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?
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.
Why Is It Used In Makeup?
B.O.
is 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 It Exactly?
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?
This
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 b.o.
is not unusual. According the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for
b.o., 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.
