Bare Escentuals • Get Started Kit in Medium • Foundations

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Glorylocks on 7/31/2012 7:19:00 PM more reviews by Glorylocks

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

I've only tried this product three times and so far it is alright. Nothing amazing and it does not give you the "flawless" look I had hoped for. You can definitely tell that I am wearing makeup. But from a distance its much harder to tell. I havent had any major breakouts since using this product and find it covers nicely and luckily for me my exact color is medium. For now atleast. I found that the full flawless brush and the flawless application brush shed quite a bit but the concealer brush is REALLY well made. Overall I like this product and will continue to buy until I find something better and or cheaper.

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Dancegurl1 on 5/23/2012 5:57:00 PM more reviews by Dancegurl1

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I found this product to be over the top pricey, but it does what it promised... Sometimes. I have very acne-prone skin, and this is the only foundation I am not afraid to use so I won't have any breakouts. It doesn't give a lot of coverage to acne scars, which is mainly what I want covered up. I also have somewhat dry skin, and with this product I recommend moisturizing before using it or it will leave your skin looking flaky. I really want to purchase another foundation product, but I don't want to have major breakouts, so I'm pretty much stuck with this.

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alikiki on 5/2/2012 5:56:00 AM more reviews by alikiki

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Disappointing product.... It doesn't look natural on my skin at all. It is very obvious I have a layer of powdery make up on my face not the natural look I was hoping to get with it. I wish I had spent the money on a second box of Jane Iredale's mineral make up instead.

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clumpedmascara on 4/23/2012 4:51:00 PM more reviews by clumpedmascara

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Acne-prone, Olive, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Kinky, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

PROS
I really liked the concealer brush! I've had it for 2 years now, use it VERY often, and it still hasn't shed on me :) In the beginning, I liked the full flawless face brush and
flawless application face brush. They gave really great coverage. What I liked about the different powders I got were that they didn't give me oily skin or breakouts.

CONS
I don't know about the other foundations, but none of the foundations/ powders matched for me. VERY pink undertoned, like most drugstore foundations. This reminded me a lot of the Maybelline Mineral Power. The coverage also wasn't that great. I was also disappointed with the full face brushes :( They started to shed like crazy. Also very overpriced, not buying again.

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naturallyfab on 8/6/2011 10:05:00 AM more reviews by naturallyfab

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Other    

This was my first bare Minerals purchase and it continues to be one of my favorites! I bought this about a year and a half ago, and have since had to repurchase the foundation. However, I'm still going on the Warmth, Primer, and Mineral Veil! I'm shocked at how long these products have lasted. If I didn't need new brushes, I would totally repurchase this whole set again!

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*TOP REVIEWER* tabloid on 8/6/2011 8:19:00 AM more reviews by tabloid

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

I just don't understand all the hype about this foundation. It makes my skin look cakey and powery, and it highlights every single enlarged pore on my face (unfortunately, I have quite a few). This has to be one of the worst foundations I've every tried.

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lfitzsimons1 on 4/11/2011 4:30:00 PM more reviews by lfitzsimons1

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair, Warm   Hair: Red, Curly   Eyes: Blue    

When I had my make up done at the bare minerals counter the make up was something new and made my skin look amazing when she had finished! So I thought ok I'll buy it since it looked really good. On nights out I felt it wasnt enough for what I wanted and WASNT full coverage when used with a diffrent brush like she told me which is what I like for a night out. So I just use this as an everyday foundation now and use my MAC studio fix fluid for nights out. The price is expensive as this set was £45. The packaging is ok I guess.

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sugarbloom on 11/19/2010 4:48:00 AM more reviews by sugarbloom

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I actually used this product about 4 years ago (just took me a while to remember I used such a crappy product than). Anyways, I guess I bought into their hype about it being all natural (I don't think so!) and that you can buff, buff, buff away your imperfections. Sadly I actually thought it looked good on at the time, or at least I made myself believe so. Now when I see pictures of myself with it on, HORRIBLE! just plain horrible! didn't hide any imperfections at all, pimples, redness, dry skin, all magnified by this product. The bronzer also made my face look like I had dirt on it. Brushes were scratchy but I guess most brushes that come in kits are. Also made my skin itchy after. Basically nothing in the kit impressed me or lived up to expectation. For the $ I spent on it I would have expected more, or at last one product in there that works!

