Cosmetics dig for customers

USA TODAY, March, 2008 by Laura Petrecca

There's a new rock star in cosmetics: mineral-based makeup.

Beauty marketers are rushing to mine the trend with more foundation, blush, eye shadow and other cosmetics with natural-sounding "mineral" formulations and ingredients such as titanium dioxide, mica and potassium. The products with finely ground minerals are being promoted as sheer, "natural" looking and less irritating to skin than chemical-based products.

In-store promotions for Maybelline's new Mineral Power line, for example, describe it as "more natural" and "healthier."

Sales have taken off. Mass-market stores, including Wal-Mart, sold $149 million worth of mineral-based cosmetics last year, according to tracker Information Resources. That was more than double 2006 sales of $69...