Red lipstick
Aside from being tested inside laboratories and being promoted by fashion models, what do we really know about lipsticks? Nothing really much is shown on the media on how lipsticks achieve that deep red hue, you might’ve heard some news here and there about insect husks but that’s about it. Today, we’re going to take a look at what’s inside a single lipstick to see what it’s really made of.
It’s all about the deep red, girl!
We’ve gathered information on the contents of an average lipstick and here’s what we’ve found.
- Castor Oil – 65%
- Beeswax – 15%
- Other Waxes – 10%
- Lanolin – 5%
- Dyes, fragrance, and pigments – 5%
And that’s the ingredients of an apple pie, oh, I mean, lipsticks.
Wax on, Wax off
Source: Giphy
Waxes are a main component of lipsticks as it provide the ability of the lipstick to not melt away easily. The common natural waxes found in it are often beeswax, candelila wax, and carnauba wax. Wax is also responsible for the softening and glistening effect of lipsticks.
50 Shades of RED
Source: Giphy
While there are other lipstick colors out there, we can’t really tackle every one. So again, let’s stick with red.
Carmine Red. Source: ACS
Carmine red is derived from insect scales (yes, you read that right) and is a pigment mostly used for red lipsticks.
Eosin. Source: Wikimedia
Eosin, or D&C Red No. 22 is a dye that reacts with the skin’s protein’s amino acid which in turn produces that deep red color. For other shades of red, Titanium Dioxide is often added to make it a little lighter (up to a pink color).
What else is in there?
Source: Giphy
Fragrance is often added to mask the smell of other ingredients in the lipstick but what’s really intriguing in some lipsticks is the content of Capsaicin.
Capsaicin. Source: MedicinesComplete
If you think that sounds a bit like capsicum, you got it right. Capsaicin is a compound found in chili peppers that adds a skin irritant effect that puffs up your lips when present in small amounts. No more need to pucker up those lips as the chili will do it for you.
A final touch
Source: Giphy
Red lipsticks are everywhere around the world and a little knowledge about them wouldn’t hurt. So here’s the science behind those colorful red sticks—matte or moisturizing—and we hope you’ve learned something new today.
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