Bismuth Oxychloride in Mineral Makeup

Does this scenario sound familiar? You've worn traditional makeup for years with little to no irritation. Upon hearing about the benefits of mineral makeup, you decide to give it a try. After all, it claims to be better for your skin and healthier overall, so what have you got to lose? And if you've never been able to wear traditional makeup without irritation, mineral makeup sounds like the answer you've been looking for. You buy your first jar and begin wearing it immediately.

Except... you're having a reaction you've never had before to makeup. Your skin may be red, irritated, itching, having small bumps or pustules, burning or looking swollen. What is this? How can mineral makeup cause such an extreme reaction?

Makeup

That reaction is likely caused by the ingredient bismuth oxychloride. While bismuth oxychloride is a common ingredient in traditional makeup, as well as mineral makeup, it is used in much higher concentrations in mineral makeup. There are no fillers in mineral makeup like there are in traditional cosmetics (talc, mineral oil, aluminum powder, alcohols and parabens), so the few ingredients left, including bismuth oxychloride, make up more of the recipe.

Bismuth Oxychloride in Mineral Makeup

Why Is Bismuth Oxychloride Used In Makeup?

Is it used in makeup because it gives the makeup a silky feel, good slip (this means it applies well to the skin and doesn't drag or grab on the skin) and good adhesion, which helps it stay on your skin. It feels smooth and silky when rubbed between the fingers. It is often described as a lustrous crystalline powder.

It is not the most expensive ingredient, nor is it the least expensive. It is, however, an industry standard and very common. It also gives a visible sheen to the makeup, so it's good at refracting light and that helps draw attention away from, and camouflage, fine lines, wrinkles and minor discolorations. That's a great selling point for makeup.

What Is Bismuth Oxychloride?

Bismuth oxychloride is an inorganic white pigment, and usually comes in two forms: diamond and pearl finishes. The diamond is shimmery and the pearl is more matte. It's formula is BiOCl.

If you look on the periodic table of elements, you'll notice plain old bismuth at atomic number 83, with the symbol Bi. It is the least toxic of it's periodic table neighbors like lead, tin, antimony and polonium. Bismuth in itself is not safe for use in cosmetics, and must be refined and combined with other elements to produce bismuth oxychloride.

Bismuth occurs naturally, but in very small amounts. Most of the bismuth produced in the USA is as a by-product from refining lead, tin, copper, silver and gold ores.

Once the bismuth has been harvested, it is further refined through several processes to remove dangerous elements like lead. Then it is chlorinated, which gives us bismuth chloride (BiCl3). It still poses a severe risk at this point, smelling of hydrochloric acid. When bismuth chloride is combined with water, it starts to decompose and part of the chlorine is replaced by oxygen from the water. This process is called hydrolysis. The remaining compound is bismuth, chlorine and oxygen; Bismuth oxychloride.

Is It Safe To Use?

Bismuth oxychloride is a product that is FDA approved for use in products for the face, eyes, lips and nails. It is a very common and popular ingredient in both traditional and mineral makeup.

However, skin irritation from bismuth oxychloride is not unusual. According the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for bismuth oxychloride, there is a risk of it being a potential irritant to humans when it comes in contact with the skin or eyes.

It is also imperative that bismuth oxychloride be free from toxins when it hits the market. The FDA does have standards outlining this, and in their Electronic Code of Federal Regulations they dictate the composition must be free of impurities except lead, arsenic, volatile matter and mercury in specific amounts and must be 98% bismuth oxychloride.

Buying bismuth oxychloride from countries with less stringent laws may result in increased health risks, so it is wise for companies to buy from highly regulated countries, like the US and Canada.

Should I Use It?

This is a very personal question to answer. Are you are happy with your current makeup and are suffering no ill effects? Would you feel more comfortable using makeup without it? Do you find that you have to buff minerals with bismuth oxychloride into your pores or they are more obvious, and this is irritating your skin? Have you found using mineral makeup without it causes your skin relief and the reaction clears up?

