Ever since I was little, I've always loved experimenting with makeup. Being able to change how you look with a swipe of lipstick [1] or eye shadow always seemed like the coolest thing to me. When I was young, makeup was mostly reserved for dance recitals, but as I entered middle school I started experimenting with my mom's stash.

It wasn't until high school that I really pushed my mom to let me get my own makeup. She knew the samples she kept in her bathroom weren't going to keep me occupied for long, so she took me to the bareMinerals [2] store in the mall. I remember picking up the brand's starter kit [3] ($34), which came with primer, foundation, setting powder and a brush. In addition I picked out a blush, bronzer, two eye shadows, and a few brushes. The fresh-faced look, lightweight feel and clean ingredients seemed acceptable for a 13-year-old, and so I went on my way out of the store with my first products in hand.

Years later, I've tried so many different foundations, bronzers, and so on. But recently, in the search for something lighter for Summer, I was drawn back to the first makeup I ever bought. While I didn't pick up the starter kit as I had 13 years ago, I did grab an Original Foundation [4] ($31), All Over Face Colour [5] ($22), and Blush [6] ($22) to work with again.

This time, at 26, I used some of my usual products and skincare [7] and layered the bareMinerals powders on top of it. I was shocked and excited to see how fresh and "your-skin-but-better" I looked. How had I let 13 years pass and not gone back to my very first love?

With the weather finally warming up, I'm excited to let my healthy looking skin shine through with just a little powder foundation, bronzer, and blush. Who knows, maybe I won't switch back.

BareMinerals Nothing Beats the Original™ 4-Piece Get Started Kit

Nothing Beats the Original™ 4-Piece Get Started Kit [8] ($34)

BareMinerals Original Foundation SPF 15

Original Foundation SPF 15 [9] ($31)

BareMinerals Blush

Blush [10] ($22)

BareMinerals All-Over Face Colour

All-Over Face Colour [11] ($22)