Cosmetic Counters.....The Unseen Danger!

I touched on this subject a tad in my last article about why we won't be making pressed powders, but I decided to elaborate due to how many women I see testing out the cosmetic displays at their local department store.

You venture into a department store on your day off or you are using some “me” time away from hubby and kids, and you are in an exploring mood. Suddenly, you see the pretty girl beckoning to you from behind the cosmetic counter. You are tantalized by the many different displays of colors. The glitz and shine of the professional looking packaging is almost impossible to walk past. The sales rep all dressed up to the “nine's”, wearing her smock, makeup applied with flawless perfection, fiddling with the abundance of makeup brushes, working her wiles to entice you to try her samples. Women who enjoy makeup and skin crèmes have all fallen prey to the sirens' song of "please, come try some of our products". They give the heir of expertise and are so perky, excited to show you something new in their line. You move toward the counter in anticipation of finding that perfect cosmetic.

Well ladies, in the future, you will keep on walkin' after you read this article.

Some of you think it is alright to try these samples and it is the best way to know before you buy since you don’t want to spend hard earned money on something that may or may not work for your face or skin. I couldn’t agree more! Sampling is absolutely the best way to try something; however you should try a fresh sample that is sold for individual use, not on display for you and the entire female population to try the same sample. Plus some reactions to products may not occur with one sampling, but may require testing over several days to a week to see if your skin will like it.

Think about it: women that walk by these samples test many of them by using their fingers and then apply it to their lips, wrists, jawbone, maybe even their eyes. Double dipping I might add! Or worse yet, I have witnessed women applying the lipstick directly to their mouth and then returning it to the display. The sales staff don't employ safety measures against this. They encourage you to try, which is why they are on display. Even though I have seen stores' post signs that state to ask for assistance, many women are in a hurry, or don't want to be bothered by a sales person so they take their turn at dipping into the goodies with what is available to them, which is usually their fingers.

Ask a few questions to yourself about the person who was there just before you.

Were their hands clean?
Did they just finish a meal or come from the restroom?
Were they sick with a virus at the present time?
Were they sporting a cold sore on their mouth?
How many times has the product been sneezed on or coughed over?

Definitely gives you pause when you think about the possibilities of different types of contamination.

Think about women with children. You gotta love 'em, but face it ladies, this is not a pretty picture. We all know how the children love to touch these open palettes of pretty colors. And though most of us adore our children, we are fully aware they are a walking petri dish of germs. Lord knows this is how I got most of my illnesses, they brought home every virus known to mankind. If they got sick, I got sick!

For many of us we don’t even allow this to occur to us. We are lulled into a false sense of security when the pretty sales rep behind the counter is inviting you to try this stuff, especially when we are alone at the counter. We almost feel as though the samples were laid out just for our own personal use. We never think about the person who passed by before us. Did you know that viruses can live on surfaces for up to 4 days and bacteria can live on surfaces indefinitely?

Some of you might say, “Well these products have preservatives in them”. Yes they do! But did you stop to think that preservatives are designed to fight and kill bacteria for individual use, not a parade of people?

When we use our own individual products and close the lid, the preservatives have time to kill and prevent growth of bacteria over the course of 12 to 24 hours, which is the next time you may need your product. This is how manufacturers have created their products and are acceptable for keeping cosmetics free of bacterial growth according to the FDA. However, the preservatives cannot possibly keep up with the touching of fingers and the reopening and closing of jars repeatedly throughout the course of a business day. Bacteria reproduce and multiply every 20 minutes so in the course of a day you could be looking at millions of microbes growing on a product sample. And since the FDA has no regulations to date to control this type of business practice, we are on our own.

Challenge testing has proven how bacteria grow so we know what level of preservative is required to keep products fresh. However in this environment of sampling, the bacteria cannot be stopped and the preservatives cannot do their job. Now the accumulation and growth of bacteria is out of control and you are applying it to your skin. I shiver just thinking about it!

Once opened, our own unused personal use products that require moisture are recommended to be tossed after a few months due to the breakdown of preservatives within the product. For example: mascaras, liquid foundations, eye liner and skin crèmes that come in a jar.

And to address the powders and lip glosses that are exposed in open palettes, well I shudder to think…..they begin to degrade since they are being exposed to air and the debris that is in the air, including probing fingers all day long, 24/7. Preservatives have lost the battle in these pots of color.

