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M. Heldermann, K. Burch*

Maximizing the Performance of Color Cosmetics

by Multifunctional Ingredients

Introduction
Consumers have many demands concerning color cosmetic products that
they wish to see fulfilled.
When picking a mascara factors like
thickening, lengthening, smudge- proof,
long-lasting, maybe waterproof, graceful

curl effect, color intensity, volumizing or

non-clumping are considered. Additionally it should be easy to remove and an
important feature is also the price.
Developing a perfect foundation / cover
stick / concealer can be tricky too, as there
are even more parameters that play a
major role. Besides activity like anti-ag-

ing, moisturization or anti-acne there are

lots of expectations concerning long lasting effect, smudge-proof, and no masklike effect. Additionally consumers have
different requirements for coverage.
Lipsticks and lip glosses are a big part of
the color cosmetic market and also for
these products consumers would like to

Abstract
his article introduces several
approaches to solve performance issues of color cosmet-

ics:
Castor Oil was for many years the
main oil used in lipsticks. The
main disadvantage when using
Castor Oil is its inherent oxidative
instability. Without combining it
with high amounts of antioxidants
the odor and taste becomes offensive as the material oxidizes and
finally becomes rancid. Innovative
and modern lipstick formulations
require an oxidative stable replacement. Tests were performed
to show that Polyester-4 is more
resistant against oxidative degradation and is efficient as Castor Oil

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in dispersing pigments. Therefore

the oil stability index of several
raw materials was measured by
an Omnion OSI (oxidative stability
instrument) and the results were
compared. Additionally the wetting efficiency was checked. The
lower the viscosity of a pigment
slurry in similar viscosity oils, the
better the wetting.
Another important topic is transfer
resistance, which is a desired attribute in color cosmetics as it improves long wear and helps reducing rub-off. Studies were conducted in order to evaluate if it is possible to extend wear resistance by
film formers. Amongst other tests
like water resistance a chromame-

ter was used to measure the lightness of transferred color cosmetics.

The results indicate that Polyester-4
is an oxidatively stable alternative
to Castor Oil for color cosmetics. In
addition it is as efficient as Castor
Oil in dispersing pigment. Its performance and ease of use make
Polyester-4 the logical choice for
formulating innovative and luxurious color cosmetics.
Furthermore it could be proven
that Inolexs patented polyester
polymer technology have a big
impact in improving color cosmetic formulations for transfer resistance, water-proofing, and pleasant film forming.

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experience many different benefits. During application the product must be

smooth, but not greasy; it should adhere
well to the skin of the lips and, during
wear, the color should remain the same
and not smear or run. It should remain
on the lips as long as possible and not
transfer from the lips to other surfaces.
Lipsticks should not break when force is
applied like during application. However, a too hard texture would be difficult
to apply. The stick should be free of
blemishes and pinholes, which can be
caused by too much air in molten mass
when sticks are poured. This phenomenon is most commonly found in sticks
with pearlescent pigments. The properties of the stick should remain consistent
and it is important that particles of wax
or oil should not form on the surface, a
phenomenon called 'sweating'. This can
occur due to ingredient incompatibility
and insufficient solubilization or can be

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caused by not having enough powder

fill the powder fill sits between wax matrix keeping liquids bound.
Lip products have been used since ancient times to enhance the appearance
of the lips by imparting color and gloss,
and by re-defining the outline of the lips.
The three most common products used
to achieve this are lipsticks, lip glosses
and lip liners, of which lipsticks are the
most common. Many women wear lipstick even when they use no other makeup.
The biggest market share for color cosmetics formulations are mass market
products. Developers have to find reasonably priced and multi-functional ingredients to cover most of the listed aspects.
So, how to maximize performance for
color cosmetics aesthetics? The most effective way is to take care of a light skin
feel with a good spreadability. Additionally the transfer resistance should be im-

proved and if desired shine / gloss can be

enhanced. For lipstick formulations it is
crucial to use raw materials with no taste
and to avoid oxidation that could lead to
odor / taste problems.
Polyester-4 An Oxidatively

Stable Alternative to Castor Oil

Castor Oil has been the preferred base oil
in lipsticks for decades. Castor Oil has
some unique properties among natural
oils that make it a favorable choice for
lipstick manufacture. Its hydroxyl functionality makes it polar in nature, which
allows for the dissolving of organic dyes
and easy dispersion of pigments. Castor
Oil is also relatively viscous, which helps
to keep pigments suspended during
manufacture at elevated temperature.
Modern manufacturing techniques such
as using monochromatic bases and pro-