These are all questions to ask yourself when deciding to purchase a brand with bismuth oxychloride as an ingredient. There are many good products available, offering the same benefits as products with bismuth oxychloride, but without the ingredient itself.

Bismuth Oxychloride in Mineral Makeup

Lynn Starner is the founder and CEO of Beauty Bliss Mineral Cosmetics at http://www.beautyblisscosmetics.com

Applying Mime Makeup Correctly

Mime makeup is extremely important to the overall look of a mime. In case you've never seen a street show, a mime is a person that dresses in all black and white. They wear heavy white makeup on their face. Mimes use their faces and their bodies to act out actions or emotions. They do not speak when they're in costume.

The Makeup

Makeup

Mime makeup is extremely important to a mime's costume. A person wouldn't dress like a vampire without putting in fake vampire teeth just like a mime wouldn't dress like a mime without proper makeup. If you want to dress like a mime, the first thing you need to do is get white, water based cake face makeup or clown makeup. Cake makeup can smear more easily than a grease based makeup. Some mimes use grease based makeup because it's thick. One disadvantage to using grease based makeup is that it's hard to make other markings over grease-based paint. You should experiment with both types before making your decision.

Applying Mime Makeup Correctly

Before you put on this makeup, you need to moisturize your face. A moist face will help you spread on your cream more easily. After you moisturize, outline your face with the makeup. Then, put dots of white on various locations within the perimeter and decorate your face by moving from one point to another. Make sure to cover you face with the paint. If you're using a grease based paint, you should put white powder over your face when you're finished filling in your outline. You do not need to do this for a cake based paint.

Next, you're going to need to make your black and red markings. For the black marks that go above your eyes and lips, use an eye pencil or liquid eyeliner. You're going to need to make new eyebrows that go well above your eyes. This will help give you exaggerated expressions. When you're done with your eyes, you'll need to move on to your mouth. Use a red lipstick for your lips.

When the color makeup has dried, powder your face. It's best to use translucent powder. This type of powder will seal your mime makeup without changing your look.

Applying Mime Makeup Correctly

Get Makeup Tips is one of the leading makeup and cosmetics information resources online. We've got information on everything from Clinique cosmetics to makeup artist school.

Makeup For Acne - Tips For Concealing Pitted Acne Scars

Acne scars are a lasting reminder of acne, whether recent or from years ago. While there are different surgical procedures for reducing or eliminating these scars, most people rely on some form of concealer makeup to cover them up. Depending on the type of acne scar you want to cover, you will need to use different techniques and makeup.

There are several different types of acne scars, including pitted, raised, and post inflammatory hyperpigmentation (which is not technically a scar). The methods discussed in this article address the ways to cover pitted scars, such as icepick, boxcar, or other depressed scars. These types of scars present a challenge to conceal since they are not even with the rest of the skin.

Makeup

In order to best conceal pitted acne scars, you will first need to use a filler to raise the scar as much as possible to the same level as the rest of your skin. Two ways you can do this are with:

Makeup For Acne - Tips For Concealing Pitted Acne Scars

• Wrinkle fillers. If they can fill wrinkles, then they can do the same with pitted scars. While these are unlikely to raise the scar significantly and are only temporary, they can reduce the amount of concealer you need to fill the scar.
• Thick, creamy concealers. A thick concealer that is the same color as your skin can be applied with a very small concealer brush. Apply a small amount of concealer to the pitted portion of the scar. Dab and blend carefully so that the concealer stays in the scar and the edges blend with the rest of your skin. A couple good concealers for scars are Kat Von D's Tattoo Concealer and Smashbox High Definition Concealer. Cover FX also has a very wide range of colors for concealing scars on the face or body.

Tips for the best coverage:

1. Always look for a concealer that is as close to your skin tone as possible. If anything, use a slightly lighter tone, since a depressed scar can cast a slight shadow, making it look darker.
2. If the scar is discolored, use a corrector first in green (for red scars) or yellow (for bluish scars). Peach colors can also work with scars that have a blue tint. Use concealer after the corrector, if necessary, to even out the color to match the rest of your skin.
3. If applying foundation, put it on after using any wrinkle filler but before your concealer. If you apply foundation after concealer, you risk wiping off the concealer that you just worked so hard to apply. Also, you may need less concealer after applying foundation.
4. Always set your concealer with a loose powder. This will set it and keep your makeup from smearing during the day. This applies to both face and body makeup.

While it is possible to conceal your acne scars, it is still best to prevent them in the first place. Any time you get acne, whether it is just one pimple or many, treat it right away and keep your hands away from your face. Be particularly careful of any inflamed areas since these are the blemishes that are most likely to result in scars. There is no real substitute for the advice of a dermatologist when you have moderate to severe acne. However, do not wait until your acne is bad to start treating it.

Makeup For Acne - Tips For Concealing Pitted Acne Scars

Check out the large assortment of makeup for acne prone skin at the Makeup for Acne Store.
Look for my latest review of Kat Von D Tattoo Concealer, which is a great heavier concealer for acne and acne scars.

Sharyn Sheldon is a corporate learning consultant and mother of three teenagers who has battled acne most of her life. As a makeup lover, she is always on the lookout for great makeup that will not only conceal acne, but achieve any look desired without aggravating acne further.

The Best Lighted Makeup Mirror Brands

If you are a budding makeup artist or simply find yourself in front of the makeup mirror more than normal, a lighted makeup mirror is one investment you should make.

Most professional makeup artists do their craft away from their homes. Because not all locations have well-lighted rooms or dressers, bringing your own portable, well-lighted makeup mirror should keep you away from unwanted situations.

Makeup

Portable, mirror-only makeup mirrors are sold and made by a lot of specialty manufacturers. Most of their products are available online. They also have stores and dealers scattered nationwide.

The Best Lighted Makeup Mirror Brands

A professional makeup artist should also consider using an all-in-one makeup station that has its own lighted mirror. A makeup station also has compartments; these usually fold and pack to into a hard-shell; some of these cases also have built-in trolleys which make them easier to transport. Such products are being sold by specialty manufacturers and come in a wide array of sizes and styles.

If you think such products are a little too much for personal use, there are also portable makeup mirrors that suit home and occasional use. These mirrors are generally smaller and have fewer lights. These products are relatively cheaper and should be enough when used from dressers and bathrooms.

Below are some brands and products worth having a look at if you are in the market for lighted makeup mirrors.

Professional

Makeup Artist Network

Makeup Artist Network, or simply Makeup Art, is a leading manufacturer of makeup cases. Although they also have a number of vanity products, their makeup cases and stations have been used by professionals since 1999. They have cases with lights of different sizes, styles, and colors.

Vanity Girl Hollywood

Vanity Girl Hollywood is also a specialty vanity accessories manufacturer. They have very unique makeup tables, vanity mirrors-both wall-mounted and tabletop, as well as a number of other vanity accessories. They are endorsed by celebrities such as Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey, and their products were also used in the 2010 Olympics.

Makeup Station

As their name suggests, this company provides portable makeup stations for use on location. Their products have been used in movie sets for popular Hollywood movies. Also unique about this company is that they allow they offer their products for rent.

Personal

Remington

Ask around any department store or browse through online shops and you will surely come across the brand Remington. Remington and their True-To-Light series of mirrors have been re-branded by a number of different companies because of its simple design. The Remington makeup mirror has also had several reincarnations featuring improvements every time.

The Best Lighted Makeup Mirror Brands

Read reviews and find the best deals for the aforementioned Remington makeup mirror. Visit our site for more details. [http://remingtonmakeupmirror.info/].