Fall is approaching, and it’s a good reminder that we need to be kinder to our skin. What better way than to check out a product that is not only good for our skin but good for our souls? Pur Cosmetics is a company with a line of products that enhance our complexions through improved hydration, texture and tone. Its 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Powder Foundation is one of the most popular mineral foundations on the market, and for good reason. It infuses skincare right into the product. It is also an ethical company that leaves a soothing effect on the world and our faces.
What is PUR Cosmetics?
Pur Cosmetics is a company that provides mineral powder products to the beauty market. There are other mineral-based products on the market, but few provide the benefits that Pur Cosmetics does. They have designed their products to deliver better-looking skin in 60 seconds, and this company promises not only that but to improve the condition of your skin within 60 days. In clinical testing, 89% of users experienced improved skin texture in just four weeks.
In five weeks, 85% of users saw an improvement in discoloration of their skin. 75% of users saw a reduction in skin irritation in six weeks, and after seven weeks, 89% of users saw an overall improvement in their skins’ tone.
We looked into this product to see how it works, and the answer is both complex and simple. One of Pur Cosmetics’ special secrets is their proprietary blend of ingredients called Ceretin Complex. This complex combines the proven ingredient Retinol, which provides age-defying results, and Ceramides that hydrate the skin and allow it to improve its texture over time. 100% Shea butter also provides nourishment and hydration to improve skin tone.
Even as fall arrives, we need to make sure we guard our skin from the sun’s harsh ultraviolet rays, and Pur Cosmetics’ ingredients in many of their products provide natural SPF as a byproduct. Vitamin C and Waltheria extract are powerhouses that provide nutrients to improve skin tone and brighten the complexion. Waltheria has natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant capabilities. Aside from these key players, multiple vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants work to improve the skin’s health.
The complexity of the ingredient list is also simple: it’s a list of healthy, natural ingredients that work together to give us makeup that not only makes us look healthy and glowing but delivers that from the inside out.
Speaking of glowing, it isn’t enough to say Pur Cosmetics delivers a strong ethical promise to the world. They also live that promise. They have pledged themselves to make cruelty-free products and guarantee that their products are completely free from animal testing. Pur Cosmetics is also environmentally friendly and committed to minimizing waste in production and using responsibly sourced ingredients.
Many of their products contain no Parabens – chemicals believed to cause cancer. They also make sure they provide consumers with gluten-free (yes!) alternatives. Gluten has long been used in the beauty industry as a binding agent and causes symptoms for those with Celiac disease. Alcohol and talc can be problematic too, especially in the fall and winter months, by causing dryness and irritation. Many of their products have eliminated these two ingredients.
Pur Cosmetics is conscientious right down to their packaging. Bisphenol A, commonly known as BPA is a toxin that can leach from plastics into the water. Because all of their products are BPA free, there’s no need to worry about this toxin coming into contact with your skin.
Pricing
Pricing varies widely when it comes to mineral based products. Pur Cosmetics is solidly priced at just under $30 for their 4-in-1 foundation, a terrific value for what this product delivers. Pur Cosmetics is available on their website, on Amazon, in your nearest Ulta store, or even at Kohls.
How it Compares
We picked a couple of similar products available on the market to see how they compare. We looked at a number of things, including price, ease of use, quality, and some features that make or break each product. We’ve assembled the results below. We looked at Pur Cosmetics’ Pur Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Powder Foundation, ULTA Mineral Powder Foundation, Laura Mercier Mineral Powder, and Mineral Essence Magic Finish.
Pur Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Powder Foundation
PÜR 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup Broad Spectrum SPF 15
- 4-in-1 – This all in one foundation, concealer, powder and SPF 15 has been clinically…
- SPF 15 – Blocks 93% of UVB rays that cause aging and discoloration
- Flawless Finish – Lighten up dark spots and uneven skin tone with botanical extracts from…
Ease of Use
We found that pressed powders are the easiest to use, especially when we’re on the go. All it takes is the compact and a brush, and we’re done in 60 seconds. It’s easy to travel with, too, and that makes it just about perfect.
Quality
Pur Cosmetics knows what they’re doing. We’ve done a lot of shopping, and you can’t get better quality for the price.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Compact and easy to travel with
- Light and airy feels great on the skin
- Medium coverage that lasts and doesn’t look cakey
Cons
- You always want more product
- Works best with Pur Cosmetics primer
- Order from legitimate sites or you may get a counterfeit product
ULTA Mineral Powder Foundation
ULTA Mineral Powder Foundation in Fair 01C (light with cool pink…
- 0.35oz/ 10g
Ulta Mineral Powder Foundation is a formulation for the in-house brand of Ulta Beauty stores. The Mineral powder foundation is only available in loose form.
Ease of Use
Not as easy to use as a compact, but fairly predictable as loose powders go. It tends to fly away more easily.
