Do You Know Your Lipstick? – Common Ingredients in Commercial Lipsticks

1st October 2014

By Lana King

Guest writer for Wake Up World

Through the years, the main reasons why women, still use lipstick remain the same: they want to make themselves stand out among the crowd and make themselves look more attractive.

Without a doubt, the use of lipsticks has come a long way since the ancient times when the only option for people to apply color to their lips was by using colourful fruit extracts. Nowadays, there are different kinds of ingredients used to make commercial lipsticks. Competing brands use different ingredients for their lipsticks; but the secret is, they all make use of the same basic ingredients. These ingredients are shown below.

Also included is a special home recipe for ‘Pink Amour’ lipstick, so why not make your own?

Common Ingredients in Commercial Lipsticks

Wax

Wax is the main ingredient of all lipsticks since this it is the main reason why lipstick can be applied on the lips. The most commonly used waxes for lipsticks are carnauba wax, candelilla wax and beeswax.

Oils

Oil comprises more than 60% of the entire composition of a lipstick. The most commonly used oils for lipsticks include mineral oils and vegetable oils.

Pigment

Pigments are the main reason why there are different colours of lipsticks. Women have different preferences when it comes to the colour of lipstick that they should wear.

Alcohol

Alcohol is used as a component in making lipsticks as a solvent for oil and wax.

Fragrance

Synthetic ingredients of lipstick often have their own smell that can ruin the entire smell of the lipstick. However, manufacturers add fragrance in order to eliminate the foul odours.

Harmful Ingredients

Preservatives and Antioxidants

Lipsticks are cosmetic products that do not expire, however they have ingredients that become less functional as time passes by. For that reason, most commercial lipsticks contain preservatives to prolong their life.

Pigments

There are pigments used to colour lipsticks that are derived from coal tar. Coal tar is a substance that can cause attention deficit disorder, skin irritation, headache, and nausea due to its toxicity. Another harmful pigment used for lipsticks is Carmine, a substance that can cause skin irritation.

Carmine

Also known as E120, Natural Red, Crimson Lake, and Cochineal, Carmine is a red pigment containing carminic acid and aluminum salt. Carmine is a product of scale insects indigenous to the tropics and subtropical regions of Mexico and South America.

Alternatives to Commercial Lipsticks 

Even though lipsticks have greatly developed and changed since the times they were first introduced, the formula for creating them has remained the same. Basically, lipstick is made from the mixture of pigments, waxes, and oils which can then be applied to the lips.

With this simple formula, you can always create your own natural lipstick and add to it flavours and scents you love. Although some home-made lipstick recipes may not feel the same way as the highly processed machine-made variety, or those which are full of synthetic ingredients, they are easily made and come with a sense of safety or peace of mind from knowing exactly what is in the products that you are using. For those who want to avoid synthetic materials, for Vegans or those with allergies to some substances, there is no more need to deprive your lips of the best lipstick and lip products you need, since creating your own lipstick means freedom to take out the lipstick ingredients you don’t like and replace it with smarter and healthier options.

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