Much as we speak regarding modern cosmetics, it is also obvious that the actual usage of cosmetics started a long way back in time wherein natural ingredients were used to ensure that beautification occurred.
The modern industry had started a long time back and has advanced in the direction of creating more and better combinations of cosmetics. Some of the common ingredients that are used in making cosmetics are wax and oil and essences. These in specific moulds and amounts make the cosmetic product that you hold in your hand.
For example, most of the lipstick manufacturing units know that they need to use a combination of wax and oil and they are put together in specific combinations to manufacture the correct kind of lipstick with the flavour and the colour.
The same is the case with mascara. Initially, there was the use of a lot of coal and tar in the preparation of Kohl which was considered one of the unhealthiest methods of making the cosmetic. Modern methods and standardized techniques including using water, waxes, thickeners, and pigments and iron oxides. These with specific preparation techniques gives mascara to the world.
Where powders and blush are concerned, organic elements, minerals and oils play a greater role in the creation. Later, colour is added as per the requirement to make it light pink and dark pink. Colour essence holds a very important factor where creating blush is concerned. For products made on different skin tones, colour essence plays a major role.
One of the new essences to be used is the pearl essence. This adds to the shine and gloss to the cosmetic that you use. Commonly, they are combined with mineral mica and a thin layer of titanium oxide.
This might be difficult to accept but, even the table salt plays a huge role in the preparation of cosmetics. Table salt is used in shampoos, bubble baths, facial cleansers and body washes. It acts as a binding agent and helps the product become bubblier and soapier.
The process of emulsifiers:
One of the most used ingredients is emulsifiers. Emulsifiers bind unlike ingredients like oil and water together. Since oil and water don’t exactly stick together and bind properly, emulsifiers are added so that the surface tensions between both are unified and the product mixture stays together with the contents of water and oil.
Emulsifiers create a homogenous mixture where; all products with different content are mixed and bound together.
The Preservation:
Preservation is one of the most important parts of cosmetic ingredients. Preservatives are used in the cosmetic creation process to increase the shelf life of the product that is being used. Since products are created with common and natural ingredients, there is a strong chance that these will be infected with Fungi and bacteria.
Preservatives help to keep the product untouched by environment degradation and keep all the components of the cosmetic fresh even after you have purchased months after the manufacturing is done.
Preservatives used in cosmetics can be natural or synthetic and is utilized differently that depends mostly on the product formulation. Some products may require low levels around 0.01% while some may need as high as 5% of preservative usage.
What we find in the market is a huge and complex process of some of the simplest ingredients available in nature. Cosmetics are here to stay as it is one of the most thriving markets in the world. There are going to be greater options and subtle ingredients as we progress in making better cosmetics for the people to use.