For decades, there has been an ongoing debate over whether mineral makeup is “better” for our skin than traditional makeup alternatives that contain preservatives, fillers, and various other chemical substances. While many women have a preference for one type of makeup over the other, there are several factors that can contribute to one’s preference regarding the type of makeup that one uses.
What is Mineral Makeup?
Although there are a multitude of different ingredients that can be found in conventional makeup, the primary ingredient used in mineral makeup is the mineral powder from which all of the other ingredients in mineral makeup are derived. The majority of the time, mineral make-up is made exclusively from ground-up mineral powders that have been compressed into a powder form. Traditional makeup typically contains lots of additional chemicals (like waxes, oils, and other preservatives) that make for a heavier and thicker product.
All of the major mineral makeup brands offer a full line of products; however, most brands will have very similar formulations. One key difference between the brands will be the types of mineral powders that are used as the base for their products. The major cosmetic companies will typically use brighter and more vivid pigments, while smaller, more niche brands usually focus on using shades that are more subdued and/or neutral.
When purchasing two separate makeup products from two different brands, they may both have the same primary mineral foundation powder, but due to differences in the formulation and ingredients (such as additional pigments), the look and feel of the two different products will typically be very different.
The Mineral Makeup Brands You Must Know
There are two clear leaders in this category, and virtually every modern mineral makeup brand is somehow related to them.
bareMinerals is credited with building this entire market. The business began in 1995 and launched its first loose mineral foundation, claiming that it would actually improve one’s skin over time. The brand has since spent three decades going from one loose powder to an entire catalogue of products, including foundation, concealer, mascara, eyeshadow, and blush.
Therefore, bareMinerals is still considered the brand that everyone thinks about when they think of mineral makeup – airy and talc-free, marketed as “clean enough to sleep in” (although you may want to take this claim with a grain of salt, regardless of the formula).
Jane Iredale has taken a slightly different approach to positioning itself as “The Skincare Makeup”, rather than as a typical makeup brand. Jane Iredale launched in 1994, and over the last 25+ years, has built a reputation as a dermatologists’ recommended brand that also attracts health-conscious consumers because of its ingredient transparency.
Jane Iredale products contain no synthetic fragrances, fillers, or phthalates, and they place great emphasis on using natural mineral pigments in their formulations as opposed to synthetic pigments, which is a significant differentiator, as natural pigments are usually gentler to sensitive skin and are more environmentally-friendly than synthetic pigments.
Famous Mineral Brands
The gentle feel of mineral foundations is highlighted in multiple user reviews as one more reason to recommend this type of makeup. In review comments, users who have sensitive skin often name bismuth oxychloride, a common filler used in many mineral foundations, and the principal active ingredient found in Pepto-Bismol, as a major source of itching, stinging, and clogged pores with other brands. They cite Jane Iredale—a pioneer brand for mineral makeup—they commend it for its bismuth-free formulation, to provide relief of these symptoms. Make sure to read ingredient lists to determine if bismuth is a potential cause of irritation for you, even if you currently do not know if it is going to affect you.
There are many other options besides the two mentioned earlier; these are just a few examples:
- Jane Iredale PurePressed Base Mineral Foundation is gaining an enthusiastic following for its clean and smooth finish. The foundations have sustainable and cruelty-free packaging.
- L’Oréal’s True Match Naturale introduced mineral formulations into the average foundations, with a light satin finish at a fraction of the cost of luxury brands.
- PÜR’s 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Powder Foundation is a light-weight, fragrance-free version of mineral makeup. It has built-in SPF and provides smoother skin with natural and flawless coverage that lasts 16 hours.
- The loyal fan base for Glo Skin Beauty continues to grow because of their Luminous Liquid Mineral Foundation. It makes it an attractive alternative compared to other brands with deep-but-matte and creamy-but-dewy finishes on the market.
- Physicians Formula has created Magic Minerals Airbrush Foundation at a mass-market price point, allowing consumers to experience the “airbrushed” (or blurred and soft-focused) finish without spending as much as they would on more expensive foundations.
Matte finishes are still the most requested feature when looking for mineral foundation, which makes sense because most of the consumers who are looking to use minerals like this have oily/combination skin. They have become frustrated with using heavier liquid foundations that “slide off” their face by mid-day.
Matte Mineral Foundation: Worth the Hype?
Among the matte-based mineral options available in the market today, Cover FX has established itself as one of the leading oil-control products as a result of its kaolin–based mineral powder; however, the kaolin in the formula makes it slightly heavier than other creamier type foundations in the marketplace.
