bareMinerals READY Foundation: My Holy Grail?

I've been on a foundation kick lately. Not that I have been looking for a new foundation, there just seems to have been a lot of foundation launches over the last few months. The new bareMinerals READY Foundation SPF 20 was one of them and I couldn't wait to try it.

I should preface this by saying that I am reactive to the bareMinerals Original Foundation. It makes me red and itchy. I have never figured out exactly why it makes me so reactive to it. I am usually not so overly sensitive to makeup at all. This being a cold pressed powder version, I was hoping it wouldn't have a problem. I've been using the READY Bronzer all summer and never had a reaction, so I was hopeful and didn't hesitate.

I was sent the new foundation in Medium Beige. It looks very dark in the pan, but was actually too light on my skin. What's with me lately? I must be darker than I think! Anyway, I was sent the Precision Face Brush to apply the foundation with, but wasn't sure exactly how. I did a quick search to find a QVC video with bareMinerals expert Jessica Foust.

So I basically followed her method. I tap the brush into the powder four times and then buff it onto my skin with very long strokes as she demonstrated. I only have to do the tap and buff twice as my face is flawlessly covered and glowing. The brush is essential. It applies the powder so effortlessly. The coverage is amazing. My pores were gone. My skin looked more even and more luminous than it had in a very long time. Now, if only the color were right. So I went to Sephora and got color matched with Golden Medium, which looked like it was a match in the store. It wasn't until I got home that I found that shade still too light and too yellow on me. I returned it and headed over to the Bare Escentuals store, which I didn't even know existed in the mall near my home. There, I got help (and for my sister and bff too!) and settled on Medium Tan, which looks crazy dark, but was a great match for me right now. I am guessing that the Medium Beige will look great on my skin come December.

I tested READY Foundation over moisturizer and two different primers, NARS Pro-Prime and Smashbox Hydrating Primer. It looked beautiful and lasted all day with a full makeup look, no matter which way I wore it. It is amazing. My holy grail foundation.

Until... two weeks into it, I woke up with my face more pink and a bit itchy. I thought that maybe my skin was reacting to the cooler temps. Or maybe I tried something new that I was having a reaction to. I immediately couldn't think of anything. But after I applied the foundation a bit later that morning, I immediately got the bad sunburn, itchy red feeling. It was on my face, a bit on my ears and right beneath my jawline. Anywhere the powder or brush touched. I couldn't believe it. I didn't want to believe it.  I did not wash it off right away and thought I would get over it.  I didn't. It got worse.  I removed the makeup and didn't wear any makeup for three days until my skin calmed down and returned to normal. A glutton for punishment I guess, I tried it again.  I was determined to wear this amazing foundation. I wanted it to work for me.  Again, within minutes of applying, my skin got very red and started this burning/itching feeling again. I am confident that this is a reaction to the foundation. I don't know why it took about two weeks into wearing it to show up. I am completely disappointed - not in the foundation - in my damn skin.

Everyone that I have turned onto READY Foundation loves it and no one else has had issues with it. My daughter uses it and loves it. My sister and sister-in-law use it and love it.  Two really good freinds have already started using it and have told others about it. That is how much I like it. I told everyone about READY Foundation because everyone was noticing how great my makeup looked.

I don't want to deter anyone from trying this. It's that good. I don't want my reactive skin to be negative, I have to deal with it; you don't. If you have never been reactive to mineral makeup, try it. I promise you will love it. If you are sensitive, proceed with caution and look for irritation signs.

I do want to let you know that bareMinerals READY Foundation has an SPF of 20, and comes in a range of 20 shades. The makeup artist at the Bare Escentuals store said that most customers were going one shade deeper than they would as compared to the the original foundation. It sells for $29.00. The Precision Face Brush sells for $28.00 and is a must have to apply the foundation.

If you've tried the foundation, please let me know how it has worked for you.