For several years now I have been interested in trying Bare Minerals make up, but was hesitant to fork out the money for it. I know, I know….QUALITY costs more and in the end it will be worth it…but I still couldn’t do it. My Guy gave me a gift card for Sephora at Christmas time and I knew immediately what I was going to get: A Bare Minerals starter kit! This make up is supposed to be GOOD for your skin, 100% natural ingredients you can actually pronounce and it’s cruelty-free. Finally, I was getting my wish…
I brought my purchase home, all giddy and slipped in the DVD to my laptop…(it comes with a DVD on how exactly to use and apply, as well as some tips and tricks). The DVD drilled into my head, “swirl, tap and buff, swirl, tap and buff…swirl, tap and buff…” OK got. I think I’m supposed to SWIRL, TAP AND BUFF…time to practice! It looked easy enough on the video but in reality, it took me a few days to feel 100% comfortable with how much to apply, how exactly to apply and get the results I wanted. In fact it’s still a work in progress and some days I’m not entirely happy with what I see in the mirror. I believe it’s a different mindset though, a totally different way of wearing face make up and that is what I need to get used to…it’s not the same TYPE of coverage as the average drug store foundation. It’s different.
Since I went off the Pill I’ve had alot more acne than I’ve had in years and I don’t think Bare Minerals is great at superior coverage…and maybe that’s a GOOD thing? Do we want to cake on a heavy layer of chemicals over top of our already hurting skin? No. So the sheer coverage provided by Bare Minerals is probably a good thing. I found the redness and unevenness of my skin tone was diminished greatly, and the overall effect once the final step of the Mineral Veil was applied, was quite lovely.
My only complaint? Oil control. The Kit I purchased came with the Original Foundation powder and I later found out there is a Matte Foundation too. I wish I would have been offered that. I struggle with my oily complexion and find that Bare Minerals isn’t quite good enough to control that. Maybe it’s just me and I’m not applying properly? Maybe I need to buy the Matte Foundation? I am disappointed in that and will probably spend the money on the Matte soon…
Overall I am happy with this product and understand it’s a DIFFERENT way of wearing make up that is better for my skin. I need to experiment with the rest of the line and the other forms of coverage. I recommend Bare Minerals to those who are looking for a cruelty-free alternative to heavy face make up…try it for yourself and let me know!
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Body Butter Delicious!
Slather it on
In my quest to find the perfect skin cream that can help with my chronic dry and itchy skin, I decided to finally try the Body Shop Body Butters. I figured there had to be a reason this stuff was so popular and why had I never tried it? I was never attracted to overly fruity smelling lotions though and I think I assumed all the butters were like this. My Guy and I wandered into a Body Shop before Christmas and spent some time talking to a Sales Associate about which one would be best for my skin. Right away she pointed to the Shea Butter and Cocoa Butter ones; advising that these two in particular are meant for very dry skin. I loved that neither was overly ‘smelly’ but did have a slight fragrance that was really attractive. Even My Guy nodded his encouragement on the smell!
Lo and behold, Christmas morning brought me both of the above mentioned body butters in my stocking…and I couldn’t wait to try them out! First things first, I love how they go on my skin. The Shea butter smooths on a bit better, but once the Cocoa warms up it does spread nicely too. The lotion is thick and takes a few minutes to absorb so I usually don’t get dressed right away. Throughout the day my skin continues to feel quenched, not dry or flaky, and I can ‘feel’ the butter on my skin. But, and I stress this, it does NOT feel greasy all day. Yes it takes a bit to absorb in but even after that, I can still sense I’ve got it on and my skin feels protected and nourished in a way. This sounds hokey, even as I write it, but I’ve been trying to get my skin help for years and was at my wits end.
Second- the fragrance. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Shea butter fragrance! The Cocoa is nice, slightly chocolately and warm and it’s heavenly but my heart is kind of with the Shea smell. Neither are overpowering and I still wear my perfume on top.
If you’ve considered the Body Shop body butters but have yet to actually try them, I urge you to give them a shot. It hasn’t been a full month for me yet, but I notice an improvement and most importantly, my skin FEELS better day to day.