11 out of 11 people found this review helpful.
Too sheer for my liking - Neutrogena Mineral Sheers Mineral Powder Foundation Light To Neutral
Date of Review: Apr 28, 2008
The Bottom Line: This foundation is much too sheer for the average woman's face. The dispenser does not work as directed and the brush's bristles are not soft enough. Don't waste your money!
I bought this foundation impulsively while shopping at Walmart for some other Neutrogena products for my sister-in-law. With all the advertising of Bare Minerals and Mineral-based make-up in general, I was already aware of the concept of make-up that was good for your skin, light and easy to apply. I wanted to effortlessly just brush away any imperfections just as advertised. So for US$6.99, I got one to try knowing that Neutrogena products are generally good from experience.
About the Mineral Foundation
=============================
It came in a very interesting yet convenient plastic container with the powder visible at the bottom. At the top, there is a built-in foundation brush that was covered partially with a plastic cover and then over that there is another cover. I chose Light to Neutral.
Using the Mineral Foundation
============================
First you need to remove the outer plastic cover and then pull back the inner plastic cover to expose the foundation brush fully. Then you need to gently shake the container with the brush facing down for a total of 3 times. This is supposed to release the mineral powder foundation to the brush for application.
When I used it, I ended up shaking the container much more than gently as I didn't see any of the foundation on the brush. So after shaking it about four or five times, I saw a small spot of foundation toward the center of the brush. I shook it a few more times and the spot got slightly larger so I assumed that it was time to go ahead and apply.
I did circular motions with the brush as I had seen advertised. I noticed that the bristles were not as soft as I would have liked and the blending of the foundation was therefore not as effortless as I had thought. I also found that the foundation was not just sheer but super sheer to the point that I wasn't even sure if anything was being deposited on my face. Eventually though, I did see some powder released into the air as I brushed on and got some on my top as well.
When I was finally finished, my oily skin did not look oily anymore but the coverage was much too scant for my liking. I have an uneven skin tone and the foundation was so sheer, that you could still tell. Also I have some very mild acne scars which were still clearly visible.
Conclusion
============
I used it a few more times with the same outcome. My conclusion is that mineral powder foundations, at least this one is designed for people with flawless skin who may want to get rid of a little shine. It is certainly not for skin with uneven tone or any visual imperfections. I still use it so as not to waste my investment, more as a translucent powder over my preferred foundation and it is pretty good for this purpose.
