Ouch..my itchy, itchy face.
On a quest to find the perfect foundation that could stand the heat and humity of the weather here, I did some online research for mineral makeup products in Malaysia and read rave reviews about the Laura Mercier Mineral Powder SPF15. This product is one of the rare minerals foundation found in Malaysia as there isn't such a craze for minerals as in the US.
Previously, I have tested and tried Bare Escentuals, Everyday Minerals and Urban Decay back in the US. Bare Escentuals was too thick and made me itchy as hell, probably due to the bismuth oxychloride and mica. I tried Everyday Minerals which suited my sensitive skin but it was hard to match the foundation to my skin perfectly.
Urban Decay's 'Surreal Skin' was the best fit as it fit my skin tone perfectly and it didn't cause any itchy or burning sensations. The product does have a bit of mica and bismuth but it may be in lower quantities than BE since I my face wasn't protesting at all. UD is hard as hell to find in Malaysia since there isn't a Sephora here...best bet would be to go to Singapore and buy it there or wait til next year for Sephora to come to Kuala Lumpur.
I went to the Robinsons at the Gardens Mid Valley and requested for the sales assistant to test the foundation. She used the makeup remover to wipe off the existing concealer I had put on prior to going out, used some sort of toner and then put primer. My face was flaming red due to either the remover or toner. It was quite embarrassing sitting on the counter chair showing the whole world my burning red cheeks with blemishes and all.
The SA matched my skin with the foundation color (Natural Beige) and tapped some of the powder onto the top container. Using her brush to swirl the powder around, she tapped the brush against the container to remove the excess powder and brushed it against my face.
There is a sieve which allows the user to twist for usage
I kept looking at the mirror to see the effect of the powder and without concealer on my face, the foundation provided great coverage. However, it does enlarge some pores especially if the ones closer to the nose. The SA also brushed the 'Mineral Finishing Powder No.1' which gave my face a nice matte finish.
Impressed and liking the look of my skin, I purchased both products and received a RM20 voucher for spending more than RM180 in one transaction. I looked at the voucher as I was walking out of the store and nearly laughed. It expired in two days!
15 minutes later, I felt my face start to itch and the effects were just like the Bare Escentuals mishap. It felt like an itching/burning sensation on areas like my chin, around the mouth, my forehead and my cheekbones. I tried to endure it for awhile thinking that my face was just trying to get used to it but I couldn't stand it so as soon as I got home, I went to the bathroom and washed my face twice.
What a pity. It looked and felt like a great product but because of the two ingredients, it just didn't fit my acne-prone, highly sensitive skin.
I called Robinsons and explained my situation to them. Since I didn't use the two products and kept my receipt, I am able to exchange or return the products for my money back within 14 days. Yay!
The return policy is horrible in Malaysia as most places do not allow you to return or exchange anything but the policy at Robinsons is pretty damn good. So note to readers: check all ingredients listed on the product first before purchasing it and if you do purchase the product, make sure the store has a good return policy.
*sighs* Now I will still have to go around looking for the perfect foundation...might try the Laura Mercer Oil-free Tinted Moisturizer as I heard it was great for sensitive skin but I hope it won't cause another allergic reaction.