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longed storage of pigment dispersions

have created a need for more oxidatively stable base oils. While Castor Oil is one
of the more oxidatively stable natural
oils, it still has significant potential to
become rancid and develop off tastes
and odors. In addition, there have been
reports of dermatitis associated with
some compound found in Castor Oil and
its derivatives.
A logical solution to these issues is to use
more stable, synthetic ester oils in place
of Castor Oil. Higher viscosity synthetic
esters were developed, such as Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, which provide
the viscosity needed for effective pigment suspension. However, they are too
low in polarity and they do not contain
the hydroxyl functionality required to be
a suitable replacement for Castor Oil. Due
to this deficiency, two other approaches
have been investigated. The first concept
is an ester based on polyglycerol, such as
Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate. The second
concept is an ester based on hydroxy
acids, such as Diisostearyl Malate. Although both approaches demonstrate
improved pigment wetting, they do not
provide a significant improvement in oxidative stability compared to Castor Oil.
Inolex Chemical Company has researched
available materials on the market and
compared them to new patent pending
complex polyester (Polyester-4). Inolex
employed two approaches to determine
whether Polyester-4 is an effective alternative to Castor Oil:

Oil Stability Index

All oils and fats have a resistance to oxidation. Oxidation is slow until this resistance is overcome, at which point oxidation accelerates and becomes very rapid.
The length of time before this rapid acceleration of oxidation occurs is the measure of the resistance to oxidation and is
commonly referred to as the induction
period, or Oxidative Stability Index.
Dispersion Viscosity Comparison
The viscosity of pigment dispersions is
related to the ability of the base material to wet out pigment. Dispersions of
Red No. 7 Calcium Lake were compared
at various pigment loadings to evaluate
the relative pigment wetting ability of
several base materials.

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The Oil Stability Index

The Oil Stability Index (OSI) is an evaluation of the oxidative stability of fats,
oils and esters. The OSI instrument accelerates the development of oxidative
rancidity so that the useful life of an oil
containing material may be determined.
The test material is heated to 110 C. Air
is then bubbled through the sample and
into a sample of water. The water sam-

ple is monitored with a conductivity probe

to detect the generation of volatile oxidation by-products (rancidity). The longer
the period of time to generate oxidation
by-products, the more resistant is the
material to rancidity.
Standard lipstick formulations were prepared utilizing the four base oils being
tested. The formulas were then analyzed
for oxidative stability using the OSI instrument (Table 1 and Fig. 1) .

Ingredients

% w/w

Base Oil
Red No. 7 Calcium Lake
Dipentaerythrityl Hexa C5-9 Acid Esters1
Propylene Glycol Dibenzoate1
Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate1
Candelilla Wax2
Ozokerite Wax2
Microcrystalline Wax2
Colorona Bordeaux3
Colorona Glitter Bordeaux3
Colorona Aborigine Amber3
Tocopheryl Acetate4
Caprylyl Glycol1
1

Inolex Chemical Company

Strahl and Pitsch

40.00
5.60
8.40
11.00
15.00
9.00
3.00
3.00
1.50
1.50
1.00
0.50
0.50
3

EMD Chemicals Rona

BASF

Table 1 Lipstick formulas

Fig. 1 Oxidative stability comparison of lipsticks formulated with various base oils.
Induction time measured in hours at 110C.
Lipstick A (40.0% Polyester-4 (LexFeel7001)
Lipstick B (40.0% Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate)
Lipstick C (40.0% Diisostearyl Malate)
Lipstick D (40.0% Ricinus (Castor Oil) Communis)

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Viscosity Dispersion Comparison

In color cosmetics, pigments and fillers
represent an additional phase that influences the integrity and performance of
the final formulation. Wetting and dispersion are necessary steps in the manufacture of all pigmented products. Wetting is the spreading of a liquid over the
surface of a solid, displacing air, and is
influenced by the physical properties of
both solid and liquid. As supplied, most
pigments are highly agglomerated, requiring high shear agitation to become
adequately dispersed.
A simple method to compare wetting efficiency of liquids of similar viscosity is
to measure viscosity of slurries made from
the liquids of interest. The lower the viscosity of a pigment slurry in similar viscosity oils, the better the wetting.
Various loadings of Red No. 7 Calcium
Lake were dispersed into samples of each
base oil. The pigment was gently mixed
into each base oil with a glass stir rod.
Once dispersed, the mixture was homogenized for 10 minutes at 5000 rpm using
a Ross HSM-100LC Homogenizer. The dispersions were then allowed to cool to
ambient temperature (20 C). A viscosity
measurement was then taken using a
Brookfield RVT viscometer with helipath
spindles.
The results of these studies (Fig. 2) indicate that Polyester-4 is very resistant
against oxidative degradation and additionally is efficient as Castor Oil in dis-

