Bare Escentuals

This review goes especially to Justine! This girl is just fabulous. I came in on a Saturday morning, as I was going to a wedding later that day and wanted to get my makeup done. I wanted something sultry yet nothing super wild. I know what I was asking for was on two opposite sides of the spectrum, but Justine was able to give me exactly what I wanted. She was able to put my words into a work of art. My make up lasted all day and into the wee hours of the night. They way my make up was done was appropriate for the ceremony, yet transformed perfectly into the night. I just love how excited and into her work she is. Unfortunately the employees are not allowed to put false eyelashes on (due to estheticians or something), however, Justine walked me every step of the way… and they stayed on all night! I am forever grateful for you. YASSSS GIRL! I will definitely be asking for you for my next makeup needs.
Also… the products are great. forever a Bare Escentuals user.

Very clean and inviting location, although it is quite small and narrow. I had my bridal shower makeup done by Shalva and it looked great and lasted the entire evening. They are also generous with their samples if you ask for them.

There are already 4, 5-​star reviews that mention the person I’m going to give props to, but she deserves to have a 5^th one up here — Shalva, you are incredible!
I’ve been meaning to try bareMinerals for the looongest time, but whenever my weekends would come, I would always end up having my time divided up between catching up with friends and family, or running all the errands I couldn’t get to during the workweek with my crazy work schedule. A couple of Saturdays ago, I had a rare free day with nothing I absolutely HAD to get done. With some Macy’s coupons in hand, I decided to drive to Walnut Creek and have an impromptu shopping day.
I know that I could have done a Bare Escentuals and Macy’s shopping trip at Stoneridge in Pleasanton, but when I started researching others’ experiences, one thing that came up was the difficulty with color matching. The lighting inside the BE stores, and the mall itself, is different from natural light, and for me, it’s the natural light that can be the harshest critic. I went to Walnut Creek because I knew I could easily test out various shades and then walk outside to see what it would really look like, and if it didn’t work, I wouldn’t have to walk all through the mall to get back to the store.
Finding metered street parking can kind of be a hassle, but there’s a parking garage not too far from the Macy’s and BE store.
When I walked in, I was immediately given a warm greeting by Shalva and asked if I needed any help. I told her that this was my first time at BE and that I knew nothing about makeup, but was interested in trying bare minerals out. Even though I didn’t have an appointment, Shalva took me to one of the counter stations and began taking me through the steps. We discussed my skin type, my normal makeup routine, what I was looking for in terms of coverage, etc.
I told her that I wanted something that would even out my skin tone and provide adequate coverage without being too heavy or shimmery. I pointed out that I tend to get dark circles under my eyes and would like to be able to brighten those areas up. Oh, and, teach me to contour with blush and bronzer while you’re at it, lol.
Shalva was incredibly patient, and very thorough. She had me cleanse and moisturize my skin before helping me apply primer (I had no idea this existed). After that, she applied a couple of streaks of their matte foundation to my cheeks and asked if I was going to get any darker over the summer. I love that she was cognizant of that, and that she clearly wanted to help me get a great match that would last through various seasons if possible.
She had me wipe my face clean again, and then applied the Light matte foundation all over. Once she was done, she helped me pick out a concealer (Summer Bisque) that covered up my dark circles and brightened other areas of my face, too. To finish the look, she applied blush in Beauty and bronzer in Warmth. Along the way, she allowed me to get a feel for the whole swirl, tap, buff routine, and dropped other helpful tips. I had a lot of questions, and she answered each one calmly and professionally.
In the end, she set me up with their Flawless Complexion Essentials Kit — $ 89:
1 bareSkin Foundation SPF 20, ORIGINAL Foundation SPF 15 (size: large), MATTE Foundation SPF 15 (size: large) or READY Foundation SPF 20
1 Complexion Enhancer, Concealer or Prime Time Primer
1 Concealer or Brightener
1 Face Brush
1 Flawless Application Face Brush
1 Maximum Coverage Concealer Brush
1 Mini Prime Time Foundation Primer
1 Mineral Veil finishing powder (2g /​0.07oz)
+ blush — $ 20
I feel like I dropped the same amount of money at bobbi brown a few Christmases ago and didn’t walk away with any brushes. With BE, I feel like I have everything I need.
It’s incredibly easy to get ready in the morning and I feel really put together afterward. Thanks so much, Shalva!