The Makeover: Now this is another story all to itself. The sales rep comes to you bearing her prettiest smile, with her brush in hand and she sprays some kind of sanitizer on it, she may wipe the bristles a bit with a paper towel and then begins to dip and blend powder onto your face. She has assured you the brush is clean due to this sanitizer. Well that is fine and dandy, and sanitizers are great for killing germs and bacteria, and might be great for personal hygiene of your own brushes, but do you really want someone else’s skin coming in contact with yours, or their skin oils (sebum) being smeared onto your face? Maybe this person has a skin ailment and they tried on makeup and now their prescription crème is being transferred to your face. Sanitizers are for killing bacteria, not for cleaning debris from the brush.

If you must try on something from the counter, make sure fresh q-tips or other disposable applicators are offered for lipcolor trial, or a disposable mascara wand is used and then discarded after trying it. Best sample practice, don't ever try a lipcolor, lip-liner or a mascara that has been on display. Ask for a fresh sample to be opened if you must try a certain color. Watch out for double dipping. If you see this or are allowed to do this with the rep pesent then you know others have gone before you doing the same thing. Using other peoples’ mascara or even your old mascara after many months is a leading cause of eye infections. Never add water to your mascara to make it last longer. This is an infection waiting to happen. Liquid foundations should be poured onto a clean makeup sheet and a fresh and new makeup sponge should be provided. If the rep uses her fingers by touching the mouth of the bottle and then to your face over and over, this is contamination of the product to be sure.

Also to be absolutely safe, only test products on your wrist or hand and then proceed to wash them off afterwards to reduce the transfer of bacterial contamination. Always avoid eyes since this is a perfect way to contract conjunctivitis (pink eye) unless the product is fresh out of the box. If you ever suffer from an infection, be sure to discard the eye products you may have been using in order to prevent getting the infection once again.

Individual sampling is the only way to try on a product safely. Trying a sample that someone else has touched should be totally unacceptable despite being offered to try it with Q-tips or other sampling tool. This way you will avoid contamination to yourself and not wonder if this product was just sneezed on. I literally ran out of a Sephora due to improper hygiene over sample usage throughout the store.

So ladies, next time you think about going the cheap and easy route, stop and think about what you are really applying to your face. You will see that individual sampling is the purest form of application and really the only way to be safe hygienically.

The “Why Not” To Pressed Mineral Powders!

Below is a letter I recently received from a customer, and this same question has been asked by others. Though many think pressed powders are great for travel and ease of application, I have decided not to include these in our product line and I will explain the reason behind my decision. It isn’t just as simple as these compacts being fragile if dropped, disintegrating into their original form before they were pressed, but what you may actually be putting on your face everyday without even realizing it. A portion of that letter that spurred this article is below:

Hello,

I really love your foundation. I've had a lot of compliments since wearing them and I haven't broke out in acne ever since. Anyways, I am emailing you because I want to know if in the future, have you thought about having the foundation in a compact?

Jane B.
Honolulu, HI

Pressed powders have been around for generations and are great for touchups and may be convenient for women on the go. However, in order to have mineral powders put into a pressed compact, it requires adding moisture in the form of aqueous solutions of either distilled water, hydrosols, botanical extracts or essential oils for skin conditioning to get the finished product. When you do this, you now have created an environment that will require preservatives to keep the powder from having bacteria grow out of control. Moisture promotes bacteria, mold and yeast growth if not preserved with a bacteriostatic. This also in turn creates the need for more ingredients to make a pressed mineral powder, whereby increasing a possibility to having skin sensitivity issues.

There are some that have created pressed minerals with very little additives such as using just Jojoba Oil, Waxes or Essential Oils in order to press the powder into a compact. These may be able to be preservative free, or claims made to being naturally preserved and may not promote the growth of bacteria, but the reality is they don’t kill bacteria either that are introduced to the powder. Literally, every time you touch the pad or brush to your face and then back onto the compact you are introducing bacteria repeatedly until such time as you have a large colony of the “nasties” living in your compact. Although you may not see or smell a problem, microbes are there waiting to be reintroduced to your skin, so what was once a pure and clean powder is now contaminated with dead skin cells, sebum and dirt.

