I have been wearing Bare Escentuals for more than 5 years. And before that I wore Bobbi Brown. And for a while I adored Bare Escentuals. But lately, not so much. I'm breaking out like a teenager, at 35, and that is not so fun. And I've decided it is the makeup's fault. Also, I'm just kind of over it. I've switched to Benefit but I'm not loving that either. So I'm doing what everyone does, I'm turning to the internet for advice.
Do you love your makeup? Why? Do you hate it? Why? Please tell me what to buy.
Here is what you need to know-
- I have very sensitive skin. And I tend to break out. I really can't wear makeup that is heavily perfumed.
- My skin is fairly light in color.
- I'd like it to be available at Ulta or Sephora, I tend not to shop at Department Store cosmetic counters.
- Lines I have worn in the past and discarded include, MAC, Bobbi Brown, Bare Escentuals, Benefit, and Clinique (Ok, fine, I'm picky.)
- My foundation has to include a sunscreen because of the Lupus.
- I'm a girlie, girl. I like make up, I wear make up everyday, but I don't wear SO MUCH MAKE UP. I also have a fairly conservative job so I can't wear green and purple eyeshadow and bright red lipstick. I tend to stick to neutral colors for day and just go darker at night. I know, I'm boring. I've heard that somewhere before.
Okay-GO!
(And yes, I have scoured the advice smackdown.)
{ 33 comments… read them below or add one }
I don’t wear foundation at all!!! It’s just covering up the “me”, if i’m going somewhere REALLY different, I’ll put on eyeliner, lipstick. That’s it. Don’t cover up the you!
Damn. I was all excited to suggest BE to you.
Have you tried “perfect makeup”? I bought it at Ulta once and liked it.
I’m a big fan of almost anything Neutrogena makes. I love that their makeup has decent sunscreen properties, and that it doesn’t feel like a mask. I don’t wear a lot, just a light sweep of pressed powder to hide that my skin tone isn’t perfect. And the under-eye soothing concealer has cucumber in it and is sooo nice.
I haven’t been able to completely escape breakouts due to roller coaster-like thyroid levels, but it’s getting better.
Good luck!
I use Arbonne makeup because of my sensitive skin. My eyes are especially sensitive to makeup and this is the first company I have found that doesn’t leave me trying to scratch my eyeballs out.
Unfortunately it isn’t available in stores, only through a rep. who sells the products.
Just seeing the number of lines you’ve tried & rejected, you are WAY above & beyond my level of expertise. I am way too intimidated to make a suggestion.
I’m a lover of the Bobbi Brown.
In the past I have used Perscriptives. It’s light weight and you can get it “perfect matched” for you. But I think it’s only available at the department stores.
I don’t wear makeup very often either but when I used to I used Mary Kay. I liked their skin care philosophy. Antiquated? Maybe. Worth a shot? Eh?
I had to stop wearing BE because it made me break out more. I have verrrrrrry sensitive (& pale) skin that breaks out if you look at it funny. And oh lawd the humidity…I’m a hot mess.
Which is to say I am zero help, but love that you posed the questions because I can’t wait to read what the wise people say!
I love Laura Mercier. LOVE. Good for sensitive skin? Yes. (I have rosacea, so this is a must.) SPF? Yep, 30.
Pick up one of the kits at Sephora – I think it’s $65 and comes with the primer, tinted moisturizer, 2 types of concealer (for under-eye and blemishes), setting powder and brushes.
Seriously. LOVE.
I had to give up on BE too. In fact, the only foundation I can wear regularly without breaking out is Neutrogena’s Healthy Skin Enhancer – SPF and retinols and several shades for the super pale. It doesn’t make my skin flawless, but it’s a good start. I like Nars for blush and eyeshadow and have actually been pleased with the Avon purchases I got goaded into making a few months back.
I wore Clinique for a while and broke out EVERY time I wore their sensitive skin foundation. I switched to Mary Kay about 6 years ago and haven’t looked back. They have both a moisturier with SPF or a tinted moisturizer with SPF. I like the former, followed up with a mineral powder foundation. There are some crazy eye shaddow colors, but lots of neutrals and basics for every day wear. I’m not a huge fan of the lipsticks (mostly because of the taste) but I’m a chapstick girl in general anyway. You can’t buy it at Sephora or Ulta, but there are a TON of consultants out there (I’m actually a ‘personal use’ consultant – kept my ordering rights to buy my own make up at ws cost) and everything is 100% returnable for full refund after trying. Might be worth a try?
I love Laura Mercier. They also do wonderful test makeup for you; I actually went to Saks for my son’s wedding and they did it and I bought stuff in return. There is an amazing foundation primer and an SPG foundation or tinted moisturizer and the makeup makeup is lovely. I think they are at Sephora and KNOW they are Blue Mercury.
I wear makeup about a dozen times a year but I like SmashBox and find it at Sephora. Photo Finish primer and High Definition Healthy FX foundation. SPF, oil-free, etc. All good stuff.
I recently tried a tinted primer, Perfekt. Also good, especially when I can’t be bothered with a 2 step process.
I have very sensitive skin. Regular daytime makeup I use Philosophy Supernatural tinted primer stuff and it’s pretty magical for making your skin all flawless w/out foundation look. When I want to dial it up a bit I use smashbox high definition healthy fx foundation, which is also magical, although more ‘foundationy’. Neither make me break out, and I love them both.
I’m going to totally stalk this post because I’m having make-up issues also. I will be 35 in November, and I’m a hot mess. I have such a mess of make-up in my bag. And yea conservative, I can’t be whore-ish in my police uniform.
