Bare Escentuals Get Started Kits ($181 Value) Light

I have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and one of the sympyoms is acne. While I was trying to find a way to make my skin feel and look better I ran across several reviews of Bare Escentuals written by other women with PCOS. I decided to give it a try for several reasons. First, I am fair skinned with freckles so caking on base and concealer looks even worse than it does on other people. Second, I liked that the reviews stressed that this make-up made getting ready quick and easy. Third, instead of having to wade through all of the products and figure out what I needed to start with, Bare Escentuals has an easy Get Started Kit that includes everything you need.

It took me a little bit to get used to the system and I think watching the CD was crucial. At first I did not believe it when they said how little product I would need to use to get full coverage. It turned out it was all true. Not only do I use a lot less of this than I did of the makeup I used before, but I do fewer touch ups during the day. I live in hot and humid San Antonio, Texas so I probably touch up more than people who live in other areas. Before I probably touched up four or five times a day, now I touch up twice unless I do something especially sweaty.

I would say that it probably took about two weeks after I got the product before I really started to see the results in my skin. My skin appears smoother and I get fewer breakouts than I did before. Some if it may be due to the fact that I do not have to use harsh cleansers to remove the make up, but I think most of it is due to the fact that the product does not clog up my pores like the make up I used previously.

There are some products in the kit that I did not end up using and after getting started I found that there were products I wanted that did not come with the kit. But overall, I think the kit was a great introduction to the product line and I have recommened it to friends as a great way to try the line without having to put a lot of effort into picking out the individual products.

I wish I could give 3.5, but I decided to "round up" my rating. Like many folks here, I've heard a lot of hype about the product, from the media and from friends. I received the "getting started" kit for my birthday with beige and medium beige foundation, warmth, and mineral veil.

The coverage is great, and the brushes are very nice. My problem is that even after watching the video, I'm not good at getting the powders on correctly. The first day, I put on too much warmth and looked like I had a fever! (Or a sunburn). The next attempt was a bit better--I knew to use far less warmth and a bit more foundation. I'm still trying to get the level of foundation coverage right. The mineral veil is my favorite--it gives a very nice finish, and you can't really mess it up.

I have had no problems with allergies--doesn't bother my eyes like many makeups I've tried.

One other small complaint--getting the stick-on white plastic covers off the containers. I have arthritis, and I had to get a knife to pry the covers off, they were stuck on so firmly.

So--for someone who wears makeup often, has some extra cash to spend, and knows how to apply makeup skillfully--this is a very nice product that looks great and wears well for much of the day (I live in a hot climate). I like the "natural" appearance a lot--no "gunky" coverage or feeling. However, I have to say that the L'oreal minerals makeup gives a similar coverage (perhaps not quite as fine) at a fraction of the price....

This mineral 'foundation' is an incredible product for coverage. It is ultra light, yet covers well. In a few hours after wearing it my skins feels a bit more supple which is wonderful for a makeup! I was very skeptical at first, but LOVE it now~

The product is worth trying and you won't let anyone convince you differently on your foundation for life!

Merna

Pocket of Pearls: A 30-day pocket workbook to start hearing a softer voice inside of you!

I know I'm in the minority here but I don't love bare escentuals products. In reality, it works wonderfully with so many people skin tones but it's not for everyone. It's not as natural as other mineral cosmetic lines, such as Alima. But, it still is probably a better choice over liquid foundations. One of my problems with bare minerals was the coverage was always pretty poor for me. It faded really quickly and it caused a very unnatural shine even though I followed the directions on the DVD.

I bought the light starter kit a couple of years ago. I really like the brushes. The concealer brush works wonders. The flawless application brush feels amazing and works well for light applications, and the kabuki brush is a great full coverage foundation brush. As for the skin rev-er-upper it contains salicylic acid, which keeps blemishes away, but I've read a lot of articles that say that skin develops a dependency to it, so if you don't use it and very rarely have blemishes it would probably be a good idea to skip this step. The foundations come in two shades so if you buy the kit hopefully one of them or a combination of both of them will work. The mineral veil also did not keep the shine away like it was suppose to. The warmth is very dark, but if you mix it with the mineral veil it will become lighter and works ok for a bronzer.

Just a warning this foundation contains Bismuth Oxychloride, which is a by product of lead and copper. A lot of people are allergic to it, please read the negative reviews for Bare Minerals Foundation, they tell you what happens when you are allergic to this ingredient. My advice is to go to a bare escentuals store or somewhere that allows you to test the product, then try a small amount on a small area of your face (maybe close to your ear), do this for several days, just to make sure you're not allergic to it. Most people aren't allergic to it, but a lot of people find the foundation somewhat irritating.

There are also a lot of other mineral foundations that people swear by and that do not contain bismuth oxychloride. I use Alima, their products are actually certified natural and their samples prices are more reasonable than other companies. Also, Alima has the best quality of mineral makeup that I've tried and I've tried a lot over the years, so if you are looking for quality makeup I recommend that you try Alima. To name a few others: Meow cosmetics (they have over 80 different shades), Afterglow cosmetics, and Everyday Minerals(they offer a free custom sample kit which is fantastic, free stuff is always great right!). I'm currently using their line of synthetic brushes instead of BE brushes and they work really well and are very affordable.

Basically, there are a lot of mineral foundations out there and most of the cosmetic companies sell small samples at great prices, so I recommend shopping around a bit to find a foundation that's right for you.

I LOVE IT!!! It works exactly like the infomercials say!!! It stays on ALL DAY long!!! It doesn't disappear or wear off in this HOT and sometimes HUMID AZ weather either! It goes on really well & is easy to remove! It feels very light and refreshing to wear! This is absolutely the best foundation I've purchased! I totally recommend it for all women!!! :D