About five thousand years ago, the ancient Egyptians would use black, orange and purple lipsticks. In ancient Rome, a lipstick called Fucus was made from purple-red mercury-containing plant dyes and red wine sediment. In recent years, the application of various pearlescent powders and treated pigments has made the color tones more diverse and the texture more comfortable. Similar to the development trend of other types of beauty cosmetics, lipstick continues to adhere to beauty as the main focus. It has the functions of moisturizing, nourishing and sun protection.
The raw materials for making lipstick include colorants, pearlescent agents, waxes, oils, fillers, fragrances and preservatives.
Colorant
It contains pigments or dyes, which determine the hue. Generally, it can be classified into three categories: organic colorants, mineral pigments and pearlescent pigments. Among them, mineral colorants are the most commonly used colorants.
Wax type
Waxes include Carnauba wax, candlestick wax, beeswax, etc. Other components are also evenly dispersed in the wax, and the wax and other oily components form a uniform carrier, which is used as a molding agent. The properties of wax (such as melting point range, crystalline state, etc.) have a significant impact on the texture, performance, skin sensation and stability of lipstick.
Oil
Hydrocarbons, such as mineral oil and Vaseline, natural source oils, such as castor oil, lanolin and jojoba oil, and synthetic oils, such as cetylethyl hexanoate.
Besides, some lipsticks with a glittering effect also contain pearlescent pigments, such as mica and titanium mica.
