Understanding Your Matte Liquid Lipstick Ingredients

Hello! It's great that you're starting your journey into cosmetic formulation. Making matte liquid lipstick can be a fun and rewarding process. You've already acquired some key ingredients, which is a fantastic start.

It's important to understand that providing exact percentages for a formula is tricky, as the ideal ratio depends on the specific properties of each ingredient batch and the desired final texture and performance. Formulation usually involves testing and adjusting.

Let's look at the ingredients you have and what they do in a matte liquid lipstick:

• Isododecane: This is a very lightweight, volatile solvent. It helps to dissolve other ingredients and allows the lipstick to apply smoothly. As it evaporates after application, it contributes to the matte finish and helps the film form.
• Dimethicone: You have a low-viscosity type (like Dimethicone Light/50) and a medium-viscosity type (like Dimethicone Medium/500). Dimethicone is a silicone oil that provides a smooth, slippery feel (slip skin feel) and conditions the lips without feeling sticky. Different viscosities can impact the texture and feel.
• Silicone film long wear hard Cyclomethicone base (likely Trimethylsiloxysilicate dissolved in Cyclomethicone/Cyclopentasiloxane): This is a crucial film-forming ingredient. Trimethylsiloxysilicate creates a durable, long-lasting film on the lips that helps the lipstick stay put, resist transfer, and maintain its matte look. The Cyclomethicone/Cyclopentasiloxane acts as a volatile carrier that evaporates.
• Hectorite gel: This acts as a thickener and suspending agent. It's essential for preventing pigments and fillers from settling out in the liquid formula and helps create the gel-like texture before application. Hectorite gels come in different bases (like Isododecane Base or Cyclomethicone Base), and you'll need one compatible with your main liquid phase.

What Else Do You Need?

Based on the ingredients you have, the most critical component you are missing is Pigments (colorants) to give your lipstick its color!

Other ingredients commonly used in matte liquid lipstick formulations include:

• Fillers: Ingredients like Silica or Nylon-12 can help enhance the matte effect and improve texture.
• Emollients/Plasticizers: While aiming for a matte finish, a small amount of non-greasy emollients (like certain esters) can improve comfort and prevent the film from feeling too dry or brittle.
• Preservatives: If your formula contains any water or ingredients prone to microbial growth, a preservative system is necessary.
• Fragrance: This is optional, purely for scent.

To create a complete formula, you will need to incorporate cosmetic-grade pigments and potentially some of the other ingredients listed above, depending on the desired performance and feel. Starting with a tested base formula and making small adjustments is a good approach for beginners.

Good luck with your formulation!