Loose powders really are the only way to get the cleanest application each and every time you use them. So this is the very important reason behind not offering minerals in compact form since based on the probability of a bacteria prone environment, the alternative would be to use an exceptional preservative system which in many cases can include different types of parabens, and this is just not the direction I wish to go. Just pick up a compact someday at your local drugstore or view ingredient lists online for mineral makeup in compacts and you will see an extensive list of ingredients, some of which are preservatives.

I am looking into carrying a portable makeup brush that either holds the powder within the brush or stands alone in its’ own case and using your minerals from one of our smaller mixing jars for on the go travel.

I will keep you posted as I progress in my research to create a more portable solution. For now, giving you excellent skin health takes priority for me, over convenience.

Micronized Minerals vs. Non-Micronized Minerals!

Many mineral makeup companies have picked a side when it comes to their reasons for using these two types of processed minerals. Is there a right or wrong decision? Is one necessarily worse over the other? I have found this to be a debatable issue and to some degree can fall into an alarmist category with inconclusive results based on human usage.

I found most of my research within the Journal of Nanobiotechnology which is supported by NANOSAFE, a project funded by the European Community, to assist me with my own decision to not use Micronized Minerals in my mineral makeup line by fully understanding and comprehending cause and effect when using this technology. Some of that research is summarized here, and had over 116 article contributors within the medical and science community, to the journal. Also be aware that most of the testing was done on employees in manufacturing facilities with high chronic exposure to various different particulates, such as silica, polystyrene, polymers, latex and titanium dioxide and the health effects of cellular uptake of nano-particles have not yet been studied in depth. Furthermore the use of nano-particles in pharmaceutical treatment is a welcome technology and is needed for deliberately crossing the blood brain barrier in the course of certain medical treatments.

Benefits Of Nano-Sciences

Nano-sciences are growing globally and we will see a vast growth in consumerism with these products relying on nanotechnology. We currently see nano-materials used in pharmaceutical delivery systems, toothpaste, sunscreens and even in food products. While these nano sized particles are publicized heavily as to their potential benefits there are also opponents to the other side of this argument. This issue will continue to be debated until such time as researchers of nanotechnology and its’ opponents can have conclusive evidence to support one side or the other. Penetration can occur through lungs, intestines and skin. I am only going to address lung and skin since I am not in the food or pharmaceutical industry.

Understanding The Relevance In Terms Of Risk

Human skin acts as a barrier to protect us from harmful particles found naturally in our air, yet the lungs are more easily infiltrated and are likely to be the first point of entry for these tiny particles. Without getting too technical here, I will try to make it simple.

The lungs consist of two main parts; the bronchi (airways) and the alveoli (air sacs). The bronchi are considered robust and can easily fend off contaminants due to their thicker structure along with cilia (tiny hairs) and a heavy mucous supply to prevent absorption by capturing the particles to keep them from going deep within the lung tissue, reaching the alveolus. The alveoli are much thinner, sit deep within the lungs at the end of each bronchiole tree and can be subjected to environmental damage, such as smoking or working within a factory setting as was the case for many asbestos workers.

The skin is composed of keratinized dead skin cells glued together by lipids making it nearly impossible to be penetrated from an environmental assault. It is shed off and replaced every 2 weeks. Our skin is comprised of the outer layer (Epidermis), mid layer (dermis) and the subcutaneous layer (blood barrier, fatty tissue). The skins’ thickness varies depending on the location on our body. Human skin functions as a strict barrier and no essential elements are taken up through our skin except in the case of radiation from the sun necessary to build up vitamin D within our bodies. This point alone can make you wonder about the proponents to all the highly publicized skin care crèmes hype about altering the aging process that occurs to our skin, or those opponents against certain ingredients found in cosmetics claiming penetration of skin to the blood barrier causing cell structure changes. We can exercise caution yet not allow paranoia to control our thinking.

Dealing With Particle Size

Micronized particles that are 2.5 microns or smaller, can be inhaled within the lungs, sometimes reaching the alveoli placing a burden on the lung tissue, causing inflammation and possibly creating long term effects with chronic exposure. They also are unable to expel the particles unlike the upper bronchi where larger particles would be captured. Within the alveoli, biological absorption is the only way for removal of contaminants, whereas the bronchi which also includes the airway path through nose and mouth stop further particle movement through mucous capture and the cilia, making it impossible for certain particles to get past this first point of contact. Sneezing and coughing would be the end result for expelling from the airways. Nano particles of 1 micron or less are typically deposited in the lower region of the lungs. We are exposed to nano particles within our environment daily yet it doesn’t mean that all particles we breathe will create long term effects such as those found in the form of pollution, dust or soil, or those caused by allergen particles floating in our air every spring.

