Pearl Face Powder

[ShrinkingViolet]

Allegedly Chinese women have been using crushed and powdered pearls on their skin for centuries.
I've stumbled upon this small company that makes real pearl products: http://silkenpearl.com/

Has anyone heard of or tried this? Pearls are supposed to contain lots of beneficent minerals and amino acids and other good stuff, but apart from that the thought of using pure crushed pearls on the face just sounds too luxurious and vintage-y to be true! I'm intrigued.

 

[BakingInPearls]

Oh good heavens! I'm getting faint that someone would smash up pearls! I have never heard of this kind of cosmetics and it makes me wonder how they keep the cost that low considering it has pearls in it.

 

[leaette]

let's just hope it's the pearls that are too flawed to be used for jewlery. the lop-sided ones.

 

[Sylvanrealm]

Sorry, I know this is a bit old but...

i couldn't help but reply. I have heard of cosmetics with crushed pearls and, more recently, diamonds (though I don't have any idea about the benefits of the latter). I used a Wei East powder for a while that contained some and I have a shimmery highlighting powder from Fresh (from the Memoirs of a Geisha collection) that also has crushed pearl. Both are great in their own respect, though I'm not really sure what effect the pearl actually had on the products as a whole.

 

[Miss Brill]

In the 80s, there was an infomercial that sold face creams made with pearls, but I've never bought any.

 

[Miss 1929]

I use it now all the time!

I just went to Shanghai, and while buying Lake Tai pearls at a dealer, they gifted me with about a POUND of pearl powder! It's the by product of drilling the holes.
I love it. It is white enough, has a decent amount of coverage, and stays on nicely! And it agrees with my skin which is acne prone. In fact, my skin took a radica turn for the better once I started using it, and yet it is not drying.
Apparently you can also make a mask with it and it's good for rosacea.
I do plan on going again in a year or so, and will be getting a lot more.
Lake Tai pearls are freshwater pearls, but they are spherical, not all lumpy like our freshwaters are.
And so cheap! I paid $7 for a long (like, flapper-long!) string of perfectly matched white pearls. Such a deal.

 

[roselily]

I suspect it might also be mother-of-pearl, which isn't so valuable!

I actually ordered some samples from this company, too bad they're in Canada so it's going to take forever to get here!

It looks like pearls have some of the same qualities silk powder do. Looking forward to trying it!

 

[ShrinkingViolet]

I got some samples from the silkenpearl lady a while back. I loved the pearl primer powder and I actually wanted to get a full size but somehow forgot about it. It gave a very nice matte sheen without the talc-y look of regular powder. The sample was jasmine scented but I'd probably go for the unscented version now. I wonder what the percentage of real powdered pearls in the products is? Maybe I should just e-mail her and ask.

I also tried the pearl paste but it was difficult to avoid a white cast and it hardened very quickly, so that wasn't very succesful.

 

[retrogirl1941]

I just went to Shanghai, and while buying Lake Tai pearls at a dealer, they gifted me with about a POUND of pearl powder! It's the by product of drilling the holes.
I love it. It is white enough, has a decent amount of coverage, and stays on nicely! And it agrees with my skin which is acne prone. In fact, my skin took a radica turn for the better once I started using it, and yet it is not drying.
Apparently you can also make a mask with it and it's good for rosacea.
I do plan on going again in a year or so, and will be getting a lot more.
Lake Tai pearls are freshwater pearls, but they are spherical, not all lumpy like our freshwaters are.
And so cheap! I paid $7 for a long (like, flapper-long!) string of perfectly matched white pearls. Such a deal.

So Miss 1929, care to mae another trip and procure some pearls and pearl powder for a poor college student?Hhmm? You know you want to!

Samantha

 

[desi_de_lu_lu]

I have face cream with crushed pearl powder, it is used for lightening. I think it actually works!

 

[retrogirl1941]

Miss 1929 clear out your PM folder. Its full.

Samantha

 

[katiemakeup]

Interesting!! I have heard of pearls in products, but never tried any. I have used rice powder before....

 

[Butterfield 8]

I have face cream with crushed pearl powder, it is used for lightening. I think it actually works!

"Lightening" as in highlighting? Does this specifically work to illuminate the skin much like mica powder for an added "glow"?

 

[roselily]

My silkenpearl products have finally shipped! I hope to be getting them soon. (I like the idea of supporting home businesses, but the turn-around time is really irking sometimes!)

You can buy pure pearl powder at tbktrading.com (I'm planning on placing an order when I'm feeling a little richer). You can also get silk powder, zinc powder, etc.

I also just got some "treatment" powders from SunCat that have pearl powder (along with silk and alot of other good things) that I really really am liking so far- think I'm going to have to break down and place a full order soon! Only problem is her stuff comes in really cheap containers with no sifters, so I'm going to have to order some empties (probably from tbk).