Review: Pur Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup Foundation With SPF 15

Hello dolls! So today, we're back to makeup. Recently, I was given the opportunity to try Pur Minerals  4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup Foundation With SPF 15. I am an avid mineral makeup junkie, so the thought of a 4-in-1 was super intriguing.

I love to be able to have flawless makeup, and if I can save time that's even better. Women these days, are super busy, we want it all, we want to be a Mom, a wife, have a career, and look fabulous. Unfortunately, for most of us, there simply isn't enough time in the day for everything. So inevitably, something has to be cut back, and usually its the least important thing, which for most of us, hopefully, is looking fabulous. Don't get me wrong, looking fabulous is great, but I'd much rather spend time with my family and focus on my writing, then spend all day tweaking my appearance.

Pur Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup Foundation With SPF 15 is a foundation, concealer, powder, and spf all in one smartly packaged product. It's $25 for an 8g compact, with foundation on one side, and a mirror and sponge on the other. The beauty of the product is that it can applied dry for a more natural and sheer coverage, or you can dampen the sponge, and apply it wet, for more coverage. It's also a pressed mineral foundation, so you can completely avoid the messiness that can come along with traditional mineral makeup.

The Pur Minerals Foundation was easy-to-use, had a nice glowy finish, and surprisingly was light enough for my pale skintone. That's one thing that I have trouble with, finding foundations that are both light enough for me, and have the right undertone. Most foundations that are super light have more of a pink undertone, I however, have a yellow undertone. The Pur Minerals foundation matched my skin beautifully.

So the bottom line is, I liked the foundation, and would recommend it. I might even have to get more, since we all know I've boycotted EDM.

Have you tried Pur Minerals Foundation? Did you like it?

Review: Illuminare Cosmetics Extra Coverage Foundation

Hello gorgeous, I'm back again. This time we're looking at foundation. I absolutley love mineral makeup, however I know a lot of women love liquid, well why not combine the two: great coverage, easy application, lightweight, etc....Illuminare Cosmetics did just that. They offer liquid mineral foundation in 3 finishes.

Illuminare Cosmetics Foundation is like nothing you've ever used before, and it's exactly what you want. I reached out to the lovely ladies at Illuminare, after trying out a new eyecolor formula, and they were more than happy to send me some foundation to try. I've used it several times now, and let me tell you, I may just put all my traditional powder mineral foundation away.

Illuminare foundation was so, so easy to apply. It blended easily, and it covered everything. I haven't used a liquid foundation in like 6 years, and honestly, never thought I would again. I had no problem getting this foundation to look amazing. I love the way mineral makeup makes my skin look: even, smooth, dewy, etc. And it's so easy to apply. The only drawback, for me, with traditional mineral foundation, is that I have combination skin, and once I get oily, there's no touching it up. If I try to powder it, I'll end up looking cakey. Illuminare Foundation gave me all the things that I love with mineral makeup, and none of the problems. I have literally worn it all day with no problem, and I never looked oily. Just like with powdered mineral foundation, a teeny, tiny bit of Illuminare goes a long way. Literally, like a pea-sized amount, covered my whole face.

I cannot say enough about how much I liked Illuminare! Have you tried it? What did you think?

Review: Sheer Cover Mineral Powder Foundation

Hello gorgeous! I'm back with another review for you and this time it's Sheer Cover Mineral Foundation. I am an avid mineral makeup lover, and if your wondering why, then check out my post on that awhile back. I spoke with the very nice folks at Gunthy Renker and they agreed to send me some Sheer Cover to review for you dolls.

So anyway, Sheer Cover is a mineral foundation with a proprietary formula. Proprietary meaning no other mineral foundation has the exact same ingredients. I'm sure most of you have seen the infomercials, or reviews online. So where to begin?

• Sheer Cover Mineral Foundation is available exclusively through Gunthy-Renker, it can be bought through the 800 number or the website: Sheer Cover
• It comes in 9 colors, and if you order the kit you'll recieve 2 colors so you can mix if need be. We'll talk about the kit itself in another review.
• It has a less shiny finish than BE, more of a natural glow, and offers slightly more coverage.
• Sheer Cover, just like with any other good mineral foundation, won't look chalky or powdery if applied correctly. It's very pigmented, so a little goes a long way.

So what did I think about Sheer Cover Mineral Foundation? I liked it, it was sheer yet buildable, and gave me a great finish. The foundation sank into my skin and looked completely natural. If you love mineral foundations, like I do, than you should check it out. However, it does contain the dreaded bismuth oxychloride, so if you've had a reaction to it in the past, than Sheer Cover probably isn't for you.

 I happen to be the lightest color they make, so if you're pale like me, than don't order through the website, you need to call customer service and tell them so that they can send you the right shade. If you already bought it and the colors are wrong, then call customer service and they'll gladly send you the right color, at no extra cost.

