I just got last week the Bare Escentuals minerals makeup. I want to like it, because I do like the way it feels on my skin...not heavy like liquid makeup. I am following how they tell you to put it on, but my skin doesn't look totally flawless like the commercial, and it seems to wear off by mid day. Does anyone have any tricks to using this stuff?

Thanks for any advice.

Elissa :)

I would all so be interested in this question? And has any one else tried any other mineral foundations other than bare minerals?

I really don't care for Bare Minerals at all. But I do love mineral makeup. It does take some practice to get the application down. However, the makeups that are matte are much easier for beginners to apply & get a flawless look.

First of all, make sure that you are allowing your moisturizer/sunscreen to completely absorb before applying the minerals. Otherwise, the minerals tends to stick in patches to the face & it's difficult to smooth it out.

Next, be sure to apply in thin, thin layers. If you're applying with a brush, swirl it in a tiny bit of the powder until the powder is smooshed into the brush. Then tap the brush to remove any excess powder. Now, swirl the brush over your face, applying a very thin layer. Now wait about 5-10 minutes to allow the powder to *meld* with the oils in your skin. Then look in a mirror to see if you need more coverage. You don't have to go over the entire face again - just the areas that need more coverage.

The quality of your brush can also affect the application. It doesn't necessarily need to be an expensive brush, but it need to be of good quality. Soft, but dense bristles. I prefer a kabuki brush. You can also use a flocked sponge (this will give heavier coverage) - Sally's sells these for around $2-4, I believe.

You can also mist your face with a spritz of water after applying the powder. This helps *set* the makeup. I prefer to spray about 3 spritzes straight up in the air & let the mist fall on my face.

If you prefer a *dewy* look, you can add the mineral powder to your moisturizer or a few drops of jojoba oil to make a liquid makeup. You can also use the mister bottle to spritz the makeup brush after it's *loaded* with powder - then siwrl as usual - but the makeup will go on wet & then dry to a powder finish.

I've been using Bare Mineral Makeup for 2 years now and I love it. I can apply the makeup in about 5 minutes for 'normal' wear, but if I'm going out and really want that flawless look, I first apply the foundation to problem areas with a smaller brush. Under eye circles, blemishes. Then apply the foundation, making sure I buff it into my skin. Blush...then the mineral veil. The mineral veil is the key I believe. Ties everything together. I let the makeup warm up on my skin as I do my eyes, then I take a sponge and quickly wipe it over my face, further smoothing out (& filling in) my complexion.

I've gotten so many compliments on my skin when I wear this makeup. :)

Blue-eyedBelle,

What brand of minerals makeup do you have? I also saw the commercial for Sheercover, which is half the price.

Also, thank you both for your replies!

Elissa :)

Lissie, I like Aromaleigh, GeoGrafx, & Botany 101 - but I won't buy Botany 101 because it takes 6-8 weeks to receive, yet they charge you when you order. They are both less expensive than BE & both are made with matte mica & without bismuth. Samples are available from both Aromaleigh & GeoGrafx for a resonable price.

FYI - Sheer Cover also contains shiny mica & bismuth, just like BE. So if you don't like the look of BE, you probably won't like SC - but if you can get samples, you could always give it a try. I guess it all just depends on the look you like for yourself. I don't like that *pearlized* look that I got with BE - and I tried it with the Mineral Veil, too. Some people do like the look - I guess that's why they sell so much! LOL! It just made me look like my skin was extremely oily all the time & I didn't get good coverage with it. I also had a difficult time finding a good color match.

Blue-eyed Belle,

Thanks for the info. I did a search and found both website for the Aromaleigh and GeoGrafx, but it seems like it doesn't come in a kit like the BE, so it makes it more expensive. Does that sound right? And with the GeoGrafx, I'm not sure what color I would use. When you say they offer samples at a reasonable price, that sounds great, but I don't see it on their website. I'm in Iowa, and we don't seem to get "the in products" here until about 3-5 years late. LOL

Thanks for any help!

Lissie

If you have a general idea on your color you need, try the auction sites. I found I only used my BE color and sometimes the mineral veil which I got on the sites for cheap. Plus they usually have sample sizes for low prices. I know some people have said BE is shiny, etc. but I think you have to try it to find out. My skin is sensitive and combination. It does not make my skin shiny/oily etc. and covers great. With all mineral makeups it is a new method of application and you have to practice to get it right. I cover any blemishes etc first with a fingertip/small firm brush/qtip of BE then go over the whole face. I only use Mineral veil when going out. I dampen my hands and lightly go over my whole face. Best of luck

If you scroll down to the bottom of the GeoGrafx page with the mineral foundations, you'll see a box for samples - they're $2. Same with Aromaleigh - go to the mineral foundation page & then look at the links at the bottom - one will say sample jar, one will say sample ziploc baggie.

