Cosmetic Colours: A Detailed Understanding

From shades of lipstick, hues of bronzer, luminosity of highlighter till vibrancy of blusher or depth of mascara, the essence of every beauty product lies in its colour. Just like an artist transforms a blank canvas into a masterpiece with the perfect blend of colours, the cosmetic colorants have the ability to turn pale face to sun-kissed natural glow and that too with a single stroke of brush.But, how do these colorants amplify the quality of cosmetics and what goes into their making? Read on to find out more.

The Different Types of Cosmetic Colorants

The cosmetic colour is broadly classified into two categorizes which are:

• Organic colour and
• Inorganic colour

Organic colours are made up of certified D & C (Drug and Cosmetic) ingredients and they are commonly denoted as lakes. While inorganic colours are composed of zinc oxide, mica, carmine, ultramarine and iron oxide that offer opacity and thus are essential for cover-up makeup products such as foundation and concealer.

What is the Role of Colour Theory in Cosmetic Industry?

Colour theory is an invaluable tool of the cosmetic industry. The theory revolves around key aspects of makeup and these include pigment, dimension of colours, harmonies and reflectiveness.

Understanding the role of these elements can help you analyze makeup colour trends

• Pigment: Any form of makeup, be it oil based, water based, mineral, cake, stick or cream, comes under the first aspect of colour theory i.e. pigments – they provide colour to the cosmetic. No matter what their nature, source, mineral or chemical might be, the same theory implies for all.
• Dimensions: The dimension brings depth of the colour by enriching it with accurate intensity, right hue and value. The intensity is the brightness or the measure of strength & purity while value defines how dark or light the colour is.
• Harmonies: Harmony is an important characteristic of aesthetically pleasing pigment colours. These can be complementary colours (blushers, illuminators, bronzers), colour triads (contour palette, highlighters) and split complementary (eye shadow palette). For example, a highlighter palette can have not only one but multiple shades of colour such as rose gold, warm beige and peach honey, where a combination of three would bring out a perfect natural look.
• Reflectiveness: The wavelength of colour varies from one another. Hence, limited lake colours are often used to create wider range of shades with optimal reflectiveness and shine. The range of reflectivity is equivalent to the shine of pigments.

Things to Consider For Quality Control of Colorants

While creating colorant standards for cosmetics there are three essential factors to consider. First, evaluate at least three lots of materials from pigment manufacturers in India and notice the difference in their composition, substrate and synthesis. Next, consult with the supplier to know more about the standards and test methods implemented for the process of manufacturing.

At last, ensure that you choose the right form of colorants for cosmetic products because opting for something that does not meet the desired parameters can be problematic.

Koel is the author of this article on cosmetic dyes in india here.