August 07, 2011

Silicone, Fragrance-Free, and Mineral Based Makeup: What We Should Know

Hello and Welcome to the newest post to my blog! Being new in the artistry, I decided that before I get too far into learning about the application of makeup, that I should know what is in makeup and why or why not certain types should be used. I've referred a number of people who like myself are building makeup kits to the website InMyKit.com by Emmy Award winning MUA Kevin James Bennett, and this past week had some time to read through his blog. Id like to share what I've learned.

Silicone. There seems to be or have been debate on whether or not this is a safe ingredient to use on skin. Having experience in the nursing field, I know that silicone is used directly on the skin in scar treatment and prevention, in ointment that is used to heal skin/pressure ulcers, and in bandages and dressings. Silicone molecules are:
-temperature and moisture resistant
-have strong bonding power
-can bend without breaking/flexible
-bond with other materials creating a bridge between them and breathing space between silicone molecules
-aren't oxidized by free radicals- free radicals cause aging, tissue damage, and change the color of  foundation
-allows light to pass through and bounce back without a change in direction
-do not support bacterial growth.
-non-irritating
-lightweight

Silicone molecules used in makeup are larger than the size of a pore on your skin, which means that they will not clog pores or fill in lines and wrinkles since they cannot enter them. The skin wont absorb the emulsifying fluid in the silicone molecules and your makeup wont become clumpy or cakey with pigment. Instead, they remain ON the skin (bonding power and flexibility) protecting it from moisture loss yet allowing the skin to breathe and the other ingredients to do their jobs in or on the skin. This is how celebs can be awake all night and walk the runway the next day looking fresher than a new flower. The silicone in primers is the layer between the skin and makeup that will give the look of a flawless complexion and that "I got 8hrs of rest" radiance. Silicone based foundation and blush enhance the look even more. If you are dealing with sensitive or problematic skin, try silicone based makeup.  Please remember to check out what other ingredients are in the product, to make sure those will not cause irritation or break outs.

A common ingredient. I'm still learning about ingredients and wouldn't dare put them all in the same blog posting. However, there is something that is in ALL products: fragrance. KJ Bennett described the difference between "fragrance-free" and "non-fragranced":
     "Fragrance-free products use synthetic fragrance to mask chemical odors…so they appear to have no scent of their own.  If you have a fragrance allergy, this is definitely not the way to go. Non-fragranced on the other hand means NO ADDITIONAL fragrance was added, so they smell of what they’re made of."

Mineral based makeup. Ever since this has become a craze, no one at any makeup counter has been able to convince me that this is the healthier way to go :o/ I don't know if it was the lack of product "knowledge" underpowered by the urge for a sale, or if the packaging didn't look quite appealing, or if it was my own lack of knowledge which I'm glad to now know that it's not as serious as it seemed. Whatever the reasons, here is some accurate and provable knowledge for your debate, kit building, or "non-mineral" based sale. ALL foundation contain minerals. Foundation period can cause irritation. The words "natural" and "hypo-allergenic" are not regulated by the FDA. Anyone can make those claims. All minerals can carry trace elements that can irritate the skin. All foundation contain mineral pigments which create the skin tones/shades. All foundation contain the same key minerals: mica, and zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, just in different amounts. You will also find  bismuth oxychloride as a main ingredient in many, NOT ALL, "mineral based" foundations...but this is not a natural mineral. It is a synthetic made from a combination of other minerals including cooper and lead, yet is allowed to be used in product referred to as "natural". Lead has been used in foundation for FOREVER. I'm talkin' Bible days. So no, bismuth is not a more recent and safer natural mineral for foundation. Bismuth can cause irritation, itching, cystic acne (mild to severe), and rashes. If you are dealing with problematic skin, this is a no-no ingredient on your product list. On the ingredient list of any product, the ingredient the product contains most of is listed first and the ingredient that is in the smallest amount is listed last. Everything listed in between goes in order from the most to least amount of the ingredient. The FDA requires it. The amount of mineral used in a product is not regulated by the FDA, so even if a product only contains 1% or less mineral in its final product, it can still claim to be a "mineral based" product. Bismuth also creates a high shine leaving an unnatural glow. Back to the makeup. We all desire a natural look after applying foundation. If you want to use "mineral" makeup on acneic (skin with acne) skin, you will need to apply layer after layer to get a decent amount of coverage. It most likely will not end up looking too natural just as if you used"regular" makeup. Mineral makeup also grabs onto oily and dry patches, and tends to accentuate fine lines and wrinkles, and cake in areas where oil was absorbed. It will also grab onto the moisture that dry skin needs to hold onto. This type of makeup is not ideal for combination skin types. While not a horrible class of makeup, it just isn't the best choice to use over all skin types or problems.

Do not let the wording on the front of a package fool you and do not let the words missing on the front of a package fool you either. Compare ingredient lists. Get familiar with where in the list ingredients are placed and what it means.     

I hope that this has enlightened many of you who have read to this point. If you were already informed and I left anything out, please feel free to comment below so that others and myself can add to our base of knowledge. No one, MUA or not, should be hesitant or lazy about knowing what is in the products you spend money on or rave about using. The same way that many talk about their changed diet and what is in the foods they do or don't eat, what you put on your own or your clients skin should be just as important. The two kind of go hand in hand. What you consume (beverage and food) comes through and onto your skin and sends you searching for products to rectify or cover the flaws. What is in the products can reduce or make that situation worse. I welcome all constructive comments and critiques. Until next time: WASH YOUR HANDS AND CREATE!

5 comments:

The Beauty Feelosophy said...

Hi! you have some solid facts above but a also a few slightly "shakey" parts if you dont mind me saying! :))

still it is important that people read and understand more about the products they put on their skin!

Your make up in your profile picture is stunning by the way - I can tell you are a MUA!
Good luck with your blog and feel free to drop by mine sometime if you like a bit of beauty science! :)
xx

HeidiStylHix said...

The Beauty Feelosophy, thank you for commenting. Please do share what you feel is "shaky". If there is more that readers and myself can learn, it would only make this industry a better industry to be a part of.

B A R B A R A said...

This is a lovely post. Iv checked out Inyourkit.com before but i never went to the blog section. I will now cos of ur post. talk to u later (twitter, blogger, or somewhere on the internet.) Its nice to meet u

HeidiStylHix said...

Hi Barby1923! Thank you very much! I absolutely LOVE InMyKit.com and KJ Bennett's blog page. It is nice to meet you also. I followed you on Twitter earlier this week, so yes, I will keep in touch.

Unknown said...

InMyKit.com sounds great! I have been wanting to learn more about mineral based makeup and this post has a ton of info.