The second thing I have done to improve my complexion was to try new makeup. I love makeup. I love buying it, talking about it, reading about it, wearing it and playing with it. I have bags and bags of makeup, some that I probably have only used once. However, as I mention in my previous post I really don’t have a great complexion, so unfortunately the only way I ever leave the house is with a fully made up face. Josh says it’s when I put on my Kathryn suit and actually start to look like myself, which is cute…but doesn’t that mean I don’t look like myself au natural?
Ever since I was 16 I have worn basically the same elements of makeup: liquid foundation, loose powder, blush, eye shadow base, eye shadow, a think coating of mascara and lip gloss. However…I’m definitely not 16 anymore, and was beginning to think I’ve been wearing too much makeup. I mean, was all of that totally necessary just to walk out of the house?
So, as I normally do, I started researching into new products. I like Clinique makeup, but that gets expensive, and I was afraid I’d just be using different combination of liquid foundations and powders again. So I decided to try Bare Minerals from Bare Escentuals. I watched the infomercials and checked out some information on sephora.com, and finally decided to invest in the Getting Started Kit for $60. Ulta also has a variation of this kit, but I thought the Sephora kit was better equipped. The Sephora Kit includes two different shades of SPF 15 Foundation, Warmth All Over Face Color, Mineral Veil, a Flawless Application Brush, Full Size Kabuki Brush, Maximum Coverage Concealer Brush, Skin Rev-er Upper, and a DVD.
Now, as I walked into the Sephora in the Arboretum I was forced to serpentine my way through the store to evade the grips of the over-eager sales staff, but finally I made my way to the Bare Minerals section. As I was examining my kit and some of the other products I was grabbed (literally) by a very helpful sales person, who sat me down and gave me a total makeover using the products. She also answered all of my questions about the products and helped me to select the correct shades. Without her help, I probably won’t be as convinced of my love for this product as I am today. She showed me how to apply it, and really did convince me that these little tubs of powder will give me the best looking face I have ever had. She does not lie.
As with most things in life, there are a few steps. You can start with a primer or lotion. My kit came with the Skin Rev-r Upper, although most days I wear my Wexler products underneath. This just smoothes out the skin and peps you up a little bit. The next step is to use the Bare Minerals SPF 15 foundation. There was no way I thought I could get the same results out of this powder as I ever did with my liquid foundation and loose powder and I was right, the results are totally better than I’ve ever had before. As you swirl, tap and then buff the product into your skin, the entire complexion looks better. It really smoothes everything out into a nice canvas.
My main concern with this product is that it wouldn’t cover all my wonder spots and dark circles and other wonderful problems, but it does. Once you finish applying to the entire face, you go back with a smaller brush and apply specially to the parts that need a little bit more attention. The concept of not using cover up may be foreign to most people in the world, but it is totally unnecessary since this stuff works.
After you look all nice and smoothed out you apply some color. My kit came with the all over color Warmth that is like a nice highlighter/bronzer and it gives the skin a nice healthy glow. You apply it with a really fun kabuki brush that has become my new favorite beauty tool. Everything is followed up with the mineral veil that acts to set the make up and give you a nice polished look.
I can’t begin to tell you how great I feel after applying this makeup. Perhaps I don’t look any better than I ever have, but I feel better. It really is lighter and your skin feels better. I love it. I think the makeup lasts a long time and I still look pretty good by the end of the day.
As I’ve raved on about how much I love this, I do have two negatives. 1. I don’t know if it’s the new skin care products I’ve been using or the makeup, but I feel, and look kind of greasy and shiny by the end of the day. Oil blotting papers are a must. 2. It is really not possible for me to do touchups in the middle of the day with this makeup, so I still have to carry around a little makeup bag for work. If I even get the chance to think about my makeup during the day, it’s usually because I have to meet with a client, and I have about 2 second to apply some cover-up and powder, and maybe if I’m lucky some blush to make myself look presentable. With the little powder pots and brushes involved with applying this makeup, I really can’t sneak in the back and do it without a mirror in 2 seconds. I wish there were, and maybe there is, but I can’t think of it. On a related note, Angela points out that it’d be really hard to travel with this makeup, since it’s just going to spill out of the shaker.
The full size prices are really reasonable for good quality makeup. The foundation is $25, mineral veil $19 and these are the prodcuts you will use the most on a daily basis. You don’t need much for a good look, so hopefully one full size jar of each will last 6 weeks or more. Not much more than any other big name foundation. The All Over Face colors are $18/20 and will probably last for years. Whenever I use the warmth I use the tiniest amount possible, and most of the time just the powder residue that’s left in the lid…that’s all it takes. I think if you invest in 3 or so good colors that will last you for at least a year. The stuff is really long lasting and if it helps keep my skin clear and keeping making me happy with my skin then I am more than happy to spend the money. Being cheap and using drug store Almay money was only making me grumpy with my complexion.
If you haven’t tried this makeup then you simply must. Just go by the kit, get a makeover at Sephora and try it out. It won’t kill you. They have lots of colors of foundation, and mine matches perfectly…plus lots of different face colors and whole lines of eye colors and lip sticks. It’s really a fun product line…really, my favorite part of getting dressed in the morning is playing with my Bare Escentuals makeup…and I really do love some good makeup!
Happy Halloween! 
