Mineral make-up is the trend for everyone who not only wants natural care, but also natural make-up. The recipes are minimalist, the ingredients are well tolerated. Sounds like perfect conditions for a bunch of tricky skin conditions. But there are a few things to consider when buying and using it. Here's everything you need to know about mineral makeup.
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Mineral make-up: This foundation can do more
Mineral powder is natural and compatible
Natural beauties also like to use the make-up palette. But natural care and conventional make-up don't quite go together. Luckily there is mineral makeup! What I particularly like: The loose powders consist of just a handful of ingredients that can do more than "just" make-up. This minimalism has it all . This is how mineral makeup is:
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- Low irritation and therefore ideal for sensitive skin.
- Ideal for acne and impure skin.
- Often provided with a light sunscreen.
Many hesitate to switch to powder foundation and concealer. They fear a mask-like matt finish or clogged pores. However, the worries are unfounded with real mineral make-up. With a few tips , you can conjure up a fresh, silky finish with loose powder.
What is mineral makeup?
Mineral makeup sounds like a new trend, but it's actually the oldest form of makeup. Even the mother of all style icons swore by it. Cleopatra not only owed her distinctive look to metallic pigments. Zinc oxide mineral powder ensures an even complexion. Some of the ingredients have changed - luckily, the lead sulfite in your kajal was highly toxic - but the principle is the same.
Minerals are ground ultra-fine and combined together to create different shades of color. Pure mineral make-up is therefore a loose powder with only very few ingredients . This makes this make-up low-irritant and extremely well tolerated.
The beauty of pure mineral powder is what it doesn't contain:
✓ Free from mineral oils, silicones and nylon.
✓ Free from synthetic additives and preservatives.
✓ Perfume free.
What to look for when buying mineral make-up
"Mineral" is not a protected natural cosmetic term. Conventional products can also have it in their name. They then still contain mineral oils, silicones, synthetic consistency enhancers, emulsifiers, parabens and the like. Do you like it pure? Then pay attention to the following when shopping:
😕 "Mineral-enriched" - here you can assume that this is a conventional product with many synthetic ingredients.
😕 Talc (talc) is suspected of being carcinogenic. If you want to reduce the risk, better not do it. You can find an informative article on this at Ökotest .
😕 Bismuth Oxychloride (CI 77163) provides beautiful shimmer effects and is contained in many products, including natural cosmetics. Some sources warn that it can cause irritation. So be careful if you have sensitive or irritated skin.
🧐 Take a close look at liquid mineral makeup and mousse! In natural cosmetics, oils and waxes are added to the mineral powder for this purpose. However, conventional products contain silicone, nylon and many other synthetic materials.
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Apply mineral makeup correctly
Loose mineral foundation gives a wonderfully velvety finish. The powdery texture may seem unusual at first. In principle, however, the same applies as with liquid make-up: 1. prepare the skin well and 2. work it in carefully. Dusting it on is not enough. A primer isn't a setting powder.
With these 5 tips you can achieve a flawless complexion:
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primers
The ideal make-up basis is our FIVE facial serum together with the appropriate facial oil . The squalane it contains makes the skin velvety soft and smooth. Allow the care to absorb well before applying.
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The right shade
The powder should match your natural skin tone as closely as possible in terms of brightness and warmth. Test this in natural daylight.
☝️ Practical : some manufacturers offer starter sets or sample sizes, for example Lily Lolo (unpaid advertising).
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A good brush
The brush is crucial with loose mineral makeup. It should be dense and large. So-called buffer brushes or kabukis are ideal.
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Take little powder, but plenty of time
About a pinch of powder is sufficient for each application. Pick up with the brush and work into the skin in circular movements for about 60 seconds. Then the powder blends with the skin's own lipids for a silky finish.
☝️ Tip : There are tons of video tutorials on how to apply mineral makeup . They also show how to use it to get the opacity you want without looking mask-like.
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Setting spray
A moisture kick is the perfect finish for powder foundation. I recommend an atomizer with rose water hydrosol, for example from Farfalla.
Beauty for problem skin
A look at the ingredients makes it clear that mineral powders are also the right choice for problem skin. When you suffer from skin conditions like acne, rosacea or couperose, you need a powerful combination of coverage and tolerance . This is exactly what the minimalist array of ingredients at Puder-Foundation offers you.
For acne
Mineral powder is great for acne and impure skin because it consists only of minerals. They are inorganic . This means that bacteria and microbes that cause blemishes cannot live in makeup and infect the skin.
In addition, some ingredients have an anti-inflammatory effect. Zinc, which is found in almost all mineral makeup, is also a common ingredient in acne creams, for example. It can help the particularly unpleasant inflammatory pimples to subside . I don't want to give false hope here, mineral foundation doesn't cure acne. But you can safely cover up the problem without making your skin condition worse.
☝️ Important : Wash your foundation brush regularly with a mild shampoo!
