Bare mineral make up, as you probably already know, is a great way to help your skin look smooth, soft, and youthful without subjecting it to dangerous chemicals. But what exactly is in that mineral makeup you use every day? We spoke to Ann Swiftborne, chemist in charge of formulating sheer cover makeup, to find out about the five most common ingredients in mineral makeup.

Titanium Dioxide: this ingredient is a white powder that helps protect the skin from sun based on the fact that it creates a thin impermeable layer between the light and your skin. This is the exact same substance your mom probably slathered across your nose when you went to the beach as a child. It is perfectly safe and 100 percent natural.

Iron oxides are natural compounds commonly known as rust. As iron metal oxidizes (rusts) in the presence of air and water, the iron oxides appear in deep, rich, red colors. Sheer cover makeup uses these iron oxides in small amounts to add red, pink, taupe and brown colors to your face.

Mica is a mineral with a mirror-like shine that can help your skin look smoother and more luminous. It is also used in sheer cover makeup to improve the texture of powders, creams, and mineral liquid foundation, so that none of these kinds of makeup will drip or form clumps.

Kaolin: Kaolin is a type of natural clay that is smooth and white and is found near lake beds. This substance is used to make makeup because it helps it stick to you face, and helps it stay on longer. Another benefit of kaolin is that it absorbs oil. This makes it a great product for people with oily skin because it can actually help clear up their skin. It can be used every day because of it being a natural product with oil reducing properties.

Zinc oxide offers protection for your skin from the sun, similar to titanium dioxide. But in addition, zinc oxide is also excellent at soothing skin and reducing redness caused by inflammation, and thus is a very good natural remedy for serious acne and the skin condition rosacea that causes skin to redden.