Making lipsticks - Chemists Corner

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Color and makeup

Making lipsticks

Posted by Doreen on April 11, 2019 at 7:13 pm

Few weeks ago my first attempt to make a lipstick. About time to finally use the accessories that I bought eons ago. A nice pinkish nude colour with a bit of mica shimmer. I was gladly surprised that it didn’t break when I unmolded it.

So far I didn’t have oil bleeding/sweating (I exposed it to several temperatures though).

I used 3 gram wax base and a pigment phase of 1,5 grams (pigments/micas/TiO2 dispersed in a tiny bit of C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate).

I want to use a higher level of pigments next time, is there anything I should add/change in my wax base then?

Please feel free to comment.

My wax base below.

10% Almond oil

15% Cera alba

3% Candelilla wax

1% Magnesium stearate

3% Glyceryl Stearate

20% Cetearyl Alcohol

7% Ronaflair® Flawless

0,15% BHT*

0,15% Propyl paraben*

Castor oil ad 100

*(3 grams of wax base with a total amount of 4,5 grams makes 0,1% BHT and 0,1% propyl paraben per lipstick.)

I noticed later on that one of my molds has the name ‘Dior’ on it. ?

bellbottom replied 5 years, 6 months ago 4 Members · 13 Replies
- lipstick
13 Replies

ngarayeva001

Member
April 12, 2019 at 4:11 pm

Up!
Sponge

Member
April 12, 2019 at 4:21 pm

What’s the magnesium stearate for?

Also, 1.5 : 3.0 pigment : oil phase is really high to begin with, right?

Are you experiencing any problems with this pigment level?
Doreen

Member
April 12, 2019 at 8:56 pm

@Sponge
Thank you very much for your help!
The Mg stearate mostly for slip. The pigment phase of 33,3% is 50/50 pigments/C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate (as wetting agent/dispersion vehicle). So it’s about 16% pigments. Is that still high to begin with? I had hoped I could raise it quite some more! 😉

I didn’t have any problems with this pigment level luckily!
Do you think I should change something?

@ngarayeva001
Thanks :kissing_heart:
Doreen

Member
April 13, 2019 at 4:48 pm

In answer to the pm’s I received about i.a. the accessories (not the raw ingredients): these (and the empty tubes + boxes) I have bought from AliExpress.

(The raw ingredients come from different (DIY) suppliers, Ronaflair Flawless is sold by Alexmo Cosmetics, Germany).
Sponge

Member
April 14, 2019 at 2:49 am

Nope, no suggestions if you have no problems. :p

And my mistake, no, at 16% I think you have plenty of room for more pigment. Have you ever heard of the Hourglass Confession lipsticks? I just tried to look them up for reference and I can’t find the advertised amount of pigment. I want to say they have something insane like 40%?
Doreen

Member
April 15, 2019 at 3:02 pm

@Sponge
No, I had to look it up, never heard of it. That does sound like a lot, indeed! ?
ngarayeva001

Member
April 15, 2019 at 6:29 pm

Pat McGRATH’s lipsticks have the most dense coverage I have ever seen.
Doreen

Member
April 16, 2019 at 8:09 am

@ngarayeva001
I wish that the make up shops Douglas and Ici Paris here would start to sell it too. I don’t like to buy color cosmetics online (unless I know exactly the numbers I need). I would like to try it!
ngarayeva001

Member
April 16, 2019 at 9:40 pm

@Doreen, don’t buy Pat McGrath’s lipsticks online! They are amazing but the colors are complex (not straightforward colors that suit everyone). You should try them first. Eyeshadows are more forgiving. They started selling it in Londone two weeks ago.
Doreen

Member
April 17, 2019 at 2:00 pm

@ngarayeva001
That’s exactly what I wrote, I don’t like to buy color cosmetics online (unless I know the number I need).
That’s why I wished her brand would be available in the shops here, as I would really like to try it!
bellbottom

Member
May 31, 2019 at 8:15 pm

LOL i love the faux Dior
Doreen

Member
June 1, 2019 at 6:28 pm

@bellbottom
?

What about these! ?
bellbottom

Member
June 1, 2019 at 9:47 pm

Doreen said:

@bellbottom
?

What about these! ?

LOVE THEM!!!!!!!