Powder Highlighter Formulation Guide

Creating your own powder highlighter involves mixing various cosmetic-grade powders to achieve the desired shimmer, texture, and adherence. Here’s a breakdown of the key components and a basic method:

Essential Components:

1. Pearlescent Pigments (Shimmer): These are the core ingredients that provide the reflective, glowing effect. They come in various particle sizes, which affect the intensity of the shimmer (larger particles give more sparkle, smaller particles give a smoother sheen). Examples include different grades of Mica powder.

   • Examples: Silver Super Sparkle Mica (Size D, 300 Micron), Gold Glitter Mica (Size B, 60 Micron), Mica Powder (9 Micron, Silane Coated).

2. Base/Filler Powders: These powders provide bulk, improve texture, and help with blendability. They can also influence the finish (matte or slightly luminous). Examples include Sericite, Talc, Silica, or Kaolin.

   • Examples: Sericite Powder (CompactPro™, Matte, Dimethicone Coated), Kaolin (400nm High Whiteness), UltraBlur™ (Skin Blurring Silica), Titanium Dioxide Nanosil.

3. Binders: These ingredients help the powder particles adhere to each other, making it possible to press the powder into a pan and helping it adhere to the skin. They can be dry powders or liquid additives.

   • Examples (Dry Binders): Magnesium Stearate, Magnesium Myristate (For Make-up).

4. Color Pigments (Optional): Small amounts of cosmetic-grade color pigments (like Iron Oxides) can be added to adjust the base tone of the highlighter to complement different skin tones (e.g., adding a touch of warmth or coolness).

Basic Method:

1. Weighing: Accurately weigh all your chosen powder ingredients according to your desired formula ratio. The ratio of shimmer to base powder will determine the intensity of the highlight.
2. Mixing: Combine all the dry powders in a mortar and pestle or a cosmetic grinder. Grind and mix thoroughly until all powders are evenly dispersed and there are no streaks or clumps of color/shimmer. The finer you grind, the smoother the texture will be.
3. Adding Binder (if liquid): If using a liquid binder, add it drop by drop to the powder mixture while continuously mixing. You want the mixture to resemble damp sand – just enough moisture for the powder to cling together when pressed, but not wet.
4. Pressing: Transfer the mixture into a clean pan or container. Place a piece of tissue or pressing screen over the powder and press down firmly and evenly using a pressing tool or a flat, hard object. Apply consistent pressure to compact the powder.
5. Drying (if liquid binder used): If you used a liquid binder, leave the pressed powder open to air dry completely for 12-24 hours before closing the container.

Tips:

• Always use cosmetic-grade ingredients.
• Experiment with different ratios of shimmer and base powders to achieve varying levels of intensity.
• Particle size of Mica affects the final look – larger particles give a more glittery effect, while smaller particles give a softer glow.
• Ensure all equipment is clean to prevent contamination.

By following these steps and experimenting with different ingredient combinations, you can create a custom powder highlighter!