Makeup Formulation: A Beginners’ Guide

Hello, I’m สโนวี่ from Xiran Cosmetics Factory. We have more than 10 years of foreign trade experience, focusing on producing cosmetics and skin care products.

Today, I am very happy to introduce you to a revolutionary seven-step program to help you easily create cosmetics and makeup formulas without any formulation experience. Whether you are a novice in the industry or an experienced professional, this program can provide you with a convenient solution.

What This Beginners’ Guide Covers

With this seven-step program, you can create various products, including loose powder, cream blush, powder oil, water-based blush, and waterproof and long-wearing mascaras and eyeliners. In addition, you can customize highlighters, contour sticks, powders, concealer sticks, lip glosses, and lipsticks.

In these seven steps, you will have various options, and you don’t need to master complex color matching or blending skills to use the program effectively. Whether making up for yourself or creating your cosmetics line, you can easily match colors. According to these seven steps I designed, you can also create a vegan makeup and cosmetics line.

To ensure the longevity of your products, we provide guidance on selecting appropriate preservatives that will enhance shelf life. At the same time, it will ensure product stability and application, allowing for good coverage and color adhesion with every application.

Ingredients: What goes into Makeup Products?

Each ingredient plays a crucial role in delivering the desired results, from hydrating agents and colorants to preservatives and specialty actives. In this guide, we will explore the most common ingredients found in makeup products, their functions, and how they contribute to the overall user experience, ensuring that you make informed choices for your beauty routine or product formulation.

Based on the common ingredients in makeup formulas on the market, the following are the ten most common ingredients and their functions:

Top 10 Common Makeup Ingredients and Effects

1. Water

Function: As a solvent, water is the basis of many cosmetic formulas, helping to dissolve other ingredients and provide the desired product texture.

2. Glycerin

Function: An effective humectant that attracts water and retains moisture in the skin, helping to improve the lubricity and comfort of the product.

3. Titanium Dioxide

Function: Commonly used as a sunscreen ingredient and concealing agent, providing physical sun protection while increasing the coverage of the product

4. Zinc Oxide

Function: Another widely used sunscreen ingredient with anti-inflammatory properties, suitable for sensitive skin, and provides broad-spectrum sun protection.

5. Polymers

Function: Used to improve the texture and durability of the product, commonly found in mascara and setting spray, helping to form a long-lasting film.

6. Mineral Oil

Function: As a lubricant and moisturizer, it can form a protective layer on the skin surface to prevent moisture loss.

7. Colorants

Function: Used to provide the product’s color, divided into natural and synthetic pigments, widely used in cosmetics such as lipstick and eye shadow.

8. Polyethylene

Function: Commonly used as a thickener and filler to help improve the texture and application effect of the product, commonly found in lipstick and foundation.

9. Preservatives

Function: Used to extend the product’s shelf life, prevent the growth of bacteria and mold, and ensure the safety and stability of the product.

10. Botanical Extracts

Function: Provide additional skincare benefits, such as antioxidants, soothing, and anti-inflammatory effects, commonly found in skin care cosmetics.

Using these ingredients in makeup formulas improves the product’s performance. It meets consumers’ needs for effectiveness and safety. Choosing the right ingredients can help brands stand out in a highly competitive market.

Top 10 Common Ingredients and Effects Of Makeup Products

Common ingredients are used in different types of makeup. Here are some of the main ingredients and their specific applications in different cosmetics:

Case Studies: Analyzing Popular Makeup

Analyzing popular cosmetics in the market can uncover the key factors behind successful formulations. Understanding these elements can help brands refine their offerings and enhance their market presence.

Case Study 1: Makeup By Mario SurrealSkin Foundation

Overview

Makeup By Mario is a luxury cosmetics brand founded by renowned makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic in 2020. The SurrealSkin Foundation is one of the flagship products, designed to provide natural luminosity and hydration for up to 12 hours. It is available in 30 shades, catering to a diverse range of skin tones.

Key Ingredients and Their Functions

The formulation of the SurrealSkin Foundation includes several key ingredients, each contributing to its overall performance:

Solvents:

Water / Aqua: Acts as a solvent to help other ingredients mix and keep the product flowing.

Emollients:

• Coconut Alkanes: Provides lubricity and softness.
• Dimethicone: A silicone-based ingredient that forms a protective film and provides a smooth feel.
• Cetearyl Isononanoate: Increases skin softness and smoothness.
• Squalane: A moisturizing ingredient that mimics the skin’s natural oils.
• Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil: Rich in vitamin E, it helps moisturize and protect the skin.
• Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil: An antioxidant ingredient that helps nourish the skin.

Humectants:

Glycerin: A powerful humectant that attracts moisture to the skin’s surface.

Thickeners:

• Disteardimonium Hectorite: Thickens and stabilizes the formula.
• Boron Nitride: Provides slip and increases viscosity.
• Silica absorbs excess oil and adds texture to the product.

Emulsifiers:

• Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate and Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate help the oil and water phases mix.
• Coco-Caprylate/Caprate: provides emulsification, making the product easier to apply.

Preservatives:

Sodium Dehydroacetate: prevents microbial growth and extends the shelf life of the product.

pH Adjusters:

Levulinic Acid and Sodium Levulinate: adjust the pH of the product to ensure skin-friendliness.

Film Formers:

Caprylyl Methicone: provides lightweight coverage and enhances the lasting effect of makeup.

