Product Alert -- bareMinerals Fresh Forward 8-Piece TSV from QVC

By now, it's probably pretty clear I have a problem when it comes to QVC's beauty TSVs.

I just cannot resist them.

Mainly because they're usually such good values and they're usually from brands that I love like Tarte and IT Cosmetics.

So this month, when I saw that the latest offering was from bareMinerals, it didn't take me long to place an order.

The Fresh Foward 8-Piece Collection will be QVC's TSV starting midnight on March 9th, but I ordered early so if you're curious about the kit, here's a rundown of what's included:

• Original SPF15 Foundation
• Ready Face Color Palette in The State of Bliss
• Soft Focus Face Brush
• Ready Eye Shadow Palette in The Fresh Beginning
• Lasting Line Long-Wearing Eyeliner in Steadfast Slate
• Eye Defining Brush
• Pop of Passion Lip Oil Balm in Sorbet Passion
• Makeup Organizer

You get all 8 pieces for $69.95 plus $3 s/h.

bareMinerals Fresh Forward 8-Piece TSV

If you use the bareMinerals Original Foundation, then you'll be happy to get a full-size in this kit (and it retails for $28 all by itself so...)  Now that my skin's gotten drier, I don't tend to use it all by itself, but I do like to buff a little of it over a BB cream or tinted moisturizer for a little extra coverage.

bareMinerals Original SPF15 Foundation

The Ready Face Color Palette in The State of Bliss is probably my favorite item in the entire collection. The compact features sturdy cardboard packaging with a pretty pink and white design and a small mirror on the inside.

There are three shades inside: The Big Break, a light peach with a satin finish; The Inner Glow, a matte mauve, and The Natural High, a shimmery peachy pink.

(As far as I know, The Natural High is the only shade that's available as a single.)

The Big Break is fairly light, so on medium and darker skin tones, it might work best as a highlight. But all of the shades are lovely and work well on their own or layered together.

bareMinerals Fresh Forward Face Color and Eye Shadow Palettes

From l. to r.: The Big Break, The Inner Glow, The Natural High

From l. to r.: The Big Break, The Inner Glow, The Natural High

The Ready Eye Shadow Palette in The Fresh Beginning features the same packaging as the Face Color Palette. It has three shadows inside: Square One, a matte pale peach; Presto, a shimmery light golden champagne; and Takeoff, a deep gray shade with a satin finish. .

I love the Ready shadow formula and these are up to the usual standard so they apply and blend easily. I like all of the shades individually as well, but I don't feel like they're the best combination if the goal is a complete eye look. That's because you get two light shades and one dark shade -- I feel like one of the lighter shades should have been swapped for a mid-tone color.

Now, that's certainly not a deal breaker, but if you want to take one small palette with you for a complete look, this isn't going to get the job done.

From l. to r.: Square One, Presto, Takeoff

From l. to r.: Square One, Presto, Takeoff

I am obsessed with gray eyeliners at the moment, so I'm a big fan of the Lasting Line Long-Wearing Eyeliner in Steadfast Slate, a slightly sparkly dark gray. The color is gorgeous, and the formula is really nice too -- creamy and easy to apply without any tugging. It reminds me a lot of the Urban Decay 24/7 Liners, actually, though it's a twist-up pencil with a sharpener built into the end, which makes it more convenient in my book.

bareMinerals Lasting Line Long-Wear Eyeliner in Steadfast Slate

bareMinerals Lasting Line Long-Wear Eyeliner in Steadfast Slate

bareMinerals Lasting Line Long-Wear Eyeliner in Steadfast Slate

I'd seen the Pop of Passion Lip Oil Balms that came out as part of bareMinerals' spring line and was kind of intrigued, but I held off from buying one. The shade in the kit, Sorbet Passion, is a kind of peachy rose shade and isn't available on its own. 

The formula is pretty sheer, but it doesn't feel particularly moisturizing, especially considering the product's name. Still, I think it's a nice choice for light makeup days. 

bareMinerals Pop of Passion Lip Oil Balm in Sorbet Passion

bareMinerals Pop of Passion Lip Oil Balm in Sorbet Passion

bareMinerals Pop of Passion Lip Oil Balm in Sorbet Passion

The two brushes in the kit are pretty nice -- bareMinerals has definitely stepped up their brush game; the bristles in these are much softer than older bareMinerals brushes I have -- but their short handles don't make them favorites of mine. They're good for travel, though.

bareMinerals Soft Focus Face Brush (top) and Eye Defining Brush (bottom)

Speaking of travel, the makeup organizer that comes with the kit is actually really nice. It's made of a plastic-y material so it's to wipe clean and there are a couple of compartments and a section for brushes so it can hold quite a few items. It just might become my new travel makeup bag, actually.

bareMineral makeup organizer

I like all of the products in this kit, but I have to say, it's not my favorite bareMinerals TSV ever. 

First of all, the $69.95 price tag seems a little high to me. Don't get me wrong -- that's a pretty amazing value when you consider that the Original Foundation is $28, the Lip Oil Balm is $16, and a three pan Ready bronzer palette that's similar to the Face Color Palette is $28, but bareMinerals TSVs are usually $59.95.

Secondly, while I love the shadows, the shade combination is somewhat disappointing too. 

That said, if you use the Original Foundation and want to check out some of the new products, you can't beat the price on this TSV. 

It's also available on auto-delivery, with new kits in August and December, if you want to lock in the TSV price.

The TSV price will be good starting tonight at midnight, but if you're reading this a little early, you can order it here.

The auto-delivery kits are here (after midnight March 9th) and here.

Are you going to pick up the bareMinerals Fresh Forward 8-Piece TSV? Which product are you most interested in?