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Fascinate on 8/5/2010 6:53:00 PM more reviews by Fascinate

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I'm glad I tried out the kit instead of buying it separately. I really loved it at first, my face looked so natural and flawless. Summer came by and my face started to itch so much. I read that it had bismuth in it but I didn't really mind since it didnt irritate my skin much. I'm still looking for my perfect foundation for all seasons. I really wanted to love this so much.

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danimartini on 3/31/2010 8:24:00 PM more reviews by danimartini

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Dark   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Black    

I think this is my first review. I have been hesitant to try bare minerals for a long time. I had a makeup artist try it out on me at Sephora but I didn't fall in love at the time - probably because she had a hard time even telling me what was the right color for me.

That said I bought it on impulse yesterday after recently asking two of my friends if they used foundation (as they have amazing skin) and they both raved about BE. I have to say I am impressed.

I bought the starter kit in dark - which I think might be a smidge too dark for me right now but with summer coming it will likely be fine.

I really liked the primer. However it could just be that I really liked the makeup. I've never really seen the point in primer as it doesn't seem to do anything for me. It felt smooth on my skin the question is I don't know what impact it had on the makeup's efficacy.

I have pretty good skin as it stands - a little bit of uneven coloring and the pores on my cheeks are large - but aside from that I don't get many blemishes and my skin is pretty smooth. What impressed me is that this foundation did not look powdery and cakey - I'm not a huge fan of powder but I do wear them because the warmer the weather gets the more I need them. Also, what I really loved is that it did a fab job of minimizing my pores. Sure you could still see them a little, but that is okay by me as I want people to see my skin - just not a zillion pores.

People say this product is messy - I guess I can see how they would say that. I am a pretty messy girl but the mess I made with this was minimal - probably because I use it over the sink and I only put a tiny amount in the cover when doing the "swir/tap/buff" thing. In fact when I "tap" there is barely any fallout.

All in all I have to say this is the best foundation I have ever tried. It looks natural, it covers my pores. I've tried clinique perfectly real foundation which doesn't even out my skin tone as much as I'd like - and I've used Revlon Colorstay - which does nothing to hide the large pores on my nose. That said I only seriously started wearing foundation in the past year, so I haven't tried a huge range of foundations.

The only cons about this product are the brushes which shed like crazy and the fact that it comes in smaller sizes.
I don't mind having the 2nd darker color in the starter kit as I plan on using it for contouring. Finally I haven't used the concealer brush so I can't really comment on that.

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jod84 on 3/30/2010 4:44:00 PM more reviews by jod84

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Blue    

update i take back every single good word about this product. first of all it don't cover a thing 2nd it as no staying power 3rd the brushes are hard and the products don't last apart from that the makeup as a sheen to it so it's not good for people like my self who have oily skin. i'm such a stupid person this is the 2nd time i got the starter kit because i honestly wanted to love it and i wanted to wear less makeup but this is not worth the bother

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minimaliste on 3/28/2010 7:25:00 PM more reviews by minimaliste

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Was kind of hesitant to try this at first since I wasn't sure if it would do anything for my skin. I like that it doesn't feel heavy on my skin (like a cream foundation would) but still has noticeable affects and lasts all day. Once you go through all the steps it definitely makes it definitely gives you a "natural makeup" look. Yes, you have to learn how to apply correctly and yes, it does add a few extra minutes to your morning routine, but it hasn't irritated or dried out my skin, and the overall effect is totally worth it. My biggest gripe though is that they give you two pots of foundation (one of which you probably won't use) and the brushes that come with it suck. Use them a few times and you'll start to notice the bristles coming off. Despite these complaints however, you do get a lot for $60, so if you want to try out mineral makeup (especially this one) it's worth the cash.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

samanthapulido on 3/26/2010 2:17:00 PM more reviews by samanthapulido

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

Before using bare minerals, my skin was an absolute mess. I have combination skin, where the corners of my mouth get very irritated, red, and blotchy. I would peel around my face, in my jaw area and at the skin between my nose and eyes. Had occasional break outs -- not too horrible. My t-zone was very oily. I had to use three products to feel decent enough to be seen in public. Lotion, foundation, and a powder. I carried around oil absorbing sheets constantly.
After bare minerals, I can say I've never ever EVER been happier with the skin on my face. The medium foundation matches my skin tone perfectly. Never do I have lines at my jaw. I just use Lubriderm lotion as a primer -- it's the least oily lotion I've ever used -- along with the mineral veil after the foundation. Breakouts are few and further in between. The irritation at the corners of my lips is GONE. And hardly does my face peel. I can touch my face without being worried it'll get super dry. I don't feel self conscious when I'm kissing the boyfriend. I'm HOOKED on Bare Escentuals, no doubt!

