Do you really know what you’re putting on your face? In 2019, the documentary Toxic Beauty hit streaming services and beauty consumers instantly became nervous about the contents of their makeup bags. One significant component of the film is the examination of the link between cancer and talcum powder.
Talc, a white mineral mainly of magnesium, silicon, and oxygen typically found in nature near asbestos, has been rendered incredibly dangerous and potentially cancer-causing for decades with continued research from the FDA.
The substance in question has also been commonly used in beauty products, from shadows to foundations to lipsticks. “It’s been used in beauty products for its color payoff and oil-soaking power since Victorian times,” says makeup historian and Bésame Cosmetics founder Gabriela Hernandez.
“Talc has covering power and feels smooth on the skin.” Thus, only adding to the ingredient’s ability to dominate formulations for over 100 years. Today, California-based clean beauty company Beautycounter released the first of their new talc-free makeup line, Lid Glow Cream Eyeshadow.
