I guess I could buy BE, but I never buy something just for the name when there's a less expensive alternative that works just as well. I recently got the Ocean Mist sampler. Since picking colors can be difficult with actually trying them on, I really like that you can choose three foundation colors. The samples were quite generous too.

There's quite a few sellers of mineral makeup on eBay too.

I use Everday Minerals in conjunction with BE and I LOVE the stuff!

I'm still trying to find my correct foundation shade with ED, but she allows unlimited orders of samples, and there is a forum on her site with a lot of helpful people that can help narrow down shades for you. I LOVE LOVE LOVE her concealer, much better than BE Bisque, if you can believe that. Looks like her brushes are far cheaper as well, but I haven't tried any of them yet so I can't speak for the quality. Chalk me up as a fan!

april

Most of these "mineral" knockoffs are nothing like Bare Minerals. They still contain the same old list of greasy and superfluous ingredients.

I read the ingredients list for some of the ones out lately, including Avon and Revlon. Nope - Just old powder formulas with new packaging and "minerals" added to the name. Don't be fooled. Read the ingredients.

I'll agree with you on the drugstore versions of mineral makeup (Avon, Revlon, etc), but we may have to agree to disagree on the ED brand. Same stuff, same all natural ingredients, same philosophy. Owner actually used to work FOR BE but quit to form her own company, from what I understand.

I didn't get that the op was posting about the drugstore brands, but other companies with similar products to BE. I have not checked into Ocean Mist or Signature Minerals so I could be wrong on that, but Everyday Minerals isn't just a knockoff, imho :->

Here's a link to the FAQ on their site, which lists the ingredients.

Anyhoo, just wanted to add that $.02 worth, and to again agree with you to be careful about other brands that call themselves "Mineral Makeup" - I did try the Revlon and was just not impressed at all. I'll stick with BE and ED :->

Here is a link that might be useful: Everday Minerals FAQs

Please check these out, I was talking about actual Mineral Makeup in my OP. I've checked the drug store brands and understand what gina_w is getting at, so thought this would be useful:

Here is a link that might be useful: Ocean Mist Cosmetics FAQ

Beautiful, Pep, thanks for the link!

Now I have a 3rd company to try :-)

Thanks for the links.

The ingredients list in the "Everyday Minerals" is the same as Bare Minerals.

The "Ocean Mist" however, was not. Its first ingredient is talc, which imparts a greasier feel and is easily inhaled (and messy, since it gives you that powder-puff effect - it goes everywhere). Then they add:

Silica powder - a thickening and absorbent agent.
Magnesium stearate - a thickening agent and filler agent that is most often sourced from beef.
Silk powder - absorbent and humectant agent, typically synthetic.
Allantoin - Advertised as a botanical extract but is really produced from ureic acid in labs.

None of those is terrible, and they are all very common cosmetic ingredients, but the formulation is not the pure "Bare Minerals" but a lot of filler-type ingredients.

aprilflower here is yet another one with free samples :) I'm thinking I'm going to stick with EM but I need a primer to minemize my pores. Apparantly EM makes them look huge! Ugh (but I'll stick with MMu because reg. liquid foundation does it too but with an oil slick to it)

Here is a link that might be useful: Signature Minerals Ingredients

Great! I'll have to check it out, thanks!

Got my free sample of EDM yesterday - about a day after they shipped (probably b/c I'm so close).

I love this stuff. It does settled a tiny bit into your pores (if you have those beside-the-nose craters like I do) but it looked sooooo much better than any other foundation I've had on my face. Looked good in natural light, too. Seemed to have a tiny bit of a shimmer effect... NOT glittery, and it wasn't so shimmery I wouldn't wear it, and I'm not one for 'shimmer,' as I think it tends to make skin look crepey - thus older.

www.themineralmakeupshoppe.com

Free samples
Just email owner

Here is a link that might be useful: Beauty Minerals

Thanks for posting about Avon Minerals, I was just about to buy it. I love this forum. Thanks, ladies....I just stink to B.M.

LOL.. That should be stick to B.M. Must have been a hard day yesterday. LOL

I already had an Everyday Minerals sampler, but no brush, so I went ahead & ordered a mini Kabuki & another sampler set from Ocean Mist.

