Product Reviews | Mineral Makeup Blog

Mineral Mascara

Posted on August 11, 2008 | Filed Under Product Reviews | Leave a Comment

Have you noticed that some mineral makeup companies are making Mineral Mascara? Mineral Mascara is water based with minerals used for the color and consistency and doesn’t have the fibers, tars and other chemical products that can cause eye irritation. These would be worth a try if you have sensitive eye or are concerned that regular mascara may be harmful for your eyelashes.

Pur Minerals Mineral Mascara is water-resistant, smudge-resistant, ocular-tested and completely free of tar and fibers. Get a full, soft, clump-free look that is safe for even the most sensitive eyes, including contact lens wearers.
Ingredients: Water, Acrylates Copolymer, Beeswax, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Stearic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol Stearate SE, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Triethanolamine, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium PCA, Wheat Amino Acids, Symphytum Officinale Extract, Panthenol, Hydroxyproline, Sodium Hyaluronate, PEG-8, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Disodium EDTA, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Methylparaben, Diazolidinyl Urea, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben May Contain: Iron Oxides, Ultramarines, Titanium Dioxide.

Physicians Formula Mineral Mascara says theirs is the first mineral mascara specifically developed for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers and that their Mineral water-based formula conditions lashes and helps prevent breakage. “This good-for-your-lashes mascara is rich in mineral water, pure mineral pigments and active mineral extracts to help promote strong, healthy lashes. Mineral Wear Mascara also contains derivatives of Vitamins A & E, Vitamin B5, and natural botanicals which condition lashes and can help prevent breakage. Ultra-hygienic, dual-sided applicator features soft plastic bristles and a firm comb, which work together to coat and separate lashes.” Ingredients: Water*, Beeswax, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Cyclopentasiloxane, Pvp, Glyceryl Stearate, Propylene Glycol Stearate Se, Stearic Acid, Triethanolamine, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Cellulose Gum, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Malachite Extract, Oleic Acid, Panthenol, Polybutene, Retinyl Palmitate, Rhodochrosite Extract, Simethicone, Smithsonite Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tetrasodium Edta, Tocopheryl Linoleate, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben. May Contain: Iron Oxides, Ultramarines, Titanium Dioxide. *Mineral Water.

Affordable Mineral Makeup Mascara is an all natural mineral mascara - if you are looking to go all natural you may want to check it out. It has a couple of good reviews on the site. Ingredients: water, beeswax, candelilla wax, ozokerite, carnuba wax, fennel extract, hops extract, balm mint extract, mistletoe extract, matricaria extract, yarrow extract, iron oxide, titanium dioxide, ozokerite.

I’ll be trying some of these out & will post my reveiws - if you have used any mineral mascara, please leave your review either in the comments below or at Review Mineral Makeup.

Bismuth Free Mineral Makeup

Posted on July 8, 2008 | Filed Under Product Reviews | 2 Comments

Because of the problems caused by Bismuth in Mineral Makeup, many users are opting for Bismuth Free Mineral Makeup. The good news is that there are many great brands that do not include Bismuth Oxychloride (which can cause itching, irritation and the “glow” that some people love and some people hate).

The brands of Bismuth Free Mineral Makeup are:
Affordable Mineral Makeup
GloMinerals Liquid Mineral Foundation
Illuminare Liquid Mineral Foundations
Jane Iredale Mineral Makeup
Laura Geller Makeup
Mary Kay Mineral Makeup
Serious Skin Care Mineral Makeup
Simply Karen Mineral Makeup

If you are looking for a traditional loose powder mineral foundation, try one of these:

Affordable Mineral Makeup
Jane Iredale Mineral Makeup
Serious Skin Care Mineral Makeup
Simply Karen Mineral Makeup

If you are looking for the purest, “green-est”, most eco-friendly foundation, go for Affordable Mineral Makeup™ - it only has 4 ingredients - Titanium Dioxide, Mica, Iron Oxides, Zinc Oxide - and is a small vegan, earth friendly company with great customer service.

Tags: Mineral Makeup News

Colorscience Sunforgettable Mineral Suncreen Powders

Posted on June 21, 2008 | Filed Under Colorscience, Product Reviews | Leave a Comment

(Yes, I know it is Colorescience - but most people forget to add the “e”!)

