Methicone - An Inconvenient Truth
Methicone used in our mineral cosmetics will not clog pores, cause acne, or prevent skin from so called "breathing" as some want to proclaim. Silicone derivatives are not as sinister as one might think and problems only arise depending on how they are used in a formula.
Our methicone is a cosmetic silicone and is not a stand alone added ingredient, but a surface treatment which encapsulates our mica for reducing irritation on the skin and is inert, inorganic – organic polymer micro-spheres used to give a ball bearing effect to the Mica in our minerals and aids slip for ease of application and in prevention of Trans-Epidermal Moisture Loss on skin.
Not wishing to reveal our proprietary mineral makeup formula, this much we can say, it can be safely used in ratios of up to 15%, yet has also been tested up to 79% ratios without any consequential skin health issues. It is a silicone based polymer and is extremely silken in texture while it's counterpart dimethicone, is typically in oil form.
Dimethicone comes in many other derivative forms such as
Amino Bispropyl Dimethicone, Aminopropyl Dimethicone, Amodimethicone, Amodimethicone Hydroxystearate, Behenoxy Dimethicone, C30-45 Alkyl Dimethicone, C24-28 Alkyl Dimethicone, Cetyl Dimethicone, Dimethoxysilyl Ethylenediaminopropyl Dimethicone, Hydroxypropyldimethicone, Stearamidopropyl Dimethicone, Stearoxy Dimethicone, Stearyl Dimethicone and Vinyl Dimethicone.
Cyclomethicone dervatives are in the form of Siloxanes, different name, but still in the silicone family
(A rose by any other name, is still a rose)
So if you see Siloxane as part of the ingredient profile, this is another synthetically created silicone product and can be seen in this context: Cyclotetrasiloxane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, decamethylcyclopentasiloxane, etc. There are many more organosilicon compounds, but they are not typically used in the formulation of cosmetics or skincare.
While Methicone derivatives are fewer
Methicone, Cetearyl Methicone, Hexyl Methicone, Stearyl Methicone
Silicone oils make great hair conditioners and detanglers and are a diverse group of many variations. However, when used in liquid skincare formulations they can become a component for being occlusive. They are considered an emollient and skin conditioning agent and can act as a skin smoother and pore filler. They can also leave a silken finish. We do not recommend them in terms of preserving skin health when other natural ingredients offer so much more. In many liquid formulations silicone oils are either a primary ingredient or the product is saturated with them as can be seen on product labels similar to the list above related to dimethicone or siloxanes. Plus if a skin cream is filled with silicone oils, this can also interfere with melding and adhesion of your mineral makeup.
Methicone on the other hand, becomes a dynamic component when used in it's dry form in addition to our other ingredients. Once our minerals meld with your favorite moisturizer it acts as a barrier for prevention of environmental pollutants gaining access to the skin while at the same time preventing moisture loss from the skin. This also enhances the benefits of retaining more of your moisturizer against the skin prior to mineral makeup application, and is another reason why our mineral makeup is uniquely different from other brands.
Methicone Myth Buster
Methicone may be accused of not allowing skin to breathe (basically suffocating it like placing a layer of plastic wrap on skin) because it is so highly effective at reducing vital moisture loss from the skin which is theorized in turn, may prevent perspiration and toxins from escaping, whereby causing acne. This is just another one of the many perpetual internet myths put out by those whom are 100% against silicone and use this disinformation to pitch their own products based on fabricated pseudo science.
Despite popular belief; it is not skin's main function to excrete toxins since most toxins are excreted through the liver and kidneys. And as for perspiration, if you are wearing our mineral makeup you will see for yourself, your skin will be allowed to perspire without obstruction and is easily dabbed away while the minerals remain in place. So if perspiration can excrete from the skin then science dictates so can any supposed toxins there may be within the skin. We are not creating an antiperspirant!
How Methicone works to prevent problems and keep the skin normalized
It will slow the loss of hydration on the skin which when combined with our Jojoba and Rice Powder, will manage sebum production which is the food source for acne and this is a good thing. It will not clog pores since the particle size is too large to penetrate the pores of the skin. Basically methicone sits on top or floats over the skin due to the "silken" spherical nature of the polymers. And based on this structure, they are not a slick coating like in a liquid formulation made of dimethicone or it's derivatives which can either make for a drier finish or a slippery texture, depending on the variation of the silicones used.
Methicone when used in proper ratios and in combination with other ingredients (Rice Powder, Kaolin Clay, Allantoin, Jojoba), provides a soothing benefit which helps to support skins function toward healing, making it an incredible ingredient. Methicone now becomes a component to work synergistically with those ingredients for the ideal formulation for keeping skin looking its best without drying it out further.
Women of mature years realize how essential this component is. We have heard from many stating how much nicer, younger looking and softer their complexions are when using our minerals. The added perk, they also let us know that ours is the only one they have found that doesn't cause acne even when dealing with acne prone skin.
So while all the other important ingredients work on keeping skin healthy, now the addition of Methicone affords women with rosacea, psoriasis and acne to find it possible to use our mineral makeup when they couldn't use others before due to the concern of drying out their skin or causing further irritation. And of course our essential ingredients work to absorb perspiration away from the skin, keeping skin fresh all day until it is all washed away at night.
Methicone acts temporarily on the skin for hiding facial imperfections by creating a luminous "soft focus" on the skin. During our research we found this ingredient to be truly beneficial for improving on our mineral makeup for the reasons stated earlier. It also enhances the staying power since it is extremely hydrophobic holding up to perspiration, swimming and humidity when others simply melt away by days end.