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Friday, February 27, 2009

Bismuth Oxychloride: One Mineral Your Skin Can Do Without

By Marilyn Etzel

Mineral makeup is everywhere you look these days. The minerals in the cosmetics are found naturally in the earth. Using them adds a natural glow to your face. But, all mineral cosmetics don't only contain minerals but other compounds.

One filler that is commonly used is bismuth oxychloride. The main component, bismuth, can be located on the periodic table squeezed between arsenic and antimony. From the former, you can guess that it keeps quite toxic company. As a standalone element, bismuth gives off unhealthy fumes when it is burned.

As filler, bismuth undergoes a refining process to become bismuth oxychloride. The first step involves combining it with another element, chlorine. Hydrochloric acid is produces which is still no good because it is a strong acid. Further addition of oxygen results in a harmless compound used as filler for cosmetics. Bismuth oxychloride can show as diamond or pearl in texture.

When you ground up bismuth oxychloride, it becomes a fine crystalline powder. In mineral makeup, it provides a silky finish on the skin as well as helping the makeup to adhere to the skin for a flawless lasting look.

As filler in makeup, bismuth oxychloride adds a shine to the skin. Some women like it and some do not. A pearlesque bismuth oxychloride results in a matte finish to your makeup. On the other hand, the diamond texture leaves the skin shimmering.

Everything about bismuth oxychloride is not bad. It has some good qualities but do they outweigh its potential towards the other end of the scale? A seamless look is still achieved without its presence.

Why you are better off without bismuth oxychloride

1. We mentioned the fact that bismuth oxychloride provides a shine to the face. While it can look natural if you want to appear sun-kissed in the summertime, most women want to wear makeup that avoids the shine effect. If you have oily skin, you already shine a bit and a mineral makeup that adds to the shine is not that appealing.

2. Large pores appear larger when bismuth oxychloride is present. The compound doesn't do a good job of concealing that fact. Using makeup is one way to reduce the appearance of larger pores when bismuth oxychloride is not present.

3. Mineral cosmetics pride themselves on presenting a natural look from the earth. Bismuth oxychloride doesn't come from the earth as it is. Natural minerals blend in to the skin. That is why they look and feel light. The components of this compound may be natural but they can be lethal if used in that state. Only a refining process will allow you to create the cosmetic filler.

4. Bismuth oxychloride is an irritant to the skin of some women. If you are that unlucky woman, the filler compound can cause skin breakouts, itching, and even rashes on otherwise healthy looking skin. It's hard to tell if bismuth oxychloride will affect you in this way so it's safer to avoid it altogether.

If your mineral makeup contains bismuth oxychloride consider switching to one without the compound. Your skin will be healthier for the switch.

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