Bare Escentuals • Matte Foundation spf 15 • Powder

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*TOP REVIEWER* ifthe on 5/15/2012 5:34:00 PM more reviews by ifthe

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination   Hair: Other   Eyes: Hazel    

If you've got fairly young, oily to combo skin that just needs a dusting of something to even out skin tone and control oil, this might be a good option. However, if you need the coverage of the original you will be disappointed. A single application covers about as well as a tinted moisturizer. And, at least on me, multiple applications are either ashy (Fairly Light) or orange (Medium Beige). I also had difficulty finding the proper shade. I wear Medium Beige in Original, but the same shade in Matte is darker and much warmer. Even custom mixing Fairly Light and Medium Beige doesn't look quite right. And frankly, this is not a "natural" matte on my combo skin. It's out and out MATTE.
My biggest gripe is the longevity. I'm lucky to get 3 hours out of it if I wear it on it's own. And god forbid I sweat at all, or it's gone immediately. On the plus side, if I use the Hydrating Mineral Veil as a primer, conceal any redness or blemishes with Summer Bisque, apply BE Matte, then finish with Skindinavia's 10 Years Younger setting spray I get a nice natural matte look, 6 hours of wear and a nice oil free T Zone.
I'll be sticking with the original. It takes much less product and effort!

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onediva on 5/14/2012 2:08:00 PM more reviews by onediva

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Olive, Warm   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Bottom line: this product is for those with already-perfect china doll skin looking for a mattifying agent. Anyone else? STAY AWAY!

I wanted to love this, but my skin LOATHES IT. Let me begin by warning you that if your skin is dry AT ALL, even COMBINATION, stay away from this foundation! Without some serious moisturizer and primer, it will prominently feature any fine lines, wrinkles, pores, or any other skin imperfection you can consider. I have my holy grail primer and moisturizer, and the regular BE mineral foundation gives me a lovely glow..... this foundation is an ashy mess. Spend your money on the original.

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ashleylenore on 5/14/2012 1:47:00 PM more reviews by ashleylenore

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I love this foundation! I have used it since I was in high school. The reasons I love it are:
It has a very natural look. My skin tone is VERY hard to match. I have blonde hair and blue eyes and can tend to get fair in the winter so I use fairly medium in the winter and when my skin darkens in the summer (no matter how much sunscreen I use) switch to medium tan. Both of the colors match my skin perfectly! I really like that there is no shimmer to the matte, but the matte doesn't make your skin look completely flat. It stays on all day and I typically don't reapply it unless I am going out after work for the night. I love this product and I will always stay true to it. I have tried other foundations and nothing holds a flame to it. The only problem I have is that I need to use a different concealer with it because even with the concealer brush I can't hide the plaguing dark circles under my eyes.

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LeahNY on 5/10/2012 5:18:00 AM more reviews by LeahNY

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Black    

I have a love hate relationship with this product.
>I HATE it because: They don't have my exact color!!! It gives me a powdery finish which can make me look ashy which leads to me looking all cakey at times.
>I LOVE it because: Since BE doesnt have my color i was forced to get a color darker which i then purchased medium tan (cool) and golden tan (warm). It gave a me a nice fake tan that looked real as long as i applied it on my neck and chest to match if you know what i mean. It made me look smokin hot. It also did not break me out.

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jennery72 on 5/8/2012 8:33:00 PM more reviews by jennery72

Age: 36-43   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Green    

I have used this foundation for years -- since it came out, even. I have tried every other new foundation as well (I'm definitely THE "consumer" that gets sucked into trying the new stuff), but I always come back to this. It does take some getting used to if you are a newbie, but seriously, it provides as much coverage as you want or need, it lasts for hours (especially if you use a primer, which I do because my skin is so oily -- Smashbox and L'Oreal make great primers IMO), and it washes off completely with soap and water. Not to mention, it has sunscreen in it, which I have put to the test (I burn very easily)! I really like using Benefit's Erase Paste to cover redness, blemishes, or blotchy spots first, then top everything off with this. My only complaint is (as with ANY foundation I have found) that I am super fair, and the lightest shade is still not completely "right" -- so I mix in a little of my favorite transparent loose powder or even the "Mineral Veil" is okay. And I definitely love the new packaging of this foundation, with the twist-top -- a lot less messy and certainly less wasteful! Awesome!

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oliviacatherineheart on 5/8/2012 6:38:00 PM more reviews by oliviacatherineheart

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Very Oily, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

AMAZING. This powder foundation has the nest coverage, skin benefits, and over performance of any foundation I have EVER used. It mostly keeps me shine-free, but I know that 100% shine free all day is impossible for me. The Original Foundation (Powder) is equally as amazing. In fact, I have both. The whole starter set (Foundation, Bronzer, MineralVeil and brushes) are fantastic. I will forever be a fan. <3

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misstierra05 on 5/3/2012 11:40:00 AM more reviews by misstierra05

Age: 19-24   Skin: Very Oily, Dark   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I have very oily/acne prone skin and this has been a true lifesaver along with my Estee Lauder Matte Perfecting Primer. I highly suggest the new BE Matte Foundation, I wore Bare Minerals about 3 years ago but stopped due to my acne being quite severe and BE not giving me the coverage I needed in addition to continuos blotting with the Tinted Mineral Veil throughout the day. However, this new foundation gives me the coverage I need and I'm in love. Now I have to be honest, if you experienced itching and irritation with the old formulas it may be due to the fact that Bismuth Oxychloride is in the original but not the Matte formula. I started using the new BE Matte about 3weeks ago in addition to the Dermalogica Clean Start line and my skin is in definitely getting better.

