Before you run to your bathroom drawer and start tossing jars, let's take a closer look at the doctor's concerns. Quoting directly from his website Dr. Oz states:
Mineral makeup is a big trend. Made from minerals such as mica, which are used for industrial purposes as well, these tiny particles are a thousand times smaller than predecessors from even 10 years ago. Their small size makes for a smoother, more flawless look, but it has one serious unintended consequence. The particles are so tiny they fall quickly through the air and can be inhaled easily into your lungs. When construction workers use mica in products such as spackle, they wear masks to protect their lungs from scarring over time. Though there are no studies showing damage from makeup use to date, experts say the long-term use and inhalation of minerals in makeup can lead to inflammation, irritation, and lung disease in women and girls.
While the quote does state "there are no studies showing damage from makeup use to date," and I find that encouraging, I am a "DES granddaughter" (have genetic deformities of my reproductive system due to a drug my grandmother was given to prevent miscarriage a full generation before I was even conceived) and don't necessarily want to wait around for a few decades to see if mineral makeup is really safe or not. I would rather err on the side of caution when it comes to possible long-term consequences! I want to take time to really investigate product, and potential problems with these products now.
It seems that Dr. Oz is taking issue specifically with the size of mineral makeup particles. What he is describing are minerals that has been taken through the process of "micronization". While some mineral makeup brands proudly promote their micronized products for smooth application, one more thing I love about Affordable Mineral Makeup™ is that it offers great coverage and smooth application yet doesn't sacrifice safety, intentionally choosing not to use nanoparticles or micronized minerals.
Still worried? I only made the mistake of breathing in my mineral makeup once before learning a simple technique of breathing out as I applied my makeup! Micronized or not, it isn't fun to breath anything other than air. And as far as that air goes, we aren't talking about industrial application here where huge factory manufacturing processes are leaving microscopic particles hanging thickly in the air. We are talking about small quantity application in home usage where common sense and practicality (like not wanting to waste product) are going to positively regulate air quality.
I'm not a medical professional, but Dr. Oz, when I read through the very dangerous ingredients of so many chemically-laden products out there, I really have to wonder how mineral makeup made it onto your Cosmetic Culprits hit list???
