Cosmetic foundation powders are one of the most commonly used cosmetic products in modern society. In recent years, the so‐called mineral‐based foundation products have become increasing popular in the cosmetic consumer market and can demand a premium price from the consumer. Manufacturers and suppliers often refer to mineral foundations as being ‘chemical free’, implying that these materials contain no potential skin irritants. However, there are no laws determining the use of the term ‘mineral cosmetic’ and interpretation of the use of the term is at the discretion of the manufacturer. In this study, wavelength‐dispersive X‐ray fluorescence spectrometry has been employed for multi‐elemental analysis of 39 mineral and traditional ingredient cosmetic powders. Quantitative measurements were obtained for Al, Bi, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Si, Ti and Zn. Using cluster analysis and principal components analysis, we could clearly identify the samples as being of traditional or mineral formulation, and in the case of the mineral samples, specific manufacturers could be distinguished. Of the samples examined, samples from two suppliers marketed as mineral‐based were determined as being indistinguishable from traditional formulations. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.