You don't need a kit - but if that's your preference, then you can't get it with Al or GG. However, I can tell you that you DO get about 2-3 times the amount of product for half the price. You have to look at the sizes - not just the price.

You get .3 oz (9 grams) of BE for $25 - with AL you get 3 oz. (30 grams) for $17.25 - so you can see there is quite a difference.

Blue-eyed Belle,

Ok, sorry, one more question. I found the samples on both websites. Do you use just the Pure Powder loose mineral face powder and that is it? It's under their foundations. I like a medium coverage. I have old freckles and some sun damage that I like to cover up completely. Also, which line do you like best? The AL or GF?

A kit isn't important to me. Just want great coverage. Thanks SO much! Sorry to be a pest. Thanks again.

Lissie :)

I don't mind answering your questions! LOL!

In the AL, I use a 50/50 mix of Pure Powder & Pure Cover. The Pure Cover is too heavy (for me) by itself, but it's great for coverage. The Pure Powder is pretty sheer, so alone, it's not enough coverage for me.

With the GG, I can get pretty good coverage with the straight foundation. If I have any spots *showing* through, I just dip my taklon concealer brush in some foundation & pat it on the spots. I do like to add the finishing powder over the foundation.

So either way, I use two products - and honestly, I really like them both. I don't know that I can pick one over the other. I alternate between the two. I think it's just a matter of how you want the finished look to be - with AL you have a little more versatility because you can change the ratio of Pure Powder to Pure Cover so that you can get more coverage or more sheer.

I like Botany 101, too, but I just am not the type of person who can wait 6-8 weeks for a product. If I order something, I want it within a week! LOL!

Blue-eyed Belle,

Well, I just orderd a couple sample jars of foundation and a sample jar of pure cover from Aromaleigh. I'm excited to get them! I will keep you posted on how I like them.

Thanks again for ALL your help!!!

Lissie :bouncing:

Good for you! I hope you like it - but if you don't, don't give up on mineral makeup - sometimes it's just a matter of finding the *right* one. Like anything else - they are not all made the same.

And just to add to what Blue-eyed Belle said remember that it might take you some time to figure out the correct way to put the mmu on. I too use Aromaleigh and love it. I have been using it now for over three months and I can put it on a lot faster and it looks a lot better then it did in the begining days. ;)

Thank you! My shipment went out today and I should receive it in 2-3 days. I'll keep you all posted!

Lissie :)

Blue-eyedBelle,

I just received my AL samples a little while ago and tried them! I think I do like it better than BE because like you said, there is no shine. But it's still not making my skin look "flawless" (i.e. freckles still kind of show thru). I got a sample of the light and medium, but only light of the pure powder. I guess I will have to play with it.

Lissie :)

Yes - just play with it - try using 50% Pure Cover & 50% Pure Powder - see if that gives you better coverage. If not, go to 75% PC & 25% PP - or if it's too much, then go to 25% PC & 75% PP.

Hi Ladies!

Hope you don't mind me popping in and leting you know what I've done. I tried on numerous occasions to use BE but each time it just made my skin look cakey. I ordered samples of AL pure cover and received them a couple of days ago. I finally found my perfect (!) shade (2W). I'm so impressed with the coverage and appearance. Big difference from BE. Sooo, to tell you how much I like the AL, today I ordered the full size foundation in 2W, the full sizes of the primer and finishing powder, samples of the pure powder, blushes and eyeshadows and one of the velvet kabuki brushes and the flocked sponge. I can't wait to get them! Blue-belle I have you to thank for leaning me toward AL. At first I thought after trying the BE that mineral makeup wasn't gonna work for me (boohoo!) but now I know it will! It's a great concept in foundation. Thank you Blue-Belle!

Hope this helps anyone that had my same problem with BE. I know BE is a great product, but thankfully, the AL seems to be made for me. Hee! Hee!
Take care ladies, Linda :D

Blue-belle I have you to thank for leaning me toward AL. At first I thought after trying the BE that mineral makeup wasn't gonna work for me (boohoo!) but now I know it will! It's a great concept in foundation. Thank you Blue-Belle!

