One of the hottest new items in the cosmetic industry today are mineral makeups. They tout being natural, good for your skin, and providing a flawless look to your face. Some of the first mineral makeups on the market, like Bare Minerals, received raving reviews. However, the desire for such beauty came with a hefty price – nearly $60.00 for a starter kit. This high demand for mineral makeup has prompted several different cosmetic companies to come forward with their own, economical lines of mineral makeups. Two of these companies are L’Oreal and Milani.
L’Oreal’s introduction of Bare Naturale Powdered Mineral Foundation prompted me to finally take the plunge and try this new type of makeup. Even though the price, around $14.00 at Wal-Mart, was much better than it’s predecessors, I was still reluctant to shell out that much for makeup. Looking at the container, it seemed that such a small amount of powder (0.35 oz) could not possibly be worth that much or last that long. However, after using it the first time, it became clear to me that a little does go a long way with L’Oreal Bare Naturale.
It was last week that I found myself needing to purchase a new container of mineral makeup foundation. I was at my local CVS and was perusing the cosmetic department when I came across a new mineral makeup: Milani Minerals Loose Makeup. It offered the same amount of powdered foundation at a much better price of $7.99. Out of curiosity I went ahead and purchased the Milani Minerals. I was excited to get home and try it out and expected it would be the same as the L’Oreal. Unfortunately, I was very wrong.
The L’Oreal Bare Naturale Powdered Mineral Foundation has exceptional coverage with just a small amount on the brush. If extra coverage is needed in a particular area, all that is needed is to continue applying a bit more until the coverage you want is achieved. It does not leave a powdery residue on the face and looks very smooth and almost airbrushed when application is complete. The Milani Minerals Loose Makeup, however, was less than satisfactory when it came to coverage. I applied it exactly as specified and it provided nothing more than what any loose translucent powder could offer. All of my blemishes were still glaring and unsightly and I had a very unfinished, dusty look to my skin. When it came to coverage and performance, the L’Oreal Bare Naturale definitely was superior to the Milani Minerals.
Within each container of mineral foundation from both manufacturers was an application brush. Loose mineral makeup foundation requires a short, stiff-bristled brush that you can use to go in small circles. This helps set the makeup and provides an even and natural look. The L’Oreal Bare Naturale’s brush seems to be of higher quality than Milani Minerals’ brush. I have not had any of the bristles fall out of the L’Oreal brush and have even been able to keep and reuse the brushes. Unfortunately, even during the first application of the Milani Minerals, its brush started coming apart. I had to repeatedly stop what I was doing to pick bristles off of my face and one even got into my eye. This problem, alone, made the application of the Milani product unpleasant and aggravating.
Generally, as a rule, I consider the price of a product to be the most important factor when making a purchase. However, when it comes to loose mineral foundations, this has proven to be unwise. Although the L’Oreal Bare Naturale Powdered Mineral Foundation is nearly twice as expensive as the Milani Minerals Loose Makeup, it clearly is worth it in this case. For a mere fraction of what you will pay for the pioneers of mineral makeup, L’Oreal has come through with a foundation that delivers coverage, a natural glow, and smooth results. In stark contrast, Milani Minerals Loose Makeup is simply nothing more than powder with a fancy name and container. It simply does not cover well and leaves a cheap, chalky residue on the skin. Even when it comes to something as simple as the applicator brush, the L’Oreal has Milani beat.
If you want a beautiful look without the $60 price tag, check out L’Oreal Bare Naturale line of Mineral Foundations.
