1) The first main difference is ingredients (Quality) –
La Bella Donna holds 4 ingredients in the “loose” with NO fillers in the product line –
**That means NO Corn Starch, which is one main ingredient Bare Minerals use in their mineral veil foundation. When you mix Corn Starch with any type of oils form the skin you instantly clog pores because it becomes paste like.
2) Bare Minerals puts "MICA" as the key mineral in their foundations –
MICA is a much cheaper mineral than Titanium Dioxide, which is used by La Bella Donna. MICA is a high shine mineral and can make the skin look "shiny" which makes pores/fine lines look a bit bigger - Many people recognize this difference with La Bella Donna VS Bare Minerals as soon as you apply it to their skin.
3) The way the minerals are made is another key point
La Bella Donna puts minerals through a triple mill process (its more expensive to do this process) which grinds down them down to a very fine consistency. You can flick our minerals in the air and they will disperse in the air.
Other mineral lines do a double mill process, which makes minerals heavier - this can appear thicker on the skin and look more like make-up with a heavier feel as well. When you flick Bare Minerals in the air it slightly drops to the ground.
4) How many products you need to get the same look
If you walk into a store that carries Bare Minerals, the staff will try to sell someone 3 products –
- 1.) A mineral foundation
- 2.) A mineral veil to keep the minerals on longer and help with the shine (because they use MICA)
- 3.) A hydrating setting spray (because they use drying corn starch).
- 3 products to achieve one look at about $75.00-$95.00 not including the brushes needed.
La Bella recommends especially one product - our pure mineral loose foundation with only 4 ingredients to achieve an all day foundation (water-proof for humid areas and oily skin) that provides a full spectrum SPF 20, which gives sun protection all day long because it does not absorb into the skin. This one product is a 3-in-1 a foundation, concealer and setting agent - nothing else is needed. We don't recommend any setting spray because the 4 ingredients do exactly what dermatologists and doctors want them to do - "LESS INGREDIENTS ON THE SKIN MEANS MORE". La Bella is good for all skin types and was created for a dermatologist for post/op treatments and people going through Chemo - Bare Minerals can not compete with that because of the ingredients they put in their products.
5) Sold!
After a facial or waxing or hair service, Kasia Salon lightly dusts the minerals as the last step of every service - this is where you receive a whole new outlook on minerals - at this step it's being used as a water-proof SPF 20, and with 2 anti-inflammatory ingredients - it calms all and any redness down from extractions and steam - so the client feels more comfortable walking out of the salon. Plastic surgeons and dermatologists all over do dusting on clients after chemical peels, micro, laser, IPL facials, botox, etc... Bare Minerals can't do this because who wants cornstarch on their face after a facial (not good).
6) La Bella Donna products last on average 4-6 months, as our packaging is a bit bigger then that of Bare Minerals.
Just so you know, the shadows and lip products are just slightly more then Bare Minerals. Beautiful packaging and much better high quality ingredients with a nicer feel and look to the skin, is absolutely worth paying a little more.
I like to described it as fresh farmers market vegetables VS canned vegetables at the $0.99 store loaded with preservatives for the last year - same produce but the way they are kept and made is clearly different. And what they are going to do for the body is also clearly different, far from “Beautiful Health.”
I truly hope this helps answer your question discerning Bare Minerals. We all have the best of intentions, this is not meant to be a “jab” session, I just always will and have promised transparency and truth. Once one uses La Bella Donna, they really never go back - speaking from experience for myself, and my clients! I recommend everyone try the color in a Loose Mineral at $50, lasting 4 – 6 months! Mineral Brush also highly recommended at $45 for control and quality look. When you purchase any loose or compact mineral, recieve your goat application brush - 10% off!