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Danielaxo on 2/4/2010 11:32:00 AM more reviews by Danielaxo

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I couldn't rate this a proper Zero , or I would and if you asked me if I would buy this product again I would say No Not EVER.
You should never take the advice of a makeup artist when it comes to your skincare. I was having problems with my skin, she suggested this foundation could help to improve my skin and that my acne could clear up. When she told me this my acne was already clearing up, almost entirely. I was very excited to come home and use my new brushes and products but no later then a day, my entire face was breaking out. Break outs where I've never broke out before. I didn't leave the house for a while, this product is from hell.

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MissSniffs on 1/17/2010 2:19:00 PM more reviews by MissSniffs

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Tan   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

Overall I really liked the product. It was nice that the brushes were included with it. It does not provide amazing coverage, I tend to use a liquid concealer with it if I have something I really need to cover up. It looks very natural and does not irritate my skin. Considering I am allergic to sunscreen and this had a SPF I was quite nervous to try it as other foundations normally react with my skin, but it was great and did not react with my skin. Only thing I didn't like was that the products were small-sized and I did not know this before-hand. Would definitely buy this product again though!

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airiaMG on 1/16/2010 6:21:00 PM more reviews by airiaMG

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I absolutely love this product, I had been wanting to try it for a few months, even years. I finally received it as a Christmas present and I must say it is the BEST product I've used on my oily and acne prone skin. I'm not much of a foundation user type gal, but this gives you great coverage with just a bit of the product. I would recommend this hands down, you won't be disappointed.

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*TOP REVIEWER* prncss on 1/11/2010 7:41:00 PM more reviews by prncss

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Tan   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I finally caved in to the hype and bought this kit in Tan for $75 CAD. I am an NC35 and NC40 in MAC foundation, and I have medium tanned asian skin.

The medium tan and tan BE colors are very good color matches for me. I would recommend this for tanned asians. I would say medium tan is a perfect match, while tan gives me a bronzed look, so both are very wearable and natural looking and you can switch them up depending on your mood.

This looks very natural and does not look caked on at all. It evens out my skin tone and feels very light on my face, and even when I sleep with it on, it hasn't caused me to break out. However, this by far does not give me flawless looking skin. I can still see imperfections on my skin and I can't get full coverage regardless of the brush I use (such as BE flawless brush, handi buki, or my Ecotools kabuki). This has sheer to light coverage (if you follow the recommended amount on the DVD), and medium coverage if you layer it multiple times. In comparison, Everyday Minerals gives a more flawless coverage although it does not look or feel as natural on, so it depends what you're looking for in a foundation.

It is quite time consuming to unscrew the cap and tap the product, as opposed to using a kabuki brush on pressed mineral powder such as Everyday Minerals or MAC MSF.

The brushes are decent though not spectacular nor really bad. The brushes evenly distribute the product but the "flawless face" brush is too small and the hairs shed like crazy. The concealer brush is high quality but I would not recommend using BE concealers. I purchased the Well-Rested for eyes and this did not do conceal my undereye discoloration and it accentuated fine lines I didn't even know I had!

The handi buki brush sounds good on paper and is supposed to be used for full coverage application but I didn't notice any difference in coverage.

I love the warmth product, which accentuates a bronzed, tanned look and looks very natural. I put this on my forehead, under my cheekbones, nose, and chin (the areas of the face where the sun hits).

I did not care for the Glee blush. It is a dark bronze blush and does not offer a nice contrast to the already bronze colors of the tan foundation and warmth all-over face color. I look too brown with this on, on top of all the other products. I would've preferred a pink blush in the kit, such as Rose Radiance.

