Why Silicones are Still the High-Performing Choice for Color Cosmetics

Using colored materials to enhance our appearance has a history spanning thousands of years. Today, color cosmetics are especially popular among the younger generation. The widespread use of social media for marketing, and endorsements by beauty influencers, contribute to accelerate the market growth, with over 7% annual growth expected in the US as we approach 2030.

The Role of Silicones in Color Cosmetics

Color cosmetics include a wide range of products for face (foundation, concealer, face powder, blusher, highlighter), eyes (mascara, eyeliner, eyeshadow, eyebrow products), and lips (lipstick, lip liner, lip gloss). While their primary role is to provide pigmentation, their sensory characteristics also contribute significantly to their appeal.

Silicones are widely used in cosmetics due to their hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic properties and have a long history of safe use in the beauty industry. The versatility of silicone chemistry allows for diverse structures that offer various forms and functions, such as volatile and non-volatile liquids, low and high viscosity fluids, elastomer gels, resins, and film formers. You can choose the right silicones based on the desired performance: 

•      Easy spreading: smooth, effortless, and precise application.

•      Pigment dispersing: for even coverage.

•      Silky, soft texture: for a smooth, flawless look and comfortable feel.

•      Silicone film formers: essential for long-wear makeup products due to their adherence to skin and resistance to water, sebum, and transfer.

Making Color Cosmetics Easy to Apply 

An essential factor in consumer acceptance of makeup products is ease of application, which largely depends on the spreadability and glide of the formulation. Silicones, with their very low surface tension, enable products to spread easily across the skin, ensuring even and vibrant color intensity. This is crucial for eyeliners and lip products where precision and consistent payout are critical.

Using silicones in combination with organic ingredients and pigments significantly improves payout, even application, and a non-tacky final finish.

Achieving Even Coverage and Natural Finish

Silicones play a crucial role in dispersing and spreading pigments, which helps to avoid a heavy or cakey appearance and ensures even coverage. Volatile silicones are important as they lower the foundation's viscosity, allowing for fast spreading, quick drying, and sufficient playtime, resulting in perfect coverage.

Silicone elastomer gels, known for their soft, velvety, and luxurious feel, play a pivotal role in achieving a refined texture and natural finish. They impart a healthy skin sensation, smooth out natural unevenness, and soft focus through light scattering, offering an immediate enhancement in appearance and feel.

Improving the Durability of Color Cosmetics

Silicone film formers contribute to the durability of makeup by resisting the degrading effects of water, sebum, and transfer. They improve skin adhesion, ensuring a long-lasting, flawless look. Silicone film formers are essential for creating high-quality, long-lasting, and visually appealing color cosmetics.

Silicones are a fantastic choice for color cosmetics, offering a unique combination of properties that are hard to beat. While silicone-free products have their own appeal, silicones excel in optimizing ease of application, coverage, appearance, and wear time. They are accessible, affordable, and their performance is tough to match. If you are looking for top-notch results, silicones are worth considering!