Mineral Make-Up

By Alison Kerr

Mineral make-up is made from ground-up rocks (mica) into a powder and, because it's free from chemicals and additives, it's generally considered to be much kinder to the skin. Experts argue that it also has more staying power than other make-up.

So it's no wonder that mineral make-up has been pounced upon by the major beauty brands, many of whom now offer mineral cosmetics - mostly mineral foundations - within their ranges.

> How to Apply Mineral Make-Up

Benefits of Mineral Make-Up

Fans of mineral make-up need more than two hands' worth of fingers to list the reasons why they love it. For a start, there's the fact that it has skin care benefits: it's anti-inflammatory and soothing on the skin.

Many cosmetic surgeons will only allow their patients to use mineral make-up because it is free from potential irritants, such as fragrance, chemical dye and preservatives. Its thorough but natural-looking coverage can mask scars as well as rosacea and acne. Indeed, acne sufferers have reported improvements in their skin's condition after using mineral make-up because the loose minerals used in the make-up are inert and have a neutral PH, so they don't support bacteria.

Not only do the key ingredients (titanium dioxide and zinc oxide) soothe the skin - they also provide natural broad-spectrum sun protection, are water-resistant and act as tiny mirrors on the skin which reflect and refract the light - making them particularly flattering for older skin types.

Another essential part of mineral make-up's appeal is the fact that it is non-comedogenic, which means it doesn't clog up the pores but instead lets the skin breathe. The short list of ingredients in any item of mineral make-up is also free from perfume and preservatives - the usual culprits when it comes to crimes of skin irritation.

Fans also rave about how long it lasts on the skin, how sheer and light it feels despite its thorough coverage, and how easy it is to remove.

Applying mineral make-up is different from applying a similar non-mineral powder. The super-fine texture means that it's trickier to spread across the skin, so it's best to invest in brushes designed for mineral make-up or to use the brushes that come with the products. Once you've watched 4Beauty's mineral make-up video and read our step-by-step guide to applying mineral make-up, it's just a case of practice makes perfect...

> How to Apply Mineral Make-Up