The mineral veil is a finishing powder designed to set the foundation. To me, it is an unnecessary step although it is very very sheer and works great alone on days when you don't want to wear foundation and have a clear skin day.

The products are not full-sized and the box is very deceiving because it is huge, but when you open it, the products are all sample sized. Even the brushes are not full sized. I did not feel like I got my money's worth (considering that Everyday Minerals gives out free generous-sized samples) but I will keep this.

All in all, I can see why people like BE. It feels natural and does not feel like you are wearing makeup, but this does not give flawless coverage and does not mimic the same results of cream and liquid foundation.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

GiRLyxo on 10/19/2009 9:47:00 PM more reviews by GiRLyxo

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Tan   Hair: Brown, Relaxed   Eyes: Brown    

So I bought into the whole mineral makeup craze and I actually bought the get started kit but in Tan being that i'm an NC45 in MAC products. I do have acne-prone skin so I was worried about breaking out and I did not, thank goodness.
At times I apply it with the included Bare Minerals prime time primer, I don't really notice a difference nor do I particularly like primers so don't let that steer you away. I used only the tan portion of the kit being as the other medium tan? was way too light. The application was time consuming [swirl, tap, buff] I used the supplied brushes but I later realized comparing them to other brushes I have they are seriously rough! Like I can't believe I used that at one point. and they shed a lot! After every application I would always have little blond brush hair pieces all over. But overall, I liked it for a very natural glow from within look. The coverage is pretty sheer, at times I used the concealer brush on spots and pimples but it never looked cakey which I liked. It's just a nice even wash of color, you won't look like your wearing makeup.

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mkgirl9 on 8/5/2009 10:52:00 AM more reviews by mkgirl9

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

To give some info on me. I'm asian with light to medium skin tone and very sensitive acne prone skin. combo/oily

I finally jumped on the bandwagon and bought this kit. I've been using Laura Mercier TM before that in Nude. I'm also a NC30 in MAC.

Medium Beige was closer to my color than the Medium. But both were very close but I noticed it being a little peachy in color.

Every morning when I wake up, I wash my face, tone, and moisturize. I wait for the moisturizer to sink then (about 5 min or so) then start applying the BE.

I use the medium beige first (swirl, tap) and buff it along my lower jawline and around my face. Then use the concealer brush and hide any imperfections using the medium. I also use the full coverage brush and brush around the cheek area. After that I use the warmth, now the key here is to use a very small amount. Then I gently buff around my cheekbones, bridge of my nose, around my forehead (near my hairline), and a little on the chin. If it looks too light, tap in a little more and buff along it again. (never use too much all at once as I noticed I looked kind of weird!)

Lastly, I use the mineral veil and buff that on my forehead and nose.

I look so smooth and even. This is a lot better than my laura mercier TM in the sense its more natural looking but not as good coverage. I don't feel like I have makeup on, its soft to to the touch, and very even.

To give me some rosy color in the mornings I also use some blush around the apple of my cheeks to complete my look.

PROS: very natural, smooth, even skin. product should last a long time. concealer brush is very good
Cons: not much coverage, brushes could be better, $$$

I've been using this for about a month now, and no breakouts!

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Xi_Girl85 on 7/26/2009 1:52:00 PM more reviews by Xi_Girl85

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Hazel    

It took me forever to finally give in and try Bare Minerals. I know a few people who use the line and swear by it (and whose skin looks great, by the way), so when I saw the Get Started Kit on sale at Ulta, I found the perfect excuse to buy. Before I say anything else, I have to admit that I wasn't much of a foundation user to begin with. I usually used concealer under my eyes and pressed powder to control shine, but that was it unless there was a special occasion. I was afraid, after watching the DVD, that the application process would take FOREVER, but it really doesn't. I was also reluctant to use the "Warmth" all over my face, as it looked more like a blush to me. I love "Warmth" now, however, and it acts as a very natural looking bronzer on me. The "Mineral Veil" works pretty well to control oil, much more so than liquid foundations ever did for me, but I still end up needing to apply powder after extended periods of time. I recently saw an ad for a new product by BE that controls shine better than the regular formula, so I'll give it a shot when and if I EVER finish this stuff! I really only need to use a tiny amount to get full coverage. On a final note, the brushes tend to shed, to I may look into some better-quality ones.

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