Eyeshadow
INTRODUCTION
Eyeshadows are formulated to apply colour to the delicate skin around the eye area and enhance the appearance around the eyes. Neutral colours such as browns create depth and emphasis to the eyes by creating false dimensions which change the shape of the original eye area. Eyeshadows come in different forms such as powder, cream, liquid and more.
MAIN COMPONENTS IN EYESHADOWS
There are four main components in the ingredients of eyeshadows: base fillers, binders, slip modifiers and preservatives.
Base fillers are the starting ingredients which are used as a primary filler. This means that they take up the majority of volume in the eyeshadow palette, and they do not contribute to the significant properties of eyeshadow palettes. [1]
Binders, commonly derivatives of magnesium or zinc, are substances which provide adhesive properties to allow solids, especially pigments in eyeshadows, to stick together and to the skin during application. [2, 3] Some binders also have the ability to provide some hydrophobic properties to the eyeshadows. [4]
Slip modifiers are substances that are able to enhance the flow characteristics of the eyeshadow, making it easy to glide the eyeshadow across the eyelids. [3, 5]
Preservatives are able to prevent microbial growth on the eyeshadows to extend the shelf-life of the eyeshadows. [1] Since eyeshadows are able to store small amounts of moisture from the air, it creates a perfect medium for bacterial or fungal growth, causing them to be more susceptible to the formation of mould and discolouration. [6]
COMMON INGREDIENTS IN EYESHADOWS
1. Mica
Mica is a series of 37 layered or flaky silicate minerals which are physically and chemically similar to one another. [7] They are widely distributed in different types of rocks and are safe for use around the delicate area of the eye. Aside from its role as a base filler, they are able to impart a subtle sparkly appearance to cosmetics products. [8] This is a perfect ingredient for eyeshadows as these shimmering properties allow light to reflect on the area where the eyeshadow is applied, creating a smooth and soft finish to the eyes. [9]
2. Talc
Talc is a powdered hydrated magnesium silicate, a type of clay mineral, which helps to control shine on the skin by absorbing oil and moisture. [10] It is a great base product as it promotes smooth application and has low-covering power which induces transparency to the mixture to allow some colour of the skin to make the area with the cosmetics applied to still look natural. [11]
3. Metal Stearate
Metal Stearates are used as a binding agent in powder cosmetics due to their excellent adhesive properties, which allow them to stick to other ingredients, or stick to the skin when in use. [12]
4. Lauroyl Lysine
Lauroyl lysine is a derivative of lauric acid and lysine, a naturally occurring amino acid. The lauric part of the compound provides great emolliency and adhesiveness to the product, while the lysine part of the compound transforms the whole compound into an insoluble and stable crystalline substance. Lauroyl lysine also allows the skin to be soft during the application. [13]
5. Dimethicone
Dimethicone is one of the most common silicone substances. It is an emulsifier, which means that it helps to keep other ingredients from separating. [14] Most importantly, it is an emollient, which makes the skin smooth by retaining moisture and making the surface of the skin more flexible. [15]
6. Boron Nitride
Boron nitride is a slip agent which has light-diffusing properties. [16] This allows it to blur fine lines on the face, creating a creamy feel to the product. It is also a mattifying agent, meaning that it has the ability to absorb oil on the skin. In powder cosmetics, boron nitride is able to increase colour pay off. [17]
7. Caprylyl Glycol
Caprylyl Glycol is a substance that has antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. It is a preservative which helps to prevent other ingredients in the product from spoiling and extend the shelf-life of a product. Caprylyl glycol is also a humectant that allows the skin to retain moisture by absorbing water from the air towards the surface of the skin. [18]
8. Phenoxyethanol
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative which enhances the shelf life of the product. It is an alcohol with aromatic properties which has a rose-like scent. [19] It is commonly used in cosmetics as it has high thermal stability and has the ability to work with a large range of pH levels. [20]
HOW ARE EYESHADOW COLOURED?
Eyeshadows are coloured by incorporating pigments with the 4 main components. [21] Pigments are a type of colourant which are able to impart colour, black or white onto other materials. [22] They are insoluble substances which means that they are usually applied in solution form, where the pigment is the solute, and another liquid is the solvent. [23] When the pigments are incorporated, they remain unaffected, chemically and physically. However, in eyeshadows, these pigments are used in their solid form.
HOW ARE EYESHADOWS DIFFERENT TO OTHER COSMETIC PRODUCTS?
