How make up makes wrinkles is a subject of some debate.  Some people don’t believe it’s true .  At one time , a lot of people said that the sun didn’t cause wrinkles .  Now, we know better.  But, is makeup bad for your skin today and will it make you look older tomorrow?  Those are the questions discussed in this post .

Although painting the face has been part of human culture for millenia , the role has changed in many ways .  The popularity of foundation and the frequent use of make up by women in the US and Europe can be attributed to Max Factor, a theatrical makeup artist, who created “Flexible Greasepaint” in 1914.

Theatrical greasepaint was known to clog the pores .  It felt oily and most actresses removed it as soon as the play was finished . 

Because of these problems , Max came up with “Pan-Cake”.  The main ingredient was talc.  It was applied with a wet sponge and could be layered without caking.  Imagine Max’s surprise when actresses wanted to wear it during their time off , as well as when they were performing on stage .   

Pan-Cake was patented and the m*** production began in 1937.  By 1940, about a third of women in the US owned it and wore it on a relatively regular basis.  That’s just a bit of history.  Now, let’s talk about how makeup creates wrinkles and could lead to serious health conditions .

Since the 1960s, it was common knowledge that talc is a toxin .  In the early 1970s, Skin MD researchers found particles of talc embedded in 75% of the ovarian tumors they examined.  Despite those facts , talc is still cl***ified as “generally recognized as safe for use in cosmetics” by the US FDA.  Max Factor’s unique talc-based formula is still available from Proctor and Gamble.

What do ovarian tumors have to do with how make up causes wrinkles?  Carcinogens cause trauma to the cells of the body.  It is the same kind of damage caused by overexposure to ultraviolet sunlight ; the very same kind that cause skin cancer and plays a large role in the aging of skin .  Scientists unremarkably call it free radical damage.

Dermatological studies have proven that there are more free radicals in older than in younger skin.  The amount of antioxidants existing in older skin is much lower than it needs to be in order to keep free radical damage under control. 

Dermatologists and Skin MD have said recently that free radical damage is a major cause of wrinkling and other outward signs of aging.  How make up causes wrinkles is by causing free radical damage. 

Today there are safer cosmetic ingredients that will not cause the damage.  You can also use antioxidant rich creams that help protect against the damage. 

The makeup brands that are zinc oxide based are the safest choice.  Zinc oxide is generally recognized as safe enough to eat .  Talc is not.  Creams with CoQ10 are the most effective for protecting against and even reversing free radical damage. 

This is not the complete story of how make up causes wrinkles.  There are other concerns like the inadvertent kneading of the skin that may be necessary to apply eye makeup.  It’s just that free radical damage is the worst one .  It’s also something that can be easily avoided. 

Choose your skin care and cosmetics brands carefully and always use an antioxidant-rich moisturizer underneath.  People with oily complexions will want to steer clear of any moisturizer containing petrolatum or mineral oil.   Everyone would be safer to avoid those things.  They may contain cancer-causing substances, too.

You can learn more about how makeup causes wrinkles and about the safety (or danger) of cosmetic ingredients online.  You have mountains of information right at your fingertips.