loved ELLIE — what a lovely and helpful person. Great at helping select the perfect color too

I have received AMAZING customer service every time I walk in to this store. Lately due to stress I had some acne pop up, and I told the young lady Jackeline helping me. She said it really doesn’t look that bad at all. I thought this was sweet. She helped me exchange a shade of powder that was too dark for me and listened to the look I wanted to go for. She was very patient and offered me the combo with their new powder brush that feels great and has a rounded dipped center so the makeup doesn’t fall off the sides. Thanks to America for making every girl feel they need to wear makeup and producing insecurities heh. Well if you’re going to wear makeup at all I suggest something non-​comedogenic (non pore-​clogging) like bare minerals. A lot of the major make up brands don’t invest in making their products noncomedogenic. I realized after all these years of wearing Lancôme and other products and still having acne in my mid-​20s that maybe I should invest more in my skin. After using bare minerals my skin is not as oily throughout the day. Whereas with other brands my skin is so oily because the pores are clogged and not getting any oxygen. Good moisturizer is key also-​one that is non-​comedogenic. Good nutrition does wonders.

Needed to get my R350 face powder and I was helped by Shalva! SHE IS THE SWEETEST THANG SINCE THEY INVENTED SUGAR!!! We chatted about my «issues» with makeup… and she suggested a few things like the clear primer for instance. She gave me a sample and I loved it so much I went back and bought that along with the blush she suggested. FINALLY a go-​to girl that really knows her products and what works on skin tones… and she didn’t make me look like a clown like that ‘other’ makeup place that rhymes with ‘Sac’…lol! Shalva is the one!!!

I went there the other weekend and had the best customer service. Jackie assisted us and took her time to make sure everything we needed she covered. We spent at least 45 minutes with her and left very pleased. I would definitely go back there and ask for her.

I have been using this make up for quite a while now. I use the foundation and lipstick. I absolutely love it. The foundation powder is light and it doesn’t even feel like you have make up on. The coverage is excellent and it evens out all those uneven skin tones on your face. The lipsticks are moisturizing and they make your lips nice and soft. Each time I have visited this store the customer service has been excellent. The staff is friendly and very helpful.

i love the Bare Mineral Products and have been a loyal customer for years. maybe it’s my older age (the sales persons are my duaghter’s age) but I cannot stand going into this store. The salespeople are SO phony and seem incapable of talking to you like a normal adult. And the minute you walk in they do the hard sell and won’t leave you alone, even if you already know what you want. I try to be nice because I know they are trained to do this and probably don’t earn much, but do I really need someone to stand one foot away from me and stare when I am just trying to pick a lip gloss shade? she didn’t get the hint to just back off. I usually end up walking out and going to Sephora. they need to learn that different demograpics don’t all want the fake pushy sales girl treatment.

I realized how much I loved this location after I made a visit to the Berkeley one. I was helped right away on two different occasions — first when I had a lot of time and needed everything from foundation to concealer to an eye shadow. I wish I’d noted the name of the sales associate that helped me, she was lovely — she gave me time to figure out what I liked, explained every product and didn’t mind my stupid questions. I left really happy, and I actually use these products on a daily basis. The second time I was in a super hurry — I knew exactly what I wanted and again I was helped right away!
The 4^th street, Berkeley location was horrible — I asked to look at an eyeshadow, and instead of offering to put it on me, she asked me to come back another day when i didn’t have makeup on!
Bare Minerals products last a really really long time, so I’m not sure how often I will go back but I highly recommend the Walnut Creek location to anyone wanting to try on or buy makeup!
Edit: I went in today to exchange a product that I’d bought at the Berkeley location — again I was helped right away — this time by Rebecca. The gorgeous lady who’d helped me the first time was Shalva — she recognized me from two weeks ago (!) and asked me if I was enjoying the products — that to me is fabulous customer service, these guys have turned me into a loyal customer. Happy happy!

