Alima • Satin Matte Mineral Foundation • Powder

*TOP REVIEWER* fabulyss on 6/21/2012 12:01:00 PM more reviews by fabulyss

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

I've been procrastinating writing a review for Alima because I honestly fear my endorsement simply won't do it justice. Instead, I'll tell you a short, Alima related story...

The other day I was walking through the beauty section of Neiman Marcus (out of boredom really, not b/c I was intending to purchase anything). A sales associate from the Sisley brand offered to give me a free facial at the counter, so I went ahead and sat down at the counter.

As the SA was applying a cleanser, she suddenly gasped, took a step back, and in sheer awe said...."You were wearing makeup?!" I was slightly embarrassed because clearly she was referring to the sprinkle of acne on my forehead revealed by the removal of my foundation. I told her that yes I was wearing makeup. She replied, "Your skin looked absolutely flawless, but I had no idea you were wearing foundation! That's the best color match I've ever seen. I've never seen foundation look that undetectable before". This is all coming from a sales associate at the beauty counter at NEIMAN MARCUS!!

That's Alima in a nutshell: lightweight, traceless, natural, perfect coverage, long-lasting, the absolutely perfect color match, build-able coverage...I could go on and on! Plus their customer service is unparalleled. Never in a million years would I ever expect to wear powder foundation, but it's my HG product and I cannot recommend it enough.

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Sagu on 6/16/2012 2:27:00 PM more reviews by Sagu

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Green    

I'm 21, Finnish, have a combination skin, fair-light with strong yellow/golden undertones.

This mineral foundation has been my go-to for two, three years now :) I wear Warm 1 (Warm 2 in summer). I don't use traditional foundations that much as I often have trouble finding a shade that is both light and yellow enough, and I remember how surprised I was when Alima's Golden turned to be TOO yellow for me! Warm is softer, it's perfect for me.

I'm giving Alima foundation four lippies out of five. It's great, gives my skin this healthy glow and the coverage is decent. Oil control could be better, though, and I'm really sorry that I can't wear this in winter, that's when I get very dry and this foundation starts caking up on me. Other than that, it's the best mineral foundation I've every used. And the jar is so so beautiful!

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tamespy on 6/10/2012 2:39:00 PM more reviews by tamespy

Age: 36-43   Skin: Acne-prone, Olive   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

This is the best acne treatment and makeup I have ever used. My case of cystic acne only responds to minerals - mineral makeup and sulfur. I also have sensitive skin and this does not irritate. I LOVE Alima Pure's mineral makeup best. It washes clear with my normal cleanser and does not clog pores -- no special removal technique needed. And it absolutely kills cystic acne before it even starts. Sigh. That is the absolute best; anybody who's battled cystic acne knows what I'm talking about.

Now about its performance as makeup. For me -- Coverage is light to medium, but as the day wears on ... the makeup wears out. LOL BUT somehow the evenness of my skin is maintained. Let me say it like this ... My acne scars are visible through the makeup and as the say wears you can still see them (maybe even see them a little more clearly). BUT the unevenness of my skin is not apparent -- I mean the changes in lightness/darkness of the unblemished skin. I kind of like that because as the day wears on my makeup looks more like my skin -- only better. For me this is perfect because I don't like the makeup look.

I could kiss them for all the color choices and accessory items they've created to go with the foundation. And a genius decided to sell samples to figure out the right colors and combinations. My color is so odd and coupled with living in a humid area ... it was an adventure to find the right colors for primer, foundation and finishing powders. I'm so happy with my choices. They have a customer for life in me.

Note: I was not happy with the effect when I first used their products because as the day wore on the colors turned muddy gray. I realized it was the primer powder. I read someone's review on here that said just stick with it and things will improve. I changed the color I was using, which helped a bit. I figured it wasn't breaking me out so I'd wait and see. And eventually my skin meshed with the primer and by end of day the color change looked like my skin but better. I'd the height of Summer, so I blot once or twice a day. But it's not that incredible oil slick that it was and the color is still true.

