The Good Mineral was started by two sisters from South Africa, Ego and Natasha Iwegbu. When Natasha, a product developer and cosmetic chemist, began formulating the foundation powders, Ego, a beauty entrepreneur, was hesitant to try it at first because she had very sensitive skin that frequently broke out. But Natasha actually had her sister’s skin in mind when creating the powders and made sure not to use fillers or irritants, such as bismuth oxychloride, or any fragrances, oils, preservatives, or synthetic dyes.
“Acne-prone sufferers have reactive skin that can easily be agitated,” explains Ego. “That also means that we are conscious of touching our faces too much and putting stuff on our skin that may be a contraindication for acne. Makeup, whilst often needed to give a bit of coverage, is perceived as, and feels like, it is not good for skin.”
According to Ego, the The Good Mineral powders don’t penetrate the skin but rather act as a protective barrier. The formula contains concentrated pigments, which allows for minimal application, so you don’t have to use a lot to get adequate coverage. “This also adds to the super-lightweight feeling, which is critical for acne sufferers sensitive to feeling the ‘weight’ or itchiness of makeup,” she says. There are also no pore-clogging ingredients. “Clogged pores are everyone’s problem, but more so for acne-prone skin, as we are more susceptible to blackheads,” explains Ego. “For example, our formulations do not contain lauroyl lysine, which is found in many foundations both liquid and powder, and known to clog pores.”
