Winnipeg's Downtown Aveda Spa Salon
Frequently Asked Questions - Makeup
What are some of the ingredients that are found in makeup?
The cosmetic industry is worldwide and I think we get so used to seeing their products and never really find out what ingredients are in them. In recommended order of application, here is a list of some of the ingredients in makeup.
First, there's foundation. They can be in liquid or powder form. They usually contain mineral oil and if in liquid form are generally referred to as oil-based or water-based.
Eye shadows also come in powder or cream form and if in cream form are usually water-based as opposed to oil-based. They can also have in them a certain amount of oil, petrolatum, which is a by-product of petroleum, thickener, wax, perfume, preservatives and colour added. Water-resistant shadows have a solvent base such as mineral spirits. Dry and pressed eye shadows are composed much the same as powdered blush or cheek colour.
Eyeliner pencils consist of wax paraffin or a hardened oil-based petrolatum and a variety of additives to create colour.
Next is mascara. It's a product that includes water, wax and thickeners in its formulation. The pigment in mascara must be inert (unable to combine with other elements) and usually are carbon black, carmine, ultramarine, chromium oxide, and iron oxides. Some wand mascaras contain rayon or nylon fibres to lengthen and thicken the hair fibres.
Powder cheek colour, or blush as it is more commonly called, is simply a pressed loose powder with colour added.
Lip colour is available in a variety of forms which are all formulas of oils, waxes and dyes. Castor oil is the primary ingredient in lipstick; other oils used are olive, mineral, sesame, cocoa butter, petroleum, lecithin, and hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Finally, there is face powder which consists of a powder base mixed with a colouring agent (pigment) and perfume. Ingredients in most powders include talc, zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, kaolin, chalk, zinc stearate, and magnesium stearate. Bactericides are also added to inhibit the growth of bacteria and preserve the product.
