Sampling Foundation #4 - Bare Minerals bareSkin Pure Brightening Serum Foundation

Picking up on this mini series from where I left it in April, I recently picked up a sample of the new Bare Minerals liquid foundation (the whole name is a mouthful!). The formula is a combination of mineral foundation and a skincare serum with a non chemical SPF 20. As you may already know, my usual foundation is the Bare Minerals Original Powder, so I thought I'd see how the liquid one would compare in terms of shade match, coverage/finish and ease of use.

Personally, I love the powder foundation because it's so easy to use, simply tip a little into the lid, swirl your brush in, then tap off the excess and buff into the skin. It literally takes two minutes (or less) and I'm left with light-medium coverage without a heavy feeling on my skin. The bareSkin foundation requires a little more effort as you have to shake the bottle before you take it out. This is quite satisfying as you can here the ball inside mixing the product. Then I simply apply a 1-2 drops directly onto my foundation brush (in this case, it's the Real Techniques Expert Face brush) and dab around the face before starting to buff it in.

What are my thoughts? I actually really like the bareSkin foundation. It feels very light on the skin and doesn't oxidise once you've applied it. I apply enough for light coverage, but it can be built up (without feeling cakey) if you wanted more. The finish is dewy, and really does give you that glowing look (probably something to do with the fact that it is a serum foundation). It hasn't reacted with my combination/sensitive skin and lasts throughout the day - around 7/8 hours for me (I do set my foundation with a little MAC Prep+Prime Translucent Finishing Powder).

At the Bare Minerals counter, I was matched to two different shades, Bare Latte and Bare Sand. There was only a sample of Bare Sand available, which is the slightly darker shade, but once buffed into the skin (and it's the same with the original powder foundation) the slight shade variation didn't really make a difference. So, definitely get shade matched at your nearest counter before purchasing (and ask for sample to try at home). There are a total of 20 shades available so there is bound to be one that matches your skin tone.

Despite the little bit of extra effort required at the beginning, I really do like this foundation and I will (hopefully) purchase it after Christmas (downside of being a student, I have to prioritise my purchases). I think I've been converted from mineral powder foundation to liquid foundation!

Have you tried the Bare Minerals bareSkin foundation? What are your thoughts?