw that coupon book too! But too late, I bought Physician's Formula last week. I haven't made up my mind on it yet, that's why I haven't posted a report.

looks from the site?

No, I saw it IRL (on a real, live person).

Interesting.

why?

Since this mineral makeup conversation started, the market has exploded! It seems every cosmetics company is coming out with their own version of mineral makeup. So how do you know which one to buy? Are the name brands better than the drugstore brands? Which one is best from within the drugstore brands? Anyone have opinions on the matter?

No idea what mineral makeup is. I don't wear foundation. I'm lucky I have very good skin although maybe part of the reason is that I don't wear foundation. I use lots and lots of excellent skincare products and then Bobbi Brown blush on my bare skin, plus Bobbi Brown eyeshadow, Mac eyeliner and mascara. Plus lipstick (lipfinity). I don't seem to need foundation.

Wanted to ask you...has anyone had (semi) permanent makeup done like those eyeliners that last 3 yrs? Has any rav come out and given it a heter? My beautician does it and she's a frum woman; she said she got a heter, but everyone I asked said it was tattooing.

Where was the heter from?

Um... I think it was Rav Neuwirt but please don't quote me in case I am wrong and he never gave the heter. I know Dayan Ehrentreu in London (Av Beis Din) looked into it and said it was tattooing.