Organic has indeed become the new trend and the use of minerals has transformed the way consumers perceive cosmetics, especially foundation. A mineral foundation is now the ultimate solution for a soft, natural glowing finish said to last more hours as compared with ordinary foundations. Containing nothing but organic ingredients, mineral foundations provide a long-lasting finish that is healthy for the skin.
A mineral foundation is comprised of different organic ingredients infused together to give the skin a natural, buildable coverage without any traces of makeup settling or creasing. These include organic extracts, mica, titanium dioxide, iron oxide and inulin.
Organic extracts are common ingredients in mineral foundation, and these extracts are responsible for giving the skin a healthy glow. Among the most common extracts used in mineral foundations is Citrus Grandis, also known as Grapefruit. Grapefruit extracts have been proven to improve skin health. It is non-toxic and has no side effect at all.
Other organic extracts used in healthy cosmetics (i.e. mineral foundations) are rosmarinus officinalis or organic rosemary extract, vitis vinifera or organic grape seed extract, and simmondsia chinensis or organic jojoba extract.
Another ingredient of a mineral foundation is mica. It is basically responsible for the shine-free look and matte finish after application of the mineral makeup. Mica acts like an anti-aging ingredient that covers irregularities and wrinkles by deflecting light out of them, thus giving the face a younger look and a smoother feel. Mica is also suitable to almost all skin types, so wearing a mineral foundation that contains mica would not be a problem.
Moreover, mica is non-comedogenic, allowing the skin to breathe even in long hours of wearing mineral foundation or makeup. Since mica does not clog pores, it will not cause or aggravate existing acne problems.
Titanium dioxide, on the other hand, evens irregularities in facial complexion. Moreover, it acts as a sunscreen, thus protecting the face from harmful UV rays. Unlike chemical sunscreens which generally enter the blood stream and eventually generate cancer-causing, free radicals, the all-natural titanium dioxide simply covers the skin surface and disperses the harmful rays so that they would not penetrate the skin.
Also, while mineral foundations containing mica are generally friendly to the skin, adding titanium dioxide makes the product more hypo-allergenic.
Replacing chemical dyes in makeups is the iron oxide. Iron oxides, together with mica, generate a vast range of colour, allowing mineral foundations to have greater shades of richer colour than the traditional ones. Aside from the fact that it is hundred-percent natural, iron oxide is also weather resistant. Therefore, mineral foundations with iron oxide will last long and not wear off easily due to outdoor climate.
Finally, in order to make sure that a mineral foundation spreads evenly when applied into the skin, inulin is included in the roster of organic ingredients. A naturally occurring sugar found in plants and vegetable roots, inulin emulsifies the foundation so that it will not chip nor break. It also helps in maintaining the skin