persing pigments. The new patent pending chemistry of Polyester-4 outperforms any current Castor Oil replacement chemistry on the market today. It
is now possible to create oil-free, fragrance-free, and antioxidant-free formulas without compromising product
performance. Odorless, colorless, and
tasteless, Polyester-4 allows formulators
limitless flexibility in shade and flavor/
fragrance development. Based on this,
Polyester-4 allows formulating the richest, creamiest, smoothest lip products. It
creates a revolutionary thixotropic formula that delivers the shine of a gloss
and the comfort of a lipstick with a buttery-soft, luxuriously smooth feel.
Extending Wear Resistance of

Color Cosmetic Formulations

with Film Formers
Film formers are used in color cosmetics
to perform a wide range of functions, including transfer resistance, improved
gloss, water-proofing and moisturization through occlusivity.
Transfer resistance is a desired attribute
in color cosmetics as it improves long
wear and helps to reduce rub-off.
Lexorez 100, INCI: Adipic Acid/Diglycol
Crosspolymer (ADC) and Lexorez 200,
INCI: Trimethylpentanediol/Adipic Acid/
Glycerin Crosspolymer (TAGC) are polyester polymers and 100% active, polar,
and viscous liquids. They are dispersible

Fig. 2 Viscosity comparison of Red No. 7 Calcium Lake at 50% loading

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in oils and esters and are used in sun care

and color cosmetics for to provide water
proofing and water/ transfer resistance.
Besides wetting activity for effect pigments and UV-filters they also show low
odor, minor taste, and little color.
The best way to make something waterproof is to exclude water from it totally
and use ingredients that are insoluble in
water. Waterproof mascaras are therefore usually solvent-based systems. The
basic solvent has to be volatile to give a
quick-drying formulation.
Using high-melting-point waxes can result in a stiff and sometimes brittle film,
incorporating low-melting-point waxes
such as beeswax can lead to smudging as
the resultant film can become soft and
therefore is easily disturbed. Therefore it
is much better to use film formers that
are compatible with the solvent system,
do not lead to a sticky skin feel and form
a breathable, flexible but complete film.
First a water resistance study was performed with 5 people according to the
FDA methodology (whirl pool study).
ADC demonstrated to be very water resistant at a use level of 3%.
Mascaras perfomance is usually judged
by application, appearance, wear, and
ease of removal. It is also critical to use
a proper brush. Generally, mascaras and
eyeliners consist of high amount of film
formers to feature resistance against
various stress factors. Therefore a second
test was conducted with following procedure: Three mascara formulations were
applied with a light even coverage to a
blank plate that was weighted five times
before and after application. Then the
treated plated were placed in a shallow
dish of water and agitated for three minutes. Afterwards the plates were removed
carefully and patted dry with paper towel without rubbing the surface. Each plate
was weighted and product loss was calculated (Fig. 3).
Traditionally there are different film forming technologies that are known to offer
some of the desired properties which are
Polyisobutene and products based on
Polyvinylpyrrolidone (VP/Eicosene Copolymer, VP/Hexadecane Copolymer) or carboxylated resins (Acrylate Copolymer, Acrylate/ Acrylamide Copolymer). Therefore
a comparative evaluation was conducted. Lip gloss formulations utilized in evalu-

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ating ADC as substantivity, application,

and shine aid. The test protocol was
based on a survey of 10 participants who
where given each of the formulas and
directed to answer the questions immediately after application as directed by
the study leader. One sample was tested
each day, so as not to influence the final
results (Table 1).
The volunteers clearly judged that ADC
features superior results compared to
Polyisobutene and PVP Hexadecane copolymer in relation to drag on application, adherence, film forming, lip feel,
shine on lips, and water resistance.

