Sunday, March 1, 2009

Mineral Makeup Ingredients: Good Stuff Inside

By Marilyn Etzel

All mineral makeup is not identical. Before choosing cosmetics, decide what you desire in your mineral cosmetics. Mineral makeup is designed to be sheer, lightweight, and natural looking at any age. Beyond that, the ingredients are nourishing to your skin.

Read the ingredient list of the mineral makeup products on the market. Some have added fillers to their formulas. The fillers make up a larger portion of the cosmetics than the minerals do. Know what you are getting before you make a purchase.

Mineral makeup makes use of the natural minerals of the earth to enhance the look of every woman. What make this possible are the ingredients used to prepare your foundation, concealer, eye shadow, and other products. Cosmetics that contain the following ingredients will keep your skin healthy when you wear makeup.

1. Mica - You'll see this ingredient in most mineral preparations. Mica has many forms, the most common of which is serecite mica. This mineral helps the other components to adhere to your face where they are supposed to stay and stay nicely. Mica also uses the reflection of the light to hide wrinkles, large pores, and lines.

2. Titanium Dioxide - If you have any skin problems you want to hide, this is the mineral you want to have on board. Titanium dioxide adds a matte finish to the skin which is more natural. A component of sunscreen, this mineral protects the skin from harmful solar radiation. It reinforces the work of sunscreen, which should be applied before your makeup.

3. Zinc Oxide - This is the mineral that makes up the warrior stripes on the faces of surfers and other beach goers in the summer time. Zinc oxide stays on even when it gets wet to continue to protect your skin. The mineral zinc is also found in homeopathic medicines and is a natural healing agent for the body.

4. Iron Oxide - There's nothing wrong with a splash of color to make a women noticeable in a crowd. Iron oxides add color to mineral makeup naturally. The pigments come in several shades useful for eye shadows and blushes. More subtle pigments are used to match foundations to all skin tones.

5. Silica - this mineral when powdered, adds a silky feel to mineral makeup. It functions to absorb excess oil in the skin so makeup continues to appear natural and not cakey. Silica powder also helps to reduce fine lines and reduce pores.

6. Boron Nitride - Another natural mineral that absorbs excess oil similar to silica. It smoothes the skin and provides a natural look like mica and silica. Women would rather have a glow than a shine and boron nitride helps mineral makeup to accomplish this.

Some mineral cosmetics can be far from natural. For sensitive or dry skin, wholesome ingredients are important to avoid skin problems. Some manufacturers add kaolin clay or rice powder. They absorb oil and shine but can irritate sensitive skin.

Everyone's skin is unique, just because something is natural doesn't mean it's right of every skin type. The best remedy is to test different formulations to learn which ingredients suit your skin best! - 15252

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