Does this scenario sound familiar? You've worn customary makeup for years with itsybitsy to no irritation. Upon hearing about the benefits of mineral makeup, you conclude to give it a try. After all, it claims to be best for your skin and healthier overall, so what have you got to lose? And if you've never been able to wear customary makeup without irritation, mineral makeup sounds like the reply you've been finding 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 finding swollen. What is this? How can mineral makeup cause such an greatest reaction?
That reaction is likely caused by the ingredient bismuth oxychloride. While bismuth oxychloride is a common ingredient in customary 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 customary 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 Bismuth Oxychloride Used In Makeup?
Is it 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 flat and silky when rubbed between the fingers. It is often described as a lustrous crystalline powder.
It is not the most high-priced ingredient, nor is it the least expensive. It is, however, an industry acceptable and very common. It also gives a descriptive sheen to the makeup, so it's good at refracting light and that helps draw concentration away from, and camouflage, fine lines, wrinkles and minor discolorations. That's a great selling point for makeup.
What Is Bismuth Oxychloride?
Bismuth oxychloride is an inorganic white pigment, and ordinarily comes in two forms: solitaire and pearl finishes. The solitaire 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 amount 83, with the sticker 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 added refined straight through some processes to remove risky 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 supplanted by oxygen from the water. This process is called hydrolysis. The remaining mixture is bismuth, chlorine and oxygen; Bismuth oxychloride.
Is It Safe To Use?
Bismuth oxychloride is a stock that is Fda stylish for use in products for the face, eyes, lips and nails. It is a very common and beloved ingredient in both customary and mineral makeup.
However, skin irritation from bismuth oxychloride is not unusual. According the Msds (Material security Data Sheet) for bismuth oxychloride, there is a risk of it being a inherent irritant to humans when it comes in sense 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 mixture must be free of impurities except lead, arsenic, volatile matter and mercury in definite amounts and must be 98% bismuth oxychloride.
Buying bismuth oxychloride from countries with less stringent laws may follow in increased health risks, so it is wise for associates to buy from highly regulated countries, like the Us and Canada.
Should I Use It?
This is a very personal request 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, gift the same benefits as products with bismuth oxychloride, but without the ingredient itself.
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