Brand Overview: Pur Minerals

A couple of years ago, when I started out my blog, I made the switch from using liquid foundation to using mineral makeup. Like most beauty consumers, my transformation into a minerals user came via Bare Escentuals. While BE is the reigning champ on the mineral makeup world, there are plenty of mineral based cosmetics out there that can give BE a run for its money.

I recently started testing out Pur Minerals. All through July, I have used products from their Pur-fect Starter Kit. For $35, this kit contains the following:

• 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup: The cornerstone of Pur Minerals, this one-minute mineral makeup miracle is your mineral foundation, powder, concealer and SPF protection all in one neat makeup compact. Completely free of oil, alcohol, talc, fragrances, preservatives and chemical dyes, this mineral foundation is actually good for your skin!
• Mineral Glow: A touch of sun in a makeup compact, this mineral powder will impart a natural, sun-kissed glow to your skin.
• Universal Marble Powder in Pink: Give your skin back that rosy glow you were born with. Universal Marble Powder corrects, brightens and imparts antioxidants into the skin. This multi-purpose mineral makeup can be worn on your eyes, lips and cheeks.
• The Chisel Makeup Brush: The magic behind the mineral makeup look! The only makeup brush to use for application of your 4-in-1 Mineral Makeup, it provides maximum coverage and an amazingly smooth finish.

Here are my thoughts on these products:

WHAT I LIKE:

• The price. At just $35, the Pur Minerals starter kit is a deal, especially when you compare it to BE's starter kit that will set you back $60.
• The convenience. The 4-in-1 makeup is a huge time saver. I get a completely covered face in one quick step. There is no need for extra concealer or "setting" my makeup with a finishing powder.
  
• The lack of mess. I've mentioned before that mineral makeup can be a little messy, what with all the loose powder flying around. The Pur Minerals products seem much less sloppy. They way they are made and packaged makes it easy for me to toss the pots of product into my makeup bag without worrying that I am going to have a wasteful mess getting in my way.
• The look. The products in the Pur Minerals starter kit are excellent and give me a great look for my casual, everyday life.
  

WHAT CAN BE IMPROVED:

• The brush. Maybe it's just me, but the brush that came with the kit could use some improvement. I had a lot of excess hairs come off the brush and onto my skin. I switched over to a Kabuki-style brush I have in my makeup bag and found that I had better coverage and no stray bristles.
  

FINAL THOUGHTS:
As a BE user, I was pleasantly surprised by Pur Minerals. If you want to get on the mineral makeup bandwagon but are uneasy about spending a ton of money, give Pur Minerals a try. They offer very good products with excellent value. You can't go wrong!