Mineral Makeup Reviews Online

Sometimes women experienced skin irritation on the face or eyes after applying their favorite makeup. They blame the irritation to the brand of cosmetic or sometimes to other instances related to the purchase of the product. The truth is, bismuth oxychloride may have caused the irritation.

The Nature of Bismuth Oxychloride

Bismuth is a fragile metal of white and silver-pink hue. In the periodic table of elements, it has Antimony, Lead, Tellurium, Tin, and Polonium as its toxic neighbors. This may be the reason why it is correlated with these chemicals’ poisonous properties. But Bismuth metal replaced Lead metal in cosmetic products because of its toxicity. For this reason, Bismuth has gained considerable money-making importance.

Bismuth oxychloride is a non-living white pigment, usually coming in two forms: diamond and pearl finishes. Its formula is BiOCl. The atomic number of the old bismuth is 83 with symbol Bi. It is the least toxic among its neighbors. It is refined and mixed with other elements to create bismuth oxychloride. In very small amounts, bismuth occurs naturally. As a by-product from refining tin, copper, silver, lead, and gold ores, bismuth is further refined to remove its toxicity. It is combined with water which decomposes chlorine and dangerous elements. The compound now has chlorine and oxygen – being called bismuth oxychloride.

Bismuth Oxychloride as an Important Ingredient in Makeup

Bismuth oxychloride is used in cosmetics because of its good slip and silky feel. It can be applied very well on the skin without dragging the skin towards the other side. Because of bismuth, the makeup stays on the skin longer while you feel smooth and silky with your fingers. In the cosmetic industry, this ingredient is described a shiny crystalline powder.

In terms of prices, bismuth is not the most costly ingredient, nor is it the cheapest. It is considered a common ingredient in the mineral makeup recipe and is sold at standard prices. It gives a noticeable sheen to the makeup; it refracts light that helps camouflage wrinkles and fine lines. This makes it an absolute mineral makeup selling point.

FDA Approval

FDA approved the use of bismuth oxychloride in products for the lips, nail, face, and eyes. Both mineral and traditional makeup use bismuth as a very common and accepted ingredient. However, it is not unusual to learn about skin irritation from bismuth especially when its composition has impurities. FDA’s standards outlined in the electronic code dictate that bismuth oxychloride must be 98%. US and Canada are highly regulated countries with stringent laws and therefore it is safe to buy bismuth from these countries in order to avoid health risks.
 
Conclusion

Mineral makeup with FDA approved grades of Bismuth Oxychloride is in fact safe for skin treatments. Products with bismuth ingredient cannot be expected to be sold at inexpensive prices. They do because the ingredient has to be refined and pass the strict specifications of the FDA. Some cosmetics are sold at a cheaper price because the bismuth oxychloride content may not have met FDA standards.

Bismuth Oxychloride