Women love to wear makeup, and there are many types to choose from. Oftentimes, they may have questions about the ingredients being used. The following will answer some of those questions.
Mascara
There are five main ingredients used:
1. Oils – most contain sesame, mineral or eucalyptus oils. Other oils used are: linseed, castor and lanolin. The oils are what help the mascara stick to the wand brush, then to the eyelashes. Oils also help prevent clumping.
2. Waxes – contains palm wax, paraffin, beeswax or carnauba wax, which are especially helpful in waterproof mascaras.
3. Preservatives – contains guanine and many other stabilizing chemicals, too many names to mention.
4. Pigmentation – dyes that are used to color the mascara: black mascara – colored with tar, coal, ash and iron oxides; brown mascara – colored with chemical resins, tree bark and artificial colors; and the colors, green, red, blue, etc., use other artificial dyes.
5. Water – water is used as a base for the other ingredients, but in some manufacturing processes is not needed.
Foundation
Many foundations contain the following:
1. Zinc Oxide – a good one because it is not a chemical. It is a mineral and acts favorably as an antioxidant;
2. Titanium Oxide – a mineral that helps reflect the sun and protects by absorbing UV radiation;
3. Retinyl Palmitate – contains vitamin A, that helps stimulate skin, for a nicer appearance;
4. Bismuth Oxychloride – a mineral that is sun and water resistant. Also, helps give skin a glowing, healthy look;
5. Tocopheryl Acetate – contains Vitamin E that is anti-aging, helps protect skin from the environment and helps with sensitive skin.
Lipstick/Lip Gloss
Contains the following, but may vary according to brand:
Lip Gloss contains petroleum jelly; mica; carnauba wax; beeswax; parabens, which are synthetic preservatives; flavor; and iron oxide and titanium oxide, which are colorants. It also contains carmine, another synthetic preservative that comes from the cochineal insect. Various oils are also used, such as castor oil, vitamin E oil, mineral oil and jojoba oil.
Lipstick contains three types of wax: carnauba wax, candelilla wax and beeswax; various oils: castor oil, mineral oil and lanolin; cocoa butter; dyes or colorants: bismuth oxychloride, manganese violet, titanium dioxide, D&C red dyes and D&C orange dyes; and preservatives.
Concealer
The most used are talc, macadamia oil and ground mica. Sometimes shea butter and titanium oxide are used, as well as other chemicals, vitamins and minerals.
Nail Polish
There are several found in nail polish, the main one being nitrocellulose, aka cellulose nitrate. This is a highly flammable material that holds together the other substances used, which are:
1. Film forming agents
2. Solvents
3. Resins and plasticizers
4. Coloring agents
Eye Shadow
Unlike other makeup, eyeshadow is quite basic in the ingredients that are used:
1. Fillers – which are talc or mica
2. Binders, zinc and magnesium – which help the eyeshadow cling to the skin
3. Preservatives, glycol or tocopherol – which is used to help it last longer and keep it from spoiling