Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Highlighter Formula Problem.. Need advice!

  • Highlighter Formula Problem.. Need advice!

    Posted by Anonymous on September 5, 2016 at 7:10 pm

    Hello everyone, I am a newbie to this forum! I have always had a passion for make up and have a understanding of ingredients used to create cosmetics generally. I have been researching and formulating my own pressed highlighters for a while now. I have run into a problem though, once I have let my highlighters dry slightly I press them and get a nice smooth finish, but upon swatching them and using them for a few uses I have began to notice it develops a strange holey/cracked looking texture. I am not sure if this is normal? or if this is due to a kink in my process of creating them.
    For example: maybe I have added too much binder and not incorporated it into the mix properly. Also if this is due to me not mixing them problem, Shall I mix them in a coffee grinder first? I am currently mixing them in a small metal bowl.
    The finished product isn’t extremely powdery only slightly.
     I will attach some images so you can see how it looks, I would really appreciate some guidance on this! and thank you for reading.

    I am also thinking to add Dimethicone 350 to my formula to help with the binding process..

    Ingredients: Mica’s, Titanium Dioxide, Magnesium Stearate, Kaolin Clay, Carnauba Wax, Sericite Mica, Zinc Stearate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phenoxyethanol & Ethylhexylglycerin.



    Anonymous replied 8 years ago 1 Member · 2 Replies
  • 2 Replies
  • Zolveria

    Member
    September 6, 2016 at 1:19 am

    okay this is a binding issue.. 
    why did u add the alcohol. when i mix my mica and oxides i use my base and adhesion level choice in mind. i then mix everything except my micas. I then add my pressing medium.. until it look like wet sand. then press…and let them sit to dry.

  • Anonymous

    Guest
    September 6, 2016 at 5:12 am

    Hi Zolveria, thankyou for replying!

    Ah. I see, I added the Isopropryl Alcohol to aid the binding process as it makes the powder more easier to work with. I find it hard to work with incorporating all of the binder into the mixture as it all bunches together - have you found this happens to you aswell?

     but the alcohol turns it into a more liquid consistence thus easier to mix,  What method do you use to mix everything together? Do you use a coffee grinder at all? 

    And I mix all my base powders together first, then the micas and after I add the capric/caprylic triglyceride (binder) alongside some phenoxyethanol etc.. I also place one drop of each in the pan aswell. 

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