The nitty-gritty of powder skincare

Perhaps it’s part of the overarching beauty trend of “clean products”made with minimal ingredients. Maybe it’s a desire to return to old-school skincare like facial bars and floral waters. Or, it could be a result of consumers wanting more sustainable, environmentally friendly buys. Whichever the case, powder beauty products have been on the rise over the past few years – and they seem here to stay.

- GOH YEE HUAY

As the name suggests, these products come in dry, powdered form. Most of the time, they function as cleansers, essences and face masks, and are only activated when mixed with water or a liquid base before use.

As they are waterless, powder products are typically free of filler ingredients like emulsifiers and thickeners, as well as preservatives and chemicals needed to maintain active ingredients and keep bacteria at bay.

“Even though powdered products require less preservatives, they tend to last longer as they are more stable,” says Dr Low Chai Ling, medical director of SW1 Clinic. This is because water facilitates the breakdown of ingredients by oxygen, heat and light, so removing H20 from the equation has the effect of keeping products fresh for a longer period.

A prime example of this is vitamin C, a highly popular skincare ingredient well known for its brightening and antioxidant benefits.

Cha Mina, founder of Korean skincare label GTNC, explains: “Vitamin C is highly susceptible to oxidation, especially in waterbased systems and when exposed to air. Although its derivatives have been developed with greater stability, their efficiency and cost led to companies decreasing the quantity used. It is also difficult to keep finished products stable for a long time because most contain a relatively high percentage of water, which is a key reactant for oxidation and colour change.”