Product Review: Bare Minerals BarePro Foundation

So when I was just starting the process of wearing daily makeup, Bare Minerals had just been introduced. It was a revolutionary idea... I ordered after seeing it on tv - probably after watching a late-night infomercial convincing me that my life would change with a few small containers of mineral dust. Even my mom ordered a kit. We all buffed on our mineral powder foundation, set it with a gorgeous mineral veil and voila! We had great makeup that was good for your skin and had long-wearing stay power. Most of my friends also used it and people all over the country raved about the products that came in the auto-ship monthly starter kit. Six to eight weeks later, it came in and I wanted to love it, because so many of my friends did, but with my oily combination skin, I noticed that the powder would "migrate" to my oilier areas, settle and throughout the day turn gray. The initial application was stunning - beautiful coverage and a flawless finish (especially after using that mineral veil), but 2-3 hours later, I wanted to take my makeup off completely. I'd rather have no makeup than a patchy, gray foundation. Fast forward,  10 years later and I'm still avoiding BareMinerals like the plague. I'm hesitant to try their products and never even think about perusing the aisle at Sephora or Ulta.  They must have known I was a skeptic and completely believed in their new liquid foundation, because they sent me a full-sized product in exchange for a review. (FTC requires me to disclose this information, but what they DON'T require is an open and honest review. Jill Brooks Beauty will NEVER post a review on any products, techniques or services that is anything less than the 100% truth. My readers take precedence over my sponsors, and I will always take pride in knowing this to be true throughout the course of my journey as a hair, makeup and wardrobe stylist, as well as a beauty and fashion blogger. No matter who the sponsor is or how much product they are sending me, it will ALWAYS be an honest review - the good, the bad and the ugly!) I was hesitant to even try it. The box of foundation sat on my vanity for days before I even considered using it. The color was a little light for my skin (but that's my fault - I had to use an online swatch to guess my color and I always like to err on the side of caution. ProTip: If you're having trouble deciding on a color - in-store or online - ALWAYS choose the lighter of the two. I prefer my foundation lighter, because I can have more contrast and clean lines with contouring, bronzing, etc. You can always darken your foundation, but lightening it is a real struggle. [Be on the look out for my post on foundation lightening and darkening options coming soon!] Day 1:  Initial reaction - I loved the creamy feel. The viscosity was a perfect balance - not too runny, but not too thick. It glides on the face super smooth and has a buildable coverage. Depending upon your application method, you can build the coverage you want from sheer to full coverage. I used a tightly compacted kabuki brush to buff on the foundation in small circles. Be aware that this product "sets" after a bit, so if you want to build coverage, do it one area at a time until you get used to knowing how/when it will make the change from liquid to powdery finish. After I finished applying my Bare Minerals BarePro, I followed up with a cream contour, highlighting/concealing under my eyes, and set the total look with a pressed powder & setting spray.  At the end of the day, I assessed the wearability of this new foundation. My makeup still looked pretty good and stayed in place better than most foundations I've tried. I had so many compliments that day on my skin (which is far from perfect) and my makeup -- I kept hearing the word "fresh," and it quickly became one of my favorite compliments I could receive when it comes to opinions on my daily-wear makeup. So far? 4 out of 5 stars. I knew the potential was there, but I had to do some tweaking to figure out the best application and product combinations for me. Day 7: After a week of wearing BP, I had finally figured out how to apply and wear this foundation for my current skin conditions and overall desired makeup end result. For me, layering thin coats of the foundation works best. This enables an even coverage, but also I can build in my trouble areas where I want more opacity and leave the other areas with just a light application - helping to perfect the always in style no-makeup makeup look. Using the kabuki brush, I buff on thin layers and stipple the problematic areas to allow for more coverage. Using a primer under the foundation extended its stay power and I was able to get 10-12 hours without touchup. Without a primer, it's more like 6-8 hours. Still a longer lasting daily lifespan than other comparable long-wearing foundation formulas.

Day 13:  Still going strong! I'll give this foundation overall a 4 out of 5 stars. For a product claiming to be performance wearing foundation, I think it does, in fact, stand up to most of the claims on the back of the box. [Read here: Glam coverage. 12-hour long-wear. Breathable. Formulated with 90% vitamins and minerals. Engineered for performance wear. True-to-you shades. Formulated with 90% vitamins & minerals. Glam Coverage: Photo-ready matte finish without a caked on feel. Ultra-smooth, silky texture glides on effortlessly for superior customizable coverage.12-Hour Long-Wear: High-performance foundation that's clinically shown to stay right where you apply it - for a full 12 hours.**Based on an independent clinical study of 32 women. Breathable: Let your complexion breathe with this weightless, micro-mesh formula that doesn't clog pores or cause breakouts. Non-comedogenic. Non acnegenic.90% Vitamins & Minerals: Made with skin-loving ingredients to support a healthy complexion. Clinically shown to improve skin clarity, reduce pore size appearance and control shine. Smooth, Controlled Coverage: Built with tightly packed synthetic fibers at its core, use barePRO Performance Wear Powder Foundation with the retractable Core Coverage Brush for fast, detailed coverage and an unparalleled airbrushed finish. True-To-You Shades For Flawless Glam Coverage: High impact, skin-matching mineral pigments designed for all ethnicities and skin tones. Dermatologist tested. Hypoallergenic.

The only thing that I see that could be improved would be the long-wearing formula. While, yes, it does wear okay for 10 hours or so, it wasn't quite long-wearing enough for me - especially when you compare it to other long-wearing foundation formulations in comparable cosmetic lines and price ranges.

BOTTOM LINE: Would I purchase this product? Yes.  Will I recommend to friends, family, and readers? Yes. Is it worth the cost? Yes. Is it comparable to other foundations in the same price range? Yes

Is this my new favorite foundation? No. It's in the Top 3 of my current foundations in my makeup bag. Is this the only foundation I currently use? No.

Posted by:

Jill Brooks

Owner, Jill Brooks Beauty

Hair • Makeup • Wardrobe

Beauty Expert and Inage Consultant 

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