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*TOP REVIEWER* AuNatural716 on 6/9/2012 2:18:00 PM more reviews by AuNatural716

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

Finally resorted to trying non-bareminerals mineral makeup again and had high hopes for this because my skin is ridulously sensitive/allergic. However, not only are the colors off for this makeup, but the finish is slightly sparkly, the foundation makes my face ridiculously oily by the end of the day, and worst of all it itched/broke it out a bit! I almost gave up on mineral makeup after this but went on to try lucy and MAD minerals as well and lucy broke me out as well, but MAD minerals has been amazing so far! It's soothing on my face, has amazing coverage, amazing colors, blends like my skin, gets a dewy finish throughout the day, and best of all doesn't seem to be causing any itch/reaction issues!

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mo98103 on 6/6/2012 8:16:00 PM more reviews by mo98103

Age: 30-35   Skin: Very Oily, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

Firstly, I don't hate this product. As an oily acne prone gal I've had a long and disappointing affair with mmu , starting with Bare Minerals (I can't believe they are still making it...) and Philosophy soon after. After those two flops, I moved on to "regular" powder foundations, again never finding anything that I loved (except Paul & Joe, which was quickly discontinued...). Back to mmu I went, trying at lease 10 e-tailer variations and then once some of the major makeup lines starting coming out with mineral based formulas, I snatched up every one. MAC, Laura Mercier, Dior, Amazing Cosmetics, Urban Decay, Hourglass, etc. Each time, I thought I had found the one, and each time I found some fault with each (for the record, the three best overall for me were Diorskin Nude, LM, and MAC in that order).

So, I had been using the Diorskin Nude and got the "go natural" urge that I seem to experience every couple of years, started reading No More Dirty Looks and practically bathing in argan oil. They highly recommend Alima, so of course I bought some samples, found my color, and started using it immediately.

Although prepared to love it, unfortunately it's a bit heavy/thick and very hard to "buff", but it did not break me out like MAC so I continued to try to make it work. I even bought new expensive brushes and tried mixing it with the Dior and a few other loose powders, but it's just not good. It oxidizes and settles into pores terribly on my skin.
The company is great - wonderful customer service and the sample program is just the best. The packaging is adorable, price is great, the coverage is good (too good) and it did not cause breakouts. I wish this worked for me, and I'm jealous of those that have an easier time with it. I've moved on again to Chanel powder foundation...

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wingedfrog on 5/15/2012 4:46:00 PM more reviews by wingedfrog

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy   Eyes: Green    

Colour: Alima has a fantastic range of colours. This is probably the first time I've used a foundation, of any kind, that really matches me. I use Neutral 1. I'm always the palest shade in the range, and they're always either too yellow or too pink, but this is just perfect. Huge thanks to Alima for their selection.

Texture: Very silky, it creates almost as fine a finish as MUFE HD Finishing powder. Very nice. Despite being powder, it definitely doesn't make any flaky or dry areas more noticeable.

Coverage: I was pleased with the coverage. My skin tends to be quite uneven/ruddy, and this smoothed out the tone very well, hiding minor blemishes. Major blemishes do require some concealer ( I use a liquid for this ).

Overall, I really like this MMU, and have purchased the fullsize after using up some samples. Bonus: All orders, even just samples come with TWO additional free samples, usually eye shadow or blush.

Recommendations: DO get multiple shades to sample first. I tend to look kind of pinkish and assumed I would be Cool1 so got that as a sample, but got a Neutral1 sample as well just to be sure, and found the Neutral turned out to be perfect. Once you decide which is your best shade and want to buy a fullsize, you might also want to get a couple of samples in the next deeper colour i.e. for me, Neutral2 to use as a mixer for summer when your colour deepens a little (or in the lighter colour for the reverse, if you buy it in summer).

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sarah2202 on 4/19/2012 2:22:00 AM more reviews by sarah2202

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Cool   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

It gives me good coverage for my acne scars. This doesn't emphasize dry spots as much as other mineral foundations have done for me. Fantastic finish! I don't look overly matte. It's very natural and flawless.

I'd been using Everyday Minerals for the past 6 years but decided to give Alima a try. I'll never go back to EDM!