You're welcome! I always hope that people don't think I'm bashing BE, because I'm not. I know that it's a product a lot of people love. However, it didn't work for me - which tells me that there are probably a lot of other people that don't like it for themselves. I think a lot of people start with BE and then if it doesn't work, they give up, because they assume all mineral makeups are the same. So I just try to put out the info that there are other types of mineral makeup available. I'm glad you were able to find something that works well for you! :)

Hi Ladies,
I just heard about mineral makeup (a first) so I came here to read. I am just trying out
stuff for my face from Dr. Denese so I definitly want to try a new make up later.
Is this product from A pretty thick that you need to work with it so much on your face?
I am going to the site and look it up and the samples and all and I see my bud Linda
got hers and loves it. I need coverage but don't like a caked on look if it is thick.
Thats why I asked, like that dermablend stuff. It works nice for problems but I think it's to thick, so if A is like that I won't even get the samples??? Thanks for help.

The mineral makeup we're talking about is a loose powder that you apply with a brush or flocked sponge. It's not heavy or caked unless you apply too much. If you apply in thin layers, you can get as much or as little coverage as you need.

Hi Blue, Hi Sunshine! :wave:

I have to go out for a while today so just wanted to let you know I'll be back on later and Sun, I try to answer some of your questions then. Yep, mineral makeup IMO is the wave of the future. Blue seems to be the expert on this! It's a powder that you use as a foundation, instead of liquids or creams, etc. What I've found with the AL is that a little goes a long way. I purchased the Pure Cover which is for heavier coverage. So using that, boy it only takes a small amount. And you do buff it in, right Blue? The coverage to me is unbelievable! They also have a lighter coverage product called Pure Powder. Some ladies mix the Pure Cover and Pure Powder to get the best of both worlds. I haven't. I seem to like just the Pure Cover. Of course, I'm new to this so after time, I may try that way also.

Just like Blue said, after trying the BE (Bare Minerals line of mineral makeup) I thought mineral makeup just wasn't for me. I was ready to give up on it. Then the samples of AL arrived and as soon as I tried them, I was like "WOW" this is for me! The problems I had with BE were cakiness, my pores looked larger and I never got good coverage. If you use too much, it looks like a mask, on me anyway. Again, Blue thanks for directing me to this wonderful product. Sun, I think you and Bobbie may like these products too, but as usual, everyone is different. At least with AL you can get samples! Not sure about BE.

Well. my Sis is here so gotten run. Will talk with you beautiful ladies later! Love, Linda :D

Another good line is GeoGrafx - it is similar to Aromaleigh - perhaps closer to a mix of Pure Cover & Pure Powder, because you get a little heavier coverage. You can order samples from them, too.

BE samples usually have to be purchased on eBay.

Linda - yes, I buff the AL, but not as much as with the BE. I use a baby kabuki to apply - sometimes I dampen the brush after loading it with the powder & then apply wet. I can't use straight Pure Cover because it makes my skin too oily - but a PP/PC mix (about 50/50) works well for me.

Morning,
Thanks Linda and Blue, I am sure I am not understanding that a powder can cover more then a liquid? Doesn't it diminish as regular powder does after a bit? Sorry I am very ignorant of this at the moment.
I guess I need to get some samples so I am enlightened a bit here. What about perspiring, I live in Fla and the humidity is gosh awful and my forhead beads at times.
Sorry for all the insane questions but Blue it sounds like you know this product well.
I like that we have an option to ask others here and get replies. I realize were all different but I feel we can get a better idea from the public.
Thanks for your help and Happy Easter. :wave:

Well, sunshine - everyone is different, so will of course have different results. But yes, I get better coverage & a much better match to my skintone with mineral powder than with liquid. And if you prefer liquid, you can always add a few sprinkles of the mineral powder to your moisturizer, some jojoba oil, or even some water & apply it that way. There are a lot of Aromaleigh ladies who live in humid TX & FL and rave about the product. But you certainly don't have to limit yourself to AL - try some other ones as well.

As far as the *beading* - as long as you *blot* your face & don't rub it, the makeup shouldn't be disturbed.

Blue-eyed Belle,

Hi! It's me again... Ok, tried the AL for a couple of days. I think I may have ordered a too light of color. Whatever I do, my spots still show thru. So I may order more samples in a darker color. What color are you? Maybe the pinks aren't working. But I am afraid the yellow may be too yellow. I had it on all day yesterday and didn't do anything that should make it come off, and by about 4 hours later, I had blotchy skin.