For rosacea and couperose
These skin conditions often annoy you with noticeable redness and pustules. They are also sensitive. Fragrances and preservatives as well as occlusive, i.e. sealing, oils quickly aggravate the condition.
Here, pure mineral make-up is a good choice due to its minimalistic composition. It is free from occlusive and irritating ingredients . And the minerals themselves have very little irritation potential. There are special yellowish or greenish powder concealers to conceal redness.
☝️ With your sensitive skin, avoid products that contain Bismuth Oxychloride (CI 77163).
For perioral dermatitis
If you have acute perioral dermatitis, you should completely avoid make-up. You can find out why only the cosmetic “cold turkey” helps here in the blog article Close the jar and get rid of perioral dermatitis . That's the rule. But sometimes there has to be an exception. If you get married in the middle, for example, or you win a million and get interviewed. So with really good reasons, because strict abstinence from make-up is actually the order of the day!
But if you just have to, loose mineral make-up is the first choice. Perioral dermatitis feeds on bacteria that thrive in the softened stratum corneum. The inorganic minerals do not provide them with any further breeding ground.
Conclusion: Mineral makeup is for everyone
Pure mineral make-up is a wonderful thing and I unreservedly recommend it. Due to its low-irritant, inorganic formula, it is suitable for both normal and problem skin . For the latter, loose powders are especially great. With liquid products and pressed powders, you should take a good look at the ingredients and avoid questionable ingredients such as talc or bismuth oxychloride.
Don't be afraid of the powder consistency! It doesn't mean Mineral Foundation leaves a dusty, uncomfortable feeling. On the contrary, carefully applied, it conjures up a naturally fresh look. It's best to try it yourself. In order to break down the hurdle, I will answer the most frequently asked questions about mineral make-up below.
Your Anna!
Mineral makeup FAQ
Does mineral makeup look powdery?
No, you can also get a velvety finish with powdery mineral foundation . All you have to do is carefully work in the powder, i.e. 60 seconds per layer. As you massage it in with the brush, the product heats up and fuses with the skin's own lipids. With a good brush and the right technique, the finish looks almost creamy. This is where video tutorials and a little practice come in handy.
Is mineral makeup suitable for dry skin?
Yes, you can also use powder foundation on dry skin. You should prime them extra well though . Dry skin doesn't produce enough oil. So you have to supply her with extra lipids that can fuse with the mineral powder. Give your skin plenty of moisture and a nourishing facial oil along the way. Allow to absorb well and then carefully work in a small amount of powder.
Does mineral makeup have an antibacterial effect?
Antibacterial properties are obvious since mineral powder contains zinc oxide and iron oxide, which are typical components of wound healing ointments. However, such an effect with mineral make-up has not been scientifically proven . For one thing, there are simply no specific studies on this. On the other hand, it depends on the dosage. And that is lower with make-up than, for example, with a zinc ointment.
Does mineral makeup protect against UV rays?
Zinc oxide and titanium oxide are mineral UV filters that are also found in natural cosmetic sun creams. So theoretically, mineral foundation offers some protection. Many products are listed with SPF 15. It's ok for a lunch break stroll. Of course, it's not enough for a day at the beach. You can achieve solid protection by additionally applying sunscreen.
Which Mineral Makeup Brands Should I Try?
bareMinerals (formerly Bare Escentuals) is one of the pioneers of mineral makeup. The brand is now owned by the Shiseido Group and has moved away from its roots. The much-acclaimed bareMinerals Original LFS15 Foundation still contains only mineral pigments, but includes Bismuth Oxychloride (CI 77163). Many other products also contain talc and silicone.
That's why we much prefer the brands HIRO Cosmetics from Berlin and Lily Lolo from England (unpaid advertising). Both brands do without bismuth oxychloride and talc. In addition, their products are vegan with a few exceptions: red dyes may contain carmine from lice and Lily Lolo uses beeswax.
Is there mineral makeup for the whole face?
Yes, there are mineral products for every part of the face. Foundation, concealer, blush, highlighter, eye shadow, even lipstick - the full range and in great colors. Here you can let off steam creatively.
My favorites :
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- The Lily Lolo starter set helps to find the right shade for the powder foundation . Since I don't wear much make-up on a daily basis, I mostly use the powder as a primer for my eye shadow. The included vegan kabuki brush is great for this.
- I fell in love with the large color palette of loose eyeshadows from Hiro Cosmetics. The Gold Rush color comes through the Lily Lolo powder that I used as a primer. So the eyeshadow lasts all day. For a fresh glow, I set additional highlights on the cheeks with the rather subtle gold dust.
- To cover up : I use Lily Lolo's Pressed Corrector in the color Lemon Drop to conceal punctiform reddening. Actually, the green color would be intended for this, but it also works with yellow for small flaws.
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The Hiro Cosmetics lipstick provides color and care . The shade Swoosh perfectly accentuates my lips with a cool rosewood tone. Incidentally, the first ingredient listed is castor oil, my No. 1 tip for chapped lips!
