bareMinerals BAREPRO Performance Wear Liquid Foundation

If you've read my recent foundation post HERE you'll know that I'm always on the lookout for a foundation that will suit my super pale, combination skin. My previous daytime foundation from Rimmel has been discontinued so I was on the hunt for something to replace it but at this time of year I was keen to find something a bit less heavy and matte on the skin.

My search started out as the, all too familiar, tale of woe. I hit the shops and got down to swatching all the foundations I'd heard such great things about only to discover that their palest shades were both too dark and too warm for me. At one point I had a big orange streak down my neck where the lady at the counter had insisted it would look fine once I'd blended it out! I had all but given up when I stumbled upon the bareMinerals BAREPRO Performance Wear Liquid Foundation in its array of shades (30 to be precise). The lightest shade looked very promising but it was the description of the coverage and finish that stopped me picking it up right there and then. Full coverage, matte finish - everything I'd said I didn't want. I went home and ummed and ahhed for a bit but was eventually swayed by the great reviews and ordered it online.

I have used this foundation pretty much every day for two weeks now and I have to say, I'm impressed. Firstly, I should address my initial concerns that it would be too heavy. The great thing about this foundation is that the coverage is customisable. I only use one pump which is enough to blend out thinly over my entire face and neck. It's quite pigmented so this gives a medium coverage but I found it very buildable in any areas where I felt I needed a bit more. The consistency is very liquid which makes blending a breeze.

I have experimented with various different ways to apply it and have settled on a combination. Its consistency lends itself well to being applied with fingers so I tend to do this first for the sake of speed. I then buff it in with my trusty Real Techniques Expert Face Brush and use this to stipple any areas where I want a bit more coverage. Finally, I use a mini sponge to bounce over any bits that need extra blending or where the foundation is clinging where I don't want it to. The result is a soft, even, skin-like finish which bareMinerals describe as naturally matte. Even though this sounds like marketing talk I think it's a pretty accurate description. Although it definitely is matte, it is definitely not flat or mask-like.

They claim that the bareMinerals BAREPRO Performance Wear Liquid Foundation will last for up to 24 hours but, as always, longevity will likely depend on your skin type. I have combination skin with an oily t-zone and it's generally around my nose and chin that foundation starts to break up first. After a day at work I did find that this started to separate around my nose but a quick dusting of setting powder just over those areas has solved that problem.

The shade I have is Fair 01 which is described as being for fairest porcelain skin with cool undertones. If your undertone leans warmer then you may want to try Dawn 02 instead. This might just be the lightest foundation I have ever tried so if you're someone who always relies on lightening drops to get the right shade then this is definitely worth a try. It's possibly a tiny bit too light for me right now. There's something I thought I'd never say! It's nothing a light sweeping of bronzer can't fix though and in the winter it should be perfect.

A bonus for the bareMinerals BAREPRO Performance Wear Liquid Foundation is the ingredients. Not only is it oil and fragrance free it also contains ingredients such as papaya enzymes to actually improve your skin's texture over time. I haven't personally noticed anything yet but then my skin is in a pretty good place at the moment anyway and I've only been using it for two weeks.

At the time of writing the bareMinerals BAREPRO Performance Wear Liquid Foundation SPF 20 30ml is £29 HERE

*All items were purchased by me and all links are non-affiliate