Physician’s Formula Mineral Wear Versus Neutrogena Fresh Finish Loose Powder

With the newfound popularity of Bare Minerals, almost every mainstream cosmetics company is jumping on the powder-to-foundation bandwagon. Though most of these products are not “mineral make up” in the truest sense, they are fairly high quality powders that can double as a light foundation. Two such products are Neutrogena’s Fresh Finish loose powder and Physician’s Formula Mineral Wear powder.

The main benefit of both of these products is that they are widely available at nationwide drugstore chains, as well as in stores like Target and Wal-Mart. They are much easier to procure than the mail order only mineral make-ups seen on the popular infomercials. For this comparison, I purchased Physician’s Formula Mineral Wear in Translucent Light, and Neutrogena’s Fresh Finish powder in Fair. The prices were quite similar between the products, with the Mineral Wear setting me back $9.99 for .49 Oz., and the Fresh Finish costing $12.98 for .70 Oz. These are both extremely fair prices for the amount of powder given. Giving a slight edge to the Mineral Wear powder is that Physician’s Formula products routinely have instant coupons stuck to their boxes. About 85% of the Mineral Wear powders I’ve seen have has three dollar off coupons attached, making the Physician’s Formula Mineral Wear an extra great deal.

In terms of packaging, the Neutrogena Fresh Finish powder comes in a square plastic container with a lid. Inside there is a small sifter and a spot for the included powder puff. This is a decent package, although the sifter has no stopper. Due to this, if the powder is dropped or overturned in transport, there is nothing to prevent it from spilling completely onto the powder puff. It has the potential to be relatively messy.

Comparatively, the Physician’s Formula Mineral Wear powder arrives in a clear plastic dome, that has both a hook to secure the included powder brush, as well as an inner lid to prevent the powder from spilling. Additionally, the clear plastic used for the Mineral Wear bottle allows you to see when your powder is getting low, something that cannot be determined with the Fresh Finish powder.

As stated, the applicators provided with the powders are wildly different. The Mineral Wear powder arrives with a small, stout brush that can be used to easily brush the loose powder on your face. This is a great tool, and probably the quickest and easiest device to use if you want a clean, even finish to your powder. The Neutrogena Fresh Finish powder arrives with a more traditional powder puff, and while this is useful for blotting the powder on shiny areas, it just can’t compete in creating a quick and even finish.

The powders themselves are of a very similar shade, but as of this writing, Neutrogena offers a more diverse color palette for their powder. This could merely be a symptom of one product having been around longer, as I’ve heard that the relatively new Mineral Wear line will soon be adding new shades. However, at this time, if you fall between the Physician’s Formula shades, your only real option is to blend two different colors. This is quite effortless and made simpler by the Mineral Wear’s easy open bottle, but it does require the initial purchase of two containers.

The quality of both the Physician’s Formula Mineral Wear and the Neutrogena Fresh Finish loose powders is high. Both have a smooth finish and are very easily blended into the skin. The main difference between the two powders is the coverage factor. While the Neutrogena powder sits nicely on the skin as a shine blotter or as a makeup sealer, it doesn’t have enough coverage to truly double as a foundation. Conversely, the Physician’s Formula powder has a very high level of coverage- so much so that small amounts can even be dabbed on as a concealer. The Mineral Wear powder truly can double as a foundation, even though it’s still light enough to be used over liquid makeup, should one so choose.

Both powders leave the skin with a fresh, natural glow. The Neutrogena Fresh Finish powder is a bit less drying than the Physician’s Formula Mineral Wear. It can be worn even on dry skin, and there will be little creasing or cracking. The Mineral Wear powder, probably due to its slightly thicker texture, requires those with dry skin to wear a bit of moisturizer under their powder. Both powders, however, feel natural to the touch, and are very gentle- they won’t irritate sensitive or breakout prone skin.

Since both the Neutrogena Fresh Finish loose powder and the Physician’s Formula Mineral Wear loose powder are of such high quality, I would happily recommend either. Which one you choose very much depends on your needs. If you’re looking for a light and natural makeup sealer, or if you have serious problems with dry skin, go with the Neutrogena powder. Should you want more of a light foundation finish with ample yet natural coverage, choose the Mineral Wear. Because of its clever packaging design, useful accessory and versatile nature, my choice is the Physician’s Formula Mineral Wear.