Ok, now I happened to come across this link regarding Silica, in context to MUFE's High Definition Powder (Which is made of 100% Silica) and it made for an interesting read.

Now I'm not out to scaremonger or anything of the sort, obviously I'm not passing any judgement yet til I know all the facts, but I think it's worth the read.

I was just about to purchase the HD Powder til I came across this. It's really made me think twice now and I don't know if I want to actually use it now.

NIOSH - Silicosis: Learn the Facts!

Can anyone shed any light on the above, or have any relevant info?

First of all if it was toxic it wouldn't be sold anywhere.
Cosmetic companies are very careful with what they use in their makeup and I don't think MUFE is willing to ruin its reputation by releasing a dangerous product.
Also, if you check the wikipedia it also talks about another kind of silica which is harmless.

Silica is not toxic. It is a relation to silicone, dimethicone, etc. Just like dimethicone is a liquid that is used as a primer, silica is like the dry form. Its the ingrediant for a smoother finish. The over 40 set should look for this ingrediant in powders as it will not emphasize not so fine lines.

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Russian/Chinese, from planet NARS, age 45. "If its pink and sparkley I will shoot it...."

I understand the confusion and your concern.
Your article had me worried for a moment there too.

So I did some checking up.

Silica itself seems to be harmles. You can find it in every tube of toothpaste. So what's the problem: It's the way we use it. If we inhale it it could be harmful.

I don't see us inhaling the same amounts of this powder as construction workers do. But then again, when it comes to cosmetics we always want to be on the safe side. I'm using Chanel's new cristalline powder, and it's very similar to the HD powder because it's main ingredient is silica.

I did some research and one of the links even mentions that we should be careful when we inhale talc... (which is the base for every powder). If you read the links, I think that - as with every cosmetic - you'll conclude that normal safe use , is not going to be any problem what so ever.

- the european commision seems to be ok with it: COSMETICSINFO.ORG - Your source for safety information about cosmetics and personal care products
- Miessence. ONE Group. Organic Skin Care. Organic Cosmetics. Home Business Opportunity
- Cosmetics and Personal Care Products Can be Cancer Risks
- http://skindeep.ewg.org/ingredient.php?ingred06=705911

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http://wizardofgloss.blogspot.com/

hehe

I take silica supplements for hair, nails, and skin.

I am not dead... yet.

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"There is not any memory with less satisfaction than the memory of some temptation we resisted."

the article you posted is about crystalline silica being inhaled.
unless you decide to blow lines of the powder, i assure you that youre perfectly safe.

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That article does refer to the same substance but in a highly micronised form. MUF's HD powder is denser but is still sold on the basis that it is used externally and in small amounts. This is the MSDS sheet that accompanies this product which I obtained from a stockist:




Silica Powder MSDS


MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET


SECTION 1: CHEMICAL PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION



Chemical Name/ Synonyms : Silica INCI Name : Silica
Effects and Symptoms: Effects of Overexposure Medical Conditions Aggravated by Exposure Primary Route(s) of Entry : : : May cause mechanical irritation to eyes. Persons with respiratory conditions may be at increased risk. Skin and eye contact. Emergency First Aid:

Eye Contact : Flush eyes with water for at least 15 min. See physician if irritation persists.Skin Contact : Flush skin with water.Inhalation : Remove to fresh air. If breathing is difficult give oxygen. See physician.Ingestion : None needed for small amounts. For large amounts, if conscious, give water
and call physician. Do not induce vomiting.
Flash Point (Closed Cup) : N/A
Flammable Limits LEL/UEL % : N/A
Extinguishing Media : N/A
Special Fire Fighting Procedures : N/A
Unusual Fire And Explosion Hazards : Prevent the accumulation of air borne dust/dust cloud. May become highly charged with electricity.
Personal Precautions : Eye contact and excessive skin contact.
Environmental Precautions: : Prevent material from contaminating soil or entering sewerage and drainage systems.
Spill response : Use appropriate NIOHS/MSHA approved respirator. Wear chemical gloves, goggles, and lab coat. Carefully contain spilled material. Deposit spilled material in appropriate waste container.
Handling : Use with adequate ventilation. Avoid contact with eyes. Wash thoroughly after handling and before mealtimes. Follow all MSDS and label precautions even after container is emptied since it may contain residual material.
Storage : Store containers closed in ambient and dry location.



SECTION 8: EXPOSURE CONTROL / PERSONAL PROTECTION


Exposure Levels: OSHA ACGIH TWA PEL TWA TLV Silica 6 mg/m3 10mg/m3

Personal Protection:

