I’ll admit it! I’m a makeup junky. I am constantly buying new makeup in search of something that will make my freckles and skin blemishes disappear, and make my skin look like silk. I want it all! Most women do because we always want to look our best. Actually, we want to look like the models that we see in magazines and on television, but we will settle for just looking our best.
One of the most difficult beauty items to find is a decent foundation. If it is too heavy, it looks like a poorly done rubber mask. If it is too light, it doesn’t cover those pesky little flaws that we all have. The perfect foundation should make the skin look flawless and dewy.
Aging skin which, for the purposes of this article I will define, as that of women over the age of 45, is even more difficult to deal with. Whatever foundation is chosen, it must not settle into those sneaky little wrinkles that keep popping up when we aren’t looking.
After years of using the same wonderful beauty regiment with Cover Girl mousse foundation, I discovered it simply wouldn’t work any more on my aging skin. I had to find something new. Most foundations that I tried – – even those that claimed to be for older skin – – simply wouldn’t work for me. Some were so thick and heavy that they actually damaged my fragile skin. I finally turned to mineral makeup because it provided the best “light” coverage.
My favorite mineral makeup is, and will likely remain, Bare Escentuals. However, now that I’m not working outside of the home, it is a product I can no longer afford to purchase on any kind of a regular basis.
L’Oreal’s Bare Naturale is a powder mineral foundation. It comes packaged with its own application kabuki brush and .35 oz of product. It comes in a wide variety of colors from light ivory to deep brown. The cost runs between $8.99 and $11.99, depending upon where you purchase it. It is available at most drugstores and large department stores like Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Target, etc.
Like Bare Escentuals, Bare Naturale carries a SPF-19 sunscreen. Unlike Bare Escentuals, however, it also contains things other than minerals. This includes titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, talc, boran nitrade, dimethecone, coperinca, cerfera, cetyl, trimethylsloxysilicate, trisocetyl, aloe, and panthenol.
Physician’s Formula Mineral Wear comes in two forms: A single fluid ounce talc free wet foundation and a .49 oz talc free loose powder. The wet foundation comes in a tube form with a sponge top applicator. It costs between $9.99 and $12.99, depending upon where it is purchased. It is available at most drugstores and large department stores like Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Target, etc.
Like its competitor (Bare Naturale) Mineral Wear powder foundation comes packaged with its own kabuki brush. The cost for it runs between $9.99 and $12.99, depending upon where it is purchased. It is available at most drugstores and large department stores like Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Target, etc.
Of the two Mineral Wear application systems, I much prefer the powder. Like other liquid foundations, the Mineral Wear wet foundation can appear much too heavy on aging skin. Additionally, I don’t care for the sponge application system that it employs. It goes on uneven, requiring one to use another, separate sponge to even the makeup out.
Physician’s Formula Mineral Wear, however, is not full of the additional chemical additives used by L’Oreal. Additionally, it claims to be safe for extra sensitive skin, which is prone to break out. It provides the same excellent coverage with a minimalist look very similar in nature to the original – – Bare Escentuals. It is also hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, oil-free, and non-comdegenic.
Unlike its predecessor, however, Mineral Wear does not contain any SPF sunscreen protection. Therefore, it will be necessary to treat the skin separately for sun protection.
Both Bare Natural and the powdered Mineral Wear come with a self-contained application system. They both work very well, although I prefer the quality of the brush that comes with Bare Naturale. I think it is easier to use and provides better coverage.
Head to head, here is how these two products break out:
Packaging Appearance is a toss-up. Both products are packaged attractively, with their own self-contained kabuki brush.
Storage Ease it a toss-up. Bare Naturale has a smaller base at 1 ¾” but it is tall at 3″. Mineral Wear has an oval shape of 2 ¼” by 1 ¾”, but is shorter at 2 ¾”. Depending upon the space used for the makeup storage, the shape, size, and height of the product might make a difference.
Product Delivery System goes to Bare Naturale but only by a hair, because of the higher quality kabuki brush.
Skin Health goes to Physician’s Formula because it does not contain a ton of extra chemical additives. However, it would be way ahead of its competition if it also included a SPF sunscreen protection.
Skin Coverage is a toss-up. Both of these products do exactly what they claim to do as far as covering blemishes and making the skin appear flawless.
Value Analysis is a toss-up. Physician’s Formula is slightly more expensive to purchase, but it contains more product and lasts longer.
Skin Shade Availability goes to Bare Naturale. They offer two more shades than does Physician’s Formula.
I personally prefer Physician’s Formula because it delivers well, provides adequate coverage, provides great value for its price tag, and has a lot less chemical additives. However, I do wish they offered SPF skin protection.