Eyeshadows are distinctly different compared to other powder cosmetics. Using blush as an example, although they have the same four main components for the formulation, the base fillers used are usually denser to create a smooth finish across the face. Eyeshadows need the base filler to be less dense to ensure eyeshadows are loose and fluffy, allowing the brush to pick up product more effortlessly. [24]
TEXTURES AND FINISHES IN EYESHADOWS
Various textures and finishes are made for eyeshadows which allows the customers to create fun and glamorous looks around the eyes. Different textures are achieved from varying particle sizes. As the particle size decreases, the finish becomes smoother. [24] Finishes in powdered eyeshadows are on a spectrum, where one end is matte and the other is shimmer or metallic. [25] Shimmer and metallic effects are achieved from pearlescent pigments. These pigments are made from the base filler mica, which is coated with titanium dioxide. Mica has a high level of transparency which allows white light to pass through itself. By varying the thickness of the titanium oxide, the refractive index alters accordingly, meaning that light is refracted in different angles. [26] This causes birefringence (the double refraction of light in a transparent which is made due to differences in refractive index), which leads to the formation of interference colours - the main property of pearlescent pigments. [27, 28, 29] Small pearlescent particles (around 1-15µm) create soft, shimmery eyeshadows with velvety texture whereas large pearlescent particles (around 20-150µm) provide a strong sparkle effect. [26]
BIBLIOGRAPHY
[1] Goins, Liesa. “The Makeup of Makeup: Decoding Eye Shadow.” WebMD, 15 Nov. 2012, www.webmd.com/beauty/features/decoding-eye-shadow.
[2] Shahbandeh, M. “Cosmetic Industry Growth.” Statista, 18 Mar. 2020, www.statista.com/statistics/297070/growth-rate-of-the-global-cosmetics-market/.
[3] “Ingredient Functions.” Unilever, 2016, pioti.unilever.com/PIOTI/EN/related_links/Ingredient_definitions.asp
[4] Baki, Gabriella, and Kenneth S. Alexander. “Color Cosmetics.” Introduction to Cosmetic Formulation and Technology, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey, 2015, pp. 345–377
[5] Robertson, T. M. “What Are the Most Common Eyeshadow Ingredients?” WiseGEEK, 2 June 2020, www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-most-common-eyeshadow-ingredients.htm.
[6] “The Chemistry of Cosmetics.” Australian Academy of Science, 19 Sept. 2019, www.science.org.au/curious/people-medicine/chemistry-cosmetics.
[7] “Mica.” Minerals Education Coalition, 11 Sept. 2018, www.mineralseducationcoalition.org/minerals-database/mica/.
[8] “Mica.” Cosmetics Info, 2016, www.cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient/mica.
[9] “Mica.” The Dermatology Review, 20 Sept. 2018, www.thedermreview.com/mica.
[10] “Talc.” Cosmetics Info, 2016, cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient/talc.
[11] “Talc.” INCI Decoder, incidecoder.com/ingredients/talc.
[12] “Zinc Stearate.” INCI Decoder, incidecoder.com/ingredients/zinc-stearate.
[13] “A Magic White Powder from the Formulator: Lauroyl Lysine.” CosmeticOBS, 9 Nov. 2016, cosmeticobs.com/en/articles/ingredients-50/a-magic-white-powder-from-the-formulator-lauroyl-lysine-3674
[14] “Dimethicone.” The Dermatology Review, 6 Apr. 2020, www.thedermreview.com/dimethicone.
[15] “Dimethicone.” INCI Decoder, incidecoder.com/ingredients/dimethicone.
[16] “Boron Nitride.” Cosmetic Ingredient (INCI), 2016, cosmetics.specialchem.com/inci/boron-nitride.
[17] “Boron Nitride.” INCI Decoder, incidecoder.com/ingredients/boron-nitride.
[18] “Caprylyl Glycol.” The Dermatology Review, 24 Feb. 2020, thedermreview.com/caprylyl-glycol.
[19] “Phenoxyethanol.” The Dermatology Review, 24 Feb. 2020, thedermreview.com/phenoxyethanol.
[20] “Phenoxyethanol.” INCI Decoder, incidecoder.com/ingredients/phenoxyethanol.
[21] “Colouration with Pigments.” Fundamentals and Practices in Colouration of Textiles, Second Edition, by J. N. Chakraborty, WPI Publishing, 2015, pp. 202–213.
[22] “Colourants: Dyes VS Pigments.” Winsor & Newton, www.winsornewton.com/na/articles/colours/spotlight-on-colourants-dyes-pigments/.
[23] “Pigment.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 25 Mar. 2019, www.britannica.com/technology/pigment.
[24] Carli, Belinda. “Pigment Selection for Cosmetics.” SpecialChem, cosmetics.specialchem.com/selection-guide/color-selection-basics
[25] “The Difference Between Eyeshadow Textures.” Beth Bender Beauty, 15 Sept. 2016, bethbenderbeauty.com/blogs/tips-tricks-everything-in-between/the-difference-between-eyeshadow-texture.
[26] O'Hanlon, George. “Why Some Paints Are Transparent and Others Opaque.” Natural Pigments Inc., 6 Dec. 2013, www.naturalpigments.com/artist-materials/transparent-opaque-paints/.
[27] Murphy, Douglas B., et al. “Principles of Birefringence.” Nikon, www.microscopyu.com/techniques/polarized-light/principles-of-birefringence.
[28] “Pearlescent Pigment.” ECKART Effect Pigments, www.eckart.net/press-events/eckart-blog/pearlescent-pigment.html.
[29] “Interference Colours.” Encyclopedia.com, 7 Oct. 2020, www.encyclopedia.com/science/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/interference-colours.
Comments
Post a Comment