The materials used in mineral formulations have really been around for quite some time... we just needed to know how to use them, says Claire Dean
Mineral-based cosmetics emerged several years ago and this trend has expanded rapidly, reflected by an increased number of new products and the release of ranges by mainstream cosmetic companies. Is this a growing trend borne out of the need to gain market share, the requirement of a more educated and perceptive consumer or simply to help marketers with company advertising? What began as a niche concept is now widely accepted in the marketplace and shows no sign of slowing in the foreseeable future; Mintel reported an increase of 14% for new product launches claiming vitamin and mineral fortification in the first six months of 2008.
Minerals are characterised as naturally occurring solids, formed via a geological process. The word minerals can be used to describe simple chemical salts such as gluconates, now widely used in skin care products for men and women, through to materials with very complex chemical structures.
When looking at mineral make-up the simplicity of the formulations is hard to ignore – back to basics formulating is reborn and the need for complex, almost baffling ingredient listings is reduced or removed. This allows the formulators to use almost forgotten, traditional ingredients, which fit well into this sector and are easily adapted to this simplistic formulating approach.
The question therefore should be: do we as formulators use all the tools in our raw material palette to achieve such claims and do these mineral-based raw materials affect our final formulations in a positive or negative way?
Mineral fortification is widely publicised but when breaking down the claims to enable us to formulate, certain keywords appear repeatedly. Claims such as pore refining, radiance, even skin tone, suitable for sensitive skin, mild enough to sleep in, are common and there are many others.
Looking at these products it is easy to understand how the formulations created are able to become pore minimising. They rely primarily on powders to create texture and feel, allowing the reduction or total removal of traditional oils. Subsequently, the finished product is much less likely to contribute oils to the skin, reducing the potential for disruption of the natural skin oil balance and pore blockage. Powders such as silk mica from Merck, although available for many years, give an almost cream-like feel to the finished product. silk mica contributes improved pay-off, anti-caking, slight sheen and softness to powder products such as eye shadows or face powders, loose or pressed.
MATERIAL TRANSFORMATION
Formulators are constantly bombarded with the demand to achieve different and unexpected textures and raw material suppliers are conscious of this need. They therefore innovate to transform seemingly ordinary and traditional powders to have many different and novel textures. The perception of these new powders is often liberating for the formulator as they discover powders that feel oily, creamy or even water-like.
Particle shape and size has a profound effect on skin feel. For example, smaller particles have the potential to feel gritty. Spherical particles can allow a ball-bearing effect to be used in formulations, but when used in combination with platelet powders, they allow the latter to glide onto the skin without drag. Many controlled particle shape powders sit happily within the mineral concept.
Mica forms the basis of many cosmetic raw materials. In its raw state it is a hard mineral found in rocks. It has huge potential as the foundation for many mineral cosmetic products and has a natural sheen that can be utilised to achieve many of the claims required for mineral make-up. Light is diffused, softening the undesirable lines associated with ageing. These beneficial properties can be achieved without the need for the layered effect associated with more traditional and heavier formulations. Additionally, this light diffusing effect can be used to even out skin tone, another ageing indicator, without the need for heavily pigmented foundations. In the 1960s new technology allowed titanium dioxide to be attached onto the surface of mica and the creation of modern day pearls began.
Radiance can be interpreted in a variety of ways, from a brightening of the complexion, easily achieved by the use of an interference pearlescent pigment such as Timiron Splendid Copper, to a subtle glow, achieved by using Timiron Splendid Red. The light diffusing pigment Ronasphere LDP can be used to even out skin tone, due to a soft opaque quality combined with a subtle amount of skin tone colouration.
Many raw materials used have multiple functions, making formulating in accordance with the mineral concept easily achievable. Zinc or magnesium stearate reduce the fluffiness of a loose powder but also help the product adhere to the skin. Microfine titanium dioxide, such as Eusolex TS, is a physical UV filter, allowing an SPF claim to be achieved from a powder product. Pigmentary titanium dioxide or zinc oxide improve coverage and skin colour. They demonstrate that the inclusion of workhorse colour cosmetic ingredients can form the basis of a successful mineral range.
Colour is the main reason for the initial purchase of any foundation, lipstick or eye shadow and the purity of the organic and inorganic pigments used to achieve the desired shade is legislated worldwide to protect the consumer. The use of nature-identical titanium dioxide and iron oxides, synthetically produced, addresses the purity and safety concerns that formulators have for both their customers and finished products. Synthetic pigments allow consistency of quality, colour and safety, a must for a modern day cosmetic range. The SunPURO range from Sun Chemical surpasses global regulations for purity and the materials are manufactured using a state-of-the-art process that purges impurities from the pigments.
A number of raw materials currently used by formulators would address the required claims for mineral make-up but they are presently undervalued and perhaps perceived not to have the correct requirements to be classed as minerals. So there are many materials that can be used to make the claims associated with the use of minerals a reality.
Surely then the answer to the mineral trend has been available to us the whole time... we just needed to know the question. Formulating is a compromise art to which the answers are endless and formulators are just waiting for the right questions to be asked.