However, this was the compelling argument for my decision to not use Micronized Minerals in our mineral powders. This can also prove to be a problem for asthmatics or people with allergies, as it did in my case. Micronized Minerals were not part of the equation for my products. I only use Non-Micronized Minerals with a particle size of between 5-8 microns. You still get excellent results in obtaining smooth coverage even with the larger particle size with fewer problems in regards to inhalation, especially with casual consumer use rather than a person involved in manufacturing processes.

Mineral Makeup Benefits

Micronized Minerals are best suited, in my opinion, for moist application where aspiration is unlikely or greatly reduced, as in the case of liquid sunscreens, pressed powders or liquid foundations since we want an excellent form of sun protection, and Titanium and Zinc are known to be the safest source. Non-Micronized Powdered Minerals however are more beneficial in a dry powder form since they create an instant barrier with the best coverage on the skin. Plus dry powders also are better at staying on our skin than liquid sunscreens or foundations, since liquid versions will eventually break down, in some instances quickly, and can also be absorbed into the epidermis. I know sun damage is far worse than arguing over these issues and our skin must be protected against developing skin cancer and though rare, the most deadly form, Melanoma at all costs. Similar research as they pertain to sunscreens can be located within this Article.

Now in relevance to applying these to our skin: A main component such as TiO2, micronized Titanium Dioxide for example, being used on the skin and its’ ability to penetrate deeply and cross the blood brain barrier are still under investigation and are inconclusive. This ingredient along with micronized Zinc Oxide is primarily used in sunscreens and has been shown to penetrate some of the layers of the epidermis and also into hair follicles yet did not penetrate into the living tissue (dermis) that would cross the blood barrier. However, it is argued that particles as small as 0.25-1 micron were able to pass beyond the epidermis and into the living dermis layer bringing them into contact with the blood barrier. This size particle is used in lotions to avoid the whitening effect you get with sunscreens that use 3 microns or larger. The smaller the particle, the more sheer and natural looking the application will be. This is the other argument for using Non-Micronized Minerals in mineral makeup since women require exceptional coverage which will assist them with obscuring redness and fine lines. You cannot get the same coverage with Micronized Minerals.

Don't Get Hoodwinked By Alarmists

In conclusion, to date there is still very little factual evidence available about the penetration of these nano-particles into our skin whether harmful or not, despite what alarmist organizations or the cosmetic industry may tell you. Further testing is necessary and required! For one thing, penetration into the skin is dependent on particle size and nano particles are more likely to go deeper within the skin than larger ones. Plus, there was no absolute evidence that particles that had entered into the skin had infiltrated the circulatory system. Also each and every particle found in nature cannot be predictable as to what its’ structure would become within our skin in terms of molecular changes. It is shown in case studies that Titanium and Zinc are stable compounds providing broad spectrum sun protection and that penetration of intact skin is very low to near zero making real world exposure improbable, and in contrast, the sun protection benefits are very high outweighing all risks.

Furthermore, particles within the nano size category clearly can enter the body via our lungs yet risk levels are subjective in relation to exposure such as in manufacturing versus casual use of consumer products and the micron size of the particulates. However, conclusively penetration through the skin is less evident.

So with the information that was available to me, potential lung irritant was more important to me than actual skin issues. Since I have mild asthma, Non-Micronized Minerals were clearly the answer for our formulas and found to be safer for our consumers and our staff who handle our minerals.

My Advice From A Personal Perspective And No Actual Conclusive Evidence

So, my advice is to to compare the risks for better skin health, use a touch of common sense, and do your own investigating with an open mind before drawing to a conclusion or being swayed by the nay-sayers who do so with little or no actual evidence. It also will be relevant to your level of sensitivity to certain minerals. There are customers that can be quite happy with mineral makeup that use Micronized Minerals and only require the sheerest of coverage. And to date, there is no real conclusive studies as touted by groups serving their own agenda, that Titanium Dioxide is unsafe, and whether in micronized or nonmicronized form will cause cancer or DNA changes. And in conclusion, if the larger particle cannot infiltrate the lungs or penetrate the skin then what weight can be given to unsubstantiated alarmist thinking of this maybe being a cancer causing ingredient? This is a big "maybe"! Other research showed this ingredient also being used in foods as a colorant including milk products, so we are ingesting it as well.

