Bismuth... Know what you're wearing on your face

http://www.prnewsnow.com/PR%20News%20Releases/Lifestyle/Beauty/Your%20Mineral%20MakeUp%20Should%20be%20Free%20From%20Bismuth%20Oxychloride%20and%20Other%20Fillers

"The addition of bismuth oxychloride in mineral make-up is unnecessary and a skin irritant to those individuals who are roseacea or acne prone, or have other sensitive skin issues. Bismuth oxychloride serves no useful purpose, other than its' use as a whitener, smoother and filler. Bismuth contains mineral salts that can be irritating. Since other, non-irritating smoothers exist in the mineral world, their addition is largely unnecessary. Seek out companies that leave off this skin irritating additive. You also should be on the lookout for companies that do not add "food grade" fillers, such as rice powder or corn starch. These give bacteria a place to grow. The whole appeal of mineral powder make-up is the way it covers so beautifully and gives a natural "good skin" look, without introducing harmful ingredients. So why add these potential "bacterial housing projects" to your cosmetics? These additives DO give a silky texture, and corn starch is oil-absorbing, but the associated skin problems that come with the addition of organic materials to your non-organic mineral pigments are not justified. Oil-absorbing minerals can be added to give a healthy, clean look to oily skin clients. Natural mineral pigments cannot clog pores. They give excellent coverage and contain none of the harmful ingredients found in commercial liquid or dry cosmetics. Mineral pigments lie on top of the skin in thin "sheets", that layer upon each other. Because they contain mica, they reflect light away from fine lines and blemishes. Mica also give an incrediblly wide variety of colors and shade options. Mineral powder cosmetics are water resistant, and a natural sunscreen of about 18-25, depending on your coverage. This quality makes them perfect for sports or swimming. Simply blot with a towel after swimming in mineral powder make-up. You will loose some of the coverage, but not all of the sun-protection factors.You can get a matte or semi-matte look, with Mineral Powder cosmetics, or create a dewey finish. Whatever your particular skin requires, you can obtain that finish with mineral powder make-up."


http://www-cosmetic.info/mineral-makeup-and-bismuth-oxychloride/

"Bismuth is the by-product of lead and copper refining, as well as other metals to a smaller degree. Bismuth occurs very rarely in nature. It is on the periodic table of elements under the symbol Bi at atomic number 83. It is very heavy and chemically resembles arsenic and antimony. It has a whitish/iridescent hue and has a very high shine property to it. Of all the heavy metals it is the only non-toxic. Bimsuth is a carrier for fuel in nuclear reactors. Bismuth components are used in everything from detection work, to making acrylic fibers, to safety devices in fire detection and extinguishing items, soldering, magnets and medicine as well as cosmetics. Because it is a by-product of lead refining, bismuth oxychloride should be lead free when companies begin using it in their cosmetics."

"So, if you find you’re experiencing some problems with your current mineral makeup and it contains bismuth oxychloride, you may want to consider switching brands. Many women experience skin irritation when using mineral makeup and don’t know why. It’s likely that bismuth oxychloride is the reason."