One of the questions I get asked regularly is, “Why don’t you do baked mineral foundations or baked bronzers? They look so convenient.” And you’re right — they are convenient. They’re neat, travel-friendly, and familiar to use.

But here is the simple truth: a truly pure mineral makeup cannot be baked.

Baked powders are not just compressed minerals. They begin as a wet mixture. The mineral pigments are combined with liquids and binding agents, then heated so the mixture hardens into a solid cake. There’s a problem though.

Minerals don’t naturally stick together. They are simply finely milled rock — mica, zinc oxide, titanium dioxide and iron oxides. To hold them in a solid compact, something has to bind them.  Almost always that ingredient is a silicone, most commonly dimethicone.

Dimethicone makes makeup feel beautiful. It gives slip, silkiness and smooth application. From a cosmetic chemistry perspective, it works brilliantly.

But mineral makeup was never originally created to feel silky. It was created for sensitive and post-treatment skin because it was breathable, simple, non-occlusive and calming.

Once a silicone binder is added, the product no longer behaves like minerals sitting on the skin — it behaves like a coating over the skin. You are no longer wearing pure minerals. You are wearing a film.

Loose mineral makeup does not need a binder at all.

Because nothing has to be held together, it requires no silicones, no waxes, no fillers and no preservatives. It is simply finely milled mineral pigment resting on the skin and moving naturally with it.

This is why many people find their skin feels calmer, less congested and more comfortable when they switch. The skin can function normally again. It isn’t a miracle ingredient. It is the absence of unnecessary ones.

Yes, we could make baked products and they would probably sell very easily. But we would have to add binders, and the moment we do that it stops being the type of mineral makeup English Mineral Makeup was created to offer.

Our philosophy has always been simple. If the ingredient is only there to make the product easier to manufacture or prettier in the compact, but not better for the skin, we leave it out.

Loose mineral makeup may look old-fashioned. In reality, it is the cleanest and most honest form of makeup available — just purified mineral pigment applied directly to the skin.

Nothing extra. Nothing blocking. Nothing unnecessary.

Just minerals.