Mineral Makeup, Help or Hype?
In the last few years the market for mineral makeup has exploded. There are the staple companies that have been around for years, La Bella Donna, Jane Iredale, and Bare Escentuals. Now, the larger conglomerates have introduced their own line of minerals, Neutrogena and L’Oreal. With this surge of mineral makeup and the claims that it is ‘all natural’ and provides benefits to the skin, is it really true that the products help the skin or is it just all hype?
“Quite frankly, I think mineral makeup is just a genius marketing plan — a new way of selling women the same ingredients that technically have been in makeup for years,” says dermatologic and pharmaceutical chemist Ben Kaminsky, author of the new book Beyond Botox: 7 Secrets for Sexy, Ageless Skin.* Some of the main ingredients found in mineral makeup have been staple ingredients for makeup for years such as, zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, and mica. Also, there are the claims that mineral makeup has sun protection. The average level of protection is SPF 15 and Bare Minerals has a seal of approval by the Skin Cancer Foundation that it is a sunscreen. However, most dermatologists will still encourage patients to where a moisturizer with sunscreen and the mineral makeup as added protection. Finally, not all mineral makeup is alike. Some are careful not to use synthetics like paraben preservatives, while others add all kinds of fillers.
I think it’s important to check the ingredients when purchasing makeup and skin care in general. There are some women that don’t mind synthetic ingredients. There are others that are looking for as natural a product they can get. While others are allergic to many synthetic ingredients and have to be extra careful.
Between you and me, my favorite mineral line is La Bella Donna, check out their full line here.
*Source – “The Lowdown on Mineral Makeup” - WebMD.com
