Arbonne Natural Radiance Mineral Powder Foundation SPF 15

Mineral foundations are a relatively new find in the Beauty Bite household. Recently I've become hooked on Bare Escentuals after hearing my sister rave wonders about their latest matte foundation, yet this summer I tried (and spectacularly failed) at getting this powder based beauty to work it's magic on me...

Arbonne's Natural Radiance Mineral Foundation is a rather generous portion of product weighing in at 8.5g. Designed to give the face a soft focused airbrushed effect, I was sent a pot of 'light' to try out for review.

Presented in a sturdy plastic jar, the product is dispensed via a series of vents that are secured after use using a thin see-through lid. Application is a tad messy - there's no doubt this design would benefit from a built in sifter - but when applied with a generously fluffy brush the powder itself transfers onto the skin effortlessly, filling each and every nook and cranny with sheer and subtle coverage.

Natural Radiance Mineral Powder Foundation sheered out

And here's for me where the main issues starts. Whilst this foundation is undeniably great at evening out skin tone and lifting a dull complexion, the radiance side of things sway far more towards glitter than glow. For night time wear I would happily load this powder onto my face, but for day time? I feel a bit like a walking mirror ball.

Natural Radiance Mineral Powder Foundation in shade 'light' applied to bare skin

I do enjoy wearing this base; it's comfortable, allows my skin to breathe and lasts a whole day's wear and tear - plus the added SPF 15 is a real bonus. Yet I just can't shake off the amount of shimmer. Radiance in products should be about creating a natural illumination to the skin, not simply dusting it with sparkle.

Extreme close up of product on the skin

Lately I've been trialling this as a body powder; something to dust liberally over my arms and legs before a big night out. It works fantastically well at providing a generous sheen to the skin and feels ultra smooth when buffed down. I think this works wonderfully as a night time cosmetic - and I can't fault it's skills at all in terms of the coverage I expect from a good foundation - but at £26 a jar I was honestly expecting a bit more than a glitzy coating of sparkle.

Arbonne Natural Radiance Mineral Powder Foundation SPF 15 is available from Arbonne directly priced at £26.

*this product was a free sample obtained by the Beauty Bite*