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A couple of years ago, mineral was the word on everybody's lips when it came to make-up. From modest beginnings as a loose powder foundation, it began to work its way into the likes of blush, bronzer, eye shadow, and even lipstick. Way before the term BB had begun trending, mineral make-up was offering a product that helped deliver skincare benefits, protection from the sun, as well as providing coverage. With a constant new spate of make-up trends hitting the market, we sat down with founder Jane Iredale to discover whether there's still a place for mineral make-up in today's cosmetic bag and how it's competing with new trends such as blurring creams.
With the development of new cosmetic innovations such as blur creams and long-wear luminous liquid foundation, is mineral make-up still as relevant in today's beauty market?
I think it is more relevant than ever. These new marketing terms are perfectly describing what mineral make-up has done from the beginning - soft focus (blurring), while long-wearing and luminous descriptions are mineral make-up's stock-in-trade. In fact, we invented those terms. As well as looking light and luminous on the skin, our powders and liquid foundations have skincare benefits and help provide sun protection.
How have new innovations impacted on the success of the brand?
Since we're continuing to grow, I would have to say that they've only impacted us in a positive way. But I don't feel that there's anything new out there that we haven't already brought to the consumer. We were the first to use liposomes in make-up, like encapsulated algae extracts and antioxidants. Everything we do is based on making the skin as healthy as possible.
Why is it more important to use mineral make-up than other conventional beauty products on the market?
If it's a good mineral make-up, it's devoid of ingredients that sensitise the skin and cause problems such as blocking pores. It should also have protective qualities such as sun protection and antioxidants. It will appear light on the skin but also give excellent coverage.
You’ve tapped into the BB and CC cream trend. Do you feel that offering these two products is helping your brand stay relevant over other mineral make-up brands?
We were working on a BB Cream before we even knew what it was called. I felt that the consumer wanted a cream that contained benefits, had a lot of coverage and also sun protection. By the time we had it ready to bring to market, we realised that we'd created a BB Cream. It was fun to be right there with the trend. I feel as if that's always been the case with us. For example, Dream Tint had been on the market for a number of years before CC Creams were born. Then suddenly there they were and lo and behold we'd had a CC Cream on the market five years before the category existed.
Do you think that having BB and CC creams have increased the level of interest in your brand?
I think so, although it's hard to tell. It hasn't diminished any of our other foundations, so I suppose it's brought new consumers to us.
Has the new trend of wearing lightweight barely visible make-up affected the popularity of mineral make-up?
That's what mineral make-up should be. Lightweight, barely visible make-up that still gives coverage so it looks like your skin only better. That's why millions of women all over the world wear mineral make-up.
Are today's mineral make-up formulations any different from mineral make-ups in the past? If so, how has the formulation changed?
There are a lot of brands on the market now using "mineral" as a marketing term. A good mineral make-up formula hasn't changed much since we began in 1994. The only change we've made is to add some beneficial ingredients like botanicals and antioxidants. But there are a lot of brands that use a traditional formula containing talc and call it mineral make-up.
How has mineral make-up evolved over the last 20 years?
Mineral make-up used to mean a mineral powder containing no talc and sensitisers such as synthetic preservatives and FD&C dyes. Now a mineral make-up line will have liquid and cream foundations. As far as we're concerned, technology has allowed us to get more and more inventive with our formulas so that we can deliver real benefits to the skin. We also have a wider choice of minerals themselves as they get technically more advanced with coatings and sizes. We don't use nano technology in our formulas, but we're getting incredible broad spectrum sun protection from particles that have been coated, as well as amazing colours from coated mica.
Are there innovations on the horizon for mineral make-up?
We live in an era of innovation. There's so much available to us now that it's hard not to innovate. We have a lively discussion with our consumers. I'm always listening to their wish-list and try to bring products out that enhance their lives.