Anyway, I am also thinking about GeoGrafx. With theirs, it looks like you just use the mineral foundations? I don't see anything like a finishing powder or anything like the pure cover. Thanks again for all your help!! Am I being a pain yet? LOL

Lissie :)

Well, it sounds like it could be too light - or it sounds like you're not using enough Pure Cover. How much Pure Cover did you use?

I use a mix of 3Y & 4Y. What shade of pink did you order - a 2 and a 3? Maybe you need something to *brown up* the pinks a little. Maybe some Linen or Cool?

GeoGrafx does have a finishing powder, it's at the bottom of the foundation page - they come in the same shades as the foundation.

I got the 2W and 3W and 2W pure cover. I tried using 50/50 and 75/25 (75 pure cover). Maybe like you said, I need to order a darker color. I see you use the yellow? Does it come off more beige than yellow? I really want to figure this out. I REALLY appreciate ALL of your help! I want this to work! I don't want to go back to liquid foundations.

Lissie :)

Have you checked out the AL place for questions? You might find a better description of the colors & how to figure out which one will work for you. And you can ask questions, post a picture, & get advice.

Here are the undertones of the foundations:
Yellows = beige + yellow
Warms = beige + yellow + peach
Neutrals = beige + yellow + peach + pink
Cools = beige + peach + pink
Pinks = beige + pink
Linens = just beige
Alabaster = no undertones, for the palest of pale skintones.

The yellows are difficult to describe - they look a lot more yellow in the jar than they do on the skin. There definitely is NO pink or peach in them at all. It's like beige with a hint of yellow.

Another thought is that you might need one of the coquille correcting powders. Check those out - the green conceals red, yellow conceals purpl, etc. Some people find that the peach, seafoam, or flaxen eyeshadows work well as concealers. It just varies from person to person.

Hi Ladies!

Blue, one thing I forgot to ask you (as if you need more questions - ha!) is do you use any of the AL skin care line. Like the serums, cleansers, etc? If so, what do you think about them? I adore the skin care line I use now but after perusing AL's site, I noticed rave reviews about their skin care? Any insight would be appreciated!

Sun, I live in Florida too. The weather's been in the 80's with high humidity. I've worn the Pure Cover all day running around, and I did not once have to touch up my makeup (except my darn lipstick - ha!). Then again, my skin is a bit more on the dry side. I cannot emphazise what great coverage this product provides. I never want to go back to liquid or cream makeup again! I always had to touch up my makeup when using liquids or creams. They seemed to just melt off my face in hot weather. But with AL, that's not a problem anymore.

Lisette, I ordered all samples in the light shades, as I knew that would be my catagory. At first, I thought the linen was gonna be my shade. But there was something that bugged me about it. But then when I tried the light warm (2W) it was like voila! The perfect match. I remember reading where Bobbie Brown said most people look better in warm or beige tones. Not everybody though. I thought that was a hugh generalization on her part, but now I understand where she was coming from, in my case anyway. Her words stuck in my mind and when I put on the warm shade, I was amazed. All this time I thought I was a cool, but now know I'm definitely warm or that the warm shades work the best on me. I have alot of redness (mostly from spider veins) and the warm shade just seemed to neutralize that immediately. It was a great discovery in my book - ha!

Just try some samples of the different mineral makeup. It's great that we don't have to buy a full size product to see if it will work for us. Even the drugstore brands don't offer that! Good luck with whatever you decide! Linda :D

Blue, one thing I forgot to ask you (as if you need more questions - ha!) is do you use any of the AL skin care line. Like the serums, cleansers, etc? If so, what do you think about them? I adore the skin care line I use now but after perusing AL's site, I noticed rave reviews about their skin care? Any insight would be appreciated!

I use the Lavender Mandarin facial cleanser - I love it! It smells heavenly & works so well. It's very mild - doesn't even sting if you get it in your eyes - but yet it will remove my waterproof mascara!

I make my own skin serums/facial oils - but I do use AL's Free Radical Skin Quenching serum under & around my eyes at night. And I use the Eye Synergy to mix with just a spot of foundation to smooth under my eyes during the day. The products are really worth the money. And they last me about 8 months on the average.


I remember reading where Bobbie Brown said most people look better in warm or beige tones.

I don't know what Bobbi says, but I know that I've read in several different articles & publications that most people have at least a touch of yellow in their skin. And that leaving out yellow is a common mistake that keeps people from getting a good foundation match.