I went in to the store yesterday after going to the Bare Minerals counter @ Macy’s in Sun Valley. I had a sneaking suspicion that the girls @ Macy’s didn’t give me the right shade and also they didn’t have the compact powder I wanted. Which was very much the case.
Rebecca was at the front door and was so helpful! I was really frazzled because I had just driven around for 30 minutes trying to find parking. Rebecca was so nice and totally understood my frustration with the parking and not getting the right make up from Macy’s. Even though I was rushing she really took the time to match me and and explain how to apply my make up and concealer but also got me in and out in about 10 minutes. All the girls in the store were really fun and sweet and I love that because make up is suppose to be fun!
I took a point away because it’s a b to the h to find parking in this area.

Wow! Where have I been? My cousin told me to come here and try this make up. Honestly, I have no idea how to mix and blend with powders… Shalva came to my rescue and hooked me up. She showed me how to look like a million bucks. I can’t wait to come back and get more!

At the age of 55, a makeup virgin, I decided I was old enough to learn to use it. I visited the shop on July 9 and 11 and had outstanding experiences both times. On my first visit, Rebecca helped me select products and taught me the basics of using them. When I hesitated about mascara and eyeliner she did not push me to try them. She spent over an hour with me. I returned two days later having decided to try those products, and Gaby, the store manager, spent almost two hours with me, reviewing in detail what I had learned on the previous visit and expanding it to include eye makeup. She helped me take extensive notes and cheerfully answered all my questions. On both occasions the staff were friendly, extremely patient, interested, and encouraging in helping me overcome my reticence and deal with my rosacea. With their help I have achieved just what I wanted: a makeup regimen that’s doable and looks natural, bringing out my blue eyes and long lashes and muting the rosacea redness. I don’t look 20 again, but that isn’t the point. I want to look the best I can at 55 and consider that I have received the best possible help to do that. The products are of excellent quality, are free of toxic chemicals, and suit my sensitive skin very well. I have no trouble applying them so my confidence has soared. Yes, I spent a lot of money on products, but I consider it an investment and I am worth it. The mineral products should last several months since very little is needed for each application.
Overall I was very pleased with my visits, the store, the terrific customer service I received, and what I see in the mirror. I will be a return visitor and Bare Escentuals customer for a long time.

Went in to have my makeup done for a special event (bridesmaid) and my makeup turned out great! And It lasted all night long… usually I have big bright red apple cheeks after any drinking and blotchy skin. Not the case here! The girl who helped me, damn :/​I forget her name, loretta?, had a super wonderful personality and was totally down and open to any little suggestions I made. I love seeing the pics from the wedding. The appointment went double than the 30 minutes they said it would, but luckily I had the time and can tell she was taking extra time in making everything perfect. She even put on my fake lashes for me.
I wish I had more time to really decide on the products I wanted to buy as I quickly purchased some after I noticed the time. I suggest you really think about which products you use on a daily basis now and see the BE product for that. I will be back for more products and def back if I ever need my makeup professionally done.

If you want amazing, personal service by woman who KNOW what they’re doing and are trained on every product. this is the place to go. I’ve worked in makeup for a few years, and I know how impersonal it can be if you’re not assisted in the right way. If you’re looking for a very professional, knowledgable, and SKILLED makeup artist. Sandra is your way to go. She is the sweetest woman with the cutest English accent.
If you’re looking for a bubbly, funny, brutally honest makeup artist. Victoria is your lady. She’s full of life, AMAZING with color, and will have you leaving feeling like you made a new friend.
If you want perky, chatty, and adventurous with your makeup look. ask for Haley. She’s the one who will greet you with the biggest smile and give you an ultra-​glam look.
All the girls are wonderful. Ask for a demo and they will give it to you. They also let you roam the store and try shadows on your hand so you can see for yourself what they look like. The events are also fun, try bringing a girlfriend in and getting a new look whenever you need to stock up!