For a long-time, bareMinerals customers keep on requesting, “Where’s the matte option?” bareMinerals has created the matte option specifically for oily, acneic customers wearing buildable coverage in the market today, and it contains zero talc.
KYDA Mineral Powder Foundation has a lightweight and all-mineral formula that does not scare you to wear it. You get a glowing and flawless makeup base that stays intact. It protects skin with its minerals and SPF against all external stressors, making for a memorable experience all day.
It is the pressed powder of choice because it does not contain bismuth, one of the most common irritants found in pressed mineral makeup, and has been recommended by dermatologists because it contains SPF 20, as well as other skin-healthy ingredients such as Jojoba seed oil, Vitamin E, and Hyaluronic acid.
Benefits of Mineral Foundations
From the various best-of-the-best outcomes for the different types of mineral foundation, here is a summary based on what each does better than any other:
Overall Best: bareMinerals Original Foundation (the first loose powder in the category) is still a favorite among mineral make-up lovers for a variety of reasons, with buildable, talc-free coverage being one of the primary reasons.
PÜR’s Mineral Powder Foundation, L’Oréal Paris, and Physicians Formula all contain a light-weight, leaf-free version of mineral makeup. They are suitable for all skin types, safe for acne-prone skin, and mature and sagging skin. They are actually skin-care-based foundations that give a sheer matte finish, with just the right colors for a light tan glow.
Best for Sensitive Skin
Jane Iredale PurePressed Base Mineral Foundation: A pressed mineral powder that does not contain bismuth, is ,dermatologist-recommended and provides SPF 20 protection using the original form of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, with the addition of minor skin benefits due to the inclusion of pomegranate and algae extract.
Best for Mature/Aging Skin
Again, Jane Iredale PurePressed Base Mineral Foundation provides soothing effects like no other foundation. Thanks to the plankton and algae extracts; that provide anti-aging benefits by preventing the product from settling into fine lines (a typical complaint about powdered finishes) on this type of skin texture.
Best drugstore option: L’Oreal True Match Naturale Powdered Mineral Foundation provides SPF 19 protection with a satin finish for significantly lower costs than similar-quality products in department stores.
For Oil Skin: Women who need a serious mattifying powder that controls oil, Cover FX pressed mineral powder provides the necessary level of kaolin clay to absorb oil.
For women looking for a lightweight, scent-free foundation, Neutrogena Mineral Sheers Loose Powder Foundation is a good choice for women getting started.
Powder Foundation vs. Liquid: How to Choose?
The choice between powdered minerals and liquid minerals is based mainly on preference and skin type rather than which form is objectively better than the other. The traditional form of mineral foundation has always been powder; therefore, because powder has no moisture in it, it is most often used by people with normal to oily skin types, as it allows for more oil-free skin without increasing oil production.
However, due to their dryness, it is recommended that people with dry skin types apply a moisturizer prior to applying a powdered mineral foundation to avoid having too much powder.
Liquid mineral foundations have become a sufficiently large subcategory of makeup on their own, as they provide the coverage and dewy finish typically found in liquid formulations; however, they still use mineral pigments and not heavier synthetic bases in their formulations, making them a good compromise for those looking for a product that contains the same ingredients as mineral makeup but without having to learn how to apply it and use it differently than traditional mineral foundations do.
A Note on Nature, Vegan Beauty, and What “Clean” Really Means
Mineral makeup is back in the picture; it doesn’t just keep coming back in cycles, it is sitting at the intersection of two larger and more important trends in the beauty industry. These are the trend toward all-natural products and the growing expectation for Vegan/ Cruelty-Free products to be included as a hallmark of all beauty-related purchases instead of a “niche” offering.
(1) Both of the pioneering brands within this category meet both of these expectations. bareMinerals has been able to build a reputation around being vegan/ cruelty-free since long before these were industry standards, and Jane Iredale also formulates her products free from any animal-derived ingredients and has her products tested humanely via non-animal testing methods.
(2) The current reality regarding the mineral category is that “clean“, “vegan” and “effective” are no longer three separate categories that require you to choose between the three, but instead have become unified in their ability to deliver upon all three of their respective promises in one formulation. The leading mineral brands on the market today are not stale “crunchy” alternatives to regular makeup; instead they are developed with the same level of detail and finish as any high-end liquid foundation would be but also with an ingredients list short enough to read before completing the list.
(3) There no longer needs to be a compromise in associating the term “nature” with the privilege of wearing makeup and the result of that is more than any other product.