The AL *warms* have beige, yellow, & peach in them. :-)

Personally, I have to avoid any of the foundations that contain peach - they will turn orange on my skin every time. Anyone who has that *orange* problem should avoid foundation with peach in it.

Blue-eyed Belle,

It's me, one more time! I just ordered a 3Y in both the PP and PC, and a 3C in the PP. Hopefully this will work. I saw your post about the peach, and maybe that's my problem. My skin does look a little too pink/peach after I put the makeup on. I will keep you posted!

I really hope I am on the path to figuring this all out!

Lissie :bouncing:

Interesting posts! Well, I'm the one person posting so far who uses the Sheer Cover brand of mineral makeup & I really like it. I have fair-medium skintone with a little bit of yellow undertones, so I use the Sheer Cover in Light, and always use the one jar that has the more "yellow-beige" color in it. I don't have freckles though, and very clear skin, so I really don't need a lot of coverage, except for my dark undereye circles. The Sheer Cover leaves my skin soft,and takes away the ruddiness around my nose and chin areas. I just wonder, if I like the Sheer Cover so much, maybe I should try the other brands Blue mentions...maybe I'd like them even better! I don't find the Sheer Cover brand to be "shiny" though. -Robin

robste - I don't know if SC contains shiny mica or matte mica. I know it has bismuth in it, which is shiny. But if it has matte mica, that would cut down on the shine considerably. And it's not really a *shine* - it's more like a pearlized sheen, if that makes sense. Some people like that look - I find that it accentuates any lines or imperfections on my face. On me, matte looks much better & is more forgiving.

By all means try some samples of other products - you're right - you never know when you'll find something you like better! I try new products all of the time - even though I have products that I really like already. I just found some new eyeshadows that I absolutely love - I bought samples & ended up buying the regular sizes, too! And I found a couple of new blushes that are awesome. Ya gotta experiment! :-)

Blue, I'm not sure what type of mica the Sheer Cover brand has in it...I will have to look & see. Sheer Cover just has a skincare line, concealer cream, brushes, and of course, the mineral makeup & mineral veil. However, they don't make (that I know of) blush or eyeshadow. Do the other brands of mineral makeup also make blusher & eyeshadow? Right now, I use a cream (in a tube...MAC) blusher that dries to a powder finish, and I love the stuff.

I will have to order samples of the AL and maybe GG brands of mineral foundation when I start to run out of the CC brand. Thanks for posting so much info. on this board! -Robin

robste - yes, AL & GG have eyeshadows, blushes, finishing powders, correcting powders, bronzers, body shimmers, lipglosses, & skincare items. Some of the other mineral companies also carry extras.

Hi Ladies!

Sorry I couldn't get back on here earlier. Been really busy.

WOW! Let me tell you about great customer service! I placed my order with Aromaleigh on Fri., 4/9 and I RECEIVED it on Tues. 4/13 and that included a weekend! I couldn't believe how fast my order came! No other company has been anywhere near that efficient! Needless to say, I'm impressed!

I've been playing with my products all day today and I think they're great. I'm so glad I purchased the Porcelain Mattifying Primer to use before the Pure Cover. It makes for a nice base for the foundation. Love it! Of course, the foundation is wonderful. I have the light warm (2W) and the match is fantastic. I also ordered several blush samples and I must say the "Nectarine" is so beautiful on my complexion. Also like the Rosewood too. And, oh boy, these eyeshadows (samples) are awesome! They go on like velvet and are so smooth. I wasn't really in the market for eyeshadow as I've been using Clinique and was happy with that. But the AL eyeshadows are beyond beautiful. The color is just right - not too sheer or too bright. Just perfect!

I can't help but compliment this company and their products. I've finally found a mineral makeup that works for me - at last! I'll be sticking with them for a very long time - like the rest of my life LOL! Anyway, just wanted to let you know that I'm real happy with the items I ordered. They have my vote that's for sure! Take care, Linda :D

Linda - I'm glad AL is working out for you! :)

A hint about the Porcelaine (in case you didn't already know) - less is more! LOL! Seriously - think about how you would sprinkle nutmeg on a latte - that's how little of the Porcelaine you want to use. It seems if you use too much, it tends to end up making your skin oilier.

Rosewood is one of my favorite blushes, too. AL actually has several blushes that I like. Be sure to try some of the new Satin Petals eyeshadows & Illuminating Perle Powders - they are absolutely gorgeous! Also, when you get a chance, try the colorwashes & lipglosses - again, absolutely gorgeous!