Mattifying beauty products almost always use a combination of Talc Starch Silica & Chalk (Calcium Carbonate) to create a matte skin finish. We don't like these technologies because a) they also bind to water not just oil & so are drying which is very different than mattifying; b) some of them are bad for you (search about talc-related lawsuits); c) they don't blend well with many forms of makeup. Mattifying should not mean drying. In fact matte skin should be just as comfortable as oily skin. Matte 12 uses advanced elastic spherical polymers that bind to oil but do not make the skin feel dry. Here are some very good facts about these spheres: + They allow Matte 12 to repel water & bind only to oil so the product doesn't dry out the skin (in fact Matte 12 can easily be used on dry skin for a matte finish); + They are elastic & form an incredibly soft finish to the skin; + They are nearly-perfectly spherical in shape (unlike many powders) making them a fantastic base that can work under any makeup (or used happily alone); Matte 12 is intended for all skin types including dry skin. On most skin types the effect of the product will last until rinsed for up to 12 hours. For very oily skin types an additional application throughout the day may be needed. (Very oily skin types may also benefit from our Pore Delete).