bareMinerals: My Latest Obsession

Please tell me you've tried the READY line of bareMinerals? Ok, so I haven't tried the foundation, blush or bronzer from the line...yet. I'm still obsessing over their eyeshadows. So many pretty colors!

Now, to be fair, I was a fan of the original formulation of bareMinerals. I love so many of the shades. But I haven't used them in a while because, like many others will tell you, the loose pigments can be such a mess and take longer to apply. 

Shades in pot clockwise: Bare Skin, Black Ruby and Desire. Shown on hand L-R: Desire, Bare Skin and Black Ruby.

I highly recommend picking up a duo...or quad....or palette...or some of each. This formula is so buttery smooth and pigmented, and they blend beautifully. I honestly love all of the shadows I own from this line. As far as application, I think it's important to mention--you do not need to sweep your brush around in the shadows. You only need to tap into the color, and then pat or lightly sweep the shadow onto your lid, depending on what look you're going for. If you want a wash of color, use a fluffier brush. For more color payoff, use a stiffer, more dense brush.

Some shades are more sheer, but can be built up to the vibrancy you see in the pan. This is something I appreciate about this brand - scary shades become wearable for us "shy-of-bold-color" folk, but will equally satisfy those of us who crave "look-at-me" lids.

When I put my finger in the pan to swatch, it almost tricks my mind. They feel so creamy to the touch, but they are definitely a powder. As I mentioned above, you don't need to swirl the brush around in the pan - if you do, you will absolutley see product being dislodged. This is not to say that the formula is powdery or has fall out, it just speaks to how finely milled and pigmented it is.

I will admit, the first duo I purchased (The Epiphany), I sometimes struggled with a little bit of skipping with the darker, matte shade. I have since remedied any issue I had (my primer was a little too tacky and was grabbing the shadow). Now, I like to apply a transition color first, whether another bM shade or not, when I'm using the darker shade to blend into the crease. Problem solved, and since it's a step I already do anyway, I don't mind doing it first, and now actually prefer doing my makeup that way.

So here it is...a peek at my bareMinerals READY eyeshadow collection.

Listed from L-R, T-B: The Finer Things 8.0, Shine On Palette, The Star Treatment 8.0, The Cliff Hanger 2.0, The Scenic Route 2.0, The Escape 2.0, The Happy Place 4.0, The Possibilities 4.0, The Enlightenment 2.0, The Epiphany 2.0, The Horizon Line (liner shadow), The Nick of Time 2.0, The Showstopper 2.0, The Vision 2.0, The 15 Minutes 2.0, The Promise 2.0, The Truth 4.0 and The Rare Find 4.0.

If you're interested in a particular duo or quad, let me know in the comment section below. I'm starting a new "How I Wear" series for this blog where I will be featuring a different product for each post, along with swatches and photos showing the product in action.

I realize my blog is not seen by many, but I figure I might as well help out anyone who happens to stumble upon one of my posts. If you're reading this, thanks so much for stopping by!

Resolving to put more into my blog in 2013,

Becca