Colorscience has a great looking line of Mineral Sunscreen Products that include not only products for the face, but also for the body.

With so many of us looking for more ways to incorporate more natural and less chemical products into our daily lives, the timing couldn’t be better!

The line is called Sunforgettable and includes 4 different applicators (all have the same product).

The Sunforgettable products contains an SPF of 30 and the ingredients are: Active Ingredients: Titanium Dioxide 12%, Zinc Oxide 12% Inactive Ingredients: Bismuth Oxychloride, Calcium Silicate, Corallina Officianalis, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/ Vinyldimethicone Crosspolymer, Iron Oxide, Manganese Violet, Mica, Titanium Dioxide.

The products are effective immediately upon application - so you don’t have to wait like you do with many creams. They also claim to be “very water resistant”. I love the thought of a powder because I have very sensitive eyes & most sunscreens irritate my eyes. It is also a Godsend for people with acne & sensitive skin who have found that sunscreen aggravates their skin issues.

This nearly invisible light weight mineral powder uses micronized minerals to offer the first SPF 30, all-clear, mineral powder with broad spectrum (UVA and UVB and Infrared) sun protection. This breakthrough formula provides physical sun protection with Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide and will not absorb into your skin. It is safe for all ages, can be used by men as well, is odor free and won’t rub off on your clothes.

All 4 application methods are available in “Clear”, “Almost Clear” and “Perfectly Clear” and each color also comes in a “Sparkle” version. The 4 application methods are a powder brush, a roller ball, a shaker and a really cool looking orb. Here they are:

Colorescience Sunforgettable SPF 30 Brush - This nearly invisible light weight mineral powder comes in an easy-to-use retractable brush. The convenient, brush-on applicator makes all-over application easy and quick.

Colorescience Sunforgettable SPF 30 Rock and Roller Ball - The convenient rock and roller ball design makes all-over application easy and quick.

Colorescience Sunforgettable SPF 30 Shaker Jar - Comes in an easy-to-use shaker jar.

Colorescience Sunforgettable Orb SPF 30 - Puff on the protection with this ‘powder-ful’ broad spectrum formula.

Directions For Use:
Apply generously and uniformly before sun exposure, repeat application after perspiring, immersion in water or toweling.

Related Pages:
Colorscience Mineral Makeup

Tags: New Mineral Makeup Products, Mineral Makeup News

Maybelline Mineral Makeup

Posted on March 16, 2008 | Filed Under Product Reviews | 1 Comment

Maybelline Mineral Makeup is one of the newest in an ever growing line of drugstore mineral makeup. I tried it out this week - Here is my Maybelline Mineral Makeup Review:

Price - $8.99 for 0.28 ounce (includes a small natural hair brush).

Shade Selection - Maybelline’s Mineral Power Loose Foundation is available in 8 shades. I wear Medium in virtually every foundation I have ever worn (I always wear the color that they say “80% of women can wear this shade”). The store where I purchased mine was out of all medium shades, so I tried the darkest “light” shade - Creamy Natural. It was a good shade for me - maybe just a little too pink for my cool skin tone.

Coverage - I was very disappointed in the coverage. The Maybelline advertising promises “Medium to Full Coverage”. I didn’t get full coverage, not even medium coverage. I have a few dark areas on my face that are easily covered by most mineral makeup brands. Even with concealer, they were still visible. The makeup did provide color on my face, but no coverage. It was not natural looking at all you could definitely tell I had on makeup - but that could be the result of the color selection, not the foundation itself.

Ingredients - I was very disappointed with the ingredients. Synthetic wax? On my acne prone face? One of the main reasons I love mineral makeup is that it is all natural without a lot of unnecessary ingredients and it doesn’t cause my very acne prone skin to break out.

Here are the Maybelline Mineral Makeup ingredients:
Zinc Oxide, Polyethlene, Boron Nitride, Dimethicone, PTFE, Synthetic Wax, Acrylates Copolymer, Lauroyl Lysine, Cetyl Dimethicone, Aloe Barbadensis/Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Trumethylsioxsilicate, Trisocetyl Citrate, Isopropyl Titanium Trisosterate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol Chamomilla Recutita Extract/Matricaria Flower Extract (+/- May Contain: Mica, Cl77891/Titanuim Dioxide, Cl77163 Bismuth Oxychloride, Cl77499, Cl77492, Cl77491/Iron Oxides, Cl77007/Ultramarines).