I wear BeautiControl wet or dry foundation. I have all the same requirements you do, but without the Lupus. The only problem would be that it does not have a sunscreen, but they have this other stuff called Cell Block C that has sunblock and is supposed to protect your skin from all the damages of the sun. I love all of their products, but the mascara. It kinda blows in my opinion. You could find a rep and buy it online and never have to walk into a store.
I second the look at Laura Mercier. I’m a big fan of the line. Because it’s so highly pigmented you only need to use a little bit – so it wears nicely on the skin. Her colors are lovely (I, too, have fair skin) for skin and eyes, though I will admit to loving MAC eye colour when I want a touch of wow. Also Lorac for eyes.
Okay, I almost never wear makeup, but I’m totally going to be the ONE chick on here suggesting wicked cheap. I love Rimmel. There, I said it. I think their cover-up is the coolest ever. I don’t have sensitive skin, so I can’t tell you anything about that, but it does have SPF, both in the foundation and translucent powder. Good luck, I hope you find something.
Just recently my BE stopped working for me as well, I’m not really sure what the deal is with the formula…if it’s changed or what. But since summer has arrived I’ve switched to MD Skincare’s tinted moisturizer (in light) as my foundation with the Benefit Boing concealer for dark circles & spot coverage.
I know MD Skincare is available online @ Sephora but for some reason my local store stopped carrying the line.
I don’t wear makeup generally but when I have an event, I’ll use Aveeno tinted moisturizer. Other than that I just Olay moisturizer with SPF 30. Good luck. I never found something that worked which is most likely the reason I don’t use it…
Looking forward to reading what you try, Jodifur – and what works for you. I have to admit – I only recently bought BE, and I’m not getting what the big deal is. Costco (YES! Costco!) used to carry a mineral makeup that I liked better. They stopped carrying it, started carrying something that makes me look like a zombie, so I decided to try BE, at long last. First of all – the brushes kind of suck. I don’t care if it’s spring or summer – makeup brushes are NOT supposed to shed! BE foundation definitely covers nicely and not too made up, but holy hell – the “Warmth” is DARK! I mix it with the foundation, about 50/50, just to get the “Warmth” to not look like clown makeup. I’m bummed. Please – let us know what wins over your heart – and face!
Laura Mercier all the way! I have sensitive skin, and as a teen had terrible acne, so I am extra careful about anything I put on my face. I wear everything Laura Mercier, from her amazing tinted moisturizer (with SPF), to her eye shadows (which last forever), blush and eye-liner. She can do NO wrong in my book. The only non-Laura product I use is Trish McEvoy’s mascara. Call Blue Mercury, and ask them when they have a Laura consultant in, and schedule an appointment with her. That is how I got into her make-up and learned how to play with it! But Sephora and Nordstrom also have her stuff.
Sorry for the double post, but I was super excited (as you can tell)! Also since I forgot to mention it the first time, Laura has a line of mineral make-up which is really, really great. I hated BE because it made me break out, but this doesn’t. Laura’s skin care line is also pretty fantastic as well.
I second the Philosophy Supernatural. It’s a hideously peach colored primer – but it magically blends in and looks really natural without the foundation-cake look. It’s really silky but not greasy at all. Then, if I need more coverage I use Bobbi Brown foundation. You didn’t mention why you stopped using it but it works fairly well for me. I’m totally prone to a super slick t-zone and breakouts. Bare Minerals made my alreay huge pores look like the size of quarters! Good luck with your search. Let us know what you settle on!
Oh! Forgot to mention the Philosophy Supernatural has an SPF of 15 and is available at Sephora.
I hardly ever wear makeup b/c of really sensitive skin. It ends up causing rashes or making me break out. However, the times that call for make up I tend to use smashbox. I find that it doesn’t irritate my skin or cause crazy breakouts.
I used Prescriptives Traceless foundation for a long time before switching to mineral makeup. I loved it. I have very sensitive skin and it was light enough that it didn’t make me break out and didn’t look cakey and it always matched perfectly. I am not sure if you can get it at Ulta/Sephora. I bought it at Macy’s. I only switched to the mineral stuff to give it a try and liked it enough to use up the container that I have but will probably go back to Prescriptives when I use it up.
I’m a huge fan of Smashbox. Everything glides on smoothly and blends wonderfully. It’s more expensive than BE, but no worse than MAC. You can definitely get it at both ULTA and Sephora.
You should try Lavera organic cosmetics if you have sensitive skin. Lavera is 100% natural and works great. And I know that it is available at Ulta. Hope this helps!
I really like Lorac. I bought mine at Ulta and have been pretty happy with it.
I buy Pur Minerals at Shoppers Drug Mart. I also break out and have fair skin. This is great, as you can layer your coverage. AND it comes with a 15 SPF. Try a sample set, which come with a bruch and the foundation and blush compacts.
Maybelline Mousse…It’s great. Not sure if it has sunscreen though. I’m always asked what kind of make-up I use, I guess because it stays on well.
Recently I tried Maybelline Age Rewind foundation. I love it too. Both are light foundations that don’t feel like you are wearing a mask.
Zanna
BE made me totally break out from the first day I tried it until I gave up 2 weeks later. I thought it would be perfect, because I use loose powder instead of foundation anyway. But no, it was not good for me.
After trying a gazillion expensive brands, I finally just bought Mabeline’s oil-free loose powder one day at the grocery store. I LOVE it! I even switched to Mabeline’s blush. I could not believe something so cheap actually didn’t make me break out! Something to try without spending a fortune…