Core Formula (Present in All Shades):
- Talc: Primary absorbent & filler. Provides slip, improves texture, and absorbs oil.
- Mica: Natural mineral providing shimmer, luminosity, and light reflection. Gives a "glow" effect.
- Silica: Absorbs excess oil/sebum, reduces shine, provides a silky feel, and helps with blurring imperfections. Often used for "soft focus" effect.
- Synthetic Fluorphlogopite: Synthetic alternative to mica. Provides exceptional shimmer, smoothness, adhesion, and light reflection. Creates metallic/pearly effects.
- Boron Nitride: Luxurious slip agent. Provides an ultra-smooth, silky texture, aids in blendability, and has some oil-absorbing properties. Gives a velvety feel.
- Dimethicone: Silicone emollient. Improves spreadability, provides a smooth/silky feel, fills in fine lines, and offers water resistance.
- Nylon-12: Synthetic powder. Improves slip, adhesion, and helps control oil/shine. Can contribute to a soft-focus effect.
- Aluminum Distearate: Stabilizer & thickener. Helps bind the powder together and prevents separation of ingredients.
- Ethylhexyl Stearate: Emollient ester. Conditions skin, improves texture/spreadability, and reduces powderiness.
- Dipentaerythrityl Hexahydroxystearate/Hexastearate/Hexarosinate: Complex emollient ester blend. Primarily acts as a texture enhancer, providing slip, smoothness, and helping the powder adhere to the skin without feeling heavy.
- Carnauba Wax (COPERNICIA CERIFERA Wax): Plant-derived wax. Acts as a binder to hold the pressed powder together in the pan. Provides structure.
- Methicone/Polymethicone: Volatile silicones. Improve immediate slip and spreadability during application, then evaporate leaving a dry, powdery finish without greasiness.
- Ethylhexyl Palmitate: Emollient ester. Similar to Ethylhexyl Stearate, provides slip, conditioning, and improves spreadability.
- Fragrance: Adds scent. (Potential irritant for sensitive skin).
- Ethylparaben: Traditional preservative to prevent microbial growth. (Some consumers prefer paraben-free formulas).
- Octyldodecanol / Octyldodecyl Alcohol: Fatty alcohol. Primarily an emollient and solvent, helping to blend oil and powder components smoothly. Improves texture.
- Shea Butter (Butyrospermum Parkii Butter): Emollient & skin conditioner. Provides moisturization, helps prevent the powder from looking dry or cakey, and soothes skin.
- Macadamia Seed Oil (Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil): Lightweight emollient oil. Rich in fatty acids, it nourishes skin, improves texture, and adds a subtle glow without heavy greasiness.
- Squalane: Highly compatible emollient & moisturizer. Mimics skin's natural oils, provides excellent hydration without greasiness, and improves skin texture/smoothness.
- Jojoba Seed Oil (Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil): Waxy ester similar to skin sebum. Excellent moisturizer and emollient, balances oil production, and conditions skin.
- Tocopherol (Vitamin E): Antioxidant. Helps protect the formula (and potentially skin) from oxidative damage caused by free radicals (like pollution, UV). Also has skin-conditioning properties.
- Sorbitan Isostearate: Emulsifier & texture enhancer. Helps blend oil and powder components, stabilizes the formula, and contributes to a smooth, non-greasy feel.
Shade-Specific Differences:
- CI 77492 (Iron Oxides - Red/Black/Brown/Yellow): Provides yellow, red, brown, and black tones. Essential for creating skin-tone shades.
- CI 77499 (Iron Oxides - Black): Provides black pigment. Used for depth/darkness in deeper shades.
- CI 73360 (Red 30 Lake - D&C Red 30): A red pigment lake. Used for pink/red undertones.
- CI 77007 (Ultramarines - Blue): A blue pigment. Used to counteract orange/red tones (create more neutral or cool shades) or create specific hues.
- Barium Sulfate: White mineral pigment/filler. Used to add opacity and brightness, and sometimes to dilute color intensity. Also provides photoflash protection (no white cast in flash photography).
Key Functional Takeaways:
- Oil Control & Matte Finish: Silica, Talc, Nylon-12, Boron Nitride.
- Smooth Application & Blurring: Dimethicone, Boron Nitride, Silica, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Ethylhexyl Stearate/Palmitate, Dipentaerythrityl ester blend.
- Luminosity & Glow: Mica, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite.
- Skincare Benefits & Hydration: Shea Butter, Macadamia Oil, Squalane, Jojoba Oil, Vitamin E.
- Binding & Pressed Powder Structure: Carnauba Wax, Aluminum Distearate.
- Color & Shade Adjustment: Various CI pigments (Iron Oxides, Ultramarines, Red Lake). Barium Sulfate for opacity/brightness/photoflash protection.
- Preservation: Ethylparaben.
- Sensory Experience: Fragrance, Silicones, Powders for slip/feel.
Note on Safety: The formula contains Talc and Ethylparaben. Cosmetic-grade Talc is considered safe, though some consumers prefer talc-free options. Ethylparaben is a widely used and generally recognized as safe preservative at low concentrations, though paraben-free formulations are also popular. Fragrance is a common potential irritant.
Full List
- ["Talc", "Mica", "Silica", "Synthetic Fluorphlogopite", "Boron Nitride", "Dimethicone", "Nylon-12", "Aluminum Distearate", "Ethylhexyl Stearate", "Dipentaerythrityl Hexahydroxystearate/Hexastearate/Hexarosinate", "COPERNICIA CERIFERA Wax", "Methicone", "Ethylhexyl Palmitate", "Fragrance", "Ethylparaben", "Octyldodecyl Alcohol", "Butyrospermum Parkii Butter", "Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil", "Squalane", "Jojoba (SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS) seed oil", "Tocopherol (Vitamin E)", "Sorbitan isostearate"]
- ["Talc", "Mica", "Silica", "Synthetic Fluorphlogopite", "Boron Nitride", "Dimethicone", "Nylon-12", "Aluminum Distearate", "Ethylhexyl Stearate", "Dipentaerythrityl Hexahydroxystearate/Hexastearate/Hexarosinate", "COPERNICIA CERIFERA Wax", "Methicone", "Ethylhexyl Palmitate", "Fragrance", "Ethylparaben", "CI 77492", "Octyldodecyl Alcohol", "Butyrospermum Parkii Butter", "Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil", "Squalane", "Jojoba (SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS) seed oil", "Tocopherol (Vitamin E)", "Sorbitan Isostearate", "CI 73360", "CI 77499", "Barium Sulfate"]
- ["Talc", "Mica", "Silica", "Synthetic Fluorphlogopite", "Boron Nitride", "Dimethicone", "Nylon-12", "Aluminum Distearate", "Ethylhexyl Stearate", "Dipentaerythrityl Hexahydroxystearate/Hexastearate/Hexarosinate", "COPERNICIA CERIFERA Wax", "Methicone", "Ethylhexyl Palmitate", "Fragrance", "Ethylparaben", "Octyldodecyl Alcohol", "Butyrospermum Parkii Butter", "Macadamia Nut (MACADAMIA TERNIFOLIA) seed oil", "Squalane", "Jojoba (SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS) seed oil", "Tocopherol (Vitamin E)", "CI 77007", "Sorbitan isostearate", "CI 73360", "CI 77499", "Barium sulfate"]
- ["Talc", "Mica", "Silica", "Synthetic Fluorphlogopite", "Boron Nitride", "Dimethicone", "Nylon-12", "Aluminum Distearate", "Ethylhexyl Stearate", "Dipentaerythrityl Hexahydroxystearate/Hexastearate/Hexarosinate", "COPERNICIA CERIFERA Wax", "Methicone", "Ethylhexyl Palmitate", "Fragrance", "Ethylparaben", "CI 77007", "Octyldodecanol", "CI 77492", "Butyrospermum Parkii Butter", "Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil", "Squalane", "Jojoba Seed Oil", "Tocopherol (Vitamin E)", "Sorbitan Isostearate", "CI 77499"]
- ["Talc", "Mica", "Silica", "Synthetic Fluorphlogopite", "Boron Nitride", "Dimethicone", "Nylon-12", "Aluminum Distearate", "Ethylhexyl Stearate", "Dipentaerythrityl Hexahydroxystearate/Hexastearate/Hexarosinate", "COPERNICIA CERIFERA) wax", "polymethicone", "ethylhexyl palmitate", "fragrance", "ethylparaben", "octyldodecanol", "CI 77007", "butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter", "macadamia ternifolia (macadamia ternifolia) seed oil", "squalane", "simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil", "tocopherol (vitamin e)", "sorbitan isostearate", "CI 73360", "CI 77499", "barium sulfate"]