Review of Physician's Formula Talc Free Mineral Face Powder (Translucent Shade 3835)

OVERALL RATING:  

• EXCELLENT 
• VERY GOOD
• FAIR
• NOT GOOD
  

PRODUCT PROS:

• Cheap for a mineral powder (~$12 for 9 grams)
• Scentless (no irritating fragrance)
• Easy to apply
• Perfect amount of coverage (I use a cosmetic sponge wedge to apply the product on my face) 
• A very natural look; does not look like I am wearing make-up
• Controls my oil and shine throughout the day
• No irritating chemicals to my skin
• For sensitive or breakout-prone skin
• "Hypoallergenic"
• Dermatologist approved
• SPF 16; seal shows it's recomended by the Skin Cancer Foundation

PRODUCT CONS:

• The brush that it comes with isn't that great (I use a cosmetic sponge wedge instead)
• Contains preservatives like parabens (which actually are OK in small amounts and help prevent bacterial growth, so it's not *completely* a bad thing)

MORE THOUGHTS:
I bought the shade in "Translucent" from my local drugstore. It caught my eye because it was listed as "Talc-Free" and there is controversy over using talc in cosmetic products these days. I also like that it isn't overloaded with tons of chemicals like other powders and products are. I also really liked the ingredients list which show that it contains "squalane", "tocopheryl acetate", "kaolin", and "retinyl palmitate" (see full ingredients list below). 

I'm very careful about what I put on my skin, since it's quite sensitive. So I've done a lot of research into many of these chemicals. Since most people may not know what these ingredients are, I'll talk about some of them below.




"Squalane" is traditionally derived from olives, and is typically used to treat and prevent wrinkles. It is said to protect the skin from the sun's UV rays and moisturizes the skin to prevent dryness and chapping.  

"Tocopheryl acetate" is more commonly known as Vitamin E, and works as a natural preservative, moisturizer and anti-oxidant. It has an established role in good, effective skin products, since olden times.

 

"Kaolin" is also used in many clay masks, to help draw out impurities from the skin and "clean" it, over time. 

"Retinyl palmitate" is best known for its anti-wrinkle effects. It's converted to Vitamin A in the skin. It's considered to be one of the most effective anti-aging treatments and helps the skin to have that healthy glow. Well, I definitely saw that effect even when I immediately applied it to my skin! Also, this product doesn't contain bismuth oxychloride, which I was incredibly happy about. Bismuth oxychloride which is in BareMinerals products actually seemed to give my skin a rough time, as I best recall.
 
This product really gave my skin a nice, even glow. My face looked flawless after using this, which made me think, "Wow!" And that doesn't usually happen with many products I use.

This mineral powder absorbed my facial skin oil, concealed my pores very well, and provided a nice matte finish... which actually lasted throughout the whole day! Pretty surprising for a drugstore makeup find! I also love the fact it has squalane and vitamin E, to help "heal" my skin over time. 


The reason I don't rate this as "excellent" is because it contains a small amount of parabens. Parabens are necessary to prevent bacterial growth in makeup products, but there is controversy over their use. There are some other natural alternatives like grapefruit seed oil, that this company could have used, which would also work very well as an anti-bacterial preservative.


The other reason I rate this product as "very good" but not "excellent" is because initially I experienced some reddening of the skin over the first few days, and some acne that was brought to the skin's surface. This is natural, since it contains ingredients that help purify the skin from the inside out. So initially, it would be expected to experience some acne. But over time, this acne should go away, revealing smoother and more radiant skin. 

So it's more like a treatment and cover-up in one. If you are just looking for a cover-up, maybe you can try something else, but since I am still experiencing the "acne years," I want something to use as a treatment and cover-up in one product (at least during the day time), and this seems great for that purpose.



INGREDIENTS:
titanium dioxide (6.0%), zinc oxide (4.2%), mica, squalane, silica, boron nitride, lauroyl lysine, kaolin, retiyl palmitate, tocopheryl acetate, methylparaben, propylparaben. may contain: iron oxides, ultramarines.

MY SKIN TYPE:

• Sensitive
• Combination (oily T-zone, dry cheeks/nose area)
• Redness/rosacea (?) around nose
• Large pores (since my middle-school days!) on nose and near cheeks
• Very pale with golden undertones (mixed Asian / Eastern European)