bareMinerals Original Liquid Mineral Foundation

 (post contains sample and affiliate links)

 Back in the day when I would wear makeup daily, I was a big fan of the original powder bareMinerals foundation. In fact I think one of my first blog or Instagram posts was about a very cute, very tiny pot of the powder foundation. I remember loving how buildable it was, the swish-tap method of applying it and the seamless, lightweight finish. Reminiscing about it now actually has me wondering if I should revisit it and add a pot of the powder to my stash! Or I could stick with the foundation I've got to review today- the bareMinerals Original Liquid Mineral Foundation. Inspired by the powder version, the foundation is formulated with minimal, vegan ingredients designed to improve the appearance of skin over time.

I really like the packaging for the bareMinerals Original Liquid Mineral Foundation. It's an airless pump bottle with a twist-up function, so there's no separate lid and it's virtually spill proof. In the images here I've used two pumps of product, which gives me the kind of natural look that I like, but you can of course use more or less depending on the kind of coverage you prefer. This is advertised as a medium coverage foundation so if you'd like even more of a subtle finish just mix a pump in with some moisturiser to sheer it out.

With Squalane derived from olives and mineral sunscreens, the liquid foundation has an SPF of 20, which is excellent, but I've seen enough to understand that a separate SPF is required before you apply any foundation, regardless of the SPF rating, because you're not going to be applying enough to actually reap the benefit. The Original Liquid Mineral Foundation feels light and comfortable on the skin and is non-comedogenic, so it's not going to clog pores.

With and without the foundation:

I really like the finish of this foundation. It's dewy with a nice glow. A true lit-from-within look which I think most would appreciate. If you prefer a matte finish or have an oily skin type, you might want to add a little powder afterwards.

I've only worn this foundation for a few hours at a time so can't comment on it's true staying power, but I will say that for those few hours I didn't notice any oxidisation or separation. Overall an impressive foundation that I'd recommend to fans of the powder formula and really anyone who likes a light yet buildable base and natural look.

BareMinerals Original Liquid Mineral Foundation is available in 30 shades, so in theory everyone should be able to find a pretty close match. 

Retailing for £31, the foundation is available from Look Fantastic and Feel Unique.

Favourite non-foundation bases

As much as I am both thrilled and intrigued by the plethora of foundations on the market, the truth is I don't really wear foundation that often.

I generally like my skin to look natural (except red lips, obviously) and glowing, so most of the time when I go out in public I reach for a base that offers some coverage, but isn't quite a foundation. BB Creams, Tinted Moisturisers and pigment-blurring potions are my friends and I use them all year round. They are just nice, low maintenance alternatives to full-blown foundations and every single one that I'm about to talk about blends away easily using just fingertips, so they're handbag-perfect and especially handy when you're in a rush.

BareMinerals Complexion Rescue*

I love pretty much everything about Complexion Rescue. From the mousse like texture through to the cooling effect on the skin, this is one seriously good skincare/makeup hybrid. The coverage of Complexion Rescue is definitely sheer- it just adds a bit of a tint to the skin and evens out skin tone for a nice natural finish. I wear shade Buttercream which is slightly yellow toned and gives my face a lovely glow throughout all four seasons- I just add a bit of bronzer in summer and it does the trick nicely. SPF 30.

MAC Prep + Prime Beauty Balm

I bought the Prep + Prime Beauty balm after using the Prep + Prime BB compact  and, whilst being impressed overall, felt the need for a little more hydration. Designed to be used as a primer or on its own, Prep + Prime creates a nice, even base that covers blemishes, pigmentation and dark circles without making you look too 'made up'. The coverage is heavier than Complexion Rescue and can leave me looking a tiny bit ghostly so I rarely use it completely on its own- for me, a pop of blush or bronzer is best. It's a thick, creamy texture that blends seamlessly and is a perfect foundation replacement on days when you don't feel like wearing a full face or simply can't be arsed. SPF 35. 