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Sunnydelite62901 on 4/9/2012 2:10:00 AM more reviews by Sunnydelite62901

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

I ordered several sample sizes to determine my shade. It was close between golden 4 and warm 4. Despite the description, for warm 4 which is described that I can burn, (never in my life I am brown, almost with a Hawaiian or native American skin tone) and yellow undertones -and that warm will have some peach undertones (I have none) it works great. As a matter of fact I took my passport photo today wearing it and it is very photogenic as well. AND I was wearing eucerin facial sunblock underneath. lasted most of a day running errands. it's 12 am and I still have it on. I top it off with pop beauty pressed powder shade 3 for reference I am laura M. vanilla beige or MUFE 140. In Mac in between NC 40-42. I hope this helps. I know people were complaining about the price, but Bare Minerals is more expensive and the shade range is no where as close. As a women of color, for me shade match is the first and top priority. second is formula since I have combo skin that is not sensitive I am willing to experiment with mineral foundation, but it covered my little issues. Like it. will probably order a full size soon. 3 for packaging because all minerals powder are a bit messy

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* cerulfox on 4/8/2012 2:53:00 PM more reviews by cerulfox

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Tan, Warm   Hair: Black, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Black    

I'm having to update my review for Alima's foundation as finally, FINALLY I figured out how to work it and it's now my HG. If you read my previous review, I wanted to completely convert from Meow to Alima since Alima's foundation has a MUCH nicer/softer/natural finish, and is incredibly hypoallergenic so my sensitive skin doesn't freak at all with it (which it occasionally did with Meow no matter the formula). The only thing that kept me completely converting was difficulty in finding a color match. After some trial and tribulation I figured out the problem--I was using *too much*. The key to Alima's foundation--I'd say their products in general--is that less is more. You need *very* little to get effective coverage, and while it doesn't cover everything that's not what this foundation's meant to do IMHO. It's meant to even out and meld into what you have, so if you're trying to cover up heavily you should look elsewhere.


Also, whatever shade you think you are, try a sample lighter--the powder colors are misleading on the site and in the jar, and I found myself surprised that I had to go lighter than I usually would think. I ended up being a W5 (the darker end of medium warm) when I thought I'd be in the medium-deep W6-7 range, though I'll probably be a W6 with more sun exposure. For you warm-toned ladies, there's Beige, Warm, and Golden. Golden is VERY yellow, Beige is more red with slight yellow tones, and Warm has more yellow than Beige but less than Golden. At first application the foundation can be light-looking, but give it about 15 minutes or so to meld with your skin. Once it's on it's on a good chunk of the day, and I only need to touch up if I'm going out after work. I've had *zero* reactions, and coworkers couldn't even tell I was wearing foundation. The packaging is cute and clean with the bird motif and the twist-sifters the jars have are genius--no more spillage when traveling!


Other things: Alima's website is clean, modern, and easy to navigate--as a tech geek I love this, and there's nothing more unattractive than a site that looks like a geocities page from 1996 (*cough* Meow *cough*). Their customer service is probably the best I've experienced in a makeup company, and they actually know what they're talking about when it comes to deeper skin tones. Also since they're based out of Portland I get my packages within two days since I'm in northern California. As for price, yes Alima tends to be more expensive than the competition and doesn't have sales often, but the service, experience, and quality blows away most of their competition. As afraid of commitment as I am with my makeup brands I think Alima is finally *the one* I can settle down with.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Banjos on 4/8/2012 3:37:00 AM more reviews by Banjos

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

Alima and Lucy mineral powders are my two favorite brands. Lucy seems to have slightly better coverage but Alima has a better color selection. I am an NC15 and Alima's Golden 1 is just right for me. It does not oxidize and is buildable. I have used both the shades Cream and Light in Lucy Minerals. Probably, I should try mixing them as the Cream is a bit too dark but the Light is a touch too light. Of course, mineral powders mix easily. Neither brand has that shiny, line-and-pore accentuating finish and both contain minimal chemicals.

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flormaytli on 4/5/2012 5:43:00 PM more reviews by flormaytli

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I like it better than bare minerals for sure. It looks more silky and natural. I have very sensitive and acne prone and my skin has been doing OK with this foundation. Will now try the Laura Mercier one.

