bareMinerals SPF Foundation

As I mentioned how I was using bareMinerals Foundation over the top of Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector in my last review, I thought I’d make this the basis of my next! 

Reasonably new to UK shores, the bareMinerals range of make up is making fast work of becoming a favourite with those that try it. Started by Leslie Blodgett over in the USA, the bareMinerals range of products were launched in 1995 (it was a good year for beauty, with Liz Earle launching at the same time!). The products pioneered the mineral make-up world, using 100% pure minerals without the nasties. Using minerals renowned for skin healing such as zinc in their powders, meant that unlike some other make-up, skin was getting a helping hand along with great coverage.

I hated foundation. I’d tried cream after cream to try and hide my usually fairly blemished complexion. These tended to make spots and scars even worse as they kind of ‘clustered’ in the repairing dry skin. They also tended to make my skin worse as most of them had gunky consistencies which just sat on my skin. But then my aunt introduced me to the bareMinerals Original SPF 15 foundation and I was hooked. She dragged me along to a bareMinerals event at a local department store (there was a freebie to be had so actually there wasn’t much dragging involved) where I had a ‘make-under’, as the bareMinerals ladies like to call them. When I looked in the mirror afterwards I was transformed. I can’t explain how taken aback I was that there in the mirror was me, but with flawless skin – where had the spots gone? What was this witchery?

I still don’t know how they make this stuff, but it’s amazing. I’d never really even thought to try a powder foundation (powders? Aren’t they for old ladies?!) yet this product managed to do what no other had – every time I use it, it’s like some fairy is sitting on my shoulder air-brushing my face every couple of minutes. The best thing was the range of shades available (finally a true porcelain skin shade rather than looking ever so slightly yellow/orange!). I use the very lightest of them, ‘Fair’, but there are 20 different shades to choose from, and heck if one of those doesn’t suit you, (or you’re slightly more tanned than usual after getting back from holiday) they’re powder – just mix a couple of shades together to create your own!

The only difficulty with this product is mastering how to use it. The temptation is usually to use too much, but you seriously only need a tiny amount to cover your face. The next trick is the brush. I did invest in an actual bareMinerals kabuki brush, so I’m not sure how it would compare with using another type of brush. Using the lid of the bareMinerals pot of foundation, tip a small amount of the powder in, then ‘swirl’ the brush around the lid to pick up all the particles. Tap off any excess then ‘buff’ on to your face in circular motions. If you’re not quite covered, keep buffing! Adding more powder usually turns out pretty bad. For any particularly bad spots, I use a smaller precision brush swirled in a tiny bit of powder to touch up these areas.

The ‘look’ lasts most of the day, particularly if you use a primer before hand. This is a good thing as the only downside to the powder is the packaging – the first pot I bought was a nightmare. If you carried it around in your bag, the powder would shake through the filter and collect in the lid so when you opened it it went everywhere! Recently however they’ve introduced ‘lockable’ pots which are genius and stop the spillages.

This is a truly wonderful product, which won’t fail to give you results time after time.

Rating out of 10: 9

The Good:
Beautiful ‘air-brushed’ look skin
Wide range of shades to suit everyone

The Bad:
Tricky to get the hang of applying
Expensive
Can be messy

The Ugly: £23 for an 8g pot. This will last you at least 3 months of every day use however. If you’re new to bareMinerals, they also do a great starter kit for £48 which is excellent value for money as all the contents bought separate, particularly the brushes, are far more expensive Downside if you’re fair skinned like me, this kit isn’t available with the ‘Fair’ foundation. Also keep an eye on QVC for great value funky kits.

Where to buy?:  Until recently, there were very limited concessions selling bareMinerals, in House of Fraser for example.  However the company opened a store in Covent Garden this year and most recently one in Brighton so boutiques are spreading!  I've also heard you can find their concessions in Boots and Debenhams now too.  But if your options are limited, you're best off shopping online either direct from bareMinerals UK or QVC.