Bobbi Brown Tinted Moisturising Balm

This citrus-scented pot of tinted hydration is my absolute favourite when the weather is really, really cold. I think I initially became interested in it because I'm irrationally drawn to any beauty product with the word 'balm' in the title. It's ridiculous, I know. The Tinted Moisturising Balm is one of my 'precious' products, which is probably due to the £35.50 price tag as well as the fact that it just feels so darn luxurious. Ultra rich, the emollient formula of the tinted moisturiser makes it very good for dry skins and not so great for oily complexions, which is why I only really use it when it's cold. In terms of coverage, this is in a similar league to complexion rescue- it just enhances and evens out the complexion rather than masks anything. If you live in a super freezing climate, have dry skin, or spend a lot of time in the alps, you need this in your makeup bag, stat. SPF 25.

Dermalogica Sheer Tint*

This one is extra special to me- it's the only base I took with me to Sardinia for my 30th last September. Not only did the Dermalogica Sheer Tint preserve my skin and stop me from getting horribly sunburnt, it made my skin look pretty good at the same time. I'm not a fan of wearing traditional sun cream on my face so this was a very good alternative that also gave my face a nice tint. I have the Sheer Tint in both Light and Medium shades so I can wear it all year round. The blend-ability of this one is particularly impressive, to the point that I could put it on while sitting on the beach using my phone camera as a mirror without looking weirdly patchy and not a tell tale tideline in sight. Success. SPF 20

What's your go-to non-foundation base? Let me know!

What's on my Face - BareMinerals Edition

I am utterly obsessed with BareMinerals' face base game changer Complexion Rescue and rather fond of other bits and pieces by the iconic brand. The BareMinerals Flawless Definition Mascara and Marvellous Moxie Lipglosses are other firm favourites and I've recently gotten my hands on a blush and concealer so I thought I'd make up my face to create a very natural BareMinerals look.

 What's on my face then?
Have I mentioned that Complexion Rescue is my favourite bit of make up at the moment? Well here it is, in all its glory in shade Buttercream. Smooth, dewy and deliciously light. I love it. Have I said that already? More about Complexion Rescue here.

Under the eyes I've got a dab of concealer in Light 1. To use this I just warmed a little bit between fingertips and touched it on lightly. I found it didn't cake under my eyes as the day went on, which is always a welcome bonus.

On the apples of the cheeks is this little beauty - BareMinerals blush in, incidentally, the shade Beauty - a suit everyone blushed pink that looks much scarier in the pot than it does on the skin.

One of the most crucial elements - mascara! I tell no lies, the Flawless Definition Mascara is nothing short of brilliant. I was surprised by how 'light' it felt on the lashes and my mother in law actually asked if my lashes were real. Result.

 The finishing touch - Marvellous Moxie Lipgloss in Trail Blazer - a nude gold shade. I love the gorgeous texture and minty fragrance/taste of the Marvellous Moxie glosses and this one is a really wearable, no-mirror-required shade.

All in all, I really enjoyed using all of these products and they've made me eager to try more products and shades from BareMinerals.
Are you a fan of BareMinerals? Have you tried Complexion Rescue yet? Let me know! :)

Post contains samples

BareMinerals Complexion Rescue - Colour Match at Selfridges

When your boyfriend announces that your makeup looks 'really natural' and 'has a nice glow actually' you know that you're onto a good thing. Especially when said boyfriend is one of the most bluntly honest people on the planet. That's what happened last weekend when we visited Selfridges so I could try out BareMinerals' latest offering, Complexion Rescue.

A few different shades were tried out before it was agreed that no. 3 (Buttercream) was my match and it was blended seamlessly onto my skin while the very helpful sales assistant filled me in on what exactly makes Complexion Rescue so special. Essentially a BB, CC and Tinted Moisturiser in one (!) Complexion Rescue features a composition with pigment on the inside and water on the outside. 'Traditional' tinted moisturisers have pigment on the 'outside' and water on the 'inside'.
This sounds a little bit odd and confusing but basically, the way that Complexion Rescue is formulated means the water in the formula reaches your skin first, before the colour, giving it an instant hit of hydration. This is explained in more detail here.

Whatever the science behind it, I can declare that this stuff delivers. The finish is dewy, fresh and above all very natural. It's quite sheer so if you have freckles and you aint afraid to show them, this is the Spring base for you. If you have a little redness or minor blemishes that you'd like corrected or just want your complexion to look more even, you need to give it a go. If however you're after a heavier base, this won't cut the mustard, though I was told that Complexion Rescue can absolutely be worn under foundation for additional coverage and a dose of hydration.

