Review on Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Pressed Powder - Creamy Natural (0.26 oz): Flawless Coverage & Natural Radiance by Danay Lewis

Physician's Formula makes excellent mineral powders. I've always been a fan of Bare Minerals for the last ten years. Then last year I started using sunscreen self-tanner and found I needed a new shade in BM powders. I didn't feel like shelling out another $30 just to achieve a tan that I knew was going to fade soon, so I decided to try Physician's Formula. It turns out it's almost as good as Bare Minerals and a lot cheaper! COLORS - I have both creamy natural and beige tones. Creamy Natural is a shade of pink while Beige is a more neutral shade. I would recommend both for fair to fair/medium skin. They are definitely too dark for fair skin. I've posted comparison photos of Creamy Natural and Beige and included a sample from Bare Minerals Fair for comparison purposes only. FORMULA - The consistency is smooth and creamy, not at all sticky, sandy or chalky. Has a natural finish, not too matte and not too shiny. My main task is to even out the skin tone and conceal redness on the cheeks. I have a feeling this powder will take care of that. The coverage is pretty good and quite versatile - you can powder it lightly for sheer coverage or use a large brush for medium coverage. The ingredients are gentle, I have sensitive skin and it hasn't caused me any irritation or breakouts. SPF is also good if you are too lazy to put sunscreen on your face every day. In terms of staying power, as long as I don't touch my face I can work 8 hours a day with this powder, which still looks pretty good. Doesn't stick together like other cheap brands often do. I have a normal/dry skin type and really only need to go to the bathroom once a day and blot with an oiled washcloth. However, this powder will transfer if you wet it or wipe your face. Bare Minerals works a little better in this area as it lasts longer and is resistant to water splashes and facial tissue. APPLICATION - I use a large powder brush to apply. First, I stick the brush in the powder and shake it, and then I literally dab it onto my face. I don't brush or buff my skin at all, I find buffing makes me look flaky. Also make sure your brush is clean as this powder can absorb oils from the brush causing a hard film to form on the surface of the brush. In this case you will need to put a piece of tape over the powder to remove the foil. minuses. Now for what I don't like about this product. First, the packaging is annoying. It's very bulky and the lid doesn't fit properly, so if you put the jar in your purse, the powder dust flies everywhere. Second, they don't offer enough shades for every skin tone, and the color names don't indicate which undertone they're intended for. Third, the brush that comes with it is absolutely useless. I would have preferred if they didn't include a brush and just made the packaging thinner. Fourth, I don't think a wavy powder pattern is necessary. This makes it difficult to apply the powder evenly across the entire brush and I would prefer the powder to be flat like Mineral Wear's regular talc-free powders. Overall I really like this powder and would recommend it to anyone who wants an affordable alternative to Bare Minerals. If you find a shade that suits you, give it a try!