The summer's hottest makeup is made from minerals

Mining for beauty By COLETTE BOUCHEZ at nydailynews.com


"The look of the season is natural, glowing, glistening skin - with nary a flaw the eye can see.

The "it" product of the season promises all that: It's natural mineral makeup - mined from the earth - that hides wrinkles, gives a sheer glow and skin-boosting benefits.

Women are snapping it up on home shopping networks, and brides swear by it for big-day beauty.

"Because the base of mineral makeup is titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, which have natural anti-inflammatory properties, it can have a calming effect on the skin and for many people it won't aggravate conditions like acne or rosacea," says Dr. Kathryn Frew, a dermatologist at Juva MediSpa in Manhattan.

These minerals are also natural sunscreens - so most mineral makeup has an SPF of 15 or higher. Bare Minerals, credited as the pioneer of mineral makeup, even carries a seal of approval from the Skin Cancer Foundation.

"I wouldn't use it as my sole source of protection, but most loose mineral powders are a great way to touch up your sunscreen during the day," says Dr. Ellen Marmur, chief of dermatologic and cosmetic surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center.

First developed in the mid 1970s, mineral makeup was intended to do away with potential irritants, like fragrances and dyes and preservatives found in traditional cosmetics, plus preservatives like parabens, which some studies linked to cancer.

Today, not all companies play by these unspoken rules.

"Some mineral products contain less of these irritating ingredients than traditional makeup, but some can contain as much or more, so don't rely solely on the term 'mineral' alone - you really have to read the entire label to see what you are getting," says Frew.

But even among those that offer all-mineral formulas, there's another dividing line: products that contain "bismuth oxychloride" and those that don't.

A kind of "pseudomineral" made from copper, lead and chlorine byproducts, it's used as a filler and to create a pearlized, anti-aging effect. But purists like Kristin Adams, president of Afterglow Cosmetics, says looking young and dewy has its price.

"We don't use bismuth oxychloride because many women are allergic to it and either break out and/or itch - plus we prefer the more semi-matte look of the non-bismuth formula," says Adams.

Frew says when used in significant quantities, bismuth oxychloride can irritate acne and rosacea, so if you have these problems try to avoid it, or check to see how far down on the ingredient label it is - lower is better..."