Complexion Rescue has an RRP of £26 though I have found it on Look Fantastic where it is available for pre-order (released on April 22nd) for £20.50. I'm going to be creating a look using the Complexion Rescue sometime soon so keep an eye out for that!
What's your favourite BareMinerals product?
Images: Rich Godden

BareMinerals Perfect Lip Kit in Nude

I do love Bare Minerals foundations so I was over the moon to be given the opportunity to review some of their lip products in the form of the Perfect Lip Kit in Nude.

The kit contains all you need to create a beautiful nude lip; Natural Lipliner, Natural Lip Colour and Natural Lipgloss. Bare Minerals declare on the packaging that the lip kit complements all skin tones and suggests layering all three products to create the perfect nude lip look.

Here I'm wearing all three of the products but I have to say that the Lipstick is by far my favourite of the three. The formula of this is pretty amazing; it's gloriously matte and opaque and stays put like you wouldn't believe - not unlike some of MAC's matte lippy offerings, which are popular for good reason.
The Lipliner glides on smoothly and you only need a very light hand in applying this for subtle definition as the colour is darker than the other two products. The lined is also self-sharpening, which is always a winner for me because I'm constantly losing sharpeners.
The lip gloss, whilst quite sparkly in the tube, has a much more subtle effect on the lips and is pretty special in terms of consistency - not too sticky and feels fairly light.

No Flash

With Flash

I'm glad I tried this kit. I love red lipstick but a nude lip is always a fool proof, low key look that looks brilliant when you've already got a smoky eye going on.

The Bare Mineral Perfect Lip Kit in Nude is available from Chemist Direct for £22.04, which is 15% off the rrp of £26. Chemist Direct offer loads of pharmaceutical products as well as a pretty impressive collection of beauty, fragrance and skincare products. I've also been trying out a rather nice multi purpose oil from Chemist Direct that is very similar to a certain best selling orange-tinged body oil.

First FOTD

Hello! I'm posting on my iPhone again because the dongle I got just isn't coming through with the goods :(

Anyway, to the point: For my first (and possibly last!) ever FOTD post, I thought I'd just show you the makeup look I wear most days.
It's all about flicked black eyeliner and bold red lipstick. Pretty simple really and oh-so-easy to achieve.

This morning, I almost went without the token red lip in favour of a neutral pout...

But I ended up reaching for the Ruby Woo :)

So a run down of the products used:

Base:
bareMinerals Prime Time Primer
bareMinerals Foundation in Fairly Light
Bourjois Blush in 34 Rose D'Or

Eyes:
L'Oreal Super Liner Carbon Gloss in Carbon Black
Rimmel Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definer in Noir
Rimmel Eyebrow Definer in Black Brown

Lips:
Lucas Pawpaw Ointment
MAC Ruby Woo


So there you have it, hope you like it :)

Can't wait to be back online properly again :0
X

Coming Clean: bareMinerals cleanser

Hello!

Since I visited bareMinerals at Debenhams to collect my foundation sample last week, I've been much more interested in the brand and was pleasantly surprised by the fact that bareMinerals isn't just about makeup, but skincare too.

Because Spring has *allegedly* sprung, I thought it could be time to put away the cleansing oil that kept my winter skin in check and make room in the shower for something a little more 'clean' feeling.

So, after a consultation at bareMinerals, I was steered towards their Deep Cleansing Foam.

The key ingredients in this cleanser are Grapeseed Oil, Avocado Oil and Starfruit, but the hero component is the bareMinerals ' rareMinerals ActiveSoil Complex'.

What on Earth is ActiveSoil you ask? 

The ActiveSoil Complex is essentially a concentrate made from organic, mineral rich soil! 

And here I was thinking that the point of cleansers was to remove dirt from ones face :0

The complex is supposed to tighten pores and encourage cell turnover, water absorption and general luminosity therefore promoting a softer, smoother skin texture.