It appears the jury is still out on this controversy, but let us not forget that industry standards and safety are presented in the form of MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) and are based on handlers of raw ingredients working within an industrial situation. High Levels of exposure! MSDS is an assessment based on hazard and not risk, hence why it must be made available to employees of any facility which manufactures. The consumer by definition is not exposed to a hazard so risk is very low as with many cosmetic ingredients.

This article was written strictly for the purpose of showing both sides. And I suppose the debate will rage on until both sides between researchers and their opponents can show conclusively the actual proof of cause and effect.

For now, I will not live with uneasy thinking, and will use some common sense and know that loose Mineral Cosmetics are still the safer choice for me and my customers for overall healthier skin and excellent sun protection for the face. And we all can use them with confidence. Without the use of Titanium Dioxide in mineral makeup, you simply cannot achieve the level of coverage one would require when using mineral makeup. Zinc Oxide alone will give some coverage, but it is quite sheer and the brightening and light refracting properties of Titanium Dioxide is only surpassed by diamonds giving great concealing capabilities and excellent sun protection.

Mineral Makeup.....How To Avoid Whiteout In Photos!

As I sit at my desk this morning looking out of my office window I wonder about what I should address in this weeks’ Blog, when I realize it has begun to snow with gale force winds creating deep drifts of fluffy white powder. As I continue to gaze outside from the warmth of my home at its' brilliance, my eyes begin to narrow as I try to protect them from the intense glare caused from near whiteout conditions. Suddenly I get my idea to write about mineral makeup in pictures and the lovely glare off our faces that can occur! A tah-dah moment which isn't easy these days as the cabin fever begins to set in. Our snow storms have been going on now for a couple of weeks with no end in sight, so I am longing for a sun drenched beach. Very unusual for the Boise Area.....City of Trees. Ah well....time to set my screen saver to tropical locations as I wait out the long winter. Anyhow.....back to this weeks’ article.

How many of you have had your picture taken with a flash camera only to have your face completely wash out or appear super shiny? You know, that lovely glare in the photo!

The worse part about it is this was perhaps a special day, such as graduation, your wedding day, or a day that had some significance? Many have complained of this, including myself when I wore other brands of minerals. Photographs that were simply ruined by the fact you could not see your beautifully made up face for that special occasion, just a white blob with a pair of eyes and teeth.

Sometimes experts say to forego the mineral makeup and use liquid foundations during those special photo ops. This seemed silly to me since now, for this one day I am applying heavy, cakey chemicals to my face that I know are not healthy for my skin just to avoid the mineral makeup shine. What about those candid moments when pictures aren’t always planned? I knew there had to be a better way.

Don’t despair.....You don’t have to give up on mineral makeup on those special photo opportunities; you just have to wear the right one. I knew I had to do more than just develop a mineral makeup that would be wonderful and healthy for my skin but also had to do much more. So I created a mineral foundation that looks great in all lighting, including flash photography. We do not use Bismuth Oxychloride at all, which has a pearlescent shine, never mind the irritation factor with this ingredient, or Mica as our mineral base or heavy Titanium Dioxide loads in our formulas due to the high refraction of light (bounce back) that occurs in pictures when these ingredients are used at incorrect or high ratios.

Using Sterling Minerals™ formulations will prevent this problem, looks wonderful in natural and artificial lighting, and will not wash out in flash photography. The use of our foundations is typically all you need for smooth skin but if you have excessively oily skin, then with the help of our Minerals Veils, either Evening Rose or Satin Rose, an application of this over your foundation will further decrease any shine your skin may still have. Plus Mineral Veils are a wonderful way to freshen your makeup. Our veils will not give you a chalky appearance but a soft airbrushed finish which will do wonders at smoothing your skin and creating perfection in pictures.

So, don’t compromise your skin health for a photo shoot by using those heavy liquid foundations. Because by the end of the day when you wash it off, you will have some fall out in the form of irritation or acne that may take up to several days later to blossom and longer to resolve, on what was otherwise a flawless complexion.

So stick to your healthy choice of mineral makeup, just choose the right one with the proper ratios of ingredients to avoid flash bounce back giving that ghostly, whiteout appearance to your face.

Allow your skin to glow with health....not shine!