What is Mineral Makeup?

By definition, mineral makeup is made up of finely milled minerals like iron oxides, zinc oxide, talc, and titanium oxide. It is considered better and healthier for the skin than traditional makeup products mainly because:

• It usually does not contain irritant compounds.
• Mineral makeup is free from any kind of preservatives, fillers, and dyes.
• These are fragrance-free products.
• The major ingredients of mineral makeup include Titanium oxides and zinc oxides. Both of them also work as a physical sunblock. (Which is an additional benefit! right?) 
• It protects from harmful UVA and UVB rays. 
• It tends to help the skin in a way that is non-comedogenic
• Contains antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Safety of Mineral Makeup

The quality of all the mineral makeup products is not equal. Some products may result in adverse effects because of harmful ingredients, even if they are mineral-based. 

Like all other traditional makeup products, mineral makeup is not strictly regulated by Food and Drug Administration (FDA). There is a possibility of its unapproved selling, as there exists no law that requires makeup brands to meet specified safety requirements.

Makeup companies are only bound to make safer products along with accurate labeling. Therefore, make sure to shop from a high-quality mineral makeup brand. You can also assess the quality through positive customer reviews and the company’s good reputation. This will ensure that the product you are buying is safe and has no side effects.

Why Should You Use Mineral Makeup? 

Because of its numerous advantages over traditional makeup, mineral makeup has been a recent craze in the cosmetic industry. Not just it looks better on the skin, but it also improves your overall complexion and is non-comedogenic.

Advantages of Mineral Makeup

1. Ingredients

The prime benefit of mineral makeup is its ingredients. Like all other regular makeup, it does not contain artificial stuff but only natural ingredients. Some companies may use synthetic products, but reputable brands are famous for putting only the ingredients that are proven to be safe for human use.

The potentially harmful ingredients of typical cosmetic products include:

• Parabens
• Phthalates
• Formaldehyde
• Oxybenzone
• Ingredients termed as “fragrance.”
• Talc

2. Fewer Headaches Induced By Odor

Mineral makeup will be a great option for you if the scented makeup makes your head spin. Mineral makeup is supposed to be fragrance-free.

3. Safe for All Skin Types including Sensitive Skin

As mineral makeup contains gentle ingredients in its formula, it is known to be suitable for all skin types. No harsh substance is added in its making, and therefore it does not cause skin irritation. 

4. Better Skin Health

Usually, the formula is designed with skin-friendly ingredients like green tea, ginseng, etc. Also, its non-comedogenic nature results in better skin health.

5. Built-in Sunscreen

The ingredients of mineral makeup include mica, iron oxide, zinc oxide, and titanium. Of these ingredients, titanium oxide and zinc oxide are used in the formulation of sunscreen because they provide protection against the damaging UV rays of the sun.

6. Better Coverage

Traditional makeup has talc, which is a bulking agent. It results in the formulation of a heavy base, which reduces pigmentation. On the other hand, mineral makeup provides better coverage and a healthy radiant appearance because of natural ingredients. (Mineral makeup does not contain talc).

Disadvantages of Mineral Makeup

Despite the numerous advantages, there are few disadvantages of mineral makeup:

1. Reduced Shelf Life

As mineral makeup products don’t contain any synthetic preservatives, therefore they offer a shorter shelf life.

2. Higher Price Tag

Comparatively, mineral makeup is more expensive than the traditional one. High demand may be the reason for its higher price tags.

3. Limited Range of Shades

Excluding some big brands, the majority of the mineral makeup companies have a limited range of shades. This is because no synthetic dye is used in its making.

Is the Term “Mineral” is same as “All-Natural” and “Organic”?

All three terms may sound similar, but they have different meanings and cannot be used interchangeably. 

“Organic” products are strictly regulated and need to be certified before their marketing. Thus, they meet all the legal standards and requirements. Whereas the rest of the two – Mineral and All-natural are unregulated and are only defined by their packaging labels.

To ensure the purchase of the right product, make sure you thoroughly read the label or check for any recognized stamps of approval.

How to Apply Mineral Makeup?

Step 1: Prepare Your Skin for Mineral Foundation

Good skincare is key to a perfect flawless make-up look.

• Wash your Hands

Your hands must be clean before touching the face, as cleanliness is the key to life-long beauty. This will decrease the number of bacteria that cause skin irritation.

• Clean the Canvas (Your Face)

Your face should be clean as a fresh canvas of a painter. If you have sensitive skin, then a regular face wash will be enough. Otherwise, try using a gentle exfoliator to remove dead skin cells and have a smoother skin surface. 

Pat dry your skin after cleansing. Let it breathe for 2 to 3 minutes before moving on to the next step.