Quality
We couldn’t really find any literature that touted the quality of the ingredients, or that noted it contained anything out of the ordinary. It did not provide as much coverage as we would have liked, and it was slightly cakey in some trials.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Priced lower than most mineral foundations
- Comes in as many shades (10)
- Works well as a foundation setter
Cons
- Light coverage
- Does not last as long
- Needs a primer, but is hard to buff
- Inconsistent pricing on Amazon
Laura Mercier Mineral Powder
Laura Mercier Mineral Powder SPF15 Natural Beige
- Misc
Laura Mercier Mineral Powder is also a loose powder foundation advertised as antiaging and nourishing to the skin. It is Paraben, Sulfate, and Phthalate free. It also contains 15 amino acids and pearlescent powders meant to highlight, provide coverage and add a youthful-looking glow.
Ease of Use
This loose foundation, although not as easy to use as a pressed powder, provided good coverage and did not fly away as easily as its Ulta counterpart.
Quality
This powder foundation was similar in quality to Pur Minerals, with the exception that it provided a pearlized glow that crept into pores and lines a little more than we would have liked.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Good formulation with healthy minerals and vitamins
- Can be used on an array of skin types
- Provided a good medium coverage
Cons
- Okay for all skin types, but not for all ages
- Limited range of colors offered
- Cakes easily
Mineral Essence Magic Finish
Mineral Essence Finisher – MAGIC FINISH TRANSLUCENT POWDER
- The essential finishing touch to your make-up routine
- This subtle shimmering powder banishes fine lines and minimizes pores
- Creates the illusion of naturally bare skin
Mineral Essence Magic Finish foundation is a multi-product company that offers loose powder mineral foundation. The company advertises it as high quality and high coverage. Until now, we’ve only seen medium coverage brands, so this should be interesting. One thing to note is that this company is an online store and doesn’t appear to be available in brick and mortar stores.
Ease of Use
Proved as easy to use as the other loose foundations. Choose your brush wisely, artists!
Quality
The quality of this brand seemed to be fairly consistent. The problem with coming from an online company, though, is that you don’t know what that quality is until they have shipped it to you. Although it is advertised as high coverage, we could only get medium coverage from it.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Decent medium coverage
- Fairly priced within our range
- 15 colors available to choose from, which is even more than our pressed foundation
Cons
- Decent coverage, but not high coverage
- Inconsistent quality due to shipping from different vendors
- The naming convention is confusing. We’d prefer if the names were describing words (peach, tawny, rose, etc.) rather than letter and number combinations (L1, D2, etc.)
Conclusion
Overall, this product gets our vote as the best mineral powder foundation on the market at this price level. Value is the keyword here. Of the range of products we tested, none came close to having the level of quality for the price, and that equals value. Mineral powder foundation is something that every makeup lover likes to have on-hand as part of their arsenal. For those of us who are avid collectors of everything beauty, it’s much easier to keep quality items on hand when we can afford them.
The Pros
A pressed compact which the other companies could not offer provides the ultimate ease of use. It makes mineral foundation, which can be dusty and messy in our makeup bags, easier to travel with and keep in our bags for an on-the-go touchup. There is also the quality aspect of Pur Cosmetics. We weren’t able to find comparable products out there with the same coverage. Neither were we able to find other products that treated our skin so well.
Pur Cosmetics’ products are perfect for the coming colder weather, and skin issues like blemishes and rosacea are much easier to handle when they’re being soothed by natural ingredients that have anti-aging and anti-inflammatory effects on the skin.
Quality products in this day and age also mean ethical products, and we were hard pressed (no pun intended) to find another company who fit all the requirements of an earth-loving, morally conscientious buyer. No animal testing, cruelty-free, and responsibly sourced? Yes, please. BPA, gluten, and alcohol and talc free? Give us more!
We were happy with the amount of coverage we received from Pur Cosmetics, too. Both the foundation compact and quality brush were travel-friendly and a definite plus on our pro’s list. Application of the makeup left us with a soft and airy feel, and it wasn’t heavy or cakey at all.
The Cons
The few cons we found weren’t really due to any lack on the company’s part. We wanted more foundation in the compact, but there was an adequate supply (we just loved it). We noted that it works best with Pur Cosmetics primer, and not nearly as well with other brands of primer, but then again, these two products were formulated to work together and the superiority of that formulation shouldn’t be held against them. You could always wear it with no primer – we found that works well too.
While researching, we found that some consumers appeared to have purchased their foundation compact from off-site retailers. That is a con for almost every product you buy, beauty or not. Make sure you know what you’re getting and make sure you know where it’s coming from. We are avid beauty store shoppers. It helps to go to a brick and mortar store to try out the shades on your skin tone, especially at different times of the season. You may be a golden tan today, but as soon as that colder air breezes on down from the north, you’ll turn into a golden medium in no time.
It’s also helpful to find a physical store in case of the dreaded return situation. Did you get home and find out that the lighting was all wrong and now you look a little too ‘beachy-bronze’ for the office? It’s much easier to walk into the store and return an item you’re unhappy with. If you’ve returned something online, you know exactly what we’re talking about.
Overall, Pur Cosmetics is getting a solid five-star rating from us. Value, quality, and all the wonderful perks we get from this product leave us waiting to get our hands on the rest of their stash. Happy buffing!