So many people come in talking about Bare Minerals. This seems to be the most recognizable mineral makeup on the market. Could it have anything to do with all those infomercials that are constantly playing on tv? Anyhoo, I have tried bare minerals and I must say I did NOT look anything like those women on tv. Maybe I need to carry some tv studio lighting around with me?
My intension is not to bash Bare Minerals here. It does bug me that Sephora stamped them with their “natural” seal of approval, when their foundation actually contains things like Laurel Lysine a “conditioning agent” and Calcium Silicate a “bulking” agent. While these may be a little more “natural” than what’s found in your drugstore brands, I’d hardly classify them as minerals.
Minerals are, by far, the healthiest way to wear makeup. Minerals are a physical sun barrier. By sitting on the surface of the skin and reflecting light. Because of this reflective quality they are a natural UV blocker causing most UV rays to bounce off the surface of the skin. Liquid makeup or moisturizers that contain non-mineral SPF such as Oxybenzone allow chemicals to soak into the skin. These chemical sunscreens also allow UV rays to penetrate the skin where a reaction occurs with the chemical to “protect” you from the sun. Technically you may not get a sunburn, but I promise you there is plenty of damage occurring in your skin cells during this reaction, not to mention some chemical sunscreen ingredients are endocrine disruptors which can lead to certain kinds of cancers in women. Mineral makeup is not only a great sunscreen, it is naturally anti-bacterial and will not expire or go bad on you.
There are so many mineral brands out there that are miles above Bare Minerals in quality of ingredients. I prefer brands with only mineral ingredients in them. Skin Essentials carries Alima Pure which contains only minerals, no fillers or bulking agents. It also does not contain Bismuth Oxychloride (also in Bare Minerals foundation), which while it’s a mineral, it’s the one that makes you shiny and in some cases way too shiny. Other quality choices of minerals are Jane Iredale Cosmetics and Colorescience Mineral Makeup.