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cmayes71 on 5/1/2012 10:27:00 PM more reviews by cmayes71

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I had stopped using Bare Escentuals for a few years. Recently I tried the matte version in fairly light. I fell in love. It has great coverage and does not accentuate lines or pores. It is matte but not flat. I used the original prime time, hydrating mineral veil, well rested as concealer and faux tan as a bronzer. The finish was beautiful. It did not get shiny after sweating. This is my daily foundation now. Truly amazing!

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ElisaS on 4/30/2012 7:38:00 AM more reviews by ElisaS

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

It's a very nice powdered foundation that gives a natural look and at the same time it covers blemishes. But, I found that after a long use, it dried my skin a lot. I would reccomend it for those who have a VERY oily skin, or at least to use it over a nice moisturizing cream.

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eanna on 4/29/2012 3:59:00 PM more reviews by eanna

Age: 36-43   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

I tried BE Original several years ago, but the bismuth in it made me itch like crazy by the afternoon, especially in warmer weather.

I recently tried the Matte, thinking the bismuth in the Original formula was the problem. First issue was the color recommended to me, Medium Beige. Too dark/orange. Another SA switched me to Fairly Light. Better, but a bit too yellow for my reddish neutral skin. Also, doesn't cover well and looks flat compared to my usual Clinique Almost Powder makeup.

Second issue started three days into use. It made the skin around my mouth and chin burn and peel. Also, I have two new cystic nodules on my chin, and some mild acne on my cheeks and hairline.

I wanted to like this, but back to the store it goes.

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Lilypooh24 on 4/29/2012 12:20:00 PM more reviews by Lilypooh24

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

This foundation was great on my skin, it felt like I wasn't wearing makeup. Pros- lightweight, blendable, many color selections. Def. More as a summer/spring foundation for those who want a light coverage and wants spf.
Cons- if your not looking for a light coverage this foundation is not for you. Can smear on clothes like any other makeup. Doesn't last as long. Can show patchyness if you have a more dry skin.

I would recommend this foundation because its very natural looking.

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fongyukyuu on 4/25/2012 8:24:00 PM more reviews by fongyukyuu

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Oily, Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Other    

I'm an NC35/40 with oily/acne-prone skin, and this foundation matches pretty well with my skin tone.

This was my first foundation and I would say that it's not a major failure. It doesn't make me break out, but the oil control isn't as good as I would like; halfway through day, I need to blot.

The one big reason why I would not repurchase this is the staying power; I have allergies & by the time I'm done sneezing, half of my makeup ends up on the tissue.

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*TOP REVIEWER* DrMAC on 4/23/2012 12:04:00 AM more reviews by DrMAC

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Black    

I was planning to give this product a great review, but over a couple weeks, I was using a heavier hand in applying the product and noticed that my face looked abnormally yellow--I'm already warm toned so this was pretty excessive. I do like the finish, although can look chalky. I'm NC25-30 and bought light. The next color up is too orange for me. Photographs alright compared the the shiny face you get with the original. I will move onto another mineral powder and return this. May be worth it if you can find the right color for you.

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*TOP REVIEWER* kerriki on 4/16/2012 10:08:00 AM more reviews by kerriki

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Normal, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

After actually throwing away some Loreal mineral powder thing years ago, ('ruddy muddy') I had sworn off the 'mineral' bandwagon, so I am not sure how I ended up with a pack of this! I think I decided to try it because the shade "Light" has such a natural yellow undertone that suits an olive skin like mine. But it is necessary to nail the application technique and the underpriming.
I wore it a lot in the day time this past Australian summer because it was PERFECT as a prettifying setting agent over the heavy, greasy, excellent 'Invisible Zinc' tinted sunscreen that is the first truly effective, all-weather, all activity, bearably textured sunscreen of its type that I have found and have bought numerous tubes of for many years now.
If you want to wear the bareminerals to shore up a sunscreen application, such as needed for a big day out on the farm with the horses and cows (swimming on the beach or maybe boat I would just use a heavy waterproof s/scr and not worry about setting; just reapply), you need one of the new-fangled stippling brushes - duofibre - or as second preference, a small flattish kabuki type thing. SYNTHETIC. (Do not goop up too badly! Can wipe most sticky stuff off and delay washing!)
The sunscreen needs to set for a minute or two, and then you stipple (rapid light repetitive dabbing not in the same place twice really), buff and really polish a light application of the mineral powder over, creating a quite natural-looking and weather-and-sweatproof finish.
I read somewhere that that sweaty, ooze out of the pores feeling is cased by the sunscreen turning the UV rays into heat energy. Whatever, this natural mineral powder over the natural mineral Invisible Zinc feels great, completely protects the skin, and looks flattering and natural.
And you don't feel you are macerating in a chemical soup...
My feeling is that the shades in this range run dark; I will try the next lightest shade 'Fairly Light' when I run out.`

