There was a lot of hype about mineral make-up when it first came out. It was perceived as being some kind of miracle make-up, presumably made from a mixture of fairy dust and sand from a mystical desert – a combination that would mean you stayed young and beautiful forever if you put it on your face….

Or not. But people were pretty impressed, and while mineral make-up does have many advantages, you shouldn’t abandon your old liquid foundation completely either. Here is everything you need to know about mineral make-up:

It’s not all natural
Using the word mineral makes it sound as though all the ingredients are natural, but this isn’t always the case. A lot of mineral make-up brands use bismuth oxychloride in their products, which is a man-made substance. This is what makes the make-up stick to your skin, and it also gives it that shimmery look.

Remember though, just because it isn’t natural doesn’t mean it’s bad for your skin (though it might irritate particularly sensitive skin), so there’s no need to abandon it for this reason.

Coverage
The best thing about mineral make-up is probably the fact that you can make it look as though you’re wearing no make-up at all, while still getting full coverage. Or if you’re going on a night out and you want to look more done up you can buff more of the powder onto your face without getting the same caked on look that liquid foundation can create. It’s also great for really pale skin as sometimes it can be hard to get a liquid foundation in a light enough shade. However, mineral make-up has been known to make wrinkles look more prominent, so it’s probably best for young skin.

Skin care
A lot of people believe that mineral make-up is better for your skin than liquid foundation, and it’s often recommended for people who suffer from rosacea as many brands contain titanium dioxide and zinc oxide which have anti-inflammatory benefits. However, there isn’t any scientific research to back this up so you shouldn’t take it for gospel.

If your liquid foundation is working for you, don’t let the mineral make-up brigade change your mind with tales of miracle cures and natural benefits. While it IS great (we have used it and loved it many times), remember that a lot of the hype is down to some very clever marketing.