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itsiliii on 3/31/2012 2:08:00 PM more reviews by itsiliii

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

My HG mineral foundation :D

Alright first the negatives, the staying power of this stuff is not too great :p Then again i've got pretty oily skin, but it still sucks. Maybe stays on in full for about 3 hours? After that i start seeing the redness of my cheeks pulling through xD However since I usually use this foundation on lazy days where I don't have to look my absolute best, this doesn't bother me too much. Oil control on this stuff is also not too great which is odd considering it's a powder. Also the packaging -from the outside I love it- it's adorable! But on the inside product is flying around everywhere since there's no cover for those little holes :p Bummer.


Now the positives! The coverage on this stuff is nice, it's on the heavier side of light, but definitely not medium. The powder has a nice creamy texture that helps even out all my light imperfections. You'll definitely need a concealer but it evens out your skin tone nicely. Also the shade range -AWESOME. Of course, the natural ingredients, this stuff has never messed with my skin. And finally the finish on this stuff, its not matte but more of a satiny look, and it looks lovely!

Over all i'd recommend and repurchase :D

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lipglossraider on 3/29/2012 9:10:00 AM more reviews by lipglossraider

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I currently use another mineral foundation called 'afterglow' which i love, but find after midday i start to get a tad shiny. I like trying different products, so I came across this brand and the 'matte' caught my eye as i get a oily t-zone during the day. I am a nc35 in MAC tinted moisturiser, a golden glow in Jane Iredale, and a beige in Afterglow. At the moment I have tried the testers from Alima Pure, and I got back very helpful advice in what colour would suit me. usually i think i would be under golden shades. however i found this is better if your completely on the yellow toned side, such as chinese complexions and some asian complexions. the colour that suited me most was 'WARM 4' its a peachy yellow colour, a more subtle yellow then the 'GOLDEN 4'. Im on the fair browny golden side of skin tones so this is perfect for me. As for my oily t-zone, by the end of the day im not an oil slick!!!!!! it's matte in the morning, and by mid- end day i have a nice sheen 'glow', and when i mean glow i mean a nice glow and not an oily one!!!!! the coverage is really good, you can build it up, it gave me a flawless finish like liquid foundations do, so was pleased about that. blends into skin well as it has small particles. gives a nice fresh matte glow finish to skin. so will defo order this again!!!! only negative point is im in the UK so have to pay mega shipping amount but worth it as i dont turn into an oil slick like most minerals i've used. p.s. i dont look orange end of day, it stays the colour that it was!

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

kf2012 on 2/23/2012 9:35:00 PM more reviews by kf2012

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

Oh, Alima. I so want to love you, but you just don't love me back. I've tried Alima's foundation on several separate occasions. Each time, it did not work out for me, so I'm not sure why I keep trying.


First off, the pros. 1. Alima has amazing customer service. I love the company as a whole, so I wish I could buy more of their products. 2. The shade range is AMAZING. This is the first line where I've actually found shades of foundation that were too light for me. The range in undertones is fabulous. 3. The amount of product you get in a full-size jar is good for the price.


Alas, this does not work on my oily, imperfect skin. No matter how I apply (flat top brush, flocked sponge, kabuki brush, dry, damp, whatever), it simply does not cover. I have to pile on half a dozen layers or so to get even medium coverage. This might be okay for someone who only needs minor evening out or just a "polished" look. But if you have anything more than the most minor of redness or discoloration, this won't cover it at all.


The lasting power is my other gripe. The colors never oxidized on my skin (good), but the foundation didn't last more than about 3 hours (bad). My skin is very oily, but I usually have pretty good luck with mineral makeup staying put on me, and I always use a setting/finishing powder over my foundation (and often use a primer underneath, too). After a few hours, this foundation would be okay in some areas, sliding completely off in others, and clumping together in creases (i.e. nose). It looked patchy, oily, and an overall mess.


I did, on one occasion, mix Alima's foundation together with some leftover mineral makeup from a few other brands, making a "franken-foundation." This worked beautifully, and if I could remember the components of the random combination I threw together, I'd repurchase this for that purpose. However, as a stand-alone foundation, this just does not work on me, and I won't be repurchasing it again.