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Madeleinejane on 4/13/2012 2:07:00 AM more reviews by Madeleinejane

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Coarse   Eyes: Hazel    

As a new makeup user, this was my first high-end powder foundation purchase, and I loved it. I chose matte because I didn't want it to make me break out, and I love the SPF bonus. It's a great foundation especially if you don't have much you need to cover up and I just use a moisturizer as a primer and it evens out my skin tone and lasts all day. The only thing that I don't like about it is the packaging because I feel like I don't get that much out at a time or I get way too much at once and I lose some powder opening and closing it, but overall a great product that I highly reccomend. :)

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aquagembaby on 4/11/2012 9:53:00 PM more reviews by aquagembaby

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

Everyone's raving about Bare Escentuals so I had to give it a try. It wasn't too horribly expensive ($28-$30 at the Bare Escentuals store, but plus tax it came out to $34) The people that work at the Bare Escentuals store are extremely informative. I suggest going to them for any tips or questions because the people at Sephora have a billion other brands to focus on.

I got the matte foundation because I have extremely oily skin and rosacea with acne scars. I didn't think it would do a good job covering problem areas but that's where the concealer comes in! You can also use this as a concealer too which I find a good idea because it'll blend in the best versus using another product. I noticed I stopped having clogged pores/blackheads after using this product. It does feel light, but it'll cake once in awhile. I had to stop using it because the brush irritated my skin, plus the bismuth oxide in it worsened my rosacea.

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cassie716 on 4/9/2012 8:17:00 PM more reviews by cassie716

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

i was completely disappointed with this product. it was completed different than what was shown on QVC and was a waste of money. first off the foundation is in light and it makes me look a gross orange color. even with fake tan on it looked horrible. then within not even an hour my face was so oily i couldnt believe it. my skin never gets that oily with any other makeup, even drugstore! it made my skin sticky and would rub off on any surface. it was disgusting and it had absolutely no coverage. you could see every tiny darkspot or acne scar on my face.

then when i go to return it QVC charges you double the amount i paid for the original shipping to return the crappy product! so now between original shipping and return shipping im out almost 15 bucks for an absolute waste of a product. never ordering there again!!!

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dgpampppp on 4/9/2012 1:43:00 PM more reviews by dgpampppp

Age: 25-29   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

This is my day to day foundation. I really like this because it doesn't have bismuth oxychloride. I use it with a dust of Glo perfecting powder on top. It doesn't break me out and when blended well gives a nice matte finish but not too powdery or unnatural looking. I really wish it came in a pressed version though.

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Vibrant77 on 4/5/2012 11:46:00 PM more reviews by Vibrant77

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Olive   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

This use to be my goto makeup choice years ago being that I had acne-prone blemished skin, but I've switched to liquid foundation. Finding the right liquid is crucial and so far my skin does not breakout any more.


My skin stopped breaking out AFTER I stopped using Bareminerals. Never would I have thought it was this makeup causing acne flareups! I read similar posts online about people who had bad breakouts.

It ls is an almost great product. The positives are it is waterproof, easy to apply without any primers, comes in a shaker jar, lasts at least 2 months with daily use, is a natural product.


The cons are that for my dry skin/oily tzone it wasn't doing wonders naturally. It would make my face dry and chalky in the winter, greasy in the summer. After a few hours it make me look too dewy and worse of all ended up to be the source of my problem skin.


Its easy to apply but the mess it creates by week's end is annoying. I constantly had to wipe nearby surfaces due to the residue.


I like my skin to look naturally flawless but this made me look like I had makeup on which no woman wants.I wasn't being heavy handed either. If I ran my finger down my face I could feel it streak and rub off onto my finger.


Forget about getting snuggly with your mate, it would rub off on clothing. Thank goodness its easy to wash out. Its embarrasing.


I could never find my exact shade. I'm medium olive and the tan/ medium tan was too dark, medium and sand too light..no shade seems to work for yellow undertones(sigh).

Mineral makeup in general sucks in flash photography. My face never matched my body in them, annoying!

The cons outweighed the pros and I just got tired of it all.

Buyer beware..If you want a mineral makeup, opt for a liquid form.

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fvoisine on 4/5/2012 12:58:00 AM more reviews by fvoisine

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

I bought it, hoping that the minerals won't break my skin out! It didn't! Although you might have to apply a concealer to conceal some flaws as the bare powder itself won't give you much coverage but it does seal wonderfully after some light concealer. You can also use the powder as a concealer but I won't recommend doing that if you have some serious flaws.

What I love most about BE is that at the end of the day, I still look flawless ! Somehow this powder only makes you look better, not worse. But please remember to remove it properly!!!! For oily skin like mine, any kind of leftover powder on my skin at night is a pimple-inducing catalyst.

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