Castor Oil
Candelilla Wax
Carnauba Wax
Microcrystalline Wax
Beeswax
Glyceryl stearate (and) PEG-100 Stearate
Lanolin Alcohol (and) Petrolatum
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Propylene Glycol Diethylhexanoate
Silica
Lexorez 100
Polyisobutene
PVP/Hexadecene Copolymer

Fig. 3 Evaluation of water resistance of mascaras with and without film former

Control

Lexorez 100

Polyisobutene

%w/w

% w/w

% w/w

PVP Hexadecane
Copolymer
% w/w

76.75
8.23
2.07
4.19
1.08
1.09
2.01
1.08
2.06
1.06
0.13

71.98
8.23
2.07
4.19
1.08
1.09
2.01
1.08
2.06
1.06
0.13
4.77

71.98
8.23
2.07
4.19
1.08
1.09
2.01
1.08
2.06
1.06
0.13

4.77

71.98
8.23
2.07
4.19
1.08
1.09
2.01
1.08
2.06
1.06
0.13

4.77

Table 1 Lipstick formulas

It is very important for many decorative
cosmetic products that a long wear is
guaranteed and the foundation, the eye
shadow, the cream blush or the mascara
stays in place. A waterproof formulation
helps against sweating, humidity or is
perfect for the use during sport, tanning
or at the beach. But for the normal user
it is sufficient when the product shows
after hours still excellent performance at
the spot where it is supposed to be.
Therefore several formulations for transfer resistance were tested. The results for
lip gloss and lipstick formulations are
shown in Fig. 4. The study was conducted with following procedure: 0.035
0.050 g of lip gloss was applied to inner
arm and spread over 1 inch diameter cir-

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Fig. 4 Transfer resistance of lip gloss formulations

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cle. This was repeated three times per formula. The lip gloss was allowed to dry for
5 minutes. Blotting paper was weighted.
The lip gloss on the arm was blotted, and
then the paper was weighted again to
determine quantity transferred. It was
repeated for each test site.
The results of the study of Lightness indicate that Lexorez 100 provides the
most transfer resistance properties to a
standard lip gloss formula. A quantitative comparison of color transfer was
evaluated using a chromameter. Lightness indicates a lack of color on the white
blotting paper. A greater L value corresponds to less lip gloss transferred which
can be interpreted as less lost color intensity (Fig. 5).
Moreover the transfer resistance of two
lipsticks was evaluated. The formulations
were designed with different concepts,
one was Castor Oil based, and the other
one was based on polyester technology
(Polyester-4). In both formulations ADC
and TAGC reduced in both scenarios the
transfer of the lipstick (Fig. 6).

Fig. 5 Lightness of transferred lip gloss

Conclusion
Polymers are often used as texture enhancers, but Adipic Acid/Diglycol Crosspolymer and Trimethylpentanediol/Adipic Acid/Glycerin Crosspolymer offer much
more benefits for decorative cosmetic
formulations. They are are so-called oilfree polyester polymers that are able to
extend wear resistance and lead to long
lasting color cosmetic formulations. Due
to their ability to improve film continuity and adhesion, an outstanding performance together with a comfortable wear
comfort is guaranteed. They are both not
mattifying but do not add to much additional shine so they are also suitable
for foundations and compact make-ups.
They also impart uniformity of color coverage and a powdery velvety finish. Thanks
to its chemical structure TAGC additionally allows clear oil-based (water-free)
formulations so even transparent lip gloss
products are possible. ADC and TAGC have
an excellent toxicological profile which
permits problem-free the use in products
for sensitive or mixed skin types.

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Fig. 6 Transfer resistance of two different lipsticks

Literature
(1) H. Butler (editor), P. Riley: Decorative Cosmetics. Pouchers Perfumes; Cosmetics and Soaps,
10th Edition, 2000; Kluwer Academic Publishers,
Pages 167-216

(6) A. O. Barel, M. Paye, H. I. Maibach (editors), M.

L. Schlossman: Decorative Products. Handbook
of Cosmetic Science and Technology; 2001;
Marcel Dekker, Inc., Pages 645-683

(2) N. Morante, Sweating in Lipsticks, June 2007;

www.specialchem4cosmetics.com

(7) K. Burch: Transfer Resistance of Film Formers;

Technical Report, Inolex Chemical Company,
August 2011

(3) J. Parker, A. Caragiulo, Complex Polyesters, the

Castor Oil Alternative; Technical Report, Inolex
Chemical Company, May 2005
(4) Z. D. Draelos, L. A. Thaman (editors), Cutaneous
Formulation Issues - Lips. Formulation of Skin
Care Products; Cosmetic, Science and Technologies Series; Vol. 30, 2006; Taylor & Francis
Group, Pages 10-13
(5) M. R. Rosen (editor): Delivery System Handbook
for Personal Care and Cosmetic Products. 2005;
William Andrew Publishing

* Authors address:
Martina Heldermann
Kimberly Burch
Inolex GmbH
Unter den Linden 21
10117 Berlin
Germany
Email: k.burch@inolex.com

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