To use, you only need a tiny pearl sized amount which you lather up on to your damp face. A word of warning: make sure you don't get this stuff in your eyes. Believe me, it stings.

I'm quite a fan of that 'soap and water' clean feeling some cleansers provide (like the Foaming Cleanser by Clarins I used in Australia) because I like my face to feel squeaky clean in warmer weather, and this cleanser fits the bill. It leaves my face feeling very clean, but not dry and and tight and has a nice herbal scent too!

Have you tried anything from the bareMinerals skincare range?? ?

There is such a thing as a good stain

We've all gone a bit bonkers for lip stains lately, and it's not without good reason. They're feather light, quick and easy to use and claim to stay put throughout eating, drinking, snogging and just 'being' in general.

But, as any cosmetics enthusiast (you) would know, a lot of products are all talk, and don't always deliver on their promises! So, with this in mind, I've always hesitated to purchase a lip stain because they always seemed too good to be true - rich pigmentation, long wearing and comfortable? How is that even possible??

Here's where Smashbox Limitless Lip Stain & Colour Seal Balm comes in...

Smashbox Limitless Lip Stain & Colour Seal Balm
£21.50 at Debenhams

I visited the Smashbox counter at Debenhams on Oxford Street on Thursday night to get prettied up before going to see my friend's band and had a good gander at all the lovely products.

I'm not very familiar with Smashbox, so it was fun learning about cool cult products like O-Glow and their best selling primer, but one product that really aroused my curiosity was the lip stain.

Initially, I wanted to try it because one shade in particular caught my eye - a dark blood red called Sangria - but after the make up artist put it on my lips, I felt that it was maybe a little similar to a few reds I already own, so she suggested I try the stain in Guava.

Then I fell in love.

These lipstains were created to mimic the effect of 'photo gels' on shoots, which I'm assuming is due to the vivid pigmentation it leaves on the lips.
The colour pay off of this stain is incredible for a product that's water based and it actually does what it says on the tin - it stays put for a long time (though not for the 8 hours it claims), doesn't feather and is virtually weightless.

Guava is a beautiful, vibrant orange-red. Perfect for spring really :)

Using the stain basically feels like colouring in your lips with a felt tip, though it's not unpleasant, and you just give the pen a little shake to encourage more colour to reach the tip.
The tinted emollient balm on the other end is hydrating and comfortable, and adds a nice sheen to the lips.

So far, I'm really impressed with  Limitless Lip Stain & Colour Seal Balm by Smashbox and if you're near a Smashbox counter I recommend you give it a try for yourself!

To show you how it looks on me, here are some creepy instagram photos of my lips. Enjoy.

Thanks for reading :)


Hannah Rose xxx

Try It For Free: bareMinerals Deluxe Sample

Whether you're a fan of mineral powder makeup or a complete novice, it's worth popping to your nearest bareMinerals counter to bag yourself a lovely deluxe sample of the original SPF 15 foundation.

I went to Debenhams at Westfield London today to chat with the lovely bareMinerals girls and they presented me with my very own little pot of powder, complete with a very cute mini kabuki brush!


The deluxe sample contains around 3 days worth of product



I was given the shade 'fairly light

 Teeny tiny Kabuki :o



The last time I used bareMinerals was a few years ago back in Australia, and I remember thinking it was a great foundation option in hot weather! Because it's a powder, it meant my face was less likely to develop that dreaded t-zone sheen and it wasn't about to slide off my face in the heat like some liquid formulas. I've been a bit apprehensive about a powder base since moving to London, simply because my skin has been in a constant state of dehydration since I stepped off the plane at Heathrow, so I've stuck to really moisturising cream formulas.

That said, Spring is on the way and the mercury's rising so it could be time to try bareMinerals again and swirl, tap and buff my way to a great base that will keep shine at bay :)

P.S. My mum loves this stuff - she had a nasty skin cancer removed from her nose a few years ago and struggled to find a product that covered the discolouration left by the treatment. bareMinerals seems to be the only thing she sticks with :)




*This promotion started on Valentines Day and will continue until mid March, though it's such a great sample that they could well run out before then, so be quick! Click here to find your nearest participating counter.



Thanks for reading!:*


Hannah Rose xxx