In this review I talk about the ever popular Skinlongevity serum/essence and the Butter Drench moisturiser both of which I will be repurchasing (and that does not happen very often). If you haven't had a chance to read the first part of my Bare Minerals review you can find it here. I really enjoyed these 2 products mainly because I loved how they gave me such an instant, youthful glow! They're definitely a wonderful pair when it comes to maintaining skin and you'll find out the great ingredients that make it so below.
Skinlongevity Vital Power Fusion
Can I just say, this is a beautiful serum. BM like to call this an emulsion hybrid, they even have patents on it! An emulsion is typically a watery liquid that delivers some ingredient benefits but is commonly used to prep skin for active serums. In this case, BM decided to combine the two. You can definitely tell it’s a different texture to most serums. It's not as watery but also doesn't leave a slimy residue. It absorbs relatively fast, what I liked most about it was the glow you get afterwards and the smell. It felt amazing, my skin was definitely smoother and brighter. When I applied the moisturiser it didn't feel like I needed to wait for it to dry - massive bonus when you're rushing out of the house. For my dry skin, the serum was quite hydrating, I felt I could walk around the house without a moisturiser. Of course that would be a massive waste.
The Rundown
When you look at this ingredients list its no wonder it has received glowing reviews. You've got your amazing skin conditioning agents niaciniamide, xantham gum and squalane, a stable form of vitamin C, ascorbyl glucoside, vitamin E, a whole range of peptides and of course the 'hero' ingredients of the product - Long Life Herb, California poppy and ginger. You'll notice a bit of alcohol in the product, don't be scared. Many of them are either fatty alcohols that help emulsify water and oil, which helps combine great oil ingredientswith water based products, or some of them form a waxy layer on the skin to prevent the ingredients from evaporating. SCIENCE!
Butter Drench Moisturiser
If you've lasted this long in my post I salute you. This is the final step of the whole BM regime and boy did I enjoy it. I always think that a moisturiser is your sealing agent, something that traps all the good ingredients in your skin from the serums and essences you may have layered. I commonly find that moisturisers aren't enough, for my skin type anyway, but this was an exception. It was a thick, smooth moisturiser that was hydrating and left my skin moisturised for hours. I found it great as a day and night moisturiser and it held up well under makeup. Warning: it feels quite heavy, I personally loved this but some may not. If you're going to try it definitely place it as a night moisturiser if you're more oily or combo.
The Rundown
You'll be pleased to know that most the ingredients are skin conditioning agents and that the shea butter was relatively high in the list. Shea butter is an excellent vegetable fat high in vitamin A and E. What does this mean? It hydrates the skin for longer and boosts the formation of collagen. More collagen sounds good to me. An ingredient I had never heard of before was Copernicia Cerifera wax which acts as an emulsifier so oils and water can be combined. This is great because it is naturally derived and prevents your cream from separating in the tub. None of us want that.
Its definitely clear that Bare Minerals have chosen the natural route in their whole skin care range, something many of us appreciate today. The fact that all their products are dermatologist tested and most are non-comedogenic (doesn't cause break outs) shows that their line is versatile and almost anyone can use it.