Ingredient Spotlight: Mica

I went round to Kohl's yesterday to check out two of their new skin care products by Beauty Bank, a division of Estee Lauder.

I had read some post on them online and wanted to see what they were all about. One is a rather costly moisturizer by American Beauty that contains diamond particles, the other is a cream with Vitamin C and sunscreen by Grassroots. Both of which contain mica and titanium dioxide.

You may be reading this and think, so what?! However, as many of us have learned those of us with acne prone/sensitive skin tend to breakout if we use products that contain mica in them and titanium dioxide can also be problematic.

Mica, a mineral, is used in a product because it is light diffusing and can make lines appear somewhat smoother, it can also make dark circles under the eyes look lighter. Most mineral make ups contain mica. However, this is cosmetic effect and not because the mica reduces fine lines and wrinkles or lightens the under eye area. So, it is therefore used in many make up products for this very reason. However, using it in a skin care product, especially a moisturizer doesn't make much sense to me, especially if a company is trying to appeal to a broad group of consumers and here is why. If I buy a new product that promises me it does this and that but causes me to develop, painful, cyst like, breakouts, I will either return it for a refund or throw it out and likely not purchase anything else from the company.

I have learned over the years that if I use anything with mica and/or titanium dioxide that I will develop, painful and long lasting, breakouts. It doesn't matter how much I like the product or how well it works, I cannot risk causing myself breakouts and so must avoid those, and numerous other, ingredients. Two years ago, for several months, I dealt with painful cyst like pimples deep in my skin after using a product that contain titanium dioxide just once. Tin oxide is another ingredient that I try to avoid, it seems to be used mostly as a colorant.

Now, many people use mica containing products everyday with out even so much as a hint of breaking out, while people like me get zits if we use the product even once. It would be nice if companies would leave out the mica in their facial moisturizer and treatment products and save it for their make up products instead so that more of us can use their great products with out the fear we'll break out. Certain high end dermatologist tested, allergy free products contain mica which seems odd since mica is something that can clog pores.

I also wonder if, since so many products contain high levels of silicones, (silicones are a a relatively cheap cosmetic filler that makes the skin appear smoother than it is) and since silicone traps everything beneath it, if it might force the mica particles into the pores? I'm not a scientist so cannot say that with any authority, it's just something that sort of makes sense to me.

If you tend to break out and aren't sure why, you may want to read the ingredients on all the skin care and make up products you use and see if any of them contain mica. You can also research, online, what others say about it and their opinions on this particular ingredient.