The Truth on Mineral Makeup...Health or Hype?
Mineral makeups emerged in the mid-70’s and have evolved and integrated into every major cosmetic company since. From Harrods to Brown Thomas to Debenhams to Mulligan’s, you can find mineral makeups in virtually every price range.
What is mineral makeup; why has it grown in popularity; and, are all lines basically the same?
Mineral makeup, as the name suggests, is made with mineral elements. The minerals are pulverized and sterilized into a very fine powder and then mixed with a variety of natural inorganic colorings to produce a variety of colors. Because they are inorganic and contain no moisture, bacteria cannot form and thrive in them. Therefore, good mineral makeup will contain no preservatives. They are made up of microscopic flat crystals that overlap each other on the skin to create a filtering layer – a layer that allows your skin to breathe while offering protection from pollutants.In fact, applying a mineral makeup instead of a traditional chemical-based makeup provides a number of benefits.
Health Benefits. Mineral makeup is non-comedogenic. That means it won’t clog your pores. Traditional makeup formulations are loaded with chemicals, animal by-products, binders, petroleum and other synthetic irritants that not only exacerbate skin problems, but can actually cause them. Minerals enhance your own natural beauty. Rather than painting on a mask of chemicals, toxicity and age-inducing ingredients, you are allowing your skin to breathe and glow. Minerals allow your own natural state of health to reemerge as your skin cells begin to proliferate in a much healthier manner. It’s naturally anti-inflammatory, so skin problems such as acne, rosaccea and eczema can actually be alleviated by a proper mineral formulation. Women with oily skin also find much relief.
Mineral makeup provides natural broad spectrum UVA (aging) and UVB (burning) protection. Most minerals offer a minimum of spf 15 through the use of zinc oxide, a natural ingredient found in sunscreens. Zinc oxide has over a 300 year recorded use of safety in sun protection. Of course, additional protection through proper skin care application is advised.
Beauty Benefits. Anything that benefits your health will also give you the by-product benefit of enhanced beauty! Mineral makeup is naturally water-resistant, very long-wearing and blends in with your natural skin tone. Because it reflects sunlight, it also helps hide wrinkles, crow’s feet and fine lines while giving your skin an overall radiant glow. It feels weightless on the skin and can be layered, so you have the advantage of controlling the amount of coverage you want. Many women report that wearing mineral makeup feels like wearing no makeup at all.
Cost Benefits. Fortunately, the ingredients that go into authentically natural mineral cosmetics are very inexpensive. The colors and plant extracts are earth-derived, environmentally friendly and extremely cost-effective.
However, there are two things to watch out for when choosing the right formulations for your skin.
- First, there is no set regulation on what constitutes a “mineral” makeup. Any product containing minerals as the primary ingredient can be marketed as such, even if it contains a whole lot of other “less natural” ingredients.
- Second, because of the growing demand for safer ingredients in beauty products, there is much hype around mineral makeup. It’s popular and it’s hot! Major cosmetic companies are capitalizing big time on its popularity, and consumers are emptying their pocketbooks over it! Pay a little for the quality ingredients, but don’t waste extra money on the hype and overly inflated prices. Health…a resounding, “YES!” Hype…also a resounding, “YES!” The bottom line is do your homework and read labels. All mineral makeups are definitely not created the same. You CAN find cost-effectiveness without sacrificing purity and safety of ingredients. If you haven’t, yet, made the switch to mineral cosmetics, you have every reason you to do so.
As you can see, there are significant benefits and NO downside to a proper formulation. Give it a try and experience the benefits for yourself! Find out more about our mineral beauty products!
