Review: Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Correcting Powder

Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Talc-Free Mineral Correcting Powder

Price: MSRP $13.95. $11.99 at Harmon’s, with a $3-off peelie coupon on packaging. Physician’s Formula was also on sale at Harmon’s in February for an additional $2 off, making the total only $6.99.

Claims: “Versatile powder color corrects the most common skin imperfections, smoothes skin texture and evens out skin tone. All colors blend together to create a perfect canvas finish: Pink brightens, Green tones down redness and Yellow adds warmth. High-tech Japanese formula delivers a natural-looking finish that won't cake, crease or settle into fine lines.”

Ingredients: Mica, boron nitride, mineral oil, aluminum distearate, petrolatum, tocopherol, phenoxyethanol. May contain: titanium dioxide, iron oxides, carmine, ultramarines

Review: I’d seen a few advertisements for this product lately, and lord knows I need all the color-correcting I can get. So when I saw a new display at Harmon’s (and a generous discount from the normal price) I snatched it up without much of a second glance. It proudly proclaims itself as talc-free, paraben-free, fragrance-free, etc, which seems like the recipe to a perfect product.

When I finally got around to opening the packaging and getting a good look at the ingredients, I found two ingredients I never thought I’d see in powder: mineral oil and petrolatum. Shock! Horror! Everyone knows you’re not supposed to put mineral oil and petrolatum on your face! That’s just a bunch of clogged pored waiting to happen! Regardless, I decided to give it a shot and used it anyway.

I’ve been using it every day for nearly a month now. Does it cover my redness? No. Does it brighten my skin? No. Does it add warmth? No. Does it cake, crease, or settle into fine lines? Yes, yes, and yes! I don’t know if I’ve ever used a powder this bad before, and I’m not sure why I continue to use it.

The powder itself is pressed, but upon brushing it, comes off in large granules – much bigger particles than your average powder. It can make a mess over your clothes or whatever surface you’re applying it near if you're not careful.

Immediately upon application, it looks very powdery and very pale. I bought the translucent shade (I am fair and generally use the lightest shade of every makeup) yet it’s not really “translucent”, more like “opaque white” – definitely not a human skin color unless you’re going for the geisha or vampire look. It gives me a ghostly aura, and is especially powdery on and around my nose. It doesn’t blend in, even with a lot of brushing or rubbing. The powdery pale look goes away after a while, but it cakes around blemishes and settles in the creases of my eyelids in big cakey chunks by mid-day, so much that I have to wipe it off.

 No one needs to see my face this close up, but this is the unnatural powdery finish I'm left with after application (no other makeup on).

The one perk might be that, as powdery as it is, it doesn’t feel powdery or drying at all – probably because of the mineral oil and petrolatum. I haven’t been able to attribute any breakouts to the use of this product, which is a relief, but I’d stay away if petrochemicals usually bother you. Actually, I’d just stay away from this stuff altogether.

Packaging:  Cute little compact with a clear top and double-layered design with a mirror and brush storage underneath. The brush is adorable in pale pink, yellow, and green, but is unfortunately so rough and scratchy I stopped using it after the first try.

 Overall rating: D – HUGE disappointment :(

Would purchase again? No