Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Color and makeup color comes out dark….dries light?? why is this??

  • color comes out dark….dries light?? why is this??

    Posted by m_makeup on July 28, 2015 at 12:00 pm

    I am formulating a liquid to matte lipstick. The formula is fine however I am using oxides and magnese violet for color. When I am finished the product it is very dark. When I put it on my lips it is dark but dries light…(the orginal color of the oxide) WHy is this?? Please help me thanks so much.   

    chemist77 replied 8 years, 8 months ago 4 Members · 8 Replies
  • 8 Replies
  • AuroraBorealis

    Member
    July 28, 2015 at 1:47 pm

    Reduce your volatile liquids so the product won’t dry as much. 

  • bobzchemist

    Member
    July 28, 2015 at 2:24 pm

    This is why cosmetic chemistry isn’t just chemistry.

    First - when you mix a dry pigment with any fluid, it gets darker/more intense. This is due to the liquid displacing the air on the surface of the pigment particle, which changes the optical properties.
    This process/phenomenon is called “wetting out” (even if there’s no water involved - I know it’s confusing) and a pigment that is completely covered with fluid is referred to as “wetted out”, or just “wetted”.
    This is not always an instant process - it can take quite some time. Ingredients that can speed up this process are called “wetting agents”.
    Now to your problem. When a pigmented product is applied to the skin, there are four directions the liquid components can go - into the air, into the skin, into the pigments, or remain on the skin with the pigments. 
    From your description, it is clear that not enough liquid is remaining on the skin to keep the pigments wetted, so their color changes back to what it was before you added liquid. Without knowing your formula, I can’t say what your problem ingredient/ingredients will be.
  • m_makeup

    Member
    July 28, 2015 at 3:03 pm

    Can you send me a message @bobzchemist I will tell you my ingredients and my exact process

  • m_makeup

    Member
    July 28, 2015 at 3:10 pm

    I would like to tell you guys my ingredients and process please inbox me I do not want to put it out on the internet

  • AuroraBorealis

    Member
    July 28, 2015 at 3:37 pm

    Just an FYI… We are all happy to participate in discussions and contribute and learn as a group but one on one troubleshooting… there’s often a charge for that.

  • bobzchemist

    Member
    July 28, 2015 at 4:17 pm

    One of the big reasons I volunteer to answer questions on this forum is to pass on some of the knowledge and experience I’ve gained over the past 20 years or so I’ve spent as a chemist. I don’t get any money or recognition for doing this, so I expect that my answers to questions (and the questions themselves) to be freely available to anyone.

    I don’t particularly enjoy being a consultant (although I like consulting) mostly because I think that the clients that I’ve had did not value my expertise or my time nearly as much as I do, and I’m almost always feeling taken advantage of. The best answer I’ve come up with is that I charge a certain amount of money an hour for a phone or an internet consultation, and that’s all. I don’t guarantee anything, or offer any other services.
    So, this is my long-winded explanation of why I won’t answer questions privately. 
    I will happily suggest other consultants for you to use. I will suggest experiments for you (or anyone else) to try. But I won’t work with you privately, unless you want to pay for a consultation. In advance.
  • m_makeup

    Member
    July 28, 2015 at 4:20 pm

    How much for consultation?

  • chemist77

    Member
    July 29, 2015 at 7:15 am

    @Bobzchemist You have given some absolutely great analysis there re the pigment wetting. 

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