I don't care if they're minerals or not. I still use the drugstore foundation, but think it's fun to try new stuff!

Thanks so much for these links!

I haven't tried BM but I did try Loreal's version. I didn't like it. Made my skin look crepe-y not smooth. I'm 51 with large pores and some acne scarring, too. My daughter with the flawless skin loved it though. So, it's still worth trying the real thing? I sure wasn't impressed with Loreal's version.

I could not find the Ocean Mist. Procedure??? Because of the tips in this thread, yesterday I ordered the samples from EM & Sig. M. Looking forward to trying something new myself. I assume you use these over your moisterizer?? Should moisterizer go on first or spf first???? I have so many questions.

This is a wonderful site offering FREE samples of mineral makeup, scrubs, bath soaks, etc.. with any purchase.
They are not stingy.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Mineral Makeup Shoppe

I have been wanting to try mineral makeup for a while, and I just found this thread in a google search for...something. I can't remember what it was not, but thanks for the info! All three companies in the first post still have samples free with shipping cost, so I just ordered mine.

That's so great that this old thread helped you out renaissancesun!! I just decided to check back in after a long absence. Hope it all works out for you. I have stuck with Everyday Minerals and really like it. I went to our local Ulta store which sells Bare Minerals and had them do a sample make over and I think I'll continue with EM for the price and coverage...getting ready to order more!! :O)

I have my samples, and I am just waiting for my brushes from an ebay seller. :)

I was just reading the other thread about Bare Minerals causing itching. I didn't order any of theirs because I am a tightwad (but they are their brand of brushes coming from the ebay seller) and they don't have free samples, but I did some inexpensive samples from Aromaleigh that don't have bismuth whatever in them. I have sensitive skin, and if I start itching, the stuff is coming right off and never going on again. It's not worth two weeks of a rash just to wear some makeup. :)

I just ordered the free samples from Ocean Mist, they charged $5.30 in shipping.

I have tried BE, sheercover and etc. Thought BE was great but made me itchy. Sheercover-covers up but made me look too oily in T-zone area. They both, as will as most makeup containa BISMUT OXYCHLORIDE- which causes acne to worsen, irritate and spread. And also clogs pore. I have acne so I was out on a search and found that Everyday Minerals was the best for giving out free samples, generous amount. Also, let me pick and choose three foundation, concealer, blush/bronzer. The BEST part is it has NO BISMUTH OXYCHLORIDE AND IS NON-COMEDOGENIC- which mean IT DOES NOT CLOG YOUR PORES. Has SPF and obsorbs oils. All of this for a WHOPPING S/H of $3.97. NO ONE can beat that! There are other sites that gives free samples but that are either in baggies, s/h too much; minus will buy the full size, not enough samples to test out and etc. But if you want here they are. Browse around to find out what's right for you.

everydayminerals.com
signatureminerals.com
purelycosmetic.com
elegantmineral.com
4skinbeauty.com
lushbrush.com
puremineralelegance.com
lumierecosmetics.com
aromaleigh.com
oceanmistcosmetic.com and
themineralmakeupshoppe.com

Oh my! I got carried away with words. Anyways, hoped it helped you in anyway, and GOOD LUCK! to you ladies and gentlemens.

suemay

You're absolutely on target about the bismuth. I've been reading in many makeup forums that this ingredient causes many reactions, such as itching or redness for many.

I've been using Everyday Minerals makeup for awhile and love it. It may take a few tries to find the right shade, and then you have to practice putting it on to get the right look. I've also used Lumiere and like it very much, as well.

I have found that a very light touch works best. The following video was very helpful to me in learning how to apply it correctly.

After using this makeup I would never go back to a liquid, for I really like the more natural look of minerals.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mineral Makeup Tutorial

I really like BE but yeah, super expensive. It's sold at my fav salon so I can try out the colors. I don't buy any kits or eye shadows or anything, I just buy the foundation powder.

I like Wet N' Wild. They're really cheap, and if I don't like something, I can throw it out with out losing like $10. I've been looking for a decent mascara lately and you know they cost like upwards of $6 and all that money was wasted.

I buy most of my BE on eBay!