It has been sometime since I’ve been to this boutique but it’s one of the closest to my area.
I’ve been a loyal customer for awhile now and every time I step in to a BE boutique I’m always overwhelmed with the amount of products and color palette they have. So what to do? That’s simple… The employees were more than helpful, as they are also pushing you to purchasing an item or two. There were a few colors that struck me and I was there to use a coupon that was mailed out by the company as a result of an unfortunate lawsuit to purchase a single item of the coupon value.
Heh, that single item turned out to be a few items and plenty of damage. The lovely ladies there were of a big help to me when I asked for a particular look. The one employee, Hayley took a great deal of time in giving me the desired look I didn’t expect for an upcoming event as well as an everyday kind of look. It definitely took me by surprise. Thanks.
So all in all, it has been nothing more than a positive experience at this boutique for me. Yes, the employees here do throw the sale pitches in purchasing products and you’re just there browsing around but hey it’s business. They certainly have mine! I’ll definitely be back…

Ok I hate to be a bitch and I know it’s going to come off that way but I can’t hold back…
the girl doing my makeup had a horrible, horrible rash on her hands that she tried to cover up with thick, heavy make up that just made the rash more obvious.
I didn’t want to be rude so I let her spend over an HOUR trying to color match me. She had to ask TWO other employees their opinions of what make up to use on my face. When I finally got «color matched» there was soooo much makeup on my face that I looked like a circus freak. I felt bad that she had spent so much time and effort to apply my make up so I purchased a starter kit but I ended up returning it at the Oakridge location a week later. When I did return the makeup the Oakridge employee was like OMG what was she thinking this is not even CLOSE to the right color for your skin. On top of all that, I ended up breaking out the day after I got my makeup done at the Walnut Creek location. I know Bare Escentuals works well for some, but for mixed people with sensitive skin such as myself its a big, fat NO!
and if you have rashes all over your hands… don’t touch my face. K thanks.

I love the Walnut Creek shop becuase it’s spacious and beautiful, but the ladies that work there are sweet and helpful too!
I’m so excited that I just won a girlfriend party that I’ll be doing on December 15^th. When they called to tell me the girl I spoke to was so nice and excited for me!
=)
I think this store is nice!

I love the mineral revolution!
For years I had struggled to find a face makeup that I could love and then I found Bare Escentuals. The new Matte makeup is great.
If you are going to go mineral for the first time be sure to let them teach you. TRUST ME! A good teacher and great brushes can change your face for the better.
I love the girls that work here well except for the rookies they bring in on the holidays.

I’m not a big makeup gal, preferring to comb my hair and rush out the door, but sometimes I prefer to look a bit more presentable (ie when I have to go to work) and so I thought, hey, what the hell.
We’ve all seen the infomercials, the before/​after pictures, and heard about how ~*fantastic Bare Escentuals and the Bare Minerals line is, and we’re all skeptics. But I went Christmas shopping and, on a whim, stopped in. I left with NINETY DOLLARS of makeup. Is this because I’m an easy sell? Well, yes. But it’s also because this stuff is fantastic.
As I said, I don’t wear much makeup, but this stuff is easy to apply, works well, and doesn’t make my skin feel disgusting and caked with foundation. It does its job, and so do the people in the store. The lady who helped me, I believe named Alisha, was extremely knowledgeable of the products, helped me find eye makeup that suited me, and showed me everything I needed to know.
They try very hard to sell you in this place, which might be a turnoff to those who are just there to browse, but they are also extremely helpful. It’s not cheap, either, but it definitely gets the results that you want if you want something subtle but effective.
Yay? Yay.