I've dedicated my entire day today (well, until 4:30) to reading up on administering and scoring the Rorschach, so to break up the monotony, I'm going to tell you all about my favorite make-up, Bare Minerals (by Bare Escentuals)!! Ooh, I can just feel your excitement :)
I discovered Bare Minerals about two years ago, when I was looking for the makeup I should use for my bridal portrait, which I'd be taking in sweltering heat and humidity, outside. In other words, my worst nightmare. I'd heard about Bare Minerals from my best friend's mom, and I think from a few other places, but I think what pushed me into finally ordering the starter kit was an infomercial I saw in the middle of the night, where Bare Escentuals founder Leslie Blodgett assured me that I could "Swirl, Tap, and Buff" my way to a beautiful, flawless face. The infomercial was very convincing, and they offered my money back if I hated it, so what did I have to lose? (I told you I'm way too susceptible to commercials, but at least this time it all worked out in the end!)
So, I ordered my starter kit, watched the instructional DVD (applying mineral make up takes a different technique than what most of us are used to using liquid foundations and pressed powders) and I was on my way!
Right away, I could tell that this stuff was fabulous. It lets you apply subtle layers of foundation, so that you can have light coverage or really full, completely conceling coverage, but it never looks like you have a pound of makeup on your face, and never feels that way either. Plus, it's actually good for your skin, so on those nights where you just want to fall into bed, you can actually sleep in this makeup! And I admit, I've done so once or twice, and it doesn't cause clogged pores at all. Amazing.
It took me about a week to figure out the right technique for me (i.e. how much to put on the brush, how many applications to do, which colors to wear, what concealer to use) but now I've found my perfect combination, and I've never looked back. My bridal portrait and wedding pictures looked pretty great, despite the heat, thanks in large part to Bare Minerals!
The products that I use everyday are the SPF 15 Foundation, All-Over Face Color in Warmth, Warm Radiance, and Glee (these are awesome products for the money, b/c you can use them on your eyes, cheeks, anywhere!), and the Tinted Mineral Veil or the Hydrating Mineral Veil (which both give you a nice airbrushed look, but you still look natural--I know it sounds too good to be true, but this stuff is a miracle!). I use an oil-based concealer from Makeup Forever instead of the concealers Bare Minerals makes (the multi-tasking bisques--they probably work great, i'm just not sure which color I'd need, so I haven't bothered yet).
Up until about a month ago, I was using the regular foundation, which did have a tendency to become really shiny by the end of the day, especially in warm weather, because of the sheen of the minerals, but last month, Bare Minerals became my even bigger hero by introducing Matte Foundation
If you think you'd like to try Bare Minerals (and trust me, you really should!), head to their Sephora page here, click on the "Shade Finder" and you're off! Once you select your shade, you can watch videos about how the makeup is applied and how it works. (Note: It looks like right now if you buy the starter kit you have to buy matte foundation separately, so I'd actually recommend getting the starter kit if you've never used Bare Minerals before, b/c it comes with a lot of different products and it's a good value. Then, if you love it, which you will :), you can switch to matte when you need more foundation.) Another great thing about this makeup is that it lasts forever--I used my first jar of powder for a year before I had to buy more!
Well, I think I've done enough gushing for one post, but here's a blurb about Bare Minerals and all the good stuff in it from Sephora.com:
Bare Escentuals started the mineral makeup revolution with the introduction of their 100% pure bareMinerals, which millions of women swear by. All foundation, cheek, and eye colors have been crushed to a silky, creamy powder form, but (here's the big secret) they're not actually powders. What they are is 100% pure bareMinerals that are free of preservatives, talc, oil, waxes, fragrance, and other harmful chemicals that can irritate skin and cause breakouts. They feel like a cream and buff on like silk, giving skin a natural luminosity without the look or feel of makeup. Women with sunspots, acne, rosacea, and excessively dry, oily, or sensitive complexions claim bareMinerals improves the overall health and appearance of their skin. To boot, the silky formulas also contain natural sunscreens that protect your skin—so much so that bareMinerals SPF 15 Foundation actually has the Skin Cancer Foundation seal of recommendation. Now that's what we call full coverage.If anyone out there tries it, or already uses it and loves it, let me know in the comments! (and now, back to the Rorshach!)
(Photo: Sephora.com)
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