Review: [Pür Minerals] 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup SPF 15 + Big Blink Mascara

Hello dolls, I hope you're having a great Friday!

Today I want to review the Pur Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup as well as Big Blink Mascara (from the same brand). Let's start with the mineral powder!

I'd been a liquid-foundation/BB cream person since powder tends to make my face look powdery and cakey. Recently I wanted to try mineral powder makeup but I'm not a fan of the messy loose powder (e.g. BareMinerals). I saw this Pur Minerals foundation ($27) at Kohl's and Ulta, so I decided to check it out!




Things in the descriptions that made me decide to get it:

* A 4-in-1 product: powder, concealer, foundation and sunscreen (SPF 15). It sounds like a great choice for traveling and on-the-go touch up!
* Mineral makeup with paraben-free and gluten-free.
* No-mess compact packaging.
* Lightweight feel: this is a MUST when I look for a foundation.
* Skincare ingredient: a very interesting add-on, sounds like a powder version of CC cream.

Things that made me a little skeptical about it:

- Because it is powder, it might not have at least the medium coverage I need.
- It might not last very long due to the fact it's a powder.
- Powder foundation can be thick and/or cakey.
- It has shea butter so it might not help my combination skin.

I got the shade Porcelain (the lightest one). At first I wanted to get the shade Light (the second lightest) but after testing it at the store, Light is not light enough and seems to have a little bit of pink undertone. I use this makeup with the EcoTools Custom Coverage Buffing brush or Retractale Kabuki brush and apply with circular motion. I recommend using a dense brush with flat top if you want to use it as a foundation.

Overall Rating (out of 5):     

Pros:
+ Lightweight, not cakey nor powdery (yay!)
+ The packaging is pretty, sturdy and convenient (considering this is mineral powder).
+ Makes my skin look naturally smooth and flawless with a medium coverage.
+ Instantly brightens up and even out my skin tone.
+ Has SPF 15 which is adequate if you don't spends most of the time outdoors.
+ Non-irritating to my skin.

Cons:
- $27 for 0.28 oz (a regular amount of a compact powder). I expect more product for a foundation.
- Not as finely milled as I thought, looks grainy in the pan and need a little rubbing to get a good a mount of product.
- Doesn't stay very long on areas that tend to get oily. (Read more below)

My thoughts:

It would be more appropriate to advertise this product as 3-in-1. Although I don't have acne to cover, I still need concealer to cover my dark circles and uneven skintone (darker around nose and lips). The powder does cover the redness on my cheeks pretty well though.

With a primer underneath, throughout the day:
- Right after application, the finish is matte and I don't see any shimmer or glitter.
- After 2-3 hours, it shows a nice glow on my face but not too noticeable.
- After 5-6 hours the oil from T-zone breaks through and the makeup around my nose and lips fades away and leaves those areas darker than rest of the face! This is when I need to touch up but only on the mentioned areas. The foundation on other areas of my face stays fresh very very long (10-12 hours).

I don't know if the oil from my combination skin is just too much or the formula has shea butter (maybe both reasons) that my makeup doesn't stay matte for a longer time. I don't mind my T-zone to get a bit oily but I don't like the fact it doesn't keep my skin tone even for too long. It becomes very awkward when areas around my nose and lips are obviously darker! Bringing the compact with me and touching up only the T-zone is fine to me but I guess ones with oily skin won't like it. I read that people with dry skin also don't like this makeup 'cause it accentuates dry patches. Therefore, I feel that the powder will work the best on normal skin.

Bottom line, I think this is a decent product. I really like how it feels and love how it looks when I first apply, fresh and flawless. I just wish it could STAY covering my darker areas as well as it does for my redness. I love using this powder when I don't stay out for a long time (e.g. going to the grocery store).

I know the post is already long but bear with me, I will just give a short opinion on the Big Blink Mascara.

Rating (out of 5):   

Pros:
+ Does lengthen my eyelashes. That's it!

Cons:
- Hard to pull the brush out. Sometimes I try so hard that some mascara gets on the wall!!!
- The brush looks like it's almost separated from the handle. I wonder if I got a broken one.
- Very dry and has flakes falling down on my face during the day.