Is this mineral makeup really free of harmful stuff?

Moulin Rouge says…I just saw this Deep Bronzing Mineral Bronzer by Divine Cosmetics on Amazon.com. It’s cheap, it says its comparable to MAC makeup and it’s “FREE of harmful ingredients.” Should I buy it?

The Beauty Brains respond:

It depends on whether or not you’re Canadian. One of the ingredients in the formula, Ferric Ferrocyanide, is classified as “expected to be toxic or harmful, suspected to be an environmental toxin, and to be persistent or bioaccumulative,” according to Health Canada.

Risk is a combination of hazard and exposure

But seriously, the true risk of any given ingredient is determined by both the intensity of the hazard and the degree of exposure. In the case of a colorant such as this one which is only applied topically, the exposure should be quite low.

Still, one would think that any company wanting to make the claim “free of harmful ingredients” might have opted out of using something with CYANIDE in the name. Sheesh!

Deep Bronzing Mineral Bronzer ingredients:

Mineral Talc, Mica, Iron Oxides. May contain: Carmine, Ferric Ferrocyanide.