I would highly recommend that anyone interested in this foundation take advantage of Alima's inexpensive and well-sized samples before committing to a full size.

4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* MrsTefee on 2/1/2012 4:43:00 AM more reviews by MrsTefee

Age: 19-24   Skin: Very Dry, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

Ugh! I was really super excited to try this because the reviews were so good... I used this over a daily face moisturizer and it matched my skin very well (im very pale) but it just... didnt do anything at all. It was just powder sitting on my face and it never really sunk in. I tried to blend it in more with my mineral powder brush but it just kind of sat there and then eventually splotched together and its really easy to just rub off! Very very light coverage. Im not buying this again and I would return it but Im too lazy to deal with shipping and everything.

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chapstickaddict on 1/25/2012 11:35:00 PM more reviews by chapstickaddict

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

After 20 years of wearing makeup and searching for the right products, 5+ years of confusion in a sea of mineral makeup, I stumbled upon Alima Pure, ordered some samples, and have never looked back, almost 2 years later.

(I have dealt with blackheads and cystic acne for most of my teenage AND adult years. I use Retin A and take spironolactone for that, and it's under control, but this makeup does absolutely NOT aggravate my skin or clog pores. No negative reaction whatsoever. I have even slept with it on (although not advised!) with zero consequences.

I am called Chapstickaddict for a reason – I am not only a lip product junkie, but a product junkie of the worst kind. The "try it once and throw it in a drawer" kind. I have hundreds of unused cosmetic items, at least 25 used-once or twice foundations.

THIS. IS. IT.

I will never stray from Alima. I have never gotten so many compliments on my complexion as I have since using their Satin Matte Mineral Foundation. Even at the funeral of a friend's father, his mother told me that my complexion was stunning, and I had never met the grieving widow before in my life!

I apply Cerave PM moisturizer (1 pump AM, 2 pumps PM) and my ROC eye products, let them sink in for a few minutes. I apply one of my many collection of concealers, let that sink in, apply a highlighting lotion (like Benefit High Beam or similar) to my occipital area, tops of cheekbones, and areas that get shadowy.

I apply my Alima Pure eyeshadows (love knowing they are no danger to my eyes!) before the foundation, as they recommend, in case of mistakes.
I apply a cream blush and blend it in well.

Then I apply the Alima powder with their Foundation brush (it works better than any other brushes I have owned). I tap the container upside down on the counter top 3 times, which releases enough product to do my face. I brush it on the way they recommend on their site, and I use a shade that is one shade darker at the sided of my face and in the hollows of my cheeks (or where hollows SHOULD be...).
I apply Alima's satin matte blush on the apples of my cheeks, then sweep on their lightest bronzer if I feel like I am having a washed out kind of morning. (sometimes I use the primer powder, if I feel like it might be an oily day for me.)
THEN I brush on a dusting of Alima's finishing powder in Keiko, which goes well with my foundation in Neutral 3 and 3.5.

THEN, final step before grooming brows, applying eyeliner, curling lashes and applying mascara:

I have a tiny travel spray bottle I fill with 25 drops of pure glycerine and the rest water. Shake it up, mist on face 5-6 times, and blend it all in with their flocked sponge.

FLAWLESS, NATURAL, EVEN coverage, that is dewy and luminous but not at all shiny or greasy. PERFECT.

I have very oily T-Zone and normal in other spots. This stays put all day, and only if I am going out after work do I need to swipe the brush over my nose once.

I cannot say enough good things about this, or ANY of Alima's, products.

The only reason I gave the price a 4 instead of a 5 is because some people may not be used to paying more than drugstore prices, but this is by far the best value of any other minerals, with quantity, quality, the whole shebang. One jar lasts me over 6 months, so daily cost per use is mere pennies.

