When your older cousin who doesn’t wear an ounce of makeup on any given day gets suspiciously excited over the Bare Minerals outlet store you better pop in. And that I did.
In between bursts of joy from my end shouting “I’m just so happy we’re in a makeup store together!”, something I never thought would happen unless she absolutely had to accompany me, I realized she really liked this brand. I’ve heard about the label a couple of times before but I’ve never actually tried the products. Fortunately, after an unlikely endorsement from my non-make up wearing cousin, I was sold, literally. I needed a new tub of face powder and couldn’t remember the exact shade I previously used from Laura Mercier and somehow the lady from Sephora kept giving me a much darker yellow shade which I think we both knew was way off but she insisted anyway.
As luck would have it, I was eyeing the selection at Bare Minerals while my cousin was deliberating on which primer to get (tough decision, I know), and the sales rep easily gunned down the exact same shade I was eyeing. I trust people who can accurately and instinctively pinpoint my shade.
They had a really good deal that day (actually they have a lot of good deals in that outlet store so if you’re ever in Michigan drop by the Birch Run branch) where you could get a set of full-sized products for way, way less so without any intention of buying anything, I ended up with a whole slew of their products in a very reasonably priced kit. For reference, I think the powder on its own is around $22, and the primer that my cousin relentlessly waxed poetic about is $25. I got both plus seven other full-sized products including two brushes for just $59 with the promo kit. I essentially got a ton of free-stuff. Essentially. Or basically paid a $1 for each extra product. (Don’t try to contest this. I’m not aiming for accuracy just a whole lot of impact.)
While I probably won’t use the brushes so much as the strands tend to fall apart, the actual makeup products are really worth the purchase. The Prime Time Foundation Primer glides on real smooth and makes your skin feel silky. I have gone out a couple of times with just the primer and blush. It comes in a pump and I only need to use one pump to fully cover my face. Really, two would be excessive. The Original Foundation powder is also really good. I’ve never been a fan of loose powder, I have always gone for compact options or liquid foundations but this I really like. When my face isn’t especially dry and want something light and natural I use just the powder. But it does give a flawless matte finish for days I need to be especially dolled up and I brush it on top of my liquid go-to. The Mineral Veil Finishing Powder comes in a small container but also makes for the perfect topper especially along the cheeks. I rarely use it, only for special occasions when I want a semblance of a professional touch. The Lasting Line Long-Wearing Eyeliner (not pictured) is also easy to glide on the eyes although I still have a slight issue with coming up a good cat eye if it’s not in gel or liquid form. All sets provide the exact same shades of blush, gloss, and lipstick. The only item that you can and have to choose the shade of is the foundation. I haven’t tried the gloss nor the lipstick yet but they both look promising as nudes.
It’s really easy to get buyer’s remorse from beauty purchases. For one, they tend to be expensive, and two, I only have one face, how much product can I actually use? This was a really good buy though so if you’re ever in need of a primer or loose powder, do consider Bare Minerals. And if you’re anything like me and would want more bang for your buck, then look into their kits. They have a lot of sets to choose from including specialty ones for just the eyes, the base, etc. Thanks, cousin, for the unlikely but very much welcome recommendation.
I knew I loved her for a reason.