I was surprised that although Zinc Oxide is listed first, there is not an SPF given with this makeup. One of the other reasons I love mineral makeup is the SPF without having to use a separate product. (And the value on this definitely goes down if you have to purchase an additional product for your SPF.) I was also wondering why in their advertising they state “Mica amplifies natural luminosity” and “100% natural mica creates a more natural luminosity”, yet mica is listed under “may contain” ingredients, along with Bismuth - which is problematic for some users.

Stash or Trash? Definitely the trash on this one for me. Maybe if you have great skin and want sheer coverage and don’t mind that long list of ingredients you might like it, but this one is not for me!

Have you tried Maybelline Mineral Power Makeup? Please share your review in the comments section!

Tags: Drugstore Mineral Makeup

Urban Decay Primer Potion vs. Bare Escentuals Prime Time Eyelid Primer

Posted on February 12, 2008 | Filed Under Bare Escentuals, Product Reviews | Comments Off

While I do not use it everyday, I am a HUGE fan of Urban Decay’s Eyelid Primer Potion. It is an awesome product and it does and incredible job of keeping your eye makeup in place until you take it off. When I saw that Bare Escentual’s has a new eyelid / eye makeup primer I wondered how is it different from the Urban Decay product and how could it possibly be any better?
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion comes in an adorable Genie bottle in a wonderful purple color - it is too cute for words! The draw back is that at least half of the product gets trapped in the container & you have to pry off the end to have access to all of the product.

It is $16 for 10 ml or 0.34 ounce.

The ingredients are: Isododecane, Talc, Cyclopentasiloxane, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Trihydroxystearin, Triethylhexanoin, Isopropyl Lanolate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, VP/Eicosene Copolymer, Dimethicone, PEG-40 Stearate, Propylene Carbonate, Phenoxyethanol, Cera Alba (Beeswax), Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Propylparaben, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Butylparaben, Methicone, Isobutylparaben
May Contain: Mica, CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499 (Iron Oxides), CI 77163 (Bismuth Oxychloride)

Bare Escentuals bareVitamins Prime Time Eyelid Primer doesn’t have the cuteness - but it does look very functional - with it’s felt tip pen type design.

It is $16 for 15 ml or 0.5 ounce.

The ingredients are: Isododecane, Barium Sulfate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Glyceryl Triethylhexanoate, Polyethylene, Trihydroxystearin, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, VP/Eicosene Copolymer, Propylene Carbonate, Dimethicone, Beeswax (Cera Alba), PEG-40 Stearate, Ascorbyl Palmitate (Vitamin C), Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A), Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Mica (CI 77019), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Iron Oxides (CI 77492), Iron Oxides (CI 77499), Bismuth Oxychloride (CI 77163).

As you can see from the ingredients in bold, the two formulas seem to be very similar. The Bare Escentuals version has added vitamins, but I am unsure if they would benefit the eyelid in any way. The Bare Escentuals version is also less expensive - provided you can get all of the product out of the container. Urban Decay Primer Potion costs the equivalent of $47 per ounce and Bare Escentuals Eyelid Primer is the equivalent of $32 per ounce. (It seems like you don’t get very much product - but you use such a tiny amount it lasts a really long time.)

It looks to me like it would be a smart thing to do to try out the Bare Escentuals Primer when I run out of Urban Decay Primer Potions, but I sure am going to miss my little Genie Bottle!!

Please feel free to share you review of either (or both!) of these products!

Related Pages:
Bare Minerals Eye Makeup - Overview of all bareMinerals Eye makeup
Bare Minerals Eye Shadows - are the matte, “non-sparkly” eye shadows.
Bare Minerals Glimmers - have shine/shimmer, although the shimmer can be buffed down quite a bit.
Bare Minerals Glimpses - are a combo of eye shadows and glimmers - they are more subtle.
Bare Minerals Liner Shadows - are intense pigments that are suitable for lining, but are also used by many in the crease area of the eye lid and also on the brows.
Bare Minerals Eyeliner Application Tips