Clean Make-Up: Review of Mineral Fusion Liquid Foundation
Looking for a cruelty-free makeup recommendation that is hypoallergenic, clean, and vegan? While pregnant and nursing, I felt it was important to have a foundation that wasn’t full of potentially harmful, nasty ingredients. I stumbled upon Mineral Fusion Liquid Foundation in a natural grocery store’s beauty section (back before I had a kid and I could/wanted to linger—or even enter—a grocery store). I have liked it quite a bit and repurchased it over the past several years. Read on to discover the pros and cons of this mineral foundation to decide if it is the right purchase for you.
Pro: It’s Clean, as Verified by the EWG
Unfortunately, just because a product is cruelty-free does not mean it is healthy for you. Even if it is decent enough to wear semi-regularly yourself, the bar gets raised when it comes to something that may come into contact with your baby or toddler. After all, while snuggling, nursing or holding them, they may absorb or ingest your foundation—therefore it’s important to consider the ingredients. This may seem extreme and, while my aim is not to create needless worry, why take the risk?
Honestly, though, kid or no kid, you are worthy of the healthiest, cleanest products. It’s hard to say goodbye to favorite products that are less healthy if they make you look extra good—this I know! Personally, I don’t have an issue nixing great-performing products that test on animals because I wouldn’t be able to stop thinking about that while wearing it. Less easy is parting with cruelty-free products that perform well but have less healthy ingredients.
One of the big pros of Mineral Fusion Foundation is that it is free from a lot of the yucky stuff. I double-checked this by reviewing the rating in the EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database, where the organization rates a wide variety of beauty products based on the toxicity of their ingredients. Can check out the Mineral Fusion Liquid Foundation EWG rating here. The website is a great resource to find ratings for the safety and healthiness of makeup and skincare products. Individual ingredients are rated in categories such as allergies, cancer risk, and reproductive harm. None of the Mineral Fusion Liquid Foundation ingredients are rated higher than 4 out of 10, with 1 being the cleanest and 10 being the most toxic.
Pro: Wide Selection of Colors for Skin Undertones (No Orangey Streaks)
Another pro for this mineral foundation is the color selection. It includes three categories of Warm, Cool, and Neutral, with a variety of selections within each category. Nothing irritates me more (well, makeup-wise, anyway) than a product that looks orangey on my fair, pink-undertone skin. That said, the current color I have in Mineral Fusion is a little dull. It’s probably time to change it up if I purchase it again.
Personally, I alternate between this foundation, IT Cosmetics CC Cream, and Smashbox. The last two may be less clean, but they provide great coverage when I’m looking for something a little heavier and more makeup-y. Also, as I’m not pregnant or nursing right now, I don’t have to be quite so aware of the toxicity rating.
Pro(s): Breathable, Vegan Coverage
The third pro of Mineral Fusion’s Foundation is that the lightweight to medium coverage is easy on your skin. Since it allows a bit of your natural skin to show through, it also allows it to breathe throughout the day. The foundation is also vegan, meaning it contains no animal-derived ingredients. If that is important to you, consider this a big pro.
Con: Slightly Less Coverage than Some
If you’re heading to a big event, plan to be photographed, or just want a little more umph in your makeup game, you may wish to reach for a foundation that offers greater coverage. This is what I personally do, as I mentioned earlier with the alternate of foundations. Also, if you just want a more perfect look that erases all types of blemishes and imperfections, a heavier coverage may be a better option for you. Still, I think it is certainly possible to get great coverage with this foundation, especially if you add concealer and finishing powder.
Con: Contains No SPF
Though I personally feel that wearing any foundation, SPF or not, provides some sun and environmental protection, this product does not actually contain any SPF. That’s a bit of a bummer. It is always convenient when, by applying foundation in the morning, you are also slathering on the SPF at the same time.
Con: Slightly Less Staying Power Than Some Foundations
Similar to the con about this foundation providing slightly less coverage, I also believe it is a bit more likely to run in humid weather or wear off after a long day. I have been happy with the staying power overall, but it doesn’t match that of some of my heavier coverage foundations.
Pros:
Good score in the EWG database (read: more clean, less toxic)
Wide range of color options, including cool, neutral and warm categories
Light to medium, breathable coverage
Vegan, hypoallergenic, and gluten free
Cons:
Only provides light to medium coverage—this is only a con if you’re looking for something heavier
Does not contain any SPF
Slightly less staying power than some foundations.
Overall, I recommend this cruelty-free foundation for pregnant and nursing women, moms, and anyone who just wants a clean beauty product.
