Confused by mineral makeup? Every brand seems to have joined the popularity of this makeup. Is it really all natural? Is it right for your skin tone? What's the best way to apply it?
Read on to find out all about mineral makeup.

Hi Angela!

Great question, but not one with an easy answer due to variables with people's skin sensitivity. I went out and bought a kit a few years back--and they certainly were not cheap then either--and not only did I have a beautiful orange face (the light color), my skin broke out. According to the ads, mineral makeup was supposed to organic, healthy and great for all skin types! I have learned my lesson since then to not buy without sampling, but cosmetic lines are definitely improving their forumulas as well as we speak (well, write).

The first thing I'd like to point out is almost every line says that their makeup is "all natural" and the ingredients are coming straight from nature. Sounds great, right? Well, that "all natural" is moreso a marketing ploy created by marketing, advertising and PR employees. All natural does not mean organic and completely without fillers and fragrance.

Basically, mineral makeup is divided up into the real, organic ingredients, and those that contain ingredients with fillers. Mineral makeup really can give you a wonderful, flawless complexion if you do a bit of research on what is best for your skin.

First, I would recommend visiting your dermatologist if your skin is overly sensitive and get his or her opinion. Next, you are going to want to look for the ingredients in the mineral makeup. Three ingredients you do not want if you want organic makeup: fragrance, bismuth, and talc. Makeup with those ingredients are likely not natural enough for you.

I have bad bad luck with mineral makeup, but I received emails from readers inquiring about this topic so I'm sure they have advice. And if you would like to look at the ingredients on some of the more popular brands, read on. As webmd reports, not all mineral makeup is make equal. There is some great information on this page.

Finally, after you have done some research and found a few brands of mineral makeup that are indeed natural and organic, ask for samples. Take them home and try them out. This way, you can test drive it before purchasing!

I hope this gave you some resources to try before you buy. If you have other questions, please feel free to ask--and those of you who wear mineral makeup, sharing advice would be helpful. This topic usually creates a lot of interest, so don't be afraid to ask questions!

I finally broke down and bought a mineral makeup kit about a year ago and it was a waste of money (it was a high end brand). I know makeup is supposed to make you look natural blah blah blah, but I like to see that it has improved my appearance and the mineral makeup did not. It could be that I'm not schooled on the art of makeup application or it could be it just wasn't right for me. I do like my lower priced mineral products-Cover Girl Trublends Mineral loose powder and Physician's Formula Mineral Eye Liner pencil.

amandark03,

Great example of expensive=not always the best.

I haven't tried TruBlends yet but I did test L'Oreal Bare Naturale Powdered Mineral Foundation and found it to be more natural than some of the mineral makeup at counters and beauty stores.