Fixing Thick and Sticky Matte Liquid Lipstick

How to Fix Overly Thick and Sticky Matte Liquid Lipstick

It's understandable to encounter issues like overly thick texture that's hard to fill and a sticky feeling on the lips when making matte liquid lipstick. This problem usually stems from the ingredient proportions, especially the thickeners and film formers used to create the matte finish and long wear. Using them in inappropriate amounts or selecting incompatible types can lead to excessive thickness and stickiness.

How to Fill Thick Liquid Lipstick into Tubes

For matte lipsticks with high viscosity, pouring directly into tubes can be challenging. Try these methods:

• Use a Syringe or Pipette: The most common method is to use a large syringe (without a needle) or a pipette with a sufficiently wide tip to draw up the product and dispense it into the lipstick tubes. This provides better control and is suitable for viscous materials.
• Gentle Warming: Sometimes, gently warming the lipstick mixture slightly in a water bath (ensure the container is sealed to prevent water contamination) can temporarily reduce its viscosity, making it easier to fill. Caution: Be very careful not to overheat, as this can degrade some ingredients or affect the final product's stability and texture. Always test with a small amount first.

How to Fix Sticky Feeling on the Lips

The sticky feeling on the lips after applying matte liquid lipstick is common and is usually related to the formula itself. It could be due to:

• Too much Thickener or Film Former: These ingredients are essential for the matte finish and long wear, but using too much can result in a heavy, sticky feel.
• Type of Thickener or Film Former: Some ingredients inherently feel stickier than others.
• Lack of Emollients or Slip Agents: Ingredients like certain silicone oils or esters are added to improve the feel, make the product glide smoothly, and reduce stickiness.

To fix the sticky feeling, you may need to adjust the formula. Since you are working with an existing formula, any adjustments should be made carefully and tested in small batches. Potential modifications include:

• Slightly reducing the amount of the thickener or film former: If you know which ingredients are serving this purpose in your formula, try reducing their percentage slightly.
• Adding ingredients that improve slip and feel: Incorporating ingredients that help the lipstick glide smoothly and reduce stickiness can help. Examples of ingredients commonly used to improve texture for a smoother, lighter feel include:
  • Silicone Gels: Some types provide a soft, smooth, easy-to-spread texture without stickiness, such as Silicone Gel (Ultra Clear, Super Silky) or Silicone Gel Ultra Low Viscosity (Super Powderly) which gives a dry, powdery yet silky feel.
  • Esters: Certain esters can improve the texture and feel, like LipidSoft™ Lux, which provides a good feel and helps with spreadability.

Important Note: Any formula modification requires careful experimentation, starting with small adjustments and testing the results. Changing ingredient percentages can affect the stability, texture, and overall performance of the product.

Hopefully, this advice helps you troubleshoot your matte liquid lipstick!