bareMinerals Original Prime Time Foundation Primer vs Superstay 24H Primer: which is safer?
bareMinerals Original Prime Time Foundation Primer is the clear pick. Maybelline Superstay 24H Primer carries a failing PFAS grade, and we never recommend buying a failing product.
Our pick
Bare Minerals
bareMinerals Original Prime Time Foundation Primer
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleFragrance allergen sensitization
Maybelline
Superstay 24H Primer
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossiblePerfluorinated compounds (PFAS) in waterproofing agents
PossibleFragrance allergens (unlisted in 'fragrance' disclosure)
PossibleVolatile silicone inhalation during application
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Fragrance allergen sensitization on the Bare Minerals and not on the Maybelline.
- We flag Perfluorinated compounds (PFAS) in waterproofing agents, Fragrance allergens (unlisted in 'fragrance' disclosure) and Volatile silicone inhalation during application on the Maybelline and not on the Bare Minerals.
- The Bare Minerals is mineral powder, silicones, mica where the Maybelline is Silicone, glycerin, polymer emulsion with waterproofing agents, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- The gap is 70 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Bare Minerals is the one to buy.
- We are less certain about the Maybelline grade, at 45% confidence against 72%, because it discloses less.
Both products run through the same public rubric: materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →
More foundation & primer: see the full ranking