Bare Escentuals' Return to Radiance TSV

Bare Escentuals Return to Radiance TSV

My UPS man made another visit to my doorstep yesterday to deliver yet another beauty related TSV from QVC.

I seriously cannot resist these deals.  It’s a major weakness of mine.

This time, my friendly UPS guy dropped off the Bare Escentuals’ Return to Radiance kit that is scheduled to be the TSV this Saturday, March 3. Again, I couldn’t wait and ordered early. Still, it was a somewhat impulsive buy. I knew that the kit came with a foundation and Bisque concealer, both of which I have plenty of, so it didn’t seem like a good fit for me. The fact that it did contain one of Bare Escentuals’ new Ready Pressed Blushes did have me slightly on the fence because I’ve been interested to see if the pressed blushes are as good as their pressed eye shadows.  Still, I figured I could wait until the blushes were available on their own and pick one up.

But then I saw the color of the blush – and the lip gloss too.  And I realized that it also came with one of the Prime Time Primer Shadows, which I’ve been wanting to try for quite a while, and my decision was made for me.

The kit is somewhat pricey – it’s $69.98 plus $7.21 s/h for 6 full-size items and 2 brushes – but if you stop to consider that the foundation sells for $26, the Bisque is $18, and the Ready blush is $22, those three items essentially pay for the kit so it’s like you’re getting the other three products and the brushes for free.

At least that’s what I tell myself.

The Return to Radiance kit is also available on auto-delivery, so you can sign up to get two additional kits with new shades in the future.

I’ve played around with the kit, but once again, my UPS guy showed up after I’d put my makeup on so I haven’t worn everything in the TSV just yet.  Still, here’s a rundown of what you get and some quick thoughts:

Bare Escentuals Prime Time Neutralizing Primer

Prime Time Neutralizing Foundation Primer Swatch

Prime Time Neutralizing Foundation Primer  - Along with the Ready blush, this is the other new item in the kit. I’ve tried a Bare Escentuals primer before, but it was a typical thick, slippery silicone-based formula that I usually only like to wear in the summer. This primer is much more liquid-y, so I feel like it might be a better match for my winter-dry skin.  I like the idea of a neutralizing primer too since my face can have quite a bit of redness, but I’ve got to be honest – I was somewhat alarmed when I squirted the primer out onto the back of my hand and saw how yellow it is.  But the good news is that it blends right into the skin and doesn’t leave any yellow cast. I’m looking forward to trying this out, and I’ll give an update once I know how I feel about it.

bareMinerals Original Foundation in Fair

Original SPF 15 Foundation in Fair – I started wearing Bare Escentuals foundation many years ago, and for a period, it was the only foundation that I wore. I’ve moved away from it since I’ve found a mineral foundation that I like a little better (Laura Mercier Mineral Powder) and liquid foundations seem a better match for my drier skin these days.  Still, I always make sure that I’ve a pot of Bare Escentuals foundation in my makeup drawer – I use it as a finishing powder quite a bit when I need some extra coverage. I think it works well, but I know that there are people who are sensitive to formula. The Fair shade is a great match for my skin – I have a nearly full tub in my drawer right now, so this pot is actually going to go to my sister, since she only wears mineral foundation and is just as pale as I am.

bareMinerals Bisque Concealer

Bisque SPF 20 Concealer – I don’t use Bisque as a concealer on its own, but I will use it like Benefit’s Powderflage as a finishing powder for my liquid or cream concealers. It’s definitely a good product if you want to up the coverage factor of another concealer, and if you’ve got oily skin, it works pretty well by itself. (I believe the color of Bisque that you receive corresponds to the foundation shade that you select because the pamphlet included with the kit lists all of the Bisque shades – Bisque, Summer Bisque, Honey Bisque, Dark Bisque & Deep Bisque)

Prime Time Primer Shadow in Nude Glow

Prime Time Primer Shadow in Nude Glow Swatch

Prime Time Primer Shadow in Nude Glow – I’ve wanted to try Bare Escentuals Prime Shadows since they came out, but somehow never got around to it.  I like the idea of a colored primer that can stand on its own on lazy days. Bare Escentuals calls this shade a champagne shimmer, and that’s pretty accurate – though it does look slight peachy to my eyes.  Personally, I think it’s a beautiful color that will work well under various shadows in my collection as well as on its own for a natural look.  It definitely has shimmer, though, so if you’re not a fan of shimmer on the eyes, you probably won’t like it.  Bare Escentuals touts these primer shadows as being waterproof and I’m interested to put this one to test. 

Bare Escentuals Ready Blush in The Natural High

The Natural High Blush Swatch

Nars Orgasm Blush  vs. Bare Escentuals The Natural High Blush

Nars Orgasm Blush Swatch (top) vs. Bare Escentuals The Natural High Blush (bottom)

Ready Pressed Blush in The Natural High – I am a huge fan of Bare Escentuals’ Ready pressed shadows, so I was really interested in trying their new pressed blushes. So far, I’m not disappointed – it’s a pretty pigmented, easy to blend blush. BE describes The Natural High as a golden petal pink, but I see it more as a pinky-peach shade  - pretty similar to Nars’ Orgasm actually. The Natural High is just a little bit pinker and deeper.  It gives the cheeks a gorgeous sheen without being too shimmery.  I think this blush will be particularly pretty for summer.

Bare Escentuals Marvelous Moxie Gloss in Rock Star

Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss in Rock Star – I am absolutely, head over heels in love with the color of this gloss. BE calls it a soft pink melon shimmer, which is fairly accurate. Again, I see plenty of peach in it and it’s got subtle gold and pink shimmer throughout it.  It’s gorgeous. However, I know that there are some people who aren’t a fan of the Moxie glosses’ formula. I think the main issue for some is the scent – it’s a weird cross between minty and cinnamon, I think.  It is a little odd, in my opinion, but it’s definitely not the worst scented lip gloss I’ve ever used and the scent isn’t enough to put me off the glosses.  Besides, the feel of the gloss on my lips is quite nice – thick but not too sticky.  It’s also got pretty good staying power too.

Bare Escentuals Maximum Coverage Concealer Brush (top) & Full Flawless Face Brush (bottom)

Full Flawless Face Brush and Maximum Coverage Concealer Brush – I need more makeup brushes like I need a hole in the head, so these may be given away.  I think the BE brushes are nice enough – for a while, my brush collection consisted solely of BE brushes – though the face brushes can be somewhat scratchy.  Now, I tend to use them as my travel brushes since they usually have short handles.

For me, the Ready Blush, Prime Time Primer Shadow, and Moxie Gloss make this kit worth totally worth it.  I’m excited to see how the Neutralizing Primer works as well. I think it’s a good a deal, particularly if you’re a fan of the BE foundation or you’ve been interested in trying it.  I think the colored products will create a really pretty natural look for summer – and since I’m signed up for auto-delivery, I’m excited to see what new shades will be included in the future.

However, I will say that if you can only afford one TSV from QVC this month, I’d go with the Tarte Miracle of Maracuja TSV over this - it’s cheaper and you get a couple more products.  That one is available on March 16^th.

Are you planning on buying the BE Return to Radiance Collection?  Have you tried their Ready blushes?  What  do you think?