Mineral makeup

I've heard lots of patients extol the virtues of mineral makeup, and from what I have seen, it appears to be very effective as a natural-appearing foundation. It is pretty amazing how well it covers up patchy skin pigmentation or redness on the face, but still looks natural. And as of yet, I have not seen any irritant or allergic contact reactions to the makeup. It's claim to fame is that it is almost solely made of finely pulverized natural minerals and does not contain fillers and preservatives. Since the fillers and preservatives are common allergens and irritants, the pure mineral makeup could be safer for sensitive skin. However, there is no regulatory body certifying the purity of this makeup so it is up to the consumer to check ingredients. There are lots of companies out there (as evidenced by a simple Google search), and it is difficult to know which ones are better and safer. As with sunscreens, there is concern over the safety of nanoparticles being applied to the skin as there would likely be increased absorption. The absorption of topical powdered minerals has not been studied, so I cannot comment on this either way. One of these weekends, I'm going to explore the makeup counters at the mall and see what sorts of products are out there and what ingredients they use...