Bare Escentuals Matte Foundation

I first tried Bare Escentual’s Bare Mineral foundation back in 2005 and despite all of the fabulous infomercials that promised this foundation would deliver beautiful skin, it did not work for me at all. The coverage was OK and application was easy (albeit very messy) but it made my oily skin feel greasy and the bismuth oxychloride made my face itch like crazy. I also did not like how shiny it made my skin look.

I swore off the brand, even after a colleague of mine ended up working for the company and tried to convince me that it was a good product. When the matte foundation was released, she gave me my very own jar to try out and said I would like this new formula better. It sat in my makeup organizer for months until recently when I decided to break it out and finally give it a try.

I like the new packaging; its user-friendly closable sifter ensures that you won’t end up with a powder explosion when opened. I also love that it is matte and is free of bismuth oxychloride. I did not like the coverage as it seemed to be lighter than the original. I also didn’t care for how it felt on my skin, though to be fair I feel this way about all mineral makeup, not just this brand. I felt itchy when it was first applied and then that feeling went away after a few moments of wear. For me, it is totally better than the original. I can absolutely see how others love Bare Escentuals products and I’m still not a fan of the brand.

PSA: I know that the B.E. slogan is “makeup so pure you can sleep in it,” but please don’t. Even though the makeup won’t clog your pores, you are still producing oil and not washing your face after wearing any kind of makeup can contribute to clogged pores or acne.

The new matte foundation is $28 and can be found at Bare Escentuals stores and Sephora.