How to make Lipstick – Raw Materials, Making, By-Product and More
Lipsticks are made to plea to the current fashion trend and come in a wide range of colors. The lipstick is made up of tints and pigments in a scented oil wax base. Retail lipstick prices are relatively low, with quality products under $ 4.00. More expensive products are available, with prices reaching almost $ 50.00 for exclusive products. Lip balms, on the other hand, generally sell for less than $ 1.00.
Tubes containing lipstick range from inexpensive plastic dispensers for lip balms to ornate metal for lipsticks. The sizes are not uniform, but generally the lipstick is sold in a tube 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) long and approximately 0.50 inches (1.3 centimeters) in diameter. (Lip balms are usually slightly smaller in length and diameter.) The tube consists of two parts, a cap and a base. The base is made up of two components, the
Raw
Materials
The main ingredients found in lipstick are wax, oil, alcohol, and pigments. The wax that is used usually includes a combination of three types: beeswax, candelilla wax or the more expensive camauba. The wax allows the mixture to take the easily recognizable shape of the cosmetic. Oils such as minerals, castor, lanolin or vegetable oils are added to the wax. Fragrances and pigments are also added, as well as preservatives and antioxidants, which prevent the lipstick from going rancid. And although each lipstick contains these components, a wide variety of other ingredients can also be included to make the substance softer or brighter or to moisturize the lips.
The ingredients range from complex organic compounds to all-natural ingredients, the proportions of which determine the characteristics of the lipstick. The selection of lipsticks is, as with all cosmetics, an individual choice, which is why manufacturers responded by making a wide variety of lipsticks available to the consumer.
Typically, wax and oil make up about 60% of the lipstick (by weight), and alcohol and pigments make up another 25% (by weight). Perfume is always added to lipstick, but it is one percent or less of the mix. Besides using lipstick to color the lips, there are also lipsticks and pencils. The manufacturing methods outlined here will focus solely on lipsticks and lip balms.
The making
Process
The manufacturing process is easier to understand if it is considered in three different stages: the melting and mixing of the lipstick; pour the mixture into the tube; and package the product for sale. Since the lipstick form can be mixed and stored for later use, mixing does not need to be done at the same time as pouring. Once the lipstick is in the tube, the retail packaging varies greatly, depending on how the product is marketed.
· Molding
· Labeling and packaging
By-products
There is little to no waste in lipstick manufacturing. The product is reused whenever possible and since the ingredients are expensive they are rarely thrown away unless there are no other alternatives available. In the usual manufacturing process, there are no by-products and the waste lipstick will be disposed of with the removal of cleaning products.
Quality
Control
Quality control procedures are strict because the product must meet Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standards. Lipstick is the only cosmetic ingested, so strict controls are imposed on the ingredients as well as the manufacturing processes. The lipstick is mixed and processed in a controlled environment so that it is free from contamination. The incoming material is tested to ensure it meets the required specifications. Samples from each batch produced are kept and stored at room temperature for the life of the product (and often beyond) to maintain control over the batch.
As stated above, the appearance of the lipstick as a final product is very important. Because of this, everyone involved in manufacturing becomes inspectors and the non-standard product is reworked or scrapped. Final inspection of each tube is done by the consumer and, if unsatisfactory, will be rejected at the retail level.