Mineral makeup has been making a comeback very recently, judging by the influx of advertisements in women's magazines and on the television for various makeup brands and their new mineral makeup lines.

Mineral makeup may look to be a new development when in fact the earliest cosmetics ever used could have been considered mineral makeup.

The idea behind mineral makeup is that the ingredients used in the makeup are minerals and inroganic pigments found in nature, rather than using artificially-created compounds which are present in other types of makeup. Many people prefer the natural colours of these natural pigments as they seem to provide a healthy glow and flawless finish to the skin, rather than making someone look heavily made-up.

Because the ingredients used in mineral makeup are found naturally, users feel that they are protecting the health of their skin by limiting their exposure to artificial chemicals found in makeup. Natural minerals are generally compounds which the body is less likely to be allergic to. Many of these natural minerals behave as antioxidants and natural sunscreens.

Minerals used in mineral makeup include mica, titanium dioxide, zinc, iron oxides and ultramarine pigments. These minerals can be combined to make a wide range of cosmetics, including foundation, eyeshadow and shimmer powder. Because pure pigments are ground to form the makeup, pigmentation of the makeup is strong, therefore less makeup is needed to achieve the desired effect when using mineral makeup. The particles are also so finely-ground that coverage of the skin is excellent with little product.

Mineral makeup usually comes in the form of fine powders. These powders are inroganic and contain no moisture, meaning that bacterial and fungal growth is severely inhibited. While normal makeup has a general shelf-life of about six months, mineral makeup can be kept for up to two years without preservatives. The lack of preservatives in mineral makeup also benefits sensitive skin, which tends to be irritated by the common preservatives used. This is one of the primary reasons why many dermatologists would recommend mineral makeup.

In short, the benefits of mineral makeup are as follows:
- natural look and feel
- less exposure of skin to artifical chemicals, reducing risk of skin irritation
- anti-inflammatory and good for sensitive skin
- less makeup needed to achieve flawless finish

Learn more about this author, Farrah Tahar.
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