Eye Protection : Safety glasses with side shields or gogglesSkin Protection : Rubber gloves, wash at meals and end of shiftsRespiratory Protection : Use NIOSH/MSHA approved air purifying respirator as needed to control exposure.Ventilation : Provide adequate general mechanical exhaust.
Boiling Point (°C) : >2000 Percent Volatile By Vol. (%) : N/A Freezing Point (°C) : N/A Vapor Density (Air=1) : N/A Melting Point (°C) : >1700 Evaporation Rate (Buac=1) : N/A Vapor Pressure (mm hg) : N/A Solubility In Water : 120ppm @ 25°C Bulk Density (Kg/M3) : N/A Appearance & Odor : Spherical white powder, Specific Gravity (H2O=1) : 2.0 - 2.8

odorless SECTION 10: STABILITY AND REACTIVITY


Stable : Yes Hazardous Polymerization : Will not occur Conditions To Avoid : Open flames and sparks, extreme heat, oxidizing materials Incompatibility : Oxidizing materials and strong caustic materials can cause a reaction. Hazardous Decomposition Products : Incomplete combustion can form CO, CO2, and dense smoke

SECTION 11: TOXICOLOGICAL INFORMATION


Amorphous Silica Skin Irritation : Primary Irritation Index: 0.0. Non-irritant. Primary Eye Irritation : No-irritant. Avg. Draize Scores: 0.0 after 48 hours. Acute Oral Toxicity : Non-toxic, LD50 > 5 g/kg (rat) Sensitization : No data

SECTION 12: ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION


No Data

SECTION 13: DISPOSAL CONSIDERATIONS


Method of Disposal : Dispose of in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations. Material may be sent to an approved landfill or licensed treatment, storage, and disposal facility.

SECTION 14: TRANSPORT INFORMATION



SECTION 15: REGULATORY INFORMATION


EPA RCRA : No information was found.USA TSCA : February 1996 Inventory Tape, exempt from Update Rule.

SECTION 16: OTHER INFORMATION


HMIS Ratings : Health - 1 Flammability –0 Reactivity - 0 Ratings Key : 4= Highest hazard, 0= Lowest hazard,
*= Chronic health hazard, N= No rating for powders


Date Prepared : 06/02/2001

Note:

The statements made here are intended to describe the product with regard to necessary safety precautions. They do not guarantee special characteristics. This information is furnished without warranty, expressed or implied, except that it is accurate to the best of our current knowledge.

Interesting. I have been feeling increasingly breathless recently, and cannot find a good reason why. I have tried to think of anything that has changed, and my loose powder was one thing I changed at a time which coincided with this feeling. I recently switched from BE mineral veil to MUFE HD powder. I noticed that it is so finely milled it sort of 'clouds' around my face and some goes into my nose every time I use it. I am not saying this is the cause of the feeling but did not want to rule it out. Here is a summary of the info I have been able to find:

* Silica is not actually toxic, it is stable and non-reactive, but in its crystalline form, if inhaled, it can cause lung fibrosis/cancer/all sorts of bad things!

* MUFE HD powder is NOT silica in its crystalline form, it is what is called amorphous silica.

* The risks from inhaling amorphous silica are much less than those of inhaling crystalline silica.

However, I found the following link: Health hazards due to the inhalation of amorphous ...[Arch Toxicol. 2002] - PubMed Result

(Unfortunately you can only read the abstract).


And this: Possible Health Hazards from Different Types of Amorphous Silicas

Now I do not know if the HD powder is the same as the stuff they are looking at here, and if it is, at least it looks like it is not going to cause the same irreversible damage that crystalline silica does. However I am going to stop using the powder and see if things get better, as it does appear that amorphous silica can cause immediate and short term inflammation. Perhaps this is why I am struggling to draw breath, perhaps not.

If anyone is interested I will keep you posted on whether stopping using the makeup helps!

The question is: Can amorphous silica go into our lungs and with the moisture in the body, overtime (maybe years and years) become crystalline slilica.

That is a good question! I had the impression it was fairly stable, I don't know by what process amorphous can turn into crystalline... silica range : use of silica, range of silica, manufacturing process here it says that non-crystalline ones can all be converted into crystalline forms when heated to high enough temperatures, and from reading stuff elsewhere it looks like in its anhydrous form it can trap a fair bit of water, but I have not seen anywhere that this could convert it to its crystalline form. I don't know how hydrated the silica in the HD powder already is, though.

Converting an amorphous material to a crystalline state is often done by heating it. It seems highly unlikely to me that amorphous silica in the body would crystallize.

As a chemical engineer/physical chemist; silica is pretty low on the list of things I'd worry about in my makeup.

as a biochem major, i with a significant level of confidence will say that its almost impossible for you to:
a) transdermally absorb enough of the HD powder to build up a toxic level of silica in the body ..... ill go as far as to say, you wouldnt be able to transdermally absorb a toxic level of it even if you sat in a tub of it for a week.
b) even if you inadvertently absorbed that much silica via transdermal, ingestive or inhalation pathways, your body would excrete or get rid of the silica before it would have a chance to crystallize and become harmful.
c) the amount of heat and time it would take for silica to crystallize on its own, would be on an industrial level. if you were that hot, you would surely not be alive to be poisoned by the resulting crystallized substance.
d) even if you did have crystallized silica in your body, your exposure would have to be for weeks, months, years to build critical mass and damage for it to be fatal.

basically, the powder is fine. fine for normal intended use... i still would not snort it or let your babies roll around in it... but for setting your foundation, its a perfectly safe product


also wanted to point out that alot of loose and pressed powders, especially those for oil control contain a good percentage of silica.

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