Bare Escentuals : Bare Minerals

I have been using this stuff for over a year. My mother recently talked to some dermatologists at a ski resort and explained the kind of acne I was dealing with. The first question both dermatologists asked was if I used bare minerals makeup. They told my mom that there is a ingrediant in it that about 75% of all women called Bismuth Oxychloride. It's usually found in mose mineral powders (supposably adds shine). I don't know how accurate that stat is but I research it and a lot of other women were having the same issues. If you are part of the 25% of women who aren't allergic to it, congrats you a found a nice foundation because it does have some good coverage. I was mad to think that after a year of fighting acne it was a cosmetic that was causing most of the problem. Since my mom talked to the doctors I have stopped using Bareminerals and paid more attention to the ingrediants that go into my cosmetics and my skin has cleared up beautifuly. Bottom line: don't be a sucker for trends and research anything you are thinking of putting on your face.

I have used Bare Minerals for about 3 years and have loved it until recently. I opened my new container of minerals and the next day my face had a rash all over. My skin felt like sandpaper. I developed cystic acne, my skin itched horribly bad with and without the minerals on. When I would wash my face, even gently, I had areas that would bleed. I finally read an article that said people who have used Bare Minerals were developing reactions to it because of the Bismuth Oxychloride. Apparently it's due to buffing the crystals into your skin over the years that people are developing these reactions. I normally don't write reviews but thought I would share this bit of information. I have been struggling to get rid of this rash and would hate for others to have the same problem. So for those of you who are Bare Minerals users, if you develop any type of rash, stop using it. I quit using mine 4 days ago and my skin is finally starting to heal. It took me a month to realize that was the cause of this horrible rash. I hope this is of some help! :)

I can't belive I used Bare Escentuals/Bare Minerals for so long. I thought that because it was a powder it must be oil free and that any liquid makeup would be worse for my (adult) acne-prone skin. Then one day I went into a makeup store to find a portable compact and the ladies set me straight. My acne is moderate at this point, and mainly concentrated on the jaw line (towards my ears). It's been a problem for years now, and I basically had thrown up my hands and settled for "good enough." Bare Minerals seemed to cover my acne and though the acne didn't get any better, it also didn't get any worse. Well the make-up store consultants felt that my skin was too dry, the coverage was cakey, the coloring was ashy over my scars, and (besides my jawline) I really didn't need a full coverage make up all over. News to me!! Also, they informed me that Bare Minerals does in fact contain oils, and the oils are probably exacerbating my acne. Surprisingly they weren't trying to do a hard sell for anything, but they suggested I find an oil-free tinted moistruizer and oil-free concealer or touch-up stick. Also, they suggested an oil-free gel cream moisturizer. A few months later, things are definitely getting better with my skin and I have ditched *all* of my Bare Ecentuals/Bare Minerals products. I really can't believe how much my skin has improved in a short time!! Here are some of the products I've switched to (all oil free and not too expensive): Purpose cleansing bar; Garnier Moisture Rescue gel cream (morning moisturizer); Keihls Sodium PCA Oil Free Moisturizer (night moisturizer); Murad acne treatment concealer; Almay Clear Complexion concealer; Sephora brand oil-free tinted moistruizer; Sephora perfecting cover concealer; Physician's Formula Mineral Wear talc-free, oil-free blush and bronzer; Revlon Colorstay pressed powder (also oil-free and talc free); Acne-free Terminator spot treatment. I don't use all of the makeup products at once of course!!

First of all, in order for me to use this it had to be a good day for my skin (meaning that it was not super dry/flaky). If it was a little bit flakey (as can happen from various products and just acne prone skin in general) it would bring out of the flakiness even more. So on dry days it was a no no. On those days when I did use it, I personally found that my face got oily REALLY FAST underneath it. So my whole face would be so shiny. If I hugged someone taller than me the foundation would end up all over what they were wearing. They have a mattifying version of this product and I found that one a tiny bit better. In a nutshell (for me): -brought out flakiness -made my skin get really oily -not worth the money, IMO.

At first I thought it was just a coincidence so I gave it a 2nd chance (almost a year later) NOT a coincidence It broke me out. I've tried several mineral makeup's and had the same experience. My skin just doesn't tolerate mineral makeup AT ALL.

Ended up getting my money back, it made my acne worse after having finally cleared it before (I was very disapointed)

I have really tried to get this to work for me, but it just looks awful no matter how it's applied. I tried the #1 light, the 1.2 fairly light, and the 2 med, none of the colors were a good match to my skin tone. Besides the color this powder magnifies any problems with your skin. Made my pores look HUGE no matter if I applied a little or a lot. Also settled into fine lines around my eyes I didn't even know I had. There is a lot of shimmer in the powder which to me looks very "fake" and unnatural. Seriously, unless you have near perfect skin, I just don't see how this foundation works. I tried the mineral veil that came with the kit which was good at controlling oil, but made me look pasty. This also made my skin feel tight and itchy. The only good thing about the kit I ordered are the brushes. Oh, and it's extremely MESSY and will end up all over your vanity. I wouldn't recommend this foundation to anyone.

Dan's AHA+ leaves my skin a little pink, and in addition to the acne scars/some acne that I currently have, Bare Escentuals just doesn't cut it. I took before and after pictures, and to be honest I could barely tell the difference! I've decided to use it along with liquid foundation to cover up the spots. Do not buy this unless you have very light acne or don't mind having your acne spots show. PS. I bought the starter kit and the matte foundation in "Fairly Light"

In the beginning it was really good. After some years using this product my skin breaks out a lot. I used to like it since it covered enough, who it matches my skin and how easy it is put on.

I was excited to try this product, since I heard it was great for acne. I didn't notice any difference, but I kept using it for a year. I finally found out it has oil in the product and has promoted break outs for me. So, I have since switched. Plus, I feel the brushes are just spreading the acne on my face. I washed my brushes 1x/wk and it just wasn't working for me.