Mineral makeup is not a new beauty craze. It’s been around since the ‘70s, and every makeup company has also tried it for themselves. Why? Because consumers are getting smarter about what they are putting in their bodies. For cosmetics, consumers have discovered that conventional makeup comes with several nasty ingredients that they don’t want to touch their skin. Meanwhile, mineral makeup contains many beneficial qualities for the skin, because it’s mostly made of natural minerals.
Pure, high-quality mineral makeup is a non-comedogenic makeup that can give you facial skin coverage as well as sun protection. It can cover up blemishes without making your skin condition worse. It’s anti-inflammatory, and it won’t clog your pores as you sweat.
All these things may sound too good to be true, but there’s a catch. Like any makeup, there are disadvantages to using it, especially for people with skin sensitivities. To learn more about the pros and cons of using mineral makeup, read on.
Pros:
Mineral makeup is a skin-friendly option
As mentioned earlier, mineral makeup is mostly non-comedogenic, meaning it doesn’t clog pores, and it’s safe for those people with sensitive skin. Pure powder mineral makeup comes with naturally-occurring minerals such as mica, zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, and iron oxides (usually listed with the letters CI plus a five-digit number). These four ingredients for a foundation can be enough, but most makeup products add necessary ingredients like jojoba skin oil, aloe vera, hyaluronic acid, and the like. All those minerals pose no harmful effect on the skin while adding a layer of natural sun protection.
Mineral makeup is safe for sensitive skin.
If you have allergies, sensitive skin, or skin conditions like acne, rosacea, and eczema, the mineral may be the best way to go. Powder mineral makeup doesn’t need any preservatives, which are often the cause of irritation. It’s also safe to use after facial treatments like dermal filler, Botox, etc. No need to distance yourself from the public while your facial treatment is healing because mineral makeup can be used to cover them up while your face is healing. It will not pose any irritation. Plus, zinc oxide and titanium oxide can help soothe the skin and calm redness. Zinc oxide is also an anti-microbial ingredient, reducing your chances of infection. Also, because it’s made of natural ingredients without additives like dyes, preservatives, and fragrances, it will be less likely to cause skin irritations.
Mineral makeup looks natural
Are you going for the no-makeup makeup look? Try mineral makeup. It has natural reflective qualities that are passed onto your skin, giving you a natural, glowing radiance. However, it all boils down to your manner of application. Mineral makeup powder is meant to be applied with swirling strokes, starting from the top of your face down.
Mineral makeup helps reduce skin inflammation
Some dermatologists say that mineral makeup can be anti-inflammatory because of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide content. It means mineral makeup doesn’t just conceal skin issues like acne or rosacea; it also helps alleviate it.
Mineral makeup is convenient
A great mineral foundation can cut out the need for other products, which lessens your preparation time before going out. For instance, with mineral makeup, you don’t need concealer because the coverage is buildable. You only need to build up the product in a specific area where you need it. Loose mineral foundation can be mixed with a facial moisturizer to create a custom tinted moisturizer, which is super convenient.
Mineral makeup allows you to achieve better coverage with less product
Pure mineral makeup doesn’t contain talc, which is a bulking agent that is less pigmented. Because it has fewer pigments, users tend to use more makeup on their faces to get the look and coverage they want, only to end up with a heavy, patchy finish that’s less than flattering. The absence of talc in mineral makeup gives you just the right amount of color payoff by using less product. Most users who switched to mineral makeup were surprised with the full coverage they got to form a small amount of product.
Mineral makeup doesn’t settle into fine lines
What makes your traditional foundation cake and settle into wrinkles and fine lines is talc. This is why mineral makeup is a great makeup of choice if you’re going for an anti-aging effect. The minerals are micronized or milled into a super small size to bring you a smooth and sheer coverage while providing a barely-there feeling.
Mineral makeup offers natural sun protection
Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which are two major ingredients in mineral makeup, are the major ingredients in sunscreen as well. These minerals are added to sunscreen to provide sun protection as these are natural UV blockers. So, think of mineral makeup as extra sunblock protection, but it must not replace your sunscreen.
Cons:
Mineral makeup may feel dry
For most powder mineral makeup, it’s not advisable for people with dry skin (instead, it’s better for those with normal to oily skin) because it can sometimes emphasize flakes and rough patches.
Mineral makeup has fewer color options
Pure mineral makeup does not contain dyes or coloring agents, so don’t expect as many colors and tones available as there are with conventional makeup. This can be a problem for people with darker skin, as darker skin tones often have several tones in them and need a custom blend to suit them. However, there are mineral makeup brands you can find like jane iredale and Color FX that offers a huge selection of foundation as compared to other brands of mineral makeup.
Pure mineral makeup is harder to find
Because there is less mineral makeup in the market, finding a good one is a hard thing to do if you’re not doing your research. As more brands are producing it, mineral makeup has become easier to find, but don’t be fooled with the “mineral” label. Sometimes, they only contain the four primary mineral ingredients and label their products as “mineral makeup,” even if it contains preservatives, synthetic fillers, talc, parabens, fragrance, dyes, and other additives – which can all cause problems for the skin.
When choosing an excellent mineral makeup, always research the brand and the amount of mineral content in the product you’re eyeing for. The minerals must appear at the top of the ingredients list, and there must be a few technical-sounding ingredients or numbers as possible.
Some mineral makeup can be irritating
Some manufacturers add bismuth oxychloride in their cosmetics. It’s a natural byproduct of processing lead and copper, which adds a shimmery or matte finish to makeup. However, this ingredient is a known skin irritant, especially for people with sensitive skin. To know what other ingredients to look out for, read here.
Mineral makeup can be messy
All makeup has the potential to be messy, but a loose mineral foundation, blush, or eyeshadow is messier. It needs careful use so it won’t spill out and make your dresser table messy. If you’re in a hurry and did not close the loose powder jar properly, it will cause a mess on your purse. It’s also not friendly for travel. But the good news is, you can find pressed mineral makeup. If you’re looking for a mineral makeup that’s easy to bring for travels, pressed powders are the way to go.