Beauty Crush: bareMinerals Matte

As you all know I am an avid Bare Escentuals user and I often rave (to a somewhat annoying degree) about how much I love it. As a perennially shiny lady, I was thrilled when BE came out with a matte version of their mineral foundation and I've finally gotten around to trying it. Like the original, bareMinerals Matte offers natural spf, flawless coverage and a lightweight feel, but this version, hence the name, has a natural matte finish as opposed to the more luminescent look of the original formula. Let me tell you, this stuff works. Two things that surprised me most: it actually does keep you shine-free all day (it even kept me shine-free in the 90 degree St. Lucian weather) and it really refines the appearance of pores and skin texture; I noticed a difference after using it twice. That's what I love most about bareMinerals, it really can completely change your skin's texture and overall appearance.

So is Matte for you? Only if you're truly oily, otherwise you might dry out using this. Always use a moisturizer underneath for smooth application and choose your shade carefully. With the original formula you were able to fudge your shade a little, but with the matte finish, it's more obvious if you're using too dark/light a shade. They have a new shade matching guide online, so take advantage! If you feel like the matte finish is just a bit too matte, try using the Illuminating Mineral Veil, which has a hint of shimmer, or dust Pure Radiance, a natural golden peachy sheen on cheekbones and around the hairline and that will take the edge off.