I will be a customer as long as they keep making products, and I am going to go through ALL of my other products this weekend and list them here for swap :)

UPDATE: 4/14/2012: I am still loving this! I have forsaken ALL of my other makeup (except lip products and mascara) for Alima. I bought two of those little Sterilite plastic drawer things, stacked them up in my bathroom, and organized all of my Alima products in them. I now have like 15 full size eye shadows, two different shades of foundation, the finishing powder, blushes, bronzers, lip junk, and quite a few brushes. My 36-year old skin looks PERFECT every day. I am officially obsessed with Alima's products. I only wish a store near where I live sold them, because waiting for them to come in the mail is like torture!

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Nuni2011 on 1/24/2012 10:19:00 PM more reviews by Nuni2011

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Sensitive, Medium Brown, Cool   Hair: Black, Kinky, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

This gave great coverage and did not clog my pores!

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*TOP REVIEWER* psmitty on 1/14/2012 1:27:00 PM more reviews by psmitty

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

Excellent product! Natural look, so settling into pores and lines, didn't make me greasy, transfer-resistant and long-wearing. I have very sensitive, acne-prone, combination very pale yellow skin. Olive 1 is a perfect match, although I ordered Olive 0 in case I get even paler through the winter. It's generally very difficult to find shades pale enough and without pink. It reminds me of my beloved Dior Extreme powder that was recently discontinued. The lippy off is for the annoyance of lugging loose powder around and the lengthier application process of applying loose mineral foundation when I'm used to a few swipes of a sponge. I'll gladly do it, though, for such a nice product. Bismuth oxychloride breaks me out and this doesn't have it. BE and Everyday Minerals didn't last as long and the shades weren't great- the wear wasn't as natural. This doesn't rub off on my scarves or kleenex when I blow my nose- impressive. Haven't tested it in hot summer weather, though! I use the balancing powder underneath, then a bit on top. No special routine needed. Price is very reasonable. I'd repurchase!

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luminablue on 1/11/2012 3:54:00 PM more reviews by luminablue

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

I used to purchase Everyday Minerals' foundation until they changed their formula (irritated my skin). I was on the search for a good foundation and finally stumbled upon Alima. I ordered a few samples from them, and I can easily say it has become one of my favorites! In fact, I went ahead and purchased the full-sized product as soon as I found it on sale.

The foundation goes on very smoothly, does not get cakey, and is buildable. The coverage is around light-to-medium, which works well with me. It gives a nice matte finish and does not make my face oily. I have not gotten any irritation, breakouts, or other bad reactions from it. It seems to stay relatively in place even after a relatively intense workout, if that's any incentive!

I narrowed my shade down to a blend of Beige 3 and Neutral 3.5. The Neutral shades are more of a neutral-cool, while Beige is warmer. If you find yourself more of a true neutral, I recommend opting for a combination of the two.

The cons of the product are pretty minor, at least for me. The foundation can get a bit messy to apply if you aren't careful (especially the samples, since they don't even have sifters). For the full-size product, it's a bit tricky to get the foundation out of the sifter. Besides that, I can't think of many bad things about the product.

Overall, I would at least give this foundation a try. The samples are pretty affordable. With the vast shade selection, you are more likely than not to find a perfect match (though definitely be open-minded about custom blending). Alima has pretty good customer service and even offers help with picking the right shade too.

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happynappy1 on 1/2/2012 10:41:00 PM more reviews by happynappy1

Age: 36-43   Skin: Acne-prone, Dark, Cool   Hair: Black, Kinky, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I've been a Meow fan for awhile but they just can't seem to get their customer service to a satisfying point. If you own a small business (as my family has for more than 20 years), you can't take two weeks off for Christmas. Sorry. You work for yourself, you work harder.

Back to Alima: I've only been using the samples for about a week so I can only comment on the color match and finish. I am NW50ish and found a good match in Alima's Cool 8. It's not cakey and is definitely buildable. I find it works best dusted over my MUFE HD primer in Caramel. Most mineral foundations go grayish on my DDD skin but with a dusting of bronzer, this still looked good at the end of the day. I've got combo skin that leans toward oily but I only needed to blot once in say, a six-hour period. Compared to Meow, I actually prefer the look of Alima. It's just a bit more finely milled than Meow.

Overall, I'm happy with this product (and their shipping was fast!). I'll definitely purchase a full-size once I'm done with my samples.

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