Why Pure Mineral Powder is the Best Makeup

True, pure mineral makeup is hypoallergenic and the best choice for sensitive skin.

Mineral powders are essentially inert, meaning they are very unlikely to be allergens. Most allergic reactions to makeup, according to the National Library of Medicine, are due to fragrance and preservative ingredients. Even natural botanical fragrances can unfortunately be allergens. Mineral makeup in powder form is the simplest and smartest makeup because it is composed of mineral powders and little to nothing else.

Did you know that the more often you expose your skin to allergens, such as fragrance and preservatives in makeup, the more likely your body is to become allergic to the allergens?

It’s true, and it’s why I recommend that everyone use hypoallergenic, skin care products. There is no reason to tempt fate and taunt a future contact dermatitis (aka allergic skin reaction) that will last for a lifetime!

Can you be allergic to your makeup?

Yes! As a dermatologist, I recommend you use hypoallergenic makeup and cut straight to the colors without the filler and fluff, fragrance, and preservatives.

Face makeup, like eye shadow and foundation, provide colors to enhance features or cover complexion flaws. Mineral powders can do that, beautifully without taunting allergy or skin irritation.

When milled to ultra-fine consistency, mineral face powder can sit imperceptibly on your skin creating the look you want minus the allergens present in liquid or creamy makeup products. Eye shadow mineral powders stay in place nicely and minimize exposure of delicate eye skin to allergens. 

Apply mineral powder makeup on top of your Complete Skin Care Routine™ and you’ve got the best of all possible product combinations. Complete Skin Care involves the steps of CLEANSE, CORRECT, HYDRATE AND PROTECT in that order. Mineral makeup powder sits on top.

As a dermatologist, I have created a collection of hypoallergenic and natural mineral powders to top your Complete Skin Care Routine™.

To meet my patient’s needs, I have a range of options to suit all skin types - no fragrance, fluff, preservatives, or notoriously troublesome ingredients to set-off a sensitive complexion. All my powders are triple-milled and gossamer-fine for a natural look that gives long-lasting coverage. 

Every one of my Mineral Makeup Powders are ideal for sensitive skin and for people who DON’T want to taunt fate by exposing themselves to unnecessary allergens in traditional, makeup products. It's smart skin care based on dermatologic science, and it incorporates the beauty of natural minerals. I love my mineral makeup collection.

None of my mineral powders will cake or flake. They look really natural and have natural-light-reflecting technology to give you a luminous complexion – simply beautiful minus the allergens. You can even apply the eye powders with a wet brush and they behave like liquid eye makeup.  

Loose Mineral Powder Foundation is ideal for oily and acne-prone skin because it is a blend of ultra-fine mineral powder with kaolin clay that absorbs oil throughout the day. Apply it with a brush. 

Pressed Mineral Powder Foundation provides the same ultra-fine mineral powder in an oil-free compact formulation that is applied with a sponge. 

Baked Mineral Powder Foundation is heated to 400 degrees on terracotta tiles to create a fine, dome-shaped mineral-powder cake that is applied with a brush. 

Mineral Eye Shadow Powder is brilliant for sensitive eyelid skin. I have both Baked Mineral Eye Makeup Trios in complementary colors and Loose Eye Shadow Powders. All my eye shadow powders have a subtle natural-iridescence and are applied with a brush. I personally use an angled brush and the brown in the Bronze Trio to enhance my brows. I use a wet eyeliner brush to line my lashes and my other cruelty free makeup brushes to fill in the rest of my eye makeup.

I know that using pure mineral powder is a smarter choice for eye makeup than using a creamy product filled with potential allergens (source: Dermatitis journal). As a dermatologist, I know that your eyelid skin is the thinnest skin on your body and the cells are uniquely structured to fold easily for blinking. This combination of factors makes your eyelid skin very absorbent and, thus, the 'canary in the coal mine' for developing an allergic or irritation from chemicals in skin care products. It is very important to use only hypoallergenic eye makeup - in my medical opinion.

I have the handiest and softest, travel Cosmetic Brush Set for use with these mineral powders. It’s eco-friendly, cruelty-free and a great deal.

As a dermatologist, I recommend that you apply your hypoallergenic mineral makeup over your sunscreen.

To start the color-application process, I like to use a tinted, mineral zinc oxide sunscreen. This way, it is possible to combine anti-aging skin care with makeup.

My Sheer Strength Pure Physical Matte Tinted SPF 30+ Sunscreen makes a great makeup primer. It's matte base also helps to prevent oily shine throughout the day. It is formulated with the latest zinc oxide technology for the best anti-aging sun protection available today. It also contains over 3.2% iron oxide to block visible light that can darken pigment problems such as melasma. It is hypoallergenic (of course), fragrance and oil free, and made in the USA.

My tinted Sheer Strength SPF and mineral makeup powder is what I use every day – I love applying my makeup as much as I love wearing it. When I see my face in the mirror, I’m happy with how my makeup is wearing as I work through my day.

See the entire makeup collection and learn about all the products mentioned in this article.

Author: Dr. Cynthia Bailey M.D. is a Board Certified dermatologist practicing dermatology since 1987. She has done well over 200,000 skin exams during her career and authors the longest running physician written skin health blog in the world.

References:

Ming Yang Bi, BA, Rajani Katta, MD, Mineral make-up and its potential utility in patients with contact dermatitis, JAAD, March 2010 Volume 62, Issue 3, Pages 519–522

Alani JI, Davis MD, Yiannias JA, Allergy to cosmetics: a literature review, Dermatitis. 2013 Nov-Dec;24(6):283-90. doi: 10.1097/DER.0b013e3182a5d8bc.

González-Muñoz P, Conde-Salazar L, Vañó-Galván S, Allergic contact dermatitis caused by cosmetic product, Actas Dermosifiliogr. 2014 Nov;105(9):822-32. doi: 10.1016/j.ad.2013.12.018. Epub 2014 Mar 20.

Kayoko Suzuki; Keiko Hirokawa; Akiko Yagami; Kayoko Matsunaga, Allergic Contact Dermatitis from Carmine in Cosmetic Blush, Dermatitis. 2011;22(06):348-349.

An Goossens, New Cosmetic Contact Allergens Review, Cosmetics 2015, 2, 22-32; doi:10.3390/cosmetics2010022, cosmetics, ISSN 2079-9284, www.mdpi.com/journal/cosmetics