Brand Focus: BareMinerals - an unexpected make-up love

 

As I mention a lot on here, I’ve struggled with bad skin since my really early teenage years. I did think that by the time I was 21 I’d be blessed with wonderful skin that was clear everyday. Unfortunately, that doesn’t yet seem to be the case. While I wait for that to happen I spend my time searching for solutions and ways to cover up redness and lumps.

Mineral make-up gets a lot of hype by some, but I’ve never brought in to it. I mean, how much coverage can powder give you? Oh how wrong I was….

BareMinerals is a brand I’d obviously heard of but could never quite make the plunge, despite glowing recommendations from a friend of mine. Back in March I was wandering around a larger Boots store with my Mum I saw a BareMinerals stand and thought “What harm can it do to get a make-over to try it out?” The answer turned out to be a lot of harm to my (and my Mum’s, thank you!) bank accounts. Mum bought me the Starter Kit as a well done for completing my dissertation, hard work has its perks. And I bought Well-Rested concealer and Never Say Never lipstick.

The shade I was matched with was Fairly Medium, which I would have always thought would be too dark but is actually a pretty good match. The coverage is really buildable and can go from sheer to full in a couple of buffs of the brush.  I use the brushes that came with the kit and a repurposed Bobbi Brown eye shadow, which works really well for concealer.

The lasting power is good, but better with primer. The starter kit gives you a sample of the original formula but when that began to run out I bought the brightening one. I’m less keen on that one, I don’t think it works quite as well and might break me out a little? If you have any other recommendations for primers I’m happy to hear them.

The kits also comes with Warmth, marketed as an all over face colour but it’s far to dark for me to use it for that. But it does make a great contour because it’s matte, but it’s so easy to use too much. There’s also a mini Mineral Veil which I’ve nearly finished. It tones everything down and blends it all together perfectly as well as adding that extra little touch to your make-up.

Well-Rested brightens up the under-eye area and I’m pale enough to use it as a regular concealer too. Sometimes I add layers of foundation to conceal, sometimes this and sometimes I use a light layer of regular concealer or foundation to add an extra bit of coverage. Never Say Never made it into my Lip Product Addict tag so you can see more about that there. Spoiler alert I love it.

With layer and later of powder everything can look a little powdery by the end. So here is my question to you all. Urban Decay Setting Spray or MAC’s Fix+ to take it all down a little without compromising staying power?

The best place I have found to buy is feelunique.com and they then to have sales every now and then too!