Not Impressed: Bare Escentuals

(Photo courtesy of Sephora.com. Used without permission.)

And I had so many hopes riding on this foundation. I was color-typed by one of the sales associates at the Bare Escentuals store at the Water Tower Plaza on North Michigan Avenue. In the store under their lights, the "Warm Tan" color fit perfectly. In fact, I had never seen my skin look so flawless. I bought the powder foundation and the Tinted Mineral Veil, eager to put it on myself the next day. I thought I had finally found a cosmetics 'counter' with proper lighting, a subject I have complained about at some length.

When I apply foundation I make sure to do so in a large mirror with natural sunlight. When I put on the Bare Escentuals there was an obvious dark ring around my face and neck. While some may like the "sun-kissed look" I don't. I was born with the sun-kissed look, I just want a foundation that matches me. Though I found that in Vasanti's EXCELLENT Face Base, I tried BE because of the skincare element.

I took the foundation back and told them way, suggesting that I need a shade or two lighter. They recommended only a shade lighter and sent me home with the "tan" color. Still not a good fit. Meanwhile I notice that the Tinted Mineral Veil is flawless on my skin. I couldn't even tell I had it on. Armed with that knowledge I go instead to Sephora knowing the sales associates at Bare Escentuals would strike out a third time.

I foolishly tried to match the powder of the Tinted Mineral Veil to one of the powder foundations; I chose Medium Beige. It was just a bit too chalky. Third strike and I'm done with Bare Escentuals. When I returned that purchase to Sephora, one of the ladies there told me that she really didn't like the look of BE on olive complexions. On top of the less-than-stellar color pigments, BE didn't cure any of my minor skin problems (redness, irritation, occasional breakouts) so there was no need for me to spend the money on it.

BE did not live up to the hype for me. My skin didn't start clearing up, evening out the complexion and getting rid of the redness until I started using a Lancome regimen, which I will post about at another time.

Lights, please!

Henna over at Canadian Beauty mentioned this problem and I posted a short rant about it within another post in the context of prom preparations: bad lighting at cosmetics counters.

Now I understand that, to a great extent, the counters do not have a great deal of control over where they are placed within department stores. Some luck out and receive a post near a window, ideal as daylight is the most desired light for makeup application. It is the most natural light. However, they can add lights as needed to create that same effect but sometimes the light used is all wrong.

I have yet to get a makeover done at a MAC counter, walking by them on the way to Lancome, I am appreciative of the fact that they have plenty of great lighting. After all, this affects their business. If a lot of women experience subpar makeovers they won't spend money at that counter. It is frustrating because, as a customer it puts us in the awkward position of having to question someone who should know more than we do about makeovers. As certain types of bulbs can lend the skin a reddish color, it is extremely important that the correct bulb is used.

On another note, is there any way the huge cosmetics houses/companies/brands (ie. Estee Lauder, L'Oreal, MAC, Lancome, etc.) get together and complete one of two projects: a) a cross-brand color chart. So if you use, for example, NW45 in MAC that can correspond to X-color in L'Oreal, Clinique, etc.; or b) a unified color chart based on official definitions of the color. I have seen shades described as 'warm beige' apply to anyone from Heather Locklear to Halle Berry depending on the brand. Beauties both but they are nowhere near each other in skin color.

Yes I understand colors can vary but honestly, we can do better than this. If you are, say, almond beige, like I am, with this reform one should be able to go to any counter and get almond beige and have it be the same anywhere. The notable exception being MAC due to its number system but they can still have it correspond.