Sheer Cover is, in my opinion, just as good as BE, with less shine and better coverage.

Who else likes Sheer Cover? Shecky's, where it won Best Foundation 2009!

Why I love my mineral foundation

Lovely ladies, hope you’re having a great weekend. You may have noticed that I only ever talk about mineral foundation, never liquid. Well, I have a few reasons that I prefer mineral foundation over liquid, and I thought I’d share with you. Hopefully, if you’re on the fence about mineral foundation, this will help make up your mind.

Coverage

I get much better, and more even coverage with mineral foundation. With liquid foundation, it never looks natural on my skin. I can always see the makeup on my skin, and it never looks flawless. With mineral foundation, I can never see the makeup on my skin, it blends beautifully, and there’s never a noticeable difference between my face a neck. I want my makeup to look natural, and for mineral foundation gives me the results I want.

Finish

I looked and looked, and up to now, have been unable to find a liquid foundation that leaves my skin glowing and dewy. Even if the foundation gives the finish I want, powder always takes it away. With mineral foundation I get the finish I want and powder doesn’t interfere with it. And if I want, I don’t have to use powder on top of my mineral foundation to set it. Mineral foundation leaves my skin glowing, and dewy, and never powdery.

Ease of Use

Mineral foundation doesn’t need to be blended, and it is so easy to use. Liquid foundation requires blending or it won’t even come close to looking natural or good for that matter. With my mineral foundation just swirl, tap, buff, done! It saves me time.

Frankly, I love mineral foundation so much I’ll never go back to liquid. It gives me what I want, and leaves little to be desired.

So what about you lovely ladies, what kind of foundation do you prefer and why?

My Everyday Minerals Stash

This is my Everyday Minerals Collection. I love their products, their foundation especially. So here's a breakdown of what your looking at:

FOUNDATIONS

EDM Foundation in Linen; Semi-Matte, Intensive, and O-Glo

EDM Foundation in Ivory: Intensive, Semi-Matte, and O-Glo

BLUSH:

Snuggle

Nick-Nack

Waffle Cone

Natural Lucent Face Color

One of the foundation containers actually is a custom mix blush: Snuggle and BE Warmth

EYES:

Blonde Brow Color

CONCEALER:

Mint

BRUSHES:

EDM Kabuki

EDM Flat-Top

EDM Blush Brush

Review: Everyday Minerals Foundation

Ladies, ladies, ladies, I'm not sure why I waited so long to post my thoughts on Everyday Minerals foundation, because I love 'em. I've been using Everyday Minerals Foundation for 2 years at least, mostly because........................I think it's fantastic. Not only are the products great but the company endorses and lives green. Don't get me wrong, I don't do everything green, but if I can and if it works I'm all for reducing my carbon footprint. Everyday Minerals is an awesome company, and their products may be inexpensive, but they are top-notch.

Foundation- The Basics:

The cost of a full-sized container of Everyday Minerals Foundation is $12, it comes in the ever-handy sifter-jar, and for what you get for your money you won't need to repurchase for awhile. I do a full face of makeup at least 5, usually 6 days a week, and I enjoy a full coverage look. I've had the same container of foundation for over 2 months, and am in no need of repurchasing soon.

Another HUGE plus with Everyday Minerals Foundation is that it comes in 4 finishes; O-Glo, semi-matte, matte, and intensive. Different women have different needs and wants when it comes to their makeup, and Everyday Minerals suits all tastes. Personally, I use semi-matte; I like my skin to glow, I want fuller coverage, and semi-matte works best for me. How many major, high-end cosmetics companies allow you to pick what coverage, and finish your foundation will have? Not too many.

Another big thing that sets Everyday Minerals foundation apart from their mineral makeup competition; variety of colors to choose from. Typically mineral makeup companies only offer foundation choices in skin color; fair, light, medium, and deep. Everyday Minerals foundation comes in more than 40 colors, and they're broken down into tone; cool, golden, olive, etc.

If you can't decide what'll work best for your skin they offer a free sample kit which includes 3 foundation colors, a blush and a concealer, all you pay for is the shipping. Awesome! Another alternative; their forum, if you post a pic of yourself on the forum and ask the lovely ladies for their recommendations, they're always happy to help. How many huge makeup companies can offer their customers personalized help? In their customers own home? None. Check out the Everyday Minerals Forum here.

My last, but not least praise for Everyday Minerals foundation is that none of their foundation contains bismuth oxychloride, which is the ingredient in BE that causes so many women to break out. Some peoples' skin can handle bismuth oxychloride and some can't, and if you can't but you still want an amazing mineral foundation; Everyday Minerals.


Check out Everyday Minerals!

