Mineral Makeup - Is the hype over? Or is the train starting up again?

Aaah life, getting in the way of posting about pretties.  Damn life.  
But now I'm on leave for a few months, so posting should be more regular now I can get things done during the day and not be falling asleep on the couch at 6pm (which has been my M.O. for the past however many months....)

I initially wrote this post months ago but never got around to "finishing" it, and now I've changed some of my opinions in favour of mineral makeup.  Again.  Because my skin has been playing up.  Again (immune system issues).

Is mineral makeup really better for your skin if you have allergies?

I certainly used to believe so - I went gung-ho about 7 years ago for Physicians Formula - first the cream and then the powder foundations. It was within my budget, it was easy to find and the reviews were pretty good.

The brush was crap.  It was very irritating so I had to invest in a separate kabuki brush.
source: Priceline, because mine are all gone.

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS: TITANIUM DIOXIDE, ZINC OXIDE. INACTIVE INGREDIENTS: MICA, TITANIUM DIOXIDE, BORON NITRIDE, ZINC STEARATE, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, LAUROYL LYSINE, CHLORPHENESIN, POTASSIUM SORBATE, RETINYL PALMITATE. MAY CONTAIN: IRON OXIDES (source - Priceline)

Then I got interested in mineral eyeshadows and so forth, I tired a few different brands and some indie brands as well.  Looking back, my skin was not at its best when I was using the mineral products.  I have moved on to different products and formulations as I have learnt more about my skin type and allergies.

I think what many people don't realise is that the pigments used in mineral makeup are the SAME pigments used in "regular" foundations.  What you will find is that the "regular" foundations have other products added such as preservatives, stabilisers (so the liquid doesn't split) and silicone for applications benefits like pore filling.  The mineral makeup that comes in a loose powder will generally have less ingredients, if its a liquid it needs a preservative of some sort.

So when a foundation touts itself as being a "mineral foundation", well technically they all are!

The main minerals are titanium dioxide, mica (which makes things look glittery/glowy), iron oxides and zinc oxide (also in sunscreens - makes things opaque).  Sometimes talc, tapioca starch or corn starch are added as fillers. The reason why you would need only a little of the powder mineral foundation is due to the higher concentration of pigments compared to a liquid.

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is used in products like paint (ever used a tube of Titanium White paint?), sunscreen, food dye and makeup .  It contributes to the opacity of the product, thickens the product and provides some UV blocking (sunscreen). Medium to full coverage foundations have a greater amount of titanium dioxide (mineral and "regular" foundations).  It is sourced from different minerals found in rocks.  Minerals are the building blocks of rocks and are compounds of different elements.

To compare powder versus liquid mineral makeup: Nude by Nature is a very population mineral foundation that is readily available in Priceline.  I would say it sits at the high-end of the drug-store level of foundations.

Liquid Mineral Foundation 30ml

INGREDIENTS: Aqua (Water), Simmondsia Chinensis [Jojoba] Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Titanium Dioxide, Ceteareth 20, Tocopherol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Diheptyl Succinate, Iron Oxides [CI 77492], p-Anisic Acid, Glycerin, Glycine Soja [Soybean] Oil, Iron Oxides [CI 77491], Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Iron Oxides [CI 77499], Syzygium Leuhmanii Fruit Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Santalum Acuminatum Fruit Extract, Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Xanthan Gum
(source - Priceline)


I wouldn't buy this due to the Lilly Pilly, Quandong and Kakadu Plum extracts

Its interesting to note that even though this is a mineral makeup, it still has stabilisers, thickeners, and binders in it as you would find in a "regular" foundation

Mineral Cover 15gms

INGREDIENTS: Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, Magnesium Stearate, Kaolin, Jojoba Esters, May contain: +/- [C.I. 77491, C.I. 77492, C.I. 77499 (Iron Oxide), C.I. 77007 (Ultramarine Blue)].
(source - Priceline)

For both of these I have highlighted the minerals that are in the foundations.

I have since purchased this Mineral Cover due to my recent skin flareup in search of a foundation that would not irritate my skin and provide another layer of opacity to my makeup.


I have layered it over liquid foundations as a "setting type" of powder.  And it has worked very well in this manner.  It stopped my 3 layers of foundation flaking off and attaching to the flakes on my face without looking too dry and overly cakey after several hours.  By itself, I still need layers of this and it does go clumpy if my skin is still damp from moisturiser - so I have to wait for my skin to dry, which is the opposite of how I wear liquid foundation.  This also oxidises a little bit on me when I use it as the only foundation.

Side note - if you're Salicylate sensitive avoid anything with corn starch.  Its high in salicylic acid. Found this out the hard way with Physicians Forumla: Matte Finishing Veil which I bought when I was on the mineral makeup bandwagon.

For a while you could only find certain types of products in mineral makeup, such as the Mineral Wear Talc Free Correcting Powder.  I still use this and when I hit pan I won't repurchase it.  Since changing my routine I prefer liquid colour correctors and do not like the chalky/heavy feeling I get from the powdered mineral makeup.

Again, crap brush.  I use a separate powder brush for this.

Ingredients : Mica, Boron Nitride, Mineral Oil, Aluminum Distearate, Petrolatum, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Carmine, Ultramarines

Now that mineral oil would put most mineral makeup purists completely off.  But mineral oil is a whole 'nother topic.  As is the Petrolatum.  I don't mind mineral oil as it doesn't irritate my skin.

So in terms of mineral makeup, I would say if you are super-sensitive you would need to buy a product that has as few ingredients as possible.  Avoiding the "enriched with" labels.  Its about reading the labels and being aware of what will work for your skin type.  And being flexible with how you use the mineral makeup to suit your needs and expectations.  For myself currently its not a product I can use alone to give my the cover I like.

Does anyone use a pure mineral foundation?  What has made you stay/change to that product?