Yes you can - but...

Who knew the day would come when you could sleep in your makeup??? It's here - and many health professionals agree.¹

Here's Why:

Most mineral makeups will not clog your pores. Not all are equal, but the companies on my Makeup Without Cruelty list are also the companies recommended by the medical people I researched. Unlike traditional liquid foundation, mineral makeup particles are too large to penetrate the skin.

The mineral makeups recommended do not contain known allergens or fillers, like talc, artificial fragrance, chemical colorants or preservatives. For many, mineral makeups actually soothe the skin. I use Jane Iredale and it helps heal my rosacea. The minerals are not drying, and some, like Bare Minerals, provide moisturizing.

It's the zinc oxide in these products that provide the calming qualities. Yep, the same zinc oxide used in many diaper rash creams.

Healing properties during the day include sun blockage. And at night, "...other (nonirritating) ingredients now found in most mineral formulas - including antioxidants, vitamins, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory ingredients - can get below the surface to repair skin from within," says Dr. Doris J. Day, clinical assistant professor of dermatology at NYU Medical School.²

Here's the "but"...

You should still take off your eye makeup.

To quickly get eye makeup off without touching the rest of your face, wet a cotton ball with cleanser (Too Faced Rip Off is a good choice.) and gently sweep over eyes. Finally, wet a cotton swab in warm water and run it over your eyes' lower rims. Dust and debris often accumulate there during the day.

It is nice to know that if you're up until the wee hours cleaning closets, you can just flop into bed when you're done, and not have to worry that you're damaging your skin.

      Footnotes

      ¹ Medicalternative.com, in Edinburgh, Scotland, lists "mineral makeup" in their Medical Cosmetic Treatment section.

      ² Millennium Medical Spa in Newport Beach, CA (a medically licensed facility) recommends mineral makeup because the products don't clog pores. (They specifically like ColoreScience, but most of the mineral makeups claim not to clog pores.)

      ^Note Parkway Medical Family & Urgent Care's Laser & Skin Center in Scottsdale, AZ, recommends a number of mineral brands to their patients.

      ^Note Utah Derm & Medical Procedures Clinic in Murray, Utah, recommends Colorescience to patients.