Almost everyone has heard about mineral makeup. Its right around the corner everywhere you go. Tremendous marketing campaigns and launches on television promotional and sales channels all over the world have united a fire that is unfortunately filled with formulation problems, inaccurate testimonials and falsehoods.
First of all I have to say the basic concept of mineral makeup is positive. In fact, it’s great. Historically, we owe a large portion of its discovery to the royalty of Ancient Egypt, who discovered the minerals and used them on their faces to beautify themselves. For over 6000 years, people have been digging up color from the earth (minerals) and doing something with it; painting a wall on a cave, a face to look beautiful or a face to look strong to scare away the enemy. Minerals are not new; in fact they have been the basis of makeup for centuries.
In the early part of European history, royalty and fine European ladies and men used powdered cosmetic mineral pigments mixed with fine oils to enhance their beauty, according to the fashion of the times. Like I said, minerals are not new.
Max Factor, father of modern cosmetics, was the first to incorporate mineral pigments in a compound and sell it professionally – followed by many companies that jumped on the bandwagon; some of which are still around today.
Several years ago, minerals entered the market again. This was due to the organic revolution, and the advanced technological testing of raw materials that were used in some cosmetics. For over 50 years, organizations like the FDA in the United States and the governmental regulatory bodies in other countries have allowed and disallowed raw materials, mineral pigments, and other components in cosmetics. One only has to look online to see that mineral cosmetics hold the record for the number of benefits vs. problems caused by inadequate formulations, marketing, and false promises about coverage and durability.
First let’s establish what we need a cosmetic to do. A truly good cosmetic must cover, wear well, and be maintenance-free for the user. In the 1950s, the wearability and durability wasn’t a huge preference for consumers, and ultimately not a marketing standpoint. However over the years, women’s schedules have demanded more durability and less maintenance. The professional companies have handled this demand based on the formulation of oil, wax, and pigment. In recent years, new and innovative base-related products have emerged like silicones and esters that eliminate the need for oils, waxes and fatty esters that promote and require additional maintenance. Regular companies have taken packaging by the horns, and created fantastic looking products, in expensive packaging (accompanied by expensive price tags – they have to make money to afford the expensive sales counters at the fine department stores). In my opinion, the formulations created by the regular companies lack pigmentation, coverage, durability and maintenance and require the customer to return to the sales counter on a regular basis.
Mineral makeup is faced with a host of problems including drying effects on the skin and components that can induce an adverse reaction.
Let’s look at some of the key questions regarding the efficacy of mineral makeup:
Is mineral makeup drying on the skin?
Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide are both used in many cosmetics. They are used primarily in regular and professional cosmetics as an opacifier. Used in lower percentages (8% – 15%), both Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide are perfectly safe. They are also drying agents as well. Both are raw mineral powders. Zinc Oxide is what you see on a beach lifeguard’s nose – the white stuff! Mineral makeup products use as much as 24% in their formulas. No wonder many aestheticians say mineral makeup can be drying on your skin. For those that have oily skin, this can cause the skin to compensate for the dryness and secrete more oil through the sebaceous
glands, exacerbating the problem.
Is it all natural?
More than any other makeup product, mineral makeup brands wax lyrical about what their products don’t contain. Those selling mineral makeup warn how other companies’ loose or pressed powders are tainted by the presence of talc (even though it’s a natural earth mineral), fragrance, fillers, and “harsh chemical dyes.” According to almost every catalogue and website selling mineral makeup, they all want you to believe that theirs is the ideal product containing only the good and none of the “bad,” whilst simultaneously being the perfect choice for every skin type and skin problem. Of course, the appeal of these products being “all natural” and therefore organic and “healthy” for skin is hard for the consumer to ignore.
Ironically, the original mineral makeup lines that were launched were about as natural as polyester. Companies like Youngblood, Bare Essentials and Jane Iredale used Bismuth Oxychloride as the main “mineral” ingredient, yet Bismuth Oxychloride is not found in nature! Bismuth Oxychloride is manufactured by combining Bismuth, a by-product of lead and copper metal refining (dregs of smelting if you will), mixed with Chloride (a compound from chlorine), and water. Its use in cosmetics is due to its distinct shimmery, pearlescent appearance and its fine white powder texture that adheres well to skin. That doesn’t automatically make it bad for skin; it just makes the marketing claims utterly false and ludicrous.
On the downside, Bismuth Oxychloride is heavier than talc and can look cakey on the skin. For some people, the Bismuth and Chloride combination can be irritating. All the claims revolving around how mineral makeup is better for the skin or is somehow equivalent to skin care is nothing more than clever marketing.
What about the application?
Since mineral makeup is also in loose powder form, application can be messier than regular makeup, especially for those who are not yet familiar on how to use one. And also, it is not really travel friendly because of its loose form.
That loose form is due to the micro-pulverizing of the powder particles in the formulation process. OK, let’s get a little technical on this one. Usually loose powders are milled to about 12 microns. What’s a micron you say? Well, it takes a million microns to equal one meter (39.37 inches). Ultimately that means that mineral makeup falls into pores and causes more damage if not cleaned properly. Incidentally, nano-sized particles use a billion parts to equal 1 meter.
Sometimes, depending on the type of skin and amount of oiliness on the skin, mineral makeup does not go on smooth. This is because the mineral makeup is “setting” the natural oils on the face.
Is mineral makeup really good for the skin?
There is no research anywhere proving that mineral makeup is inherently better for skin than other types of foundation, in fact there are more cons to this than pros. Most of the skin care attributes ascribed to mineral makeup are distantly linked to research about Zinc Oxide. But Zinc Oxide is a standard ingredient used in lots of sunscreens and is not unique to mineral makeup.
While Zinc Oxide does have healing properties for skin (it is FDA-approved as a skin protectant, and a common active ingredient in diaper rash ointments and as an opacifier in cosmetics), those healing properties have to do with skin whose barrier has been compromised, such as wounds, ulcers, or rashes. In those cases, Zinc Oxide can facilitate healing (Source: Wound Repair and Regeneration, January/February 2007, pages 2–16). However those studies used pure Zinc Oxide; the test didn’t include products that also contain other ingredients, such as mica or Bismuth Oxychloride, or have anything to do with healthy, intact skin.
Mineral makeup is often recommended for those with rosacea, but because rosacea is a fickle skin disorder that can be made worse by powders (the granular composition of any powder can be an irritant) it isn’t a slam-dunk.
Mineral makeup can work well as a sunscreen as long as the product itself is rated with an SPF 15 or greater, and you can wear it over a moisturizer with sunscreen to get more protection. As is true for any product with an SPF rating, in order to get the right amount of thorough protection, liberal application is essential – which means a sheer layer of mineral makeup won’t protect your skin from the sun. Take my advice: buy a sunscreen product to protect your skin from the sun and not a mineral makeup.
Mineral makeup is one of the best-marketed cosmetic items ever. It’s a fad, and the marketing claims of durability, coverage and maintenance only add to the disappointment from customers all over the world. Being “natural,” the elements of coverage and durability can only be determined by the definition of the user. When a user stops using one product only to use something that is a little better, the user’s definition is redefined. This accurate definition is therefore achieved through educating the consumer, the aesthetician, and the cosmetics industry. Makeup should be easily applied and removed, should not cause skin problems, should have great coverage with a sheer application, and not cost an arm and a leg. It should also use high quality products and ingredients, including mineral pigments, a preservative system, and emollients that help the makeup apply smoothly and with ease. Anything outside this definition is something I would not want on my face and is marketing farce.
Written by Tommy Parsons
DMK Cosmetics Division Manager