Colorants include titanium dioxide, mica, and iron oxides, which provide color and coverage.

This ingredient analysis can help you understand the function of each ingredient in the foundation and its impact on the skin.

Case Study 2: Fenty Beauty by Rihanna High-Shine Gloss Stick

Overview

Fenty Beauty, founded by global superstar Rihanna in 2017, has quickly established itself as a trailblazer in the cosmetics industry.

The High-Shine Gloss Stick is a standout product within the Fenty lineup, known for its high-shine finish and nourishing formula. Designed to deliver a burst of color while providing hydration, this gloss stick is available in various shades, appealing to a broad audience.

Key Ingredients and Their Functions

The formulation of the Fenty Beauty High-Shine Gloss Stick includes several key ingredients, each contributing to its overall performance:

Emollients:

• Squalane: A moisturizing ingredient that mimics the skin’s natural oils to provide a soft feel.
• Diisostearyl Malate: Provides a lubricating feel and adds to the smoothness of the product.
• Hydrogenated Polyisobutene: A synthetic oil that provides a lubricating feel and enhances lastingness.
• Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter: A natural humectant that helps moisturize and protect the skin.

Thickeners:

• Polyhydroxystearic Acid: Thickens and stabilizes formulas to improve texture.
• Cera Alba (Beeswax): Provides structure and viscosity while having moisturizing properties.
• Synthetic Wax: Adds thickness and application to the product.

Absorbents:

Polybutene: Adds viscosity to the product and helps lock in moisture.

Fillers:

Aluminum Hydroxide: Used to improve the texture and stability of the product.

Preservatives:

Caprylyl Glycol: Prevents microbial growth, extends the shelf life of the product, and has a moisturizing effect.

Emulsifiers:

Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate: Helps the oil and water phases mix, making the product easier to apply.

Flavors:

Aroma/Flavor and Parfum/Fragrance: Provide pleasant aromas and enhance the use experience.

Antioxidants:

Tocopherol (Vitamin E): Antioxidant ingredients that help protect the skin from free radical damage.

Colors:

Titanium dioxide, iron oxides, and various pigments (red lake pigments) provide color and coverage, making makeup evener.

These case studies will inspire your formulations and help you identify market trends and consumer preferences.

Step-by-Step Guide: Makeup Formulation Process

Step 1: Product Key Indicators

Before starting formulation development, you must know what product you want to customize—foundation/lipstick/eye shadow, etc.

Secondly, write down the texture, color, moisturizing ability, and other basic attributes you want.

Describe your expectations for this product in detail. Remember to communicate your pricing goals (target price) and market positioning for the product to the makeup manufacturer.

Step 2: Learn From Successful Products

Analyzing successful products already on the market can inspire new formulations. This can be used not only as a benchmark but also as a 1-to-1 redesign. Either way, you can make changes to suit your preferences.

Understanding the success factors of these products, such as quality and innovation, can help you achieve similar benefits in your new products.

Step 3: Formulation Conception

After the preliminary steps, and once the project brief is clear, the formulator will begin to conceptualize the specific formulation. This process involves carefully selecting and mixing ingredients such as emollients, thickeners, preservatives, fragrances, and colors.

Ensure that product regulations are met and quality and safety standards are met.

Step 4: Create Preliminary Samples

This stage is essential for transforming the concept into a real product. Cosmetics manufacturers will create samples based on the preliminary ideas.

Still, please note that these samples are usually just starting points and may require multiple adjustments to reach the final goal.

Step 5: Sample Modification and Improvement

After the sample is made, you need to conduct multiple rounds of evaluation and modification on the products provided by the cosmetics manufacturer. Some cosmetics manufacturers usually only offer a limited number of free modifications, so you must fully use these opportunities.

Use sensory feedback (such as touch, smell, etc.) to judge product performance and record the effect of each modification in detail.

As a qualified formulator, they have the responsibility to ensure that every aspect meets the needs of consumers. Once you have determined the direction that needs to be changed, clear and specific feedback will help the manufacturer to make adjustments more effectively.

Step 6: Packaging Selection

Product packaging is a critical but often overlooked aspect. Good product packaging design not only affects the product’s appearance but also dramatically affects the success of the product.

Many customers choose the manufacturer’s existing packaging options based on cost and convenience considerations, but most packaging materials are too ordinary and need to be more attractive to customers.

Therefore, choose a packaging form that suits the product characteristics and target market to ensure that it leaves an excellent first impression in the minds of consumers. At the same time, the compatibility between the packaging material and the formula must be considered.

Product packaging is your first contact point with customers. Let it leave a good impression and reflect your brand image.

Step 7: Product Compatibility and Stability Testing

The final stage is to ensure the stability and compatibility of the product under different conditions.

This includes testing the performance of ingredients under light, temperature changes, and humidity to identify potential problems, including ingredient separation, color tone changes, or unexpected changes in texture.

In addition, stability testing will ensure that the product maintains its physical, chemical, and microbiological properties throughout its service life.

By following the above seven steps, you can systematically develop cosmetic formulas that are reliable and meet market needs.

Summary

With ซิราน คอสเมติกส์, you can easily create the ideal makeup collection that suits your needs. Follow the tips of our sales staff and choose different types of ingredients, and we will provide you with professional guidance to ensure that you make the right choice.

No matter what effects and characteristics you want, we will help you realize your beauty vision and create unique products.