How Makeup is Made


Cosmetics are defined by the FDA as products put on human skin “for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance.” In order to enhance the user’s beauty, the makeup must be of high quality. Manufacturers, therefore, need to be cognizant of what ingredients they put into their cosmetics. Let’s take a closer look at what goes into different kinds of makeup.

1. Mascara
In the U.S., mascara is usually colored with carbon black. For other colors like brown, iron oxides are typically used, and inorganic pigments can create purple or blue mascaras. From there, most companies use emulsion—expelling small insoluble liquid droplets into another—on water and thickeners to create a cream. Then, pigments and waxes are mixed in until large particles have broken down so that the mascara is the proper color and won’t harm anyone’s eyes.

2. Lipstick
Initially, wax and oil are melted together. Next, the color pigment and a solvent solution are mixed in. After blending for hours and setting, the formula is put into lipstick tubes and cooled, so it can keep its shape.

3. Foundations & Powders
Like the two previous types of makeup, these are made with oils and pigments. Perfume is also frequently added to diminish any bad smells from the ingredients. From there, what’s included often depends on the type of product. Many newer products are made with sensitive skin in mind, so they don’t include any harsh ingredients.

No matter what type of cosmetics manufacturers are creating, it is an involved process. Colors need to be measured at every step of the process so the final product keeps you looking beautiful. Konica Minolta Sensing has a wide selection of measurement instruments perfect for the cosmetics industry. Whether the samples are powders, liquids or creams, our products and software can provide manufacturers with the measurements they need. Check out the CM-5 Spectrophotometer or the CM-700d Spectrophotometer and see how our instruments can help you easily meet color quality standards.

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