Step 2: Moisturize Your Face for Maximum Lush

Mineral makeup loves to adhere to the skin surface. For this, you need to properly moisturize your face. Otherwise, the makeup will not bind to the dry skin and will have a harder time maintaining long-lasting coverage. 

Use your clean fingers to moisturize your face and neck. Better to use a fragrance-free, natural moisturizer. Let it rest for at least 10 minutes to sink in and nourish your face and neck. 

If you have oily skin, try using mineral-based primer along with a moisturizer.

Step 3: Apply Mineral Foundation

• Load up Your Brush with a Mineral Foundation 

Traditionally, a kabuki brush is used to apply mineral foundation. It is a large brush specially designed to buff in a large, circular motion. Because of its short bristle design, it offers even application of makeup and fuller coverage. Also, it can hold a lot of powder.

• Sprinkle a very minute amount of powder onto the jar’s lid.
• Swirl the brush into it until it holds all the mineral powder.
• To remove the excess powder, tap the brush onto the sides of the lid.

Tip: Make sure to buy from a brand that is socially and environmentally safe. B Corp Certified companies or the ones verified by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) are always better. Also, avoid products containing talc and mica in their formulation ingredients.

• Buff it up onto Your Skin

The application of mineral foundation should be in a circular motion to get even distribution and full coverage. Repeat the circular motion in every area of the face. Don’t forget to apply the mineral foundation on the often-missed spots like your ears, eyelids, neck, and underneath your chin. Continue applying it to build up the coverage in lighter areas.

Tip: Apply your makeup in daylight for fantastic lighting.

Step 4: Cover your Dark Spots and Blemishes with a Mineral Concealer

If you are experiencing redness, dark circles under your eyes, blemishes, and pigmentation or dark spots, then concealer is the best solution. It provides additional coverage to all your insecurities.

How to Use Mineral Concealer?

Use a concealer brush for its application. Try moving the brush in the feather strokes. Apply several light layers and blend them in using light, gentle motions. 

A green mineral concealer is for red patches of skin. While a yellow mineral concealer is to cover dark circles. 

Tip: A good quality brush should be used as it is “the most important” tool for flawless coverage.

Step 5: Add a Glow to Your Cheeks with Blush and/or Bronzer

After applying foundation and concealer, use a mineral blush to get a glow by adding a flush of color to your cheeks. 

How to Apply This Glowy Powder to Your Cheeks?

The application of blush/bronzer is quite similar to that of foundation.

• Put some powder into the cap of the jar. 
• Swirl your high-quality mineral brush inside the cap until it holds all the blush or bronzer.
• To remove the excess, tap on the sides of the cap.
• Start applying blush to the apples of cheeks, and brush towards your ears.
• Similarly, apply bronzer in a small amount to your forehead, cheeks, nose, and chin.

Step 6: Use Mineral Eyeshadow to Make Your Eyes Pop

Beautifying your eyes is the next step after pampering your fabulous skin with powder. 

How to Apply Mineral Eye Shadow Powder?

• Pour some powder into the cap of the jar.
• Use a high-quality eye shadow brush and swirl it in the powder until it gets all of the mineral eyeshadow powder.
• Tap on the side to shake off the excess powder.
• Apply the eyeshadow on your eyelids using dabbing motion. Start from the outer corner of the eyes and blend into the crease of your eye, near to your nose. Downwards strokes work better.
• To finish the look, apply mineral mascara to your upper and lower eyelids. Zig zag motions give the best results.

Tip: To brush off the excess eyeshadow powder, apply some mineral veil under your eyes.

Step 7: Protect Your Final Look with a Mineral Veil

A mineral veil is the final powdery touch of your makeup. Through this, you will not only get a nice and healthy glow, but it will also help keep your makeup in place.

How to Apply This Finishing Powder?

• Pour a small quantity of powder on the lid of the jar.
• Swirl your Kabuki brush in it until it gets all the mineral veils.
• Brush off the excess by tapping on the sides of the jar lid.
• Apply mineral veil in a large, circular motion onto your face and neck.

Conclusion

Mineral makeup, because of its natural, skin-friendly mineral ingredients in its formulation, is considered ideal for sensitive skin. Most customers like mineral cosmetic products because they are free from potentially harmful substances like parabens, talc, mica, etc. However, the biggest disadvantage of mineral makeup over traditional is its higher price tags.

In the end, we would like you to tell again that the mineral makeup is not strictly regulated by FDA for its safety and quality. Therefore, it’s your responsibility to check well before purchasing a product and make sure you buy from a brand having positive customer reviews and a good reputation in the market.