Review: bareMinerals Matte Foundation

Sephora Says: A revolutionary, 100% pure bareMinerals SPF 15 foundation that delivers a flawless, natural-matte finish that lasts all day and provides extraordinary skincare benefits. bareMinerals Matte SPF 15 Foundation absorbs excess oil and eliminates shine without drying your skin. It dramatically improves the appearance of your skin through the clinically proven power of RareMinerals ActiveSoil Complex, which minimizes pores and promotes cell turnover for fresher, smoother skin, while protecting your skin from environmental damage. This groundbreaking formula is made with only the purest, highest-quality ingredients and is free of harsh chemicals and preservatives.

Mrs. Blacksten Says: Bare Escentuals bareMinerals new matte foundation has its pros and cons. I really like the fact that bareMinerals matte foundation doesn't contain bismuth oxychloride, as it can be very irritating to some women's skin, and can cause cystic acne.
Another huge plus for the bareMinerals matte is that it has no shine whatsoever, yet your skin doesn't look powdery at all. Most mineral foundations leave your skin shiny, and for women with oily skin, shine is a no-no, not a plus.
From what I can tell, the colors of the bareMinerals matte foundation are the exact same colors of the original formula, making selecting your foundation shade easier.
The biggest upgrade with bareMinerals matte is that it comes in a close able sifter jar. Everyone complained about the original bareMinerals spilling and not being a good product for travel, with bareMinerals matte the problem has been solved.
One of the biggest problems I've noticed with bareMinerals matte is it takes more foundation to get the same amount of coverage as the original formula. Unfortunately, your getting less foundation for slightly more money. The bareMinerals matte is $28 for 0.2 oz., and with the original formula it's $25 for 0.3 oz.
The new bareMinerals matte foundation can only be bought at Sephora for the time being.

Sorry.............

Hello lovely ladies, sorry I've been MIA for while, I've been super busy with life, and my day job. Alas, I'm back with more reviews and looks. I'm super excited about bareMinerals new matte foundation, so of course I ordered it, as soon as I've tried it I'll do a review and let you know if it's all it's cracked up to be. Also I ordered the new Coastal Scents 88 Warm Palette: I can't wait to showcase some looks with it, and see how pigmented the colors really are. I love browns and neutrals so I can't wait!!

I'm also going to be doing a review on CS Silica Powder Spheres. I don't personally buy into the whole feud over them being unsafe. If they were truly unsafe I think someone would've stepped in and forced CS and other retailers who sell them to stop selling them, or give consumers some sort of disclaimer. Check this out for some more info or google silica spheres for the truth.

Anyway, thanks for stopping by, and we'll talk soon!!

Review: bareMinerals LIMITED EDITION Getting Started Kit-Light

So I know there are a lot of bareMinerals lovers and haters, and I happen to be a lover. The mineral foundation allows me to achieve beautiful flawless skin, without looking like I have a lot of makeup on. My biggest problem with traditional foundation is getting even, non-streaky, coverage on my nose, and this achieves it beautifully. I've been a fan for quite a while, but when I saw what this kit contains, for the price ($60) I did a double take, and immediately proceeded to the checkout. In this kit you get:

• 2 Shades of Foundation
• Warmth All-Over Face Color
• Clear Radiance All-Over Face Color
• Mineral Veil
• Skin Re-Ver Upper
• Kabuki Brush
• Flawless Application Face Brush
• Maximum Coverage Concealer Brush
• Mirrored Compact
• How To DVD

Granted I don't need the DVD, and besides for the mirror just being handy, the compact is just too messy. Everything else however, is well worth the purchase. The foundation, like I said is gorgeous, and a little goes a long way. If you can't use one of the shades for foundation use it for concealer if it's too light, if it's too dark use it as a contour color. The Warmth is an amazing complexion booster, it gives your face life again. The Clear radiance leaves a really nice pinkish glow, that I love, it's great for us fair skinned gals. The Mineral Veil is the best setting powder that I have ever used. You can't even tell you've put powder on, which is great because who wants to look powdery? The Skin Rev-er Upper is a nice addition to this set, it has salicylic acid in it to help keep your skin clear, and it also contains some vitamins to boost your complexion. It should be noted that this is not a primer although a lot of people seem to think so, this is exactly what it says it is; a complexion booster. It also is not a moisturizer which a lot of people also think it is. If you have oily skin and don't feel the need to moisturize then you could wear this alone, however if you have dry or combination skin then apply this before your moisturizer. On to the brushes. I agree with a lot of people; bareMinerals brushes aren't amazing. When you first get them their great, but after the first wash they tend to start getting scratchy. The concealer brush is good, since it's synthetic it'll never get scratchy.

All in all this kit is worth the $60, if for nothing else just to try the makeup out. If you already know that you like it then I don't need to tell you why to go buy it. The kit is available exclusively through Sephora.

Thanks for reading.