An Honest Look into the Bare Mineral Makeup Line!

While no one in the beauty industry intentionally set out to ruin the complexions of millions of women (or at least we should hope not), this is exactly what’s happening.

The wrong cosmetic ingredients are so potent that they can cause pimples in women who are not genetically prone to it.

Are you someone who gets small milia type pimples that are under your skin; that stand out even more when you put makeup on? They mainly like to stay around your cheek or forehead area. Maybe you’ve been noticing congestion or dryness around your chin area?

Becoming a label detective could be your ticket to clear skin, and the first place you should check are the ingredients in your makeup. Makeup is something we usually wear all day, sometimes longer than 8 hours. We do activities in our makeup, sometimes workout, and are surrounded by environmental pollutants all day. Choosing the right makeup is key to keeping your skin healthy and glowing.

Every liquid foundation, tinted moisturizer, and BB Cream contains pore-clogging ingredients. Loose, mineral powder tends to be the safest choice but the ingredients should still be checked.

The bare minerals line was one of the first companies out there to really make mineral makeup a “thing” and a “trend” for people suffering with skin conditions. However some mineral makeup lines can be some of the worst products you can put on your face.

This line is no different. Bare minerals does have some safe makeup in their line, but they also have some dirty offenders that can make your skin look worse! We’re going to take a look into their line and give you the real deal on which ones to keep and which ones to toss.

Now I’m sure you’ve all heard of BISMUTH OXYCHLORIDE!

In our experience only about 1% of the population has a reaction to bismuth oxychloride due to its crystalline structure, which can “poke” at the skin, get stuck in the pores, cause irritation, and aggravate acne. Bismuth oxychloride is not a pore-clogging ingredient; however, If you are sensitive to bismuth oxychloride then you should look for makeup lines that don’t contain the ingredient.

For those who are not sensitive to bismuth oxychloride, Bare Minerals Original Formula loose powder foundation is an easy-to-find and safe choice for acne-prone individuals. The newer Bare Minerals Matte and Bare Minerals READY lines are not a safe choice – they contain ActiveSoil Complex that may cause breakouts. We do not recommend any of the pressed Bare Minerals blushes, bronzers, or veils.

ActiveSoil is just a fancy term for, well, dirt. Minerals, from the soil or anywhere else. It seems there’s nothing a blend of minerals cannot do! And in this case, the label merely states “soil minerals,” so you have no idea what you’re actually putting on your face. Just because it’s a mineral doesn’t mean it contains something rare—minerals can contain sulfur, lead, chlorides—how rare does that sound?

The so-called “RareMinerals” are merely a marketing gimmick; there is no published research proving soil-based minerals have any benefits for your skin.

We’ve broken down the bare minerals line here:

Bare Minerals (Approved)

Loose Original Foundation

Mineral Veil (Original and Finishing Powder)

Loose Blush

Broad Spectrum SPF 20 Concealer (Loose)

Well-Rested Eye Brightener (Loose)

All-Over Face Color

Natural Light Face Lifting Duo

All Eye Products

Bare Minerals (Not-Approved)

bareskin™ Pure Brightening Serum Foundation

Blemish Remedy Foundation

All READY Products (Foundation, Blush, Bronzer, Luminous)

All Matte Products (Foundation, Touch-Up Veil, Faux Tan)

Foundation Primer

Prime Time

Correcting Concealer SPF 20 (Cream)

Well-Rested Face and Eye Brightener (dispensing stick)

Stroke of Light

Rev-er Upper

All Lip Products

All Skin Products

You can even check the ingredients yourself! The Divulge Beauty website has a printable handout list of contain pore-clogging ingredients that you can use to check the products you buy!

Now you have the low-down on which bare minerals products are safe to use.

Sticking to loose powders is best if you’re very sensitive. If you’re open to trying a different makeup line, check out our post on other alternatives for makeup here.