In-depth analysis: how the lipstick is made

The birth of cosmetics can be traced back to ancient civilizations, and lipsticks were used every day among the Sumerians, Egyptians, Syrians, Babylonians, Persians, and Greeks. Later, Elizabeth I and the ladies of her court colored their lips with red mercury sulfide. For years, rouge was used to color lips and cheeks, a fashion at the time.

In the Western society in the second half of the 19th century, it was widely believed that only promiscuous women wore lipstick or makeup. It wasn't until the 20th century that lipstick and cosmetics, in general, gained absolute social acceptance.

The manufacture and improvement of applicators and metal tubes reduce the cost of cosmetics. This, combined with the population's acceptance of the discovery, has increased widespread use and popularity.

Lipsticks are designed to enrich human beauty and fashion trends; lipsticks are available in a variety of colors. Lipsticks are generally made from dyes and pigments in an aromatic oil wax base. The retail price of lipstick is generally relatively low, which also provides a lot of convenience for the widespread use of lipstick.

Lipstick tubes vary in size, from cheap plastic lipstick dispensers to fancy metal lipstick tubes. Still, lipsticks are usually sold in tubes 3 inches long and about 0.50 inches in diameter. Lipsticks are generally slightly smaller in length and diameter, and the tube has two parts, a cap, and a base. The base consists of two components, the twisting or sliding of which pushes the lipstick upwards. Since manufacturing the tube involves completely different techniques, we will only focus on manufacturing the lipstick here.

raw material

The main ingredients in lipsticks are generally waxes, oils, alcohols, and pigments. The waxes usually combine these three - beeswax, candelilla, or the more expensive carnauba wax. Waxes allow the mixture to form into easily recognizable cosmetic shapes. It is thus possible to add mineral oil, castor oil, lanolin, or vegetable oil to the wax. In addition, flavors and pigments are added, along with preservatives and antioxidants, to prevent the lipstick from spoiling. While every lipstick contains these ingredients, a variety of other ingredients are added to make the substance smoother, shinier, or moisturize the lips.

Just as there are no standards for lipstick size and container shape, there are no standards for the type or ratio of ingredients used in a lipstick. Aside from the essential ingredients (waxes, oils, and antioxidants, the amount of supplemental materials varies widely. The ingredients range from complex organic compounds to completely natural ingredients in proportions that determine the properties of the lipstick—as with all cosmetics, choosing lipstick is a personal choice.

So the manufacturer, to make the lipstick, first melts the various raw materials separately, then grinds the oil and solvent together with the desired color pigment. To make the lipstick, the various raw materials are melted separately, and then the oil and solvent are ground together with the color pigments.

Typically, waxes and oils make up about 60% of the weight of the lipstick, and alcohol and pigments make up another 25% by weight. The fragrance is added to the lipstick but makes up one percent or less of the mixture. In addition to coloring lips with lipstick, there are lip liners and lip liners.

manufacture

process

The manufacturing process seems most straightforward if you think of it as three separate steps:

Melting and mixing the lipstick

Pouring the mixture into a tube

Packaging the product for sale

Since the lipstick blocks can be mixed and stored for later use, mixing doesn't have to happen at the same time as pouring, and once the lipstick is in the tube, the retail packaging can change a lot, depending on how the product is marketed.

melting and mixing

1. Melt and mix the ingredients for the lipstick - this is due to the different ingredients used. One mixture contains a solvent, a second an oil, and a third a fatty and waxy material, which are heated in separate stainless steel or ceramic containers.

2. Mix the solvent solution with liquid oil and color pigments. After the pigment block is prepared, it will be mixed with hot wax. The mixture was stirred to remove air bubbles. Next, the mixture is poured into tube molds, cooled, and separated from the molds, and after final touches and visual inspection, the lipsticks are ready for packaging.

Once the pigment blocks are prepared, mix with the hot wax and stir the mixture to remove any air bubbles. Next, the mixture is poured into tube molds, cooled, and separated from the molds, and after final touches and visual inspection, the lipsticks are ready for packaging.

The mixture is passed through a roller mill, which grinds the pigments to avoid the graininess of the lipstick texture. This process introduces air into the oil and pigment mixture, so mechanical processing of the mixture is required. The mixture is stirred for several hours, at which point some manufacturers use vacuum equipment to draw out the air.

3. After the pigment block is ground and mixed, add it to the hot wax block until an even color and consistency are obtained. The Liquid Lipstick can then be stretched and shaped, or it can be poured into a pan and stored for future shaping.

4. If the Liquid Lipstick is to be used immediately, keep the melt at a temperature with stirring to allow trapped air to escape. If storing the lipstick block, it must be reheated before use, checked for color consistency, adjusted to specification, then held at melting temperature (stirred) until pourable.

Lipsticks are always prepared in batches as different color pigments can be used. The size of the batch and the number of lipstick tubes produced at one time will depend on the popularity of the particular shade being produced. This will determine the manufacturing technology used. Lipsticks can typically be produced at a rate of up to around 2500 sticks per hour in a highly automated process or about 150 sticks per hour in a largely manual operation. The steps in the process differ only in quantity produced.

forming

5. Once the lipid block is mixed without air, it can be poured into a tube; depending on the manufacturer's equipment, various machine settings can be used, but large batches are usually kept as a liquid melter by stirring the lipid block run. For smaller manual batches, in an operator-controlled melter, agitation can be used to maintain the material at the desired mixing temperature.

6. The molten mass is dispensed into a mold consisting of the bottom of the metal or plastic tube and the molded part that mates with the tube. The lipstick is "inverted" so that the bottom of the tube is on top of the mold, and the excess can then be scraped from the mold.

7. Cool the lipstick, separate it from the mold, and seal the bottom of the tube. The lipstick is then passed through a burning cabinet (or by hand) to seal the pinhole and improve the finish. Visually inspect the lipstick for blowholes, mold separation lines, or imperfections, and rework if necessary.

Labeling and Packaging

9. After the lipstick is retracted and the tube is closed, the lipstick is ready for labeling and packaging.

10. The last step in the manufacturing process is the packaging of the lipsticks, which are available in a variety of packaging, from bulk packaging to individual packaging, including as a component in a cosmetic kit or as a unique promotional product. Lip balms are generally available in bulk packaging, with minimal protection to prevent shipping damage.

Lipstick packaging will vary depending on the retail store's point of sale. Packaging may or may not be highly automated, and the packaging depends on the product's end use, not the manufacturing process.

Quality Control

Quality control procedures are stringent as products must meet Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standards. Lipstick is an ingested cosmetic, so the ingredients and manufacturing process should be strictly controlled. Lipstick is mixed and processed in a controlled environment, so it will not be contaminated. Incoming material is tested to ensure it meets the required specifications. Each batch of samples produced is kept and stored at room temperature for the product's entire life (usually beyond that) to maintain batch control.

The appearance of the lipstick is significant, so everyone involved in the manufacture becomes an inspector, and non-standard products are either reworked or scrapped. The consumer carries out a final inspection of each tube, and if not satisfied, it will be rejected at the retail level. Because retailers and manufacturers are often different, quality issues at the consumer level significantly impact manufacturers.

future

Lipstick is currently the cheapest and most popular cosmetic product in the world today. The lipstick market is expanding, with new types and shades of lipstick from manufacturers and a wide variety of affordable products. As long as cosmetic products remain popular, the lipstick market will continue to be strong, and lipstick manufacturers can add markets in other countries and diversify currently identified markets.