Ask Kaylin: Makeup without Iron Oxides and/or Mica

Iron oxides may be beautiful in nature, but not everyone
wants them on their face. (Photo: Julia Manzerova via Flickr)

I have worked with many clients with allergies to makeup, and some are more severe than others. Many people with allergies have had success switching to gentle mineral cosmetics (particularly, those without bismuth and fillers such as talc). However, some people have trouble with some of the most common ingredients in mineral makeup: mica and iron oxides. When all of the "natural" makeup uses these minerals, where do you turn to for allergy-free solutions?

Anonymous:
Kaylin, do you know of any makeup without mica and/or iron oxides?  I'm allergic to them and I'm looking for dark shades of eye makeup, such as eye shadow and eye liner.

Disclaimer: I am not a licensed medical professional or licensed esthetician. Please consult your dermatologist or allergist before following any advice in this post.

Kaylin:
I have heard of allergies to one of the other, but both at the same time must be rough. However, don't despair, because there are some options out there for you. I've included products that mica-free, iron oxide-free, and free of both below, so others with similar allergies can find a solution tailored to them as well.

Mica-Free Products:

• Eye shadows - Rejuva Minerals makes a line of mica-free loose eye shadows.
• Eyeliners - DeVita makes eyeliner pencils without mica.
• Mascara - E.L.F. makes a gentle studio mascara without mica. Rejuva Minerals also makes one.

Iron Oxide-Free Products:

• Eye shadows - 100% Pure has a line of eye shadows without iron oxides. They also make creamy eye shadow pencils and shimmery cream shadows (not vegan) as well.
• Eyeliners - See below.
• Mascara - 100% Pure makes a mascara without iron oxides, but it does contain mica and beeswax (not vegan).

Products free of both Mica and Iron Oxides:

• Eye shadows - 100% Pure makes brow powder gels that could potentially be used as neutral eye shadow shades.
• Eyeliners - 100% Pure makes a black gel eye liner that uses fruit and vegetable pigments instead of minerals for coloring. It is also vegan and gluten-free. Biotique Botanicals also makes one, but I'm not sure what all of the ingredients are (it is Ayurvedic and you can see my review here).
• Mascara - E.L.F. makes a volumizing mascara without iron oxides or mica. Another option is using false synthetic lashes such as these from Eco Tools, which come with a latex-free glue. Check out my tips for applying here.

Notes:

• An excellent resource for those with allergies is the store Natural Solutions, which calls out items free of mica and iron oxides.
• If you know of any others cruelty-free products without these ingredients, please list them in the comments.

Disclosure notice: Some products mentioned in this article were sent to me free of charge by the manufacturer for review. Kaylin also works as a paid consultant for Rejuva Minerals. 100% Pure links are affiliate links, and some others are Amazon.com affiliate links. No additional compensation was accepted and the opinions are my own. Please verify any claims with the manufacturer, especially if you have any allergies or concerns.

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