Side-By-Side Comparisons of Mineral Makeup

They call them mineral make up. They call them pure. They say they have only “good things” in them. Is this true? And how do they compare in price? Let’s compare apples to apples. I’ve listed all the well know brands of mineral cosmetics, compared their ingredients, their cost, and their actual cost per gram. Although each company offers several products such as foundations, blushes, eye shadows, etc, I’ve chosen the most popular – foundations – as a basis of comparison. I’ve stacked them against Purely Cosmetics to see how each holds up against the other.

Any ingredient marked in bold contains a non-pure, non-earth mineral. Some even worse: parabens are preservatives that are thought to be linked to breast cancer and early aging of the skin. Bismuth oxychloride is a filler that is a by-product of lead and copper processing and is irritating to the skin.

This is lengthy, but you’ll find some real eye openers. Your favorite mineral makeup is most likely listed here, as I’ve compared Bare Escentuals, Jane Iredale, GLO Minerals, Sheer Cover, Laura Mercier, Youngblood, PUR Minerals, L’Oreal, and Neutragena to Purely Cosmetics.

NOTE ABOUT MICRONIZED PARTICLES: The use of micronized titanium dioxide is controversial. Some research indicates that micro-size particles do stay on the surface of the skin and do not enter the bloodstream, while others question the long-term safety of using nanoparticles. Studies have shown that it is possible for micronized titanium dioxide particles to penetrate cells and eventually lead to DNA damage following sun exposure. Asthmatics and others with repiratory problems should be cautioned about using loose powders with micronized ingredients as they are easily BN Plate / Sheet. Micronized particles are liked by some mineral makeup companies because they provide a smooth coverage and adhere easily. The smaller the particle, the more sheer and natural looking the application. On the flip side, micronized particles cannot provide medium to full coverage for those who need to cover life’s imperfections.