Review: Bare Escentuals Brilliant Gold Beauty Duo

I love Bare Escentuals' foundation, and was intrigued when I saw this limited edition Mineral Veil with a gold sheen to it. Keep reading to see what the fuss is about. :)

First, here is  Bare Escentuals' description:

This limited-edition Brightening Gold Mineral Veil finishing powder, with real gold powder, imparts a subtle, sheer pearlescent glow to your skin. The lightweight formula gently absorbs oil and minimizes the look of fine lines and pores for a fresh, flawless look all day.

When I swatched it at Sephora, there was a bit of shimmer in the product but not overly so, and that intrigued me. I was a little worried that it would be too shimmery for all-over face application, but it still looked good to use as a highlighter, so I thought I'd take it home to try. 

For $29, you receive a full-size jar of this special mineral veil, as well as a retractable application brush. The brush is actually very soft and fluffy, but dense enough to apply this mineral veil evenly and quickly, so it's a nice added bonus.

As for the "brightening gold" mineral veil itself, I am very pleasantly surprised by this product! It is amazing how it looks like it might be shimmery, but when applied, does not look oily or greasy at all- in fact, it gives a very VERY subtle glow, but for the most part is almost inevident.

In fact, here is a comparison of the traditional mineral veil and this new brilliant mineral veil. I wouldn't claim that this one keeps the oilies at bay quite as long as the classic formula, so maybe for oily skin types you'll wanna stay with the regular. But, if you are dry you will appreciate the extra oomph this product gives to your skin. 

l: Traditional Mineral Veil; r: Brilliant Gold Mineral Veil

The packaging is a little odd though- the lid has this strange contraption or feed built into it- I guess the idea is that it is spring loaded so when you open the lid, it allows a tiny amount of the product to come out, so you don't spill or over do it. I think it's great that they are trying new things, but sometimes it takes several tries to get anything out. 

l: inside compact, the oval hole is where the product comes out; r: bottom of lid, displaying spring action

Overall, this is a great product to liven up dull skin, and impart a little holiday cheer to Bare Escentuals fans!