Recently,
I’ve been reading a lot of good reviews about Innisfree No Sebum Mineral Powder which is considered as a Holy Grail (must-have) product for oily skin people
like me. I almost bought it but decided not to because I find it expensive -
almost Php 400 for a 5g of product. In the end, I realize I can try to make my
own oil-control powder since I have most of the raw materials on hand. Let me
tell you, you can buy the raw materials in bulk which is enough to make 1-2
years supply of face powder for you and your friends and save money in the long
run J
Basically,
I have the following requirements when formulating this finishing powder (also
known as mineral veil or setting powder):
- The final product should be matte since the ultimate goal is to control the shine on my super oily face, not to add more shine.
- The final product should be translucent (non-tinted, non-whitening) so that it won’t affect the color of your foundation (if using one).
- The final product should be talc-free, oil-free and fragrance-free.
- The final product should be in loose powder form.
The
formulation is very simple as I only use 3 main ingredients: Mica, Magnesium
Stearate and Kaolin Clay. Let’s get into the details of each of these cosmetic
ingredients.
Mica
(also known as Sericite Mica) is the
primary ingredient in making mineral makeup. It is often used as base
ingredient in talc-free makeup formulation since it has similar properties to
talc like translucency and good slip (enable makeup to spread easily on skin).
This off-white powder also has water and oil resistant properties. Moreover,
sericite mica has the ability to reflect light which explains the reason why it
has a “slight” shimmer effect (not the glittery kind of shimmer) that helps
reduce the appearance of fine lines and enlarged pores. Take note that it is
also possible to buy low-luster (matte) mica which is what I used in this DIY.
The shimmer of the mica is measured by microns and the rule of thumb is “the
lower the microns, the less shimmer”. A matte mica typically has about
12 -15 microns. Since mica is a translucent powder, it has sheer coverage which
means that it won’t cover any skin discolorations or blemishes.
Magnesium Stearate is another essential ingredient to include in
mineral makeup. It has excellent adhesion and oil absorption properties so it
helps makeup to stay longer on your skin. It’s also translucent so it won’t
change the color of your foundation. When you used magnesium stearate in makeup
formulation, make sure that you don’t add more than 10%. Too much magnesium
stearate can reduce the slip (spreadability) of the makeup. In my formula, I
only used 5% magnesium stearate.
Kaolin Clay (also known as White Clay) is known as the mildest clay type. It can absorb excess
oil and other pore-clogging substances from your skin. Compared to other types
of clay, its oil absorption properties are on the milder side so kaolin clay
can also be used for people with dry, sensitive and/or mature (aging) skin.
Ingredients
(Makes 3 grams which can fit inside a 10g sifter
jar)
2.8
g Matte White Mica (low luster)
0.2
g Magnesium Stearate
0.1
g Kaolin Clay
Equipment
Herb grinder (for small batch) or Coffee grinder (for large batch)
Instructions
- Start by putting on a face mask in order not to inhale the powder dust during the process.
- Add all the ingredients in an herb or coffee grinder. Grind for a minute.
- Transfer the mixture into a loose powder sifter jar.
Notes
It
is essential to use either an herb grinder or a coffee grinder for this DIY in
order to uniformly mix all the powder ingredients, which is kind of hard to
achieve with manual hand mixing.
Since
the formulation doesn’t contain any water, I didn’t add any preservative.
However, make sure that you don’t introduce any moisture into the mineral
makeup in order not to contaminate it.
How to Use
Tap
a small amount of powder into the lid of the sifter jar and swirl your foundation
(kabuki) brush around the mineral powder. Tap off the excess powder. Using a circular
motion, apply the loose powder on your face.
Where to buy the materials
- Matte white mica can be bought from Eunice Inc.
- Kaolin clay and magnesium stearate are both available at Craftology Philippines.
- Loose powder sifter jar can be bought from CLO Cosmetic Packaging.
References:
Mineral
make-up ingredients: Magnesium stearate. Retrieved from https://swiftcraftymonkey.blog/mineral-make-up-ingredients-magnesium-stearate/
Which
Clay is Right for Your Skin? Retrieved from https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/which-clay-is-right-for-your-skin/
P.S.
To always